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H.H. Princess Noura Bint Faisal Al Saud

Founder

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Global Culture House

H.H. Princess Noura Bint Faisal Al Saud founded Global Culture House in 2022 as a Saudi boutique consultancy providing advisory and implementation services related to culture, creativity, and sustainable business. Global Culture House signifies Her Highness’s return to private sector after successfully establishing the Fashion Commission at the Ministry of Culture. Princess Noura joined the Ministry of Culture in June 2019 where she led Strategy Development for the fashion sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, building local and international partnerships with fashion institutions and nurturing Saudi fashion talent. She was part of the team that developed the Commission’s flagship outreach projects, including the Fashion Futures annual conference and digital platform, as well as mentorship program Saudi 100 Brands. Through her appointment as the Commission’s Ecosystem Integration & Program Delivery General Manager, Princess Noura oversaw the implementation of the strategy’s initiatives ensuring their delivery at standards of excellence with measurable impact. Princess Noura’s entrepreneurial career commenced in 2009 in the United States, and in 2015 she co-founded her first business, focused on talent and lifestyle, before launching Global Fashion House, a fashion consultancy based in Riyadh. It was with this company that in April 2018 Princess Noura organized the Saudi Kingdom’s first ever Fashion Week, bringing together international and local stakeholders and designers for knowledge-sharing, shows and collaborative opportunities. These efforts led to her being recognized as an expert and pioneer in the Kingdom’s fashion industry, frequently called upon by both public and private sector for advisory consulting. She graduated from Effat University in Jeddah with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Marketing, and a master’s degree in International Business with a Japanese Perspective from Rikkyo University in Tokyo, Japan. She was an associate member of the “Saudi Fast Growth 100” program, launched by All World Network, an entrepreneurship organization, in collaboration with the General Investment Authority (SAGIA). Princess Noura speaks Arabic, English, French and Japanese, and is now learning Spanish.

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Gerard J. Inzerillo

Group CEO

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Diriyah Company

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 His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be the founding CEO of the newly created Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA), now Diriyah Company, a US$63.2 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 14 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 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.

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Shaista Asif

Group Chief Operating Officer

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Pure Health

Shaista Asif is the Group Chief Operating Officer at Pure Health, the largest integrated healthcare company in the UAE. Overseeing the Group’s diversified portfolio, including hospitals, clinics, laboratories, health insurance, healthcare procurement, and health tech solutions, Shaista is at the forefront in changing the way healthcare is delivered in the country. She has spearheaded the largest number of healthcare acquisitions in the UAE over the last three years, making Pure Health the fastest-growing healthcare company in the region. With a strong track record in delivering transformational change, Shaista has led Pure Health’s consolidation, spearheading the execution of the Group’s strategy, quality distinction, growth, and development in the healthcare segment in the UAE since 2010. With over 17 years in senior leadership positions in the healthcare and technology domain, Shaista brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning and is recognised for her in-depth analytical ability to facilitate operational and procedural planning to focus on the Group’s growth and optimisation. Moving from sick care to preventive care, Shaista’s North Star is Longevity. Pure Health is working towards creating the ‘Healthcare in the Cloud’ as its enabler, where the company is focused on embracing the 4th Industrial Revolution. Shaista believes in Technological Singularity, and how the increase in compute power is bringing it closer. Pure Health is working towards creating a healthcare ecosystem where people don’t fall sick, but instead live healthier and fuller lives, for longer!

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Hoda Mansour

Head of Business Process Intelligence, Southern Europe, Middle East & Africa

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SAP

Hoda is a highly experienced, creative and self-motivated executive; with more than 25 years of experience in delivering innovation and driving business value for customers in their respective industries. She worked for leading multinational software companies including SAP, Oracle & Microsoft in regional and global capacities, where she lived and worked in three different continents (Europe, Asia and Africa), which gave her a well-rounded experience in dealing with different cultures, challenges and business models. Hoda joined SAP in Dubai in 2013 where she held various positions last of which was the Managing Director for SAP Egypt & Frontier Countries before being promoted in September 2021 as the Head of Business Process Intelligence (BPI) for Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa, a region that covers 75 countries. In her capacity as Managing Director, Hoda was responsible for SAP’s in country presence and growth strategies including driving sales, marketing and operations. This in addition to her role in leading global education and training platforms to expand the respective countries digital ecosystem and workforce. Given her impact in transforming SAP business, Forbes acknowledged her leadership by recognizing her as one of Forbes Top 5 Women in Technology in the Middle East in March 2022, in addition 50 Power Businesswomen for 2022 and 2021 which was on the back of the previous selection by Forbes as one of Top 100 Power Businesswomen in the Middle East in 2020 & Forbes Top 100 most Influential Women in the Middle East for 2018. She was also recognized as one of the Top50 women in Egypt in 2019 and awarded the Best Distinguished Women Award in the field of Digital Transformation by the Arab Council for Social Responsibility in 2021. Hoda was nominated by SAP Middle East South cluster employees and awarded the “Diversity & Inclusion Champion” for her leadership and significant impact in that area & was also selected to be on the Women to Watch Program at SAP in early 2020 (a newly established global program focused on small group of around 70 top talented women worldwide within SAP – a company of 100,000+ Employees). Hoda is one of the Middle East’s leading technology innovators and pioneers – supporting public and private sector customers to advance their digital transformation agendas, drive new business models, and transform citizen and customer experiences. Upon her appointment as Managing Director of SAP Egypt, she made strong progress on Egypt’s investment plan, expanding the breadth and depth of the SAP Channel Partner Program, and is continuing to enhance the partnerships with the academic sector to support young talent development and job creation. Under her leadership, SAP Egypt had its best performance ever since the company establishment (more than 10 years ago) for both revenue and contribution, with a significant growth for all business KPIs lead by the significant triple digit growth for the Cloud business. SAP Egypt was recognized as a Top Employer for the first time under her leadership. She also managed to secure significant in country investments from SAP board to expand the company presence in the country including the establishment of a new office to reflect the aspired growth plan of tripling the presence in the country within three years. Being the first ever female to be appointed by SAP as a Managing Director in the whole of Middle East & Africa region in addition to being the first ever female to be appointed to lead a Multinational Software company in Egypt, Hoda capitalized on her international experience and succeeded to overachieve all her KPIs Since joining SAP in 2013, Hoda played a pivotal role in supporting the company’s growth strategy to transform the United Arab Emirates Market. During her role as Chief Operating Officer in 2017, the UAE & Oman won the Market Unit of the Year award for the first time ever and Hoda was recognized as The Top COO for Southern Europe, Middle East & Africa region (EMEA South) where she acted as the local executive sponsor for several strategic digital transformation engagements including Expo2020 Dubai. Hoda represents women in leadership as part of SAP’s Women Leadership Excellence Acceleration Program (LEAP) across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She regularly speaks at global and regional forums. Hoda is a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce since June 2021. She is also the elected vice-president and board member of the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce since September 2020. Hoda holds a B.Sc. with Distinction & Honors in Engineering from Alexandria University in addition to Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction from Maastricht School of Management.

