Dr. Ahmad Tahlak

President & Chairman ,LEVENBERT

Bio:

الدكتور أحمد تهلك

•       خبير أعمال إماراتي متخصص بتنفيذ المشاريع الوطنية .

•       خبير ومستـشـار خدمة الـعـمـلاء والـمـبـيـعــات والتسويق.

•       حاصل على ىشهادة البكالريوس في إدارة الأعمال ونظم المعلومات من جامعة أريزونا الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية

•       حاصل على ىشهادة الماجستير من الجامعة الدولية الأمريكية الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية

•      يمتلك خبرة قوامها أكثر من 21 عاما  في مجال الاستشارات والتدريب والإدارة الإستراتيجية و إدارة علاقات العملاء ، و مجالاتالقيادة وإدارة وتأسيس مراكز الاتصال ، والتخطيط الإستراتيجي ، وبرامج التطوير .

•       محاضر بارز في المؤتمرات المحلية والإقليمية والعالمية المتخصصة في عالم الأعمال.

•       يحظى بخبرات مهنية متميزة ، مع كبريات الشركاتالمتخصصة .

•       رائد إدخال مفهوم مراكز الاتصال وتنفيذ مركزعملياتها في طيران الإمارات 1994م .

•     تميز كمدير تنفيذي لمؤسسة الإمارات للتسويقوالترويج - إحدى الشركات التابعة لمجموعة بريد الإمارات القابضة – و ساهم فيحصولها على جائزة دبي للجودة ( التميز في قطاع الخدمات ) 2009 م .

•       ساهم وبمساعدة فريق العمل في مجموعة (  (LEVENBERT في تطور المجموعة  بإبداع وتميز ، خاصة بعدما تسنى للمجموعة تنفيذالمشروع التطويري التدريبي الأكبر على مستوى المنطقة من خلال تنمية وتطوير أكثر من7500 موظف على مختلف المستويات في أكبر شركة اتصالات في المنطقة ، من خلال تطويرثقافة التمحور حول العميل في إدارات خدمة العملاء عبر مراكز الاتصال والمبيعات ومكاتبالخدمة.

•     شخصية قيادية تتمتع بخبرات عالمية أهلته لحصد الجوائز المحلية والإقليمية  و العالمية .

•    حصل على جائزة مدير مركز الاتصال العالمي  2001  مو2002 م من منظمة ( ICCM ) في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، والتي تعد أكبر منظمات مراكز الاتصال في العالم .

•       توج برجل أعمال العام 2004 م من صاحب السموالشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم حاكم دبي

•      نال جائزة خدمات الأعمال والاستشارة 2004 م من صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم حاكم دبي

Dr. Ahmad Tahlak

Chairman & President, LEVENBERTConsulting

PIONEER. INNOVATOR. THINK-TANK

With a combined professional experiencespanning over 21 years Ahmad Tahlak has established himself distinctively as aleading strategist and expert in the Service Industry.

Ahmad Tahlak has pioneered Emirates AirlinesCall Center, a full-fledged operational call center almost 15 years ago whenthe local market was still unaware of the vast impact and efficiency thecontact center would generate. As a result of a brainchild that was broughtinto purpose and function, by establishing a world-class call center andcomprehensive CRM system his ambition, effort and management has won him CallCenter Manager of the Year award for two consecutive years in 2001 & 2002from ICCM in Chicago.

One with a strong vision and commitment toexcellence, he has founded The TeleServices Company in 2000 a specializedorganization focused on BPO, Contact Center Solutions and Consultancy whichcaters to a wide array of industries and organization. A recipient of the Entrepreneurof the Year, Best Consulting and Service Company awards in 2004, recognized andpresented by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Ministerof UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Ahmad Tahlak has been synonymous to the success inthe call center and customer service industry.

