Basmah Al-Mayman

Regional Director of the Middle East

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UNWTO

Basmah Abdulaziz Al-Mayman is the Regional Director for the Middle East, since 2018. With over 17 years of experience in the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), Al-Mayman was the manager of the International Organizations & Committees Department and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) focal point. As one of the founders of tourism in Saudi Arabia, Al-Mayman focused on developing and strengthening Saudi Relations with International organizations such as United Nations (UN) agencies and World Bank, UNESCO, UNDP, as well as other international organizations and stakeholders in the fields of tourism, heritage, museums, antiquities, and built heritage. In addition, Al-Mayman was a member of the Board of Directors of The UNWTO Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty Initiative (ST-EP) for the Middle East Region and a founding member of the Program and Budget Committee of the Executive Council of the same region. During the 22nd session of the UNWTO General Assembly in China )2017(, she was selected as the Vice-Chairperson of the Ad hoc Committee on the UNWTO Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics. Al-Mayman believes in the power of education, development, and capacity building to which she dedicated a significant portion of her work. Under her mandate, Saudi Arabia hit a historic record in the UNWTO Academy ´s history (previously UNWTO.Themis Foundation) in being the highest concentration of Education and Training activities carried out in a single Member State. In addition, Al-Mayman assisted in conducting Tourism-related national studies in collaboration with UNWTO. Forbes Middle East published a 2020 “power list” ranking 100 businesswomen who are at the top of their game, with Al-Mayman ranking 13th and the only woman representing tourism in the Arab world, that has garnered a position in this prestigious classification, and she is also the first GCC national to hold a leading position at the UNWTO and the first woman to lead the Middle East region in the history of this international organization. During her tenureship; UNWTO opened its first Regional Office for the Middle East (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Al-Mayman holds a Bachelor degree in English Literature and Linguistics from King Saud University, an MBA from Al Faisal University, in cooperation with the University of Oxford, where she studied Entrepreneurship and Comparative Managerial Issues. She also studied several advanced specialized courses in International Relations, International law, Economic and Diplomatic affairs at Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute of Diplomatic Studies at the Foreign Ministry in Saudi Arabia. She is fluent in both Arabic and English.

Jerry Inzerillo

Group Chief Executive Officer

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Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA)