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Dr. Antoinette Sarasin Gianduzzo

Director of Biomolecular Restoration, Nutrition & Lifestyle

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The Küsnacht Practice

Dr. Antoniette Sarasin Gianduzzo is the Director of The Kusnacht Practice’s acclaimed Biomolecular Restoration (BIO-R®) Nutrition & Lifestyle Department. She is a member of the Board of Directors and Founder of the BIO-R® method. She leads an interdisciplinary team of specialists and oversees each client, from initial in-depth, state-of-the-art laboratory testing, to the composition of tailored micronutrient supplementation and correction of biochemical and neuro-chemical imbalances, metabolic stress factors and deficiencies - resulting in individual treatment plans as unique as a client’s fingerprint. At The Kusnacht Practice, BIO-R® is an essential component of every client’s programme; Dr. Antoinette works closely with the Medical Director and Psychiatric team in a joint effort to augment each client’s sense of well-being, restore vitality and achieve a higher level of mental strength and physical health. Her and her team also provide in-person coaching to clients and instruct the practice’s personal chefs, trainers and complementary therapists, which rounds off the holistic BIO-R® programme. Dr. Antoinette joined The Kusnacht Practice in 2010 after having built her own reputable business as an expert in nutrition and health. She was scouted by the founder of The Kusnacht Practice for her unique expertise and success, and has remained with the company since. Dr. Antoinette completed her postgraduate studies in Human Nutrition at the renowned Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) with distinction and obtained her doctoral degree at the University of Zurich’s Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology. She gained extensive knowledge and experience as a product manager at a pharmaceutical company specialized in the manufacturing of prescription medication for nutrition-related issues such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Antoinette continues to educate herself and undergo expert training to remain at the forefront of current research and deliver innovative expertise in nutritional medicine, health and lifestyle coaching, illness prevention, rejuvenation/age reversing interventions, and sustainable weight- and resource management. Dr. Antoinette is currently designing the blueprint for a transformational treatment protocol that focuses on incorporating science-backed pioneering therapies to promote longevity and stimulate reverse-aging processes within the context of the BIO-R® programme. Dr. Antoinette is an experienced keynote speaker and her expert opinion on nutrition and healthy living has been published across multiple print and broadcast media. She is a member of the Swiss Society for Anti-Aging Medicine and Prevention and the Swiss Society for Nutrition.

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Talal AL-Ajmi

Founder and CEO

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Vi Markets

Talal Al Ajmi is a young Kuwaiti entrepreneur, his passion towards financial markets and trading made him become one of the well-known figures in this field both in Kuwait and the Middle East. He graduated from the university of Philadelphia with a bachelor’s degree in information technology, however, he had always seen himself as an entrepreneur and a business man.He started his journey of success at an early stage during his academic years in university, where he managed couple of small family businesses with his cousins and brothers, then when he came back to Kuwait, he wanted to pursue his dream and work at an investment company to gain more knowledge. After he had worked couple of years in this field he got inspired to move forward and build his empire. He held various positions in several financial companies and eventually included his career as a financial broker in order to launch a new career as an entrepreneur.His ambition had no boundaries, and he believed that through education anything is possible.So, in 2010 he founded and established Version International Markets in Kuwait and currently hold the position of CEO and a board member at One Financial Markets (the main partner) . VI Markets provide the investors in Kuwait a tailored online trading service, partnered with One Financial Markets, which was established in London 2007. One Financial Markets is regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and offers global presence with local expertise through its wholly owned and affiliated offices throughout the Middle East, Europe, South America and Central and South East Asia.Of course, the journey was full of obstacles and challenges, like any other business. Talal faced countless difficulties, the main one was to secure capital as a start off, and then raising society awareness through educating them on how to trade in international markets.His goal has been to promote sustainable development via education, he established VI Markets in a modest building with few employees, knowing that this field faced fierce competition from different existing companies he still managed to move forward and build it step by step. His main focus was to educate the people in Kuwait who are interested in trading and then let them start their own journey by managing their portfolios.Social media served him well but differently as he managed to attract a huge base of existing and newly traders in Kuwait and the Middle east, through sharing with them his daily trades and educating them on how to manage their portfolios. This allowed him to become closer to the audience interested and supported his success.Because he believed that through education anything is possible, he had always wanted to start an initiative that served the women in Kuwait and the Middle east; knowing that they shared the same desire to enter the financial markets but were shy to open up during workshops done by the company. So, the idea of Yasmeen came up. Yasmeen is a forum exclusively for womendesigned to support female empowerment in business and the world of financial investment through bespoke educational services and outstanding personal support, tailored training and trading solutions that supports growth and pursue commercial and educational goals.Talal changed the concept of trading within this market through providing them with the right education (workshops and seminars) and obtaining the FCA licenses, that insured credibility and professionalism. His clear and consistent vision has paved the way with continuous success and allowed him to obtain high market share in Kuwait and the Middle East along with gaining the best partner in the Middle East for the well-known trading company One Financial Markets.