In 2005, he accepted the position in EmiratesMarketing and Promotions, a subsidiary of Emirates Post Group as the ChiefExecutive Officer. EMP's core business was to provide integrated, turnkeysolutions to direct marketing, Call Center & Customer Service outsourcing,and Promotions. It was also during his tenure that  EMP unveiled range of innovative, 3D productsand Post Card promotions in the GCC, turning the agencyinto a profit center.  At the helm of hisleadership, EMP garnered several recognitions set by the local andinternational groups including the Dubai Quality Award in 2008.

 With unrivaled passion for change, uniqueunderstanding of the global market Ahmad Tahlak brought his superior,result-oriented Consulting experience, Contact Center expertise, CRM Intelligence,Strategy Formulation & Implementation concentration and  ventured into co-founding LEVENBERTConsulting, a turnkey and implementations solutions provider, offering a wealthof ground-breaking strategies and excellence through sustainable change to awide array of industries serving the private and public sector. LEVENBERT isheadquartered in the UAE and operates across GCC.

Recognized by industry leaders and peers bothin the local and international market, Ahmad Tahlak is privileged to share hisextensive knowledge, expertise, cutting-edge solutions that drives optimalorganizational growth and success.

Dr. Usman Zafar

Founder and CEO DUC Consulting International, & Board Advisor cloudBuy UK & imex Systems Canada

Bio:

An accomplished Business Management and Technology Executive with an extensive experience in both private and public sector with successful track record in building, transforming and leading result oriented professional organization, leading complex programs & business change initiatives with full P&L responsibility. Held Executive level positions with major Blue-Chip & Fortune 500 Technology Corporations.

Dr Usman has been at the forefront of many of the region’s (MENA) multi millions $ IT projects and extensively recognized for his expertise in the areas of eGovernment, e - services, ERP, process automation, specialized training initiatives and Strategic IT Planning.

An integrity driven personality and performance-driven executive with proven success in developing e¬ective and pro table partnerships with business stakeholders in risk adverse environments, strong communication skills with a reputation for being a detail oriented, and creative solutions provider focused on doing the right thing, the right way.

As an Organized Strategist and Entrepreneurial team player, he has provided strategic leadership to fully own and manage Life Cycle of Business Management, introduced innovative solutions to global marketing, and improved contract/proposal management processes. It produced breakthrough results in technology growth, business pipeline, exponential increase in revenue, and great market rapport.

Dr Usman has participated actively in several regional and International conferences / workshops and exhibitions as a keynote speaker to talk about various topics, such as Leadership, Marketing, Corporate Branding, Image Building, eGovernment Barriers, Change Management, Business Process Management, Public Private Partnership, Social Media, Strategic Planning, and Communication/Presentation Skills.

Apart from serving Large Enterprises and Public Sector, Dr Usman has several years of experience in the education sector as a consultant and professor with renowned Universities and Corporate Training Centers Globally.

Dr Usman has received several awards in the past few years for his outstanding performance and delivering Complex projects both in public and private sectors.

Dr. Anna Dolidze

Parliamentary State Secretary, Republic of Georgia

Bio:
Dr. Anna Dolidze was born in Tbilisi, in what was then the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia. As a child, she experienced the dissolution of the Soviet Union, including a civil war and secessionist conflicts with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In high school Dolidze won a scholarship to live with an American family and attend high school in Vermont. Upon her return, Dolidze started law school at Tbilisi State University, where she graduated with honors.

In her final year she took part in the Telders International Law Moot Court Competition, and was honored as the Best Respondent and Best Oralist. She became a clerk at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. Thereafter Dolidze worked for the international humanitarian organization Save the Children in Georgia. She was awarded a full fellowship by the Dutch government to study at Leiden University where she earned Masters Degree in International Law (LLM). In 2004 Dolidze was elected Chairperson of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA). As the head of the largest legal advocacy organization in Georgia, she oversaw program activities conducted by 125 lawyers, took part in drafting legislative reform proposals, practiced civil rights litigation and represented the organization in National Constitutional Commission, Commission for the Human Rights in Prisons and the Expert Commission for Georgia’s European Integration. In 2006, Dolidze spearheaded a nation-wide campaign to prosecute high-level government security officials implicated in the murder of Sandro Girgvliani. In 2007 Dolidze left Georgia for United States as a Scholar at Risk because it was increasingly difficult to practice civil rights litigation.