Gerard “Jerry” Inzerillo is a globally celebrated Forbes-cover visionary in the hospitality and tourism industry, with a deep aptitude for positioning strategies and iconic developments. Over the course of his five-decade career in the industry, he has been a champion for the sector and its people, and the creative and logistical mind behind some of the world’s most innovative luxury brand activations and spectacular development launches. In recognition of his leadership and empathetic outreach to the tourism community during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was awarded the prestigious HOTELS magazine “Corporate Hotelier of the World Award” as well as the “Tourism for Peace Award” by the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO), the latter honoring Inzerillo’s unique contributions to world peace by bringing people together through travel and tourism. In June 2018, Inzerillo was appointed by HRH The Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be the founding CEO of the newly created Diriyah Gate Development Authority, (DGDA), a USD $50.6 Billion giga-project aimed at restoring and reimagining the ancestral home of the original Saudi state. In this role, Inzerillo is charged with developing and implementing a master plan to turn 67 square kilometers of development area into one of the world’s greatest gathering places, encompassing world-class cultural, entertainment, retail, hospitality, educational, religious, office and residential assets, with the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif as its center-point. At-Turaif was inaugurated by His Majesty The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in November 2019, followed by hosting the G20 in November 2020 – the first time that the G20 has had its Presidency held by a Middle Eastern country. When complete, the development will add 27 billion Saudi riyals to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's GDP, attract 27 million visitors and employ more than 55,000 people. Inzerillo also serves as Vice Chairman of the Forbes Travel Guide. The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award is universally accepted as the Olympic gold medal of Global Hospitality. As CEO of Forbes Travel Guide from 2014 to 2018, Inzerillo successfully spearheaded the globalization of the North American company’s international footprint to more than 100 countries worldwide. Inzerillo was President and CEO of IMG Artists, the global leader in artist management, performing arts and lifestyle events planning, from 2012 to 2014. At IMG Artists, he directed global strategies for music, events, festivals, government consulting and artist and facility management businesses. From 1991 to 2011, Inzerillo was president of Kerzner Entertainment Group, where he raised the profile and positioning of its properties in South Africa, the Bahamas, Dubai, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, the Maldives, as well as conceptualized and positioned the start-up of its One&Only and Atlantis brands. He oversaw the now-legendary launches of The Lost City at Sun City in South Africa, Atlantis in the Bahamas and Atlantis, Dubai, the latter considered to be the most covered hotel resort opening of all time, including achieving the front cover of Time magazine. From 1991 to 1996, Inzerillo served as COO of Sun City, the unique South African resort complex built by Sol Kerzner. While in South Africa, he enjoyed a close personal friendship with President Nelson Mandela. In 1994, Inzerillo coordinated major portions of Mr Mandela’s Presidential inauguration in South Africa. In 1987, he was the founding President and CEO of Morgans Hotel Group, later rebranded as Ian Schrager Hotels. While there, he conceptualized and opened Morgans, Royalton and Paramount in New York; the Delano in Miami Beach; and Mondrian in L.A. Throughout, Inzerillo’s leadership has led to the conceptual success of breakout brands such as Atlantis, One&Only Resorts, Ian Schrager Hotels, Four Seasons and Hilton Hotels. In his personal life, Inzerillo has long been involved with philanthropy, especially with respect to children, education and HIV/AIDS. He was honored with a Knighthood by the Knights of Malta in Rome, Italy, in 1996. Inzerillo is also a founding advisory board member of the Clinton AIDS initiative. Inzerillo is the recipient of a host of awards and distinctions, including a cameo role in the James Bond film, ‘Casino Royale’ in addition to being featured on the front cover of Forbes magazine. Jerry Inzerillo is married to former CNN anchor Prudence Solomon. Their daughter, Helena Zakade Inzerillo, was named by her Godfather, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nelson Mandela. Inzerillo resides in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and New York City.

Richard Attias

Chief Executive Officer

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FII Insitute (Future Investment Initiative Institute)

Richard Attias, Chief Executive Officer, FII Institute (Future Investment Initiative Institute) Thanks to a prodigious career of anticipating and addressing the most pressing issues of our time, activating global networks and inspiring innovation, Richard is a trusted advisor to heads of state, business leaders and civic chiefs striving to effect change. Founder of Richard Attias & Associates, a strategy consulting firm specialized in nation branding and ecosystems built for FDI, Richard has helped corporations and states expand engagement and achieve economic and societal goals. Over the span of 30-plus years, he has brought people together in new and exciting ways, creating and curating over 1,000 high-level events. Having begun his career at IBM, a passion for innovation led Richard to establish several companies in the IT and global communication fields. This was followed by a decade-long tenure at the media conglomerate Publicis Groupe, where Richard served as Executive Chairman of Publicis Events Worldwide. He also served as the CEO of the UAE government entity Dubai Event Management Company.

Sherif Beshara

Group Chief Executive Officer

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Mohamed & Obaid Almulla Group of Companies

Beshara is a leader backed by vast experience in the legal industry. With a master’s degree in International Law, Beshara’s career spans over a decade with tenures as a legal counsel, chairman, and most recently, Group CEO of Mohammad & Obaid AlMulla Group of Companies. His experience covers a spectrum of fields, comprising finance, aviation, and corporate, with responsibilities that include advising CEOs and counseling on airline matters, major JV projects, and uninsured litigations. Ranked among Forbes’ Top CEOs of the Middle East 2021, included among the top CEOs of the region by the UK-based CEO Today magazine, Beshara is a member of Legal 500 the Middle East 2016-2017. Beshara is leading the change across the group’s diverse functions, guiding its vision, developing and spearheading internal audit and corporate compliance programs, and participating in the formulation of general management policy as a member of the executive management team. As Group CEO, he now oversees the full portfolio of Mohammad & Obaid Al Mulla Group.