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Sahar Hamad Al Marzouki

Director & Owner

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Al Faris International School

Sahar Hamad Al Marzouki is the director and owner of Al Faris International School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She is deeply committed to providing enriching academic environments that emphasize the importance of quality education and give students a competitive edge. The first Saudi lady to open an international school in the Kingdom, Sahar brings considerable expertise to her directorial position, having previously served in multiple managerial roles as Branch Manager and Deputy Head of Operations at the multinational Arab National Bank and the Saudi American Bank respectively. She is a keen advocate of a number of philanthropic causes and volunteering initiatives, as well as a frequent speaker at domestic and international education conferences with a focus on addressing key topics regarding sustainability, rights to education, and advancing education technology. Sahar’s passionate leadership propelled Al Faris International School to international recognition and accreditation, making it one of the few International Baccalaureate continuum schools in the region. More recently, she led the school’s effort to be the first international school to open in AlUla through a rigorous selection process conducted by the Royal Commission for AlUla.

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Lujaina Mohsin Darwish

Chairperson

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Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC - Infrastructure, Technology Industrial and Consumer Solutions and Oman State Council Member

Honorable Lujaina Mohsin Darwish is the Chairperson - Infrastructure, Technology, Industrial and Consumer Solutions (ITICS) of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC. A graduate in English Literature from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), she began her career as a lecturer at SQU, before joining the family business. She was elected to the country’s consultative council - Majlis A’ Shura, one of only seven women to be elected since its inception, and holds the distinction of having been elected twice to this honorary position from the Wilayat of Muscat and then in 2015, as a member of the upper chamber, Majlis A’Dawla (Oman State Council) being appointed by Royal Decree. A business leader par excellence, Honorable Lujaina Mohsin Haider Darwish has been a trailblazer in uplifting, empowering and inspiring young Omani women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders alike. She is associated with various organizations and holds important positions such as the Honorary Chairperson of the Oman-China Friendship Association, Oman-India Friendship Association, Oman-Turkey Friendship Association and membership of the GCC Women Forum. She has been actively involved at various international forums to understand and coordinate the development efforts of women and children internationally, and particularly in the Arab World. Steadfast in her efforts to provide the youth of the country with numerous growth opportunities while empowering women to scale new heights, she is known for her invaluable contributions to driving socio-economic progress in the Sultanate of Oman. She was recently appointed to the Board of the Arab International Women’s Forum (AIWF). Her membership with the forum is a further testament to her active involvement with the community and keen focus on supporting causes that are targeted at the youth and women of the country. Similarly, as a Board Member of the Oman Olympic Committee, the Oman Football Association and Chairperson of the Women’s Football Committee, she has worked tirelessly to lay a sustainable foundation for women sports in the Sultanate of Oman. The strength of the legacy inherited from her late father, Mohsin Haider Darwish, and guided by his philosophy of “people first,” she brings a humane dimension to the nitty-gritty of managing a large, diversified business. She presides with élan over a hugely varied group of businesses ranging from technology to consumer durables to industrial solutions. Under her able leadership, the organization has seen exponential growth through expansion into newer categories. Adding to her list of accolades, she was ranked “23rd amongst the top 50 most powerful businesswomen” by Forbes Middle East in 2022 and ranked “34th amongst 100 most powerful businesswomen in the Middle East,” by Forbes Middle East 2020. She is the first Omani to receive a fellowship from the Royal Society of Arts, UK for her outstanding contributions as a change-maker, helping create a sustainable future for all. She also was the recipient of The Diamond Executive’s Award and Leadership Medal from the Harvard Business Council 2020 International Awards and Women of the year 2020 by International Business Stevie Awards. She is a multi-faceted personality who believes deeply in giving back to the community, is a person who assiduously works for the welfare and well-being of underprivileged persons and serves as an example and inspiration to all.

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Dr. Saeeda Jaffar

Senior Vice President & Group Country Manager – GCC

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Visa

Dr. Saeeda Jaffar is the Senior Vice President & Group Country Manager – GCC, Visa. Prior to joining Visa, Dr Jaffar was the Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal ME, the world’s leading turnaround and restructuring firm. Dr Jaffar has also held leadership positions at McKinsey & Company as well as Bain & Company, serving clients across the U.S., Europe and the GCC. Over her 20 years of professional career, Dr Jaffar has worked in the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. on a wide range of strategic, M&A and performance-related issues with clients across a range of industries, while specializing in financial services including universal banks, private banks, investment banks, private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds, government institutions and family-owned businesses. Dr. Jaffar is an Emirati national and earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Boston University, where she was the valedictorian. She earned a master's degree and a doctorate in chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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Mona Kattan

Founder

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Kayali Fragrances

Mona Kattan first entered the cosmetics industry as a cofounder of Huda Beauty, alongside her sisters Huda and Alya in 2013. Five years later, she launched her own perfume brand, KAYALI. Her products have since been used by celebrities such as Eva Longoria, Adriana Lima, Jen Atkin, Megan Pormer, Jackie Aina, Elnaz Golrokh, and Jacqueline Fernandez. In 2021, Kayali released two new fragrances. According to the company, it has increased its global distribution by 20% year on year.