Rola Abu Manneh

Chief Executive Officer

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Standard Charted Bank, UAE

Rola Abu Manneh is the Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank UAE, a role she has held since August 2018. She is the first Emirati woman to head a bank in the UAE. In her role, Rola has been responsible for transforming the UAE business into one of the biggest five markets for the Standard Chartered Group. Over the years, Rola has championed women empowerment and female entrepreneurship through different initiatives and is committed to supporting the wider community by providing university students with mentorship programmes, in collaboration with leading partners, which aim to prepare participants with the necessary skills to succeed in their chosen professions. As a testament to her efforts, in 2021, Rola was awarded Banking Leader of the Year at the Gulf Business Awards and, for the second consecutive year, Rola was featured as one of the Middle East’s Power Businesswomen by Forbes Middle East. During her first year with the Bank, Rola was included in Arabian Business’ ‘World’s Most Powerful Arabs in 2019’ list and she was also recognised by Forbes ME as one of the ‘Top 20 Women Leading Top Companies in the Middle East’. During the same year, Financial News listed her as one of the most influential female leaders. In 2021, Rola became a member of the Board of Directors of the Dubai International Chamber, whose mission is to represent, support and protect the interests of the business community in Dubai. Before joining Standard Chartered Bank, Rola was the Head of Corporate & Investment Banking for Abu Dhabi at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB). In this role, her responsibility was to maintain relationships between FAB and its client base, including government, government-related entities, elite customer groups, family corporations, local corporations, multinational corporations, and commercial banking services. Prior to this, Rola served as General Manager of FAB’s Wholesale Banking Group, which comprised of Project Finance Syndications, Financial Institutions Group and Global Transaction Banking. Rola completed her studies at the University of London – Royal Holloway and Bedford New College and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics & Operational Research. She is fluent in Arabic and English and is married with two children.

Mazen Issam Hawwa

Vice-Chairman and Group CEO

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United Real Estate Company K.S.C.P(URC)

Mr. Hawwa joined URC as Group Chief Executive Officer in 2020. Mr. Hawwa has been a member of the senior management team of Kuwait Projects Company – Holding (KIPCO Group), where he has spent more than 19 years. He joined the finance and accounts team in 2001 and was last Deputy Group Chief Operating Officer leading finance and operations. He also serves on the board of several KIPCO operating subsidiaries. Mr. Hawwa has multi-facet experience in various verticals within KIPCO Group, including real estate and financial services. As part of KIPCO Group’s strategy, Mr. Hawwa has been involved in various operating companies providing thought leadership and advice on strategic directives, financial planning, and governance. Mr. Hawwa holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris and is a graduate of the Lebanese American University. He has attended several executive education programs, including the General Management Program at Harvard Business School, and holds several professional qualifications from prominent US-based institutions.

Rishi Kapoor

Co-Chief Executive Officer

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Investcorp

Rishi Kapoor is Investcorp’s Co-Chief Executive Officer. He oversees the Firm’s Private Equity businesses in North America and India, as well as the Real Estate, Credit Management, Absolute Returns and Strategic Capital businesses globally. Prior to his appointment as Co-CEO, Rishi had held several leadership positions within Investcorp including as Chief Financial Officer between 2003 and 2015. He joined Investcorp from Citigroup in 1992. Rishi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Rishi is a member of Duke University’s Middle East regional advisory board. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for National Bank of Bahrain, Gulf Air Group, Bahrain Airport Company and Gulf Aviation Academy. In 2019, Rishi was recognized by Forbes Middle East as one of the top 10 Indian executives making an impact in the Middle East, and Top CEO Middle East recognized Rishi as one of the top CEOs in the GCC financial services and investment sector.