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Hadley Gamble

Anchor & Senior International Correspondent

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CNBC

Hadley Gamble is CNBC’s Anchor and Senior International Correspondent covering energy, geopolitics, and financial markets. Her October 2021 interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin made global headlines as the president denied using energy as a weapon, reaffirmed his alliance with Beijing, claimed his country is in an arms race with the United States and discussed the lack of trust he has with NATO. Hadley has covered the Russia-Ukraine conflict from Brussels to Kyiv to Moscow, speaking to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson live on CNBC. Her interview with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, live from the tarmac on February 24th was the first comment from a Ukrainian official following Russia’s invasion. In addition to covering energy markets and politics, Hadley anchors Capital Connection from CNBC’s Middle East Headquarters based within Abu Dhabi Global Markets. Hadley was the first international journalist to report live from Saudi Aramco following the September 14 terror attacks that knocked production offline by millions of barrels per day. She was also the first journalist to speak live to a Saudi official following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Hadley also presents CNBC’s popular documentary franchise, Access: Middle East where she speaks to world leaders, international CEOs and philanthropists. Past guests include Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and then- U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Hadley regularly reports for CNBC from the World Economic Forum in Davos, moderating panels and speaking to world leaders She is a passionate advocate for women in the workplace and their advancement around the world. Hadley moderated the first ever women’s business forum in Saudi Arabia and provided exclusive content to CNBC as the Kingdom lifted its decades-old driving ban. An experienced journalist, Hadley has also worked for ABC News and Fox News in Washington, DC producing news programmes and covering national and international political events, including the 2008 Presidential Debates, Election Night 2008 and the Inauguration of US President Barack Obama.

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Halima Aden

American-Somalian Fashion Model and Activist

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Halima Aden is a Somali-American fashion model. She is noted for being the first woman to wear a hijab in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant, where she was a semi-finalist. Following her participation in the pageant, Halima received national attention and was signed to IMG Models. She was also the first model to wear a hijab and burkini in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2018, Aden became a UNICEF ambassador. Her work is focused on children's rights. In 2021 she was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women.

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Dalia Mubarak

Saudi Arabian Singer

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Dalia Mubarak, 32-year-old Saudi singer, is known for her distinctive sound that blends contemporary musical genres such as R&B, and Gulf melodies, which sees her enjoy a close relationship with the Kingdom’s young audiences. The Saudi singer released her first song Galabt Eltawlah in 2014, composed by Emirati artist Fayez Al Saeed, the “ambassador of melody.” Her debut was met with acclaim and Mubarak has since stormed the professional music scene with due confidence. She subsequently released several successful singles, including Areen Al Ashq, Damet Ghala, Qedar Qedar, Beni O Bink, and Fariq An Alnass. In 2020, she offered her first song in Egyptian dialect, Elly Yemshy 3ady, written by Amr Al Masry and composed by Mostafa Al Shuaibi, which she believes is one of her most important steps as it opened more doors, exposing her to new audiences. The star explains that she trained her voice by listening to the music of the Golden Age, which influenced her artistic tastes, particularly the songs of Kawkab El Sharq, aka Umm Kulthum, and Neighbors to the Moon by Fairuz; she considers these singers and melodies companions on her journey. As a mother of two children, she raises them with the principles she inherited from her own parents and encourages them to be self-confident and honest with others. She furthers that she considers herself to be helping dissolve any preconceived notions society has created about Arab women. Not only does the star aptly represent Arab women, but she is also keen to support them. “I have a voice that speaks to my generation, and always try — through my work or meetings — to be a source of inspiration for them,” she explains. “My cause is our empowerment because we represent half of society and are influential,” she continues. “We are the mothers and the first teachers. This is the direction of our wise leadership that supports women’s empowerment, and that’s what we have felt in the recent period through decisions made in our favor.

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Meryem Uzerli

Turkish-German Actress

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Meryem Uzerli is a Turkish–German actor and model, best known for portraying Hürrem Sultan in one of the most successful Turkish series of all time, 'Muhteşem Yüzyıl' ('The Magnificent Century'). The role marked her debut in the Turkish entertainment industry and has brought her numerous awards and accolades. However, Meryem started her journey as an actor with German short films and TV shows. She has been seen in German short films such as 'Journey of No Return' (2010) and 'Jetzt Aber Ballett' (2010). Meryem has been featured in many advertising campaigns and has been the face of numerous brands.