Paschalis Bouchoris

Managing Director, Country Manager

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BlackRock

Paschalis Bouchoris is the Head of the DIFC Branch of Blackrock Advisors UK. His responsibilities include heading BlackRock’s strategy, operations and senior client relationships in the Middle East (ex-Saudi) region. In his previous role at BlackRock, he led the Financial Markets Advisory activity in Southeastern Europe and Middle East serving financial and official institutions. His personal focus has been on capital markets transactions, asset valuations, risk management and policy advisory. Paschalis has over 25 years of experience and had previously worked in various roles in corporate banking, investment management and strategy consulting in the US and Greece.

Tariq Chauhan

Group Chief Executive Officer

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EFS Facilities Services

Kez Taylor

CEO

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ALEC Engineering and Contracting

With more than thirty-five years’ experience in the industry, twenty of which spent with ALEC Engineering & Contracting, Kez Taylor is the Chief Executive Officer, one of the Middle East’s largest main contractors. Having developed and grown the business to include a series of successful subsidiaries, such as ALEC Energy, ALEC FITOUT and LINQ Modular, ALEC’s turn over currently exceeds $1.3bn and includes several of the UAE’s most ambitious projects including over twenty Expo 2020 pavilions and One Za’abeel, the world’s largest cantilevered building. An honours degree graduate from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Kez’s career has overseen the delivery of more than 100 challenging projects in UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, Zambia and Ethiopia including airports, retail, hospitality and high-rise, while leading a community of over 11,000 highly skilled personnel.

Filip Boyen

Chief Executive Officer

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Forbes Travel Guide

A luxury hospitality career spanning more than three decades has led Forbes Travel Guide CEO Filip Boyen everywhere from Bora Bora to Moscow to Peru. Before joining Forbes Travel Guide in 2018, Boyen served as CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, where he oversaw a portfolio of more than 520 exceptional independent hotels in 80 countries. Prior to that post, the Belgium native spent 18 years with Orient-Express, the famed precursor to the Belmond brand. First joining the hospitality company as general manager of Bora Bora Lagoon Resort in Tahiti, he rose through the ranks to become executive vice president and chief operating officer of Orient-Express. In between, his various roles included Group Vice President Operations; Regional Vice President, Africa, Australia & Latin America; and Managing Director, Hotels & Trains. Boyen began his hospitality career as a commis chef and stayed in the food and beverage side of the business for 10 years, working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Belgium, France and England. He even did a stint under French master chef Joël Robuchon. His extensive background in food and beverage, experience managing complex operations—including trains and ships—and luxury hospitality expertise all harmoniously combine at Forbes Travel Guide. “It’s a dream job to be at Forbes Travel Guide,” the London-based Boyen said. “Quality has always been a passion of mine. We obviously verify luxury, but we also support people who have a passion for service. We train them and make them better.”

Chris Wan

Head, Design Management

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Masdar City

Chris Wan is the Head of Design Management at Masdar City, where he adopts a holistic approach to guiding the direction of the building designs. Through briefing, goal setting, budgeting, team building and integrated processes, he directs the creation of blueprints of buildings, ensuring that these buildings are developed to achieve the best balance between environmental, commercial and social requirements. Among his many contributions to Masdar City, Mr. Wan was instrumental in setting the vision and design parameters that led to the construction of the Siemens Building, IRENA HQ, and Etihad EcoResidence in Masdar City. These buildings meet some of the highest levels of energy and water efficiencies as measured against international sustainability standards. Mr. Wan brings over 30 years of international and local architectural design experience to Masdar City. He has worked on numerous environmentally driven projects for Richard Rogers Partnership in London and for Rocco Design Ltd in Hong Kong. More recently, he moved into building development, working for Sorouh Real Estate in Abu Dhabi before joining Masdar in 2008. Mr. Wan graduated from the University of Bath in the UK and is currently a registered architect in the UK and Hong Kong. He has participated in conferences and roundtables sharing his knowledge on sustainable development. He has also given lectures on this subject at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia and Khalifa University of Science and Technology.

Claudine Coletti

Managing Editor

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Forbes Middle East

Ramia Farrage

Senior Producer and Presenter

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Forbes Middle East

Daniyal Baig

Chief Operating Officer

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Forbes Middle East