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Cedric Haddad

Celebrity Stylist and Owner

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#StyledByCed

Owner of #StyledByCed, Cedric Haddad is a personal and celebrity stylist for top celebrities in the Middle East. He started his career in the field of advertising campaigns and TV shows . He never feared in accepting new challenges since fashion is his ultimate passion. Celebrities trust his taste and professionalism specially in their main appearances from TV interviews, to cover magazines, red carpets, events, music videos ... He also consults people (diplomats, VIPs, politicians, royal families) by offering them an unforgettable shopping experience and previously the “Personal Shopper” of Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut. He travels around the GCC and give luxury training sessions for luxury brands which enhances and improves the essential styling techniques. He is MBC Beirut main stylist doing all their international formatted shows like The Voice, Arabs Got Talent, Arab Idol, The X Factor ... styling the jury members and the presenters. He also hosts events and collaborates with different international brands and stores like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Cartier, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Balmain, Versace, Fendi, Harvey Nichols and many others. Last but not least, he continuously gives seminars and workshops that always aim to direct fashion lovers to look unique, stylish, and fashionable. His “Personal & Celebrity Styling” course is given at the Lebanese American University (LAU) under the Luxury Brand Management Diploma and at Dubai Fashion Institute in Dubai, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar.

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Maguy Bou Ghosn

Lebanese Actress

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Maguy Bou Ghosn is a Lebanese actress who managed to grow a huge fan base around the Arab World throughout the years. She is now considered one of the best and most powerful Lebanese actresses. Bou Ghosn's childhood dream was always to become a successful singer; however, she ended up entering the acting industry. She started her acting career in Syrian Drama; she made her breakthrough in Lebanon with the drama TV series, Bou Ghosn's career continued achieving success in Lebanon throughout last year, especially when she plays the leading role the movie "Bebe" and "Vitamin". Additionally, she won the Murex d'Or 2021 as the Best Lebanese Actress award for the series “Till Death 2”.

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Lama Al Oraiman

Kuwaiti Space Ambassador and Co- Founder

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Ignition

Lama AlOraiman is one the Co-Founders of Kuwait's first Space Exploration and Research company - Ignition LLC, and an Emerging Space Leader Awardee. Lama stepped into the space field in 2018 by becoming Kuwait’s National Point of Contact for the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), and the National Coordinator of the World Space Week Association. Both positions opened the door to new opportunities and allowed her to become proactive within the space community. Her involvement in the field was through delegating and presenting at the world's biggest space conferences annually, giving TEDx talks, competing in global hackathons that solve real-life problems using space technology, and organizing large scale events locally and internationally to raise awareness on the importance of space exploration. Most importantly, was utilizing SGAC’s seat at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) to promote the voice of Kuwait’s youth to the global space community, which helped the country become a member state in the committee in 2022. Recently, Lama Al-Oraiman was granted with the Emerging Space Leader Award by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and has been received by Kuwait's Crown Prince, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Sabah who named her “Kuwait’s Space Ambassador”.

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Yusra Mardini

Syrian Swimmer

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IOC Refugee Olympic Team

Prior to the war in Syria, Yusra was a competitive swimmer who represented her country in international competitions. As the war intensified, Yusra and her sister left Damascus in early August 2015 and reached Berlin in September 2015. Since then, Yusra has been training at the Wasserfreunde Spandau 04 club, which is a partner of the Elite Schools of Sport in Berlin. She was selected to compete at Rio 2016 as part of the first ever Refugee Olympic Team and was appointed the youngest ever UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in April 2017. In November 2022, a biographical film, inspired by Mardini's life and titled "The Swimmers", was theatrically released and distributed on Netflix later the same month.

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Dareen Barbar

Guinness World Record Holder, Athlete, and Fitness/Life Coach

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Adidas MENA- Tedxalquoz

Dareen Barbar, Lebanese born on 19th January 1978. A Motivational Speaker, Life Coach and an aspiring Athlete. Dareen stepped onto the World stage after making history in the most glamorous events on the planet, the World, Beauty, Fitness and Fashion Show in London 2017, where she competed in the Transformation and Makeover Division and won. She became the first Arab Amputee to participate in such a pageant. She is an ambassador of inclusion for people of determination aka the disabled in the UAE. Lost her leg to cancer at the age of 15, which turned her life around. But that didn’t stop her from living her life to the full and overcoming the hardships. Her passion for sports was revived after her broken hip in 2013 that lead her to adopt a healthy life style of exercising and eating healthy and earned her fitness instructor and nutritionist qualification. She got awarded and honored in several events, for her achievements (DIAFA, Mena creators awards, IFBB, and was featured in many magazines, such as Vogue Arabia, Daily mail, Marie Claire. The first Arab amputee to complete a super sprint in Dubai women’s triathlon 2018. Dareen’s name entered history in June 2021 with her recent big achievement of breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest Samson’s chair sit, also known as a static wall sit, by a female contender. Dareen won the title after completing the sit for two minutes and 8.24 seconds, and the record also makes her the first female amputee to hold a Guinness World Record in the Middle East. Her journey has impacted and still impacting a lot of people from all over the world. Dareen is a brand ambassador for big nanes like adidas and Victoria’s Secret. Her latest achievements is her song BASMA بصمة. Dareen is a wife and a mother to two amazing kids. Her message is “disability is an extra-ordinary ability that makes the impossible possible”

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Laura Whaley

Content Creator & Business Owner

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After years of navigating the corporate business world Laura began to create and share relatable content online touching on various topics that many of us face in our working lives. Her social platforms quickly grew to a community of over 2 million followers on Instagram, over 3 million on Tiktok, and nearly half a million on YouTube. Her content and platforms have generated brand attraction and have opened up many new opportunities over the years. Laura has redefined her working world with a focus on building her own brand and now owns her own corporation with multiple business streams. Her focus on boundary setting and maintaining a clear divide between work and personal life have been a major contributor to her success. Her online community resonates with her videos on translating everyday language to more professional speak, skits on leadership and boundary setting and her professional network continues to expand globally.

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Evlin Abdullah-Khalifa

Miss Universe Bahrain 2022

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Evlin Abdullah Khalifa is Miss Universe Bahrain 2022. She made headlines during the Miss Universe competition with her strong message of ‘Equality’ during the swimsuit round segment of the competition where she stood out wearing a pink burkini. The 24-year-old Russian-Bahraini model was crowned Miss Universe Bahrain in September and competed in the 71st Miss Universe pageant last 14 January 2023, which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. She calls Riffa, Bahrain home – and is very close with her family.Born to a Russian mother and Bahraini father, Evlin Abdullah-Khalifa grew up in the Kingdom’s second-largest city, Riffa. She is a trained pianist and Taekwondo artist. She graduated from 5 different schools: music, dancing, modeling, taekwondo and comprehensive. Evlin is passionate about education in different ways. She’s working to raise awareness for various charities and initiatives. She closely works with Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft charity that works to raise funds so children around the world can have their clelt-palettes and lips corrected with reconstructive surgery. During her reign, she visited the Philippines to work with the Philippine Red Cross and Philippine General Hospital to create awareness about education in kids and access to free medicine for pediatric patients. She believes that it’s never late to study. After graduation from the university (bachelor’s degree of finance and banking) she continued her education through online classes by consistently improving her Arabic and English skills and studying psychology through the books. Evlin believes in the power of education and it should be provided and accesible for everyone.

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Moon Baz

Creator Partnerships Lead, Middle East, Africa and Turkey

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Meta

Moon Baz is the Creator Partnerships Lead, Middle East, Africa and Turkey at Meta. She leads the Creator Partnerships team across the video ecosystem for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey. Moon works closely with strategic creators and public figures, supporting them to leverage Facebook and Instagram tools to maximize mutually beneficial objectives. Prior to joining Meta, Moon was appointed as the acting CEO for SuperMama, and worked in parallel as a freelance consultant supporting different strategic clients in the region including Deezer MENA in their market entry strategy, Vue International in their cinema business plan and financial due diligence, and GCAM Saudi Arabia on a turnaround plan to support the Pay TV industry. Before that, Moon was a Business Planning Manager at MBC group across the online platforms, VOD (Shahid), mobile services and distribution. Moon supported in annual business plans, actions plans and product roadmaps. Moon was also a Business Development Manager for Webedia Arabia (previously Diwanee), where she evaluated strategic positioning and identified new business opportunities, developed improvement initiatives and new processes for internal operations. Prior to that, Moon was a senior management consultant with Booz & Co, where she supported projects for the firm across the Consumer, Media and Technology practice. She worked on business planning, strategy development, financial modelling and valuation, and organization restructuring. Moon holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and a master’s degree in Financial Economics from the American University of Beirut. Moon has a dual citizenship French/ Lebanese and has been residing in Dubai since June 2012. She is fluent in English, Arabic and French.

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Dima Kandalaft

Syrian Actress & Singer

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Dima Kandalaft is an actress and singer born in Damascus, Syria. She is known for TV and film roles such as Bab al-Hara, The Lover, Al-Mohallab, 24 Carat, Chaos, Doubt, Mariam and The Mother. Born on January 3, 1979, in Damascus, Syria, Dima graduated from Damascus University with a degree in economics.

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Nour Al-Ghandour

Egyptian TV Presenter & Actress

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Nour Al-Ghandour is an Egyptian TV presenter and actress. Born in Kuwait, the actress has perfected the Gulf dialect and has proven her presence in the Khaleeji drama industry. She launched her career in 2011 after presenting the program “Matbakh Ilham.” A year later, she presented episodes of the singing talk show “Sawt al Sahary.” In 2013, she entered the acting industry through her participation in the series “Sakan AlTalebat” and won the admiration of viewers. She has taken part in a number of drama series including “Awwal AlSubh,” “Burkan Na’am,” “Al Bayt El Saeed,” “Hodon El-Shook,” “Jumna,” “Zaman,” and “Daf3at Beirut.” In 2021, she took part in the series “Ya Baada.” In 2022, she took part in the series “25 minutes” and the Kuwaiti series “Men Sharea Al Haram Ela,” in which she played the role of a character who spoke the Egyptian dialect. Her latest series is “Dahab Bint Al-Awtel” on Shahid.

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Dania Akeel

Motorsport Athlete

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My name is Dania Akeel, and I’m from Saudi Arabia. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in “Modern History and Politics” from the Royal Holloway University of London in the UK, then moved to complete a Master’s degree in “International Business” at Hult International Business School before moving into the field of consulting. I am a passionate motorsports athlete. I received the first Saudi female license for Motorcycle Circuit Racing and participated in my first motorcycle racing season for the Ducati Cup in the UAE National Sportsbike Superseries 2019/2020 season. I performed well and got awarded the trophy for ‘Rookie of the Year.’ I also raced in the BMR600 Championship in Bahrain. Before the end of the year, I had an accident on the track, which gave me time to reflect on my life. I decided to write down my findings and share them with others. They have been published into a book under the title “Freefall” at a publishing house in Saudi (Kaaph). The book includes perspectives of some experiences I’ve had and is written in the form of short stories, all of which are true. After my recovery, I moved into the rally racing world, where I became the first Saudi female to participate in an International Rally Competition. I completed two rounds of the FIA Cross-Country Bajas World Cup, finishing 1st in the T3 Category and 8th overall in both races.

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Yasmina Zaytoun

Miss Lebanon 2022

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Yasmina Ismail Zaytoun is a Lebanese model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Lebanon 2022. She represented Lebanon at Miss Universe 2022 and will also compete at Miss World 2023. As well as being the ambassador of “Children’s Cancer Center” & “Lebanese Food Bank”, she hosts the With Yasmina Show on Instagram, which she describes as an educational show and on which she interviews notable Lebanese media and sport personalities.

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Sara Murad

Senior TV presenter

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MBC group

Saudi Arabian television host and presenter who is known for her appearances on the MBC Morning Show and the MBC Forsan Algaseed program. She is also known for her work as a fashion model and social media ambassador who shares her modeling and promotional content through Instagram for her over 494,000 followers. She first started gaining attention in 2013 when she started interviewing different fashion icons on the Saudi Arabian news program MBC Forsan Algaseed. She is also known for having been selected by NUXE to be the First Middle Eastern Ambassador for their brand in November of 2016.

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Adwa AlDakheel

Founder & CEO

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Falak Investment Hub

AlDakheel founded the Falak Investment Hub in 2018 which is a hybrid business incubator, accelerator, academy, and angel investment company with a portfolio of multi-industrial startups, including Hospitalia, Qreeb, and JoeyCo. In July 2022, the Falak Investment Hub signed an MoU with Zoho, a global technology company, for an initiative by the “Zoho for Startups” program. In November 2022, it partnered with Standard Chartered to launch the “SC Women in Tech” program in Saudi Arabia. AlDakheel has also founded and co-founded multiple startups, including Ns3a Recruitment, and she is a board member for the Saudi Squash Federation.

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Hend El Sherbini

Chief Executive Officer

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Integerated Diagonistics Holdings (IDH)

Dr. Hend El Sherbini has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare sector, of which she has spent over 20 of them with Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (IDH ). IDH is a leading diagnostics services provider in the Middle East and Africa with leading brands in Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, and Sudan. IDH’s brands have a long track record of over 40 years for quality and safety which has earned the Company a trusted reputation, as well as internationally recognized accreditations for its portfolio of over 2,000 diagnostics tests. From its base of over 550 branches, IDH serves over 10 million patients and performs more than 30 million tests every year. IDH played an integral role in supporting governments in testing during the covid-19 pandemic. IDH has a dual listing on both the London Stock Exchange and the Egypt Stock Exchange. Dr. El Sherbini started the EDGE certification process with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which focuses on measuring gender diversity. She is also a professor of Clinical pathology in Cairo University.

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Razan Alazzouni

Fashion Designer

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Born in AlKhobar Saudi Arabia, Razan is a true internationalist who spends most of her time with her family in Geneva & London. It was as a young girl that she first discovered her love of fashion, influenced by her mother’s immaculate style. Razan went on to study Art and Sculpture in Boston at Tufts University. Her creative and entrepreneurial spirit saw her return to Khobar in 2008 to open a manufacturing facility, nested in a 1950’s-built house in Alkhobar; it was the first of its kind in the region. Thus, starting her career in Art as a curator, Razan closely observed what women want from a wardrobe and learnt about their shopping patterns. During this period, Razan was inspired by historic embroidery and became fascinated by its versatility and sculptural aspects. Razan’s pieces maintain sculptural and artistic integrity, as well as transport the wearer into the glamorous and sophisticated realm. The art influences remained with her and in 2008 Razan with both sisters Salwa & Raya launched their womenswear brand, “Razan Alazzouni”, setting up a studio in AlKhobar & later in Riyadh. Razan Alazzouni clothing is all about exuding the femininity, delicacy and grace of the female form. Razan derives most of her inspiration from women themselves and their natural poise. Each piece in her collection is intended to show off its wearer in an elegant light, while maintaining a sense of playfulness as well. Every season a new chapter evolves, and Razan tells a different story in her embroidery. The designer enjoys collaborating with inspirational muses, stylists & international brands including Coca Cola, Rene Caovilla & Judith Leiber. The brand has also been elected to be the face of the Young Generation Saudi Vision 2030 which was promoted by CNN globally & featured in Times Square, New York City. Razan Alazzouni started focusing mainly on the Middle Eastern market in 2008 & managed to extend its sales globally by having retail partners & online presence. The brand now ships orders weekly to international clients in 57 cities around the world.

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Ruwaida Abela Northen

Founder and Managing Director

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JRN Consultancy

Born in Tripoli, Libya, made her debut in the luxury hospitality industry at a global level at the age of 18. Her career of choice allowed her to not only gain extensive experience that spanned across geographic areas from Asia, Africa, and Europe to the Middle East but also successfully launch her own thriving business. Ruwaida has over 20 years of experience. Her expertise includes consumer marketing, internal and external corporate communications, and driving high-impact campaigns in addition to public and media relations. She is fluent in English, Arabic, and Maltese and speaks basic Turkish. Having started her career with the Corinthia Group in Libya, she moved to Malta with Starwood, and then Bahrain with the Ritz-Carlton, then to Qatar, where she worked with Mövenpick and the Shangri-La Group. Ruwaida then continued to climb the corporate ladder with the Group until she was appointed Vice President for PR and Corporate Communications for the Middle East, India, the Indian Ocean, Europe, and the Americas. Making her the first Arab woman to reach such a position in the company's history. In 2021, Ruwaida established her own company “JRN Consultancy,” a boutique agency focusing on luxury lifestyle, travel, and hospitality. The company is headquartered in Dubai, with representation in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. JRN, which stands for “journey,” is not only owned and managed by women but the entire team is comprised of women. Ruwaida firmly believes in promoting mental well-being and fostering a culture of work-life balance, so she decided to reduce the working week to four days only. Hence, the team works Mondays to Wednesdays from the office, and Thursdays, they work from home, with Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays as weekly off days. Through her company, Ruwaida works with the most prestigious international brands around the world. Ruwaida is a wife and mother of four children. She is also a writer and regularly contributes to business and lifestyle publications.

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Sonal Vara- Parmar

Founder & CEO

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IAM Entertainment

Sonal Vara-Parmar, is an entertainment industry expert, with over 22 years of international experience. The founder and CEO of IAM Entertainment, Middle East first female led entertainment company. Further cementing her position as a power player in the region’s entertainment industry, IAM secured multi-million dollar funding to grow their global operations. www.i-a-management.com IAM Entertainment is the leading agency in the Middle East for both direct access to A list Talent and Strategic Prowess. Sonal also advises on soft power initiatives for the UAE Prime Minister’s Office. Her illustrious client list include: EXPO2020, Vogue Arabia, Qatar Airlines, Etihad, Dubai Tourism, Dubai World, Atlantis, UAE Government. Sonal is skilled in strategic brand positioning, live events and shows, brand Management, celebrity endorsement and film production. Most recently inspired to work with leading entrepreneurial females in the region, Parkwood Entertainment, the entertainment firm founded by Beyonce, partnered with IAM Entertainment to deliver the largest private show ever booked in the world with Global superstar Beyonce, to secure her first performance in over 4 years for the opening of Atlantis The Royal. IAM’s illustrious talent roster includes American Celebrity Steve Harvey, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Kevin Hart, Coldplay, Black Eye Peas, Idris Elba, producer and entrepreneur Akon, sits on the board of her company. Sonal is also a Film Producer and worked with DCT to produce a film called North of the 10 for worldwide distribution. Sonal was integral in fusing the cultures of East and West to bring awareness to the UAE in a progressive and positive light. At the forefront, Sonal is a champion of the UAE, a place she calls home for the last 15 years. Through all her celebrity cliental her focus is to project The Emirates in a positive light through philanthropic initiatives and inspirational events.

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Hady Hajjar

Co-Founder

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HuManagement

Hady Hajjar is a marketing and advertising professional with 20 years of experience in the fields of celebrities, media and most recently digital media. Before starting HuManagement, a leading digital marketing agency in the UAE that services the GCC and MENA region, he worked for 15 years as the Chief Marketing Officer at the region's pioneer record label, Rotana Audio Visual. Hady now leads an agency that caters brands and personalities with marketing strategies and connects both parties through digital, conventional and out of the box marketing strategies.

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Laura Alho

Travel Blogger

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Blue Abaya

Laura Alho is a Finnish-origin, Riyadh-based travel blogger, writer and photographer. She is the founder of Blue Abaya, the first travel blog in Saudi Arabia, which she launched in 2010. Her work as a writer and photographer has been published in various magazines and media outlets, including National Geographic, Saudi Gazette and Arab News. She is also the first European woman to have received her driving license in Saudi Arabia. After completing her graduation, Laura started working as a nurse in her home country. She wanted to become a wildlife photographer as a child and study Egyptology but ended up in the medical field. She moved to Saudi Arabia in 2008 on a short-term assignment. She started blogging as a hobby, but travel writing became a full-time job. In 2010, she launched her website called Blue Abaya, when she witnessed a lack of channels informing people about tourism in Saudi Arabia. The name Blue Abaya came from the blue color of Finland's flag and Abaya, a full-length outer garment worn by women in Saudi Arabia. The website was started with the purpose of promoting Saudi tourism and heritage sites to audiences worldwide. The website garnered millions of views from across the world. Her blog has won several blog awards, including Best Saudi Arabia Expat Blog 2012, Best Asian & Middle Eastern Weblog 2013 at The Weblog Awards (Bloggies). In 2014, Ahlo was a finalist in the Saudi Excellence in Tourism Awards (SETA) as the best website promoting tourism. In 2017, she was named one of the top 10 most influential expats residing in the Arab world who brought positive change. In 2021, Laura was named 'Travel Media Influencer of the Year' at The Wanderlust Travel Awards by Wanderlust magazine. Laura Alho has written guidebooks and travel guides about Saudi Arabia and also has authored two books, Ultimate Guide to Edge of the World and Guide to Secret Lake in Riyadh. She works in the marketing department of the Royal Commission for Al-'Ula (RCU).

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Nancy Bahmad

Journalist/Presenter

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Forbes Middle East

Nancy Bahmad is a fashion journalist at Forbes Middle East. She is regularly involved in many online and TV shows, especially those related to digital media and fashion marketing.

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Ramia Farrage

Senior Presenter / Producer

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Forbes Middle East

Ramia is a Senior Producer and Presenter at Forbes Middle East, as well as a Moderator with a long history of hosting a variety of public and private sector events. At Forbes, Ramia hosts the Daily Brief, an online twice daily show focusing on breaking business news. She also conducts interviews with international business and world leaders. From its launch in 2007 until 2021, Ramia led the Emirates News broadcast on Dubai One TV as the Presenter and News Bulletin Editor. Previous to her role at Emirates News, from 2002 to 2007, Ramia presented and produced the program Business Arabia, which aired internationally on CNBC. Ramia has interviewed several world leaders including General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, Mohammed Khatami, President of Iran, Gerhard Schroeder, Chancellor of Germany and Jimmy Carter, US President. She is a moderator at major events including the World Government Summit in Dubai, the Middle East Investment Forum, and the Forbes 30/50 Summit, to name a few. Ramia holds a MA in Global Diplomacy-International Relations from the University of London, SOAS, as well as a BA in Communications from the University of Winnipeg and an associate degree in Journalism from Red River College.