Dolidze has lectured transnationally, including at Duke University, Sorbonne University, University of Berkeley, Cambridge and Oxford Universities, Queens University of Belfast and Elmira Maximum Security Correctional Facility in New York State. She conducted human rights documentation and research for Russia Justice Initiative and Human Rights Watch. Then she earned her Doctorate in Law (SJD) at Cornell Law School with full financial scholarship and residential fellowship at Telluride House. In 2012 Dolidze addressed the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress on human rights violations in Georgia. In 2013 she became assistant professor of law at the University of Western Ontario, where she taught property law and international law.

In May 2015 Dolidze was appointed as Deputy Minister of Defence for Republic of Georgia, overseeing the areas of education, social benefits and rehabilitation of wounded warriors. In June 2016 the President of Georgia appointed Dr. Dolidze as the Parliamentary Secretary of the President of Georgia (i.e. chief legal adviser), overseeing rule of law related issues as well as serving as the main liaison between the office of the President and the Parliament of Georgia.

Dr. Dolidze has published widely on international law, human rights and transitional justice in academic as well as policy journals.

H.E. Saeed K. Al Dhaheri

Chairman, Board of Smartworld,رئيس مجلس إدارة شركة سمارت ورلد، والمدير العام سابقا لهيئة الإمارات للهوية

Bio:

Fahd Ali Zahid

Continuous Engineering Practice Lead -Middle East, Pakistan & Saudi Arabia, IBM Watson Internet of Things

Bio:
IT Enthusiast, Failed Entrepreneur, Security Devotee and after spending 10+ years in both Business and Technology domains I have a unique preceptive on the digital revolution and its impact on the business world. In my 5+ years in Dubai I have first hand experience of how the IT industry has enabled rapid growth, unique business models and global collaboration. 

Náder Alyani

Innovation and Human Capital Lab,

Bio:

Náder Alyani’s consulting and managerial activities has focused on developing and implementing innovation and learning interventions and practical structures to support human capital and capability development.He has developed methods and people as enablers of innovation and entrepreneurship, by utilising lean (Kaizen) methods in service-design/-innovation in practice, with high impact on KPIs, improving service delivery, quality and ‘touch-points’ on technology-enhanced Smart Services with international partners. His previous project-engagement and -partners include Microsoft, Adobe and Atos in the Tech sector; Statoil, Hydro, BP and Saudi Aramco within the Energy sector and a selection of niche technology start-ups at UCL, MIT and EIT and policy-designers and policy-implementation teams, within government entities in over 10 countries.

Náder is an associate and alumnus of LLAKES Centre (Centre for Research on Learning and Life Chances, UCL IOE), University College London, UK and has engaged in industrial andsectoral policy researchin, and related to the Gulf region in recent years. Heis a faculty member at the College of Business Administration, Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University (PMU), Al Khobar, KSA, and a Fellow of Royal Geographical Society in London, with a focus on economic geography of innovation.

Dr. Ayoub Kazim

Managing Director,axs

Bio:

Dr. Ayoub Kazim

Managing Director, axs

Dr. Ayoub Kazim serves as the Managing Director for axs, TECOM Group’s smart gateway for integrated business services. He is responsible for leading a centralized government and corporate services department in the handling of over 200 government, employee and corporate services to partners across 11 of TECOM Group communities, and enhancing the ease of doing business for over 5,100 business partners and extending services to over 90,000 employees, dependents & students.

Dr. Ayoub Kazim was formerly Managing Director of Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai International Academic City. In this role, he was responsible for strategically steering the academic entities and further consolidating their status as leading centres of learning excellence in the region.

With over 20 years of industry experience, he previously held leadership roles at UAE University and Dubai Municipality.

Dr Ayoub Kazim holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama and a Master’s from the Polytechnic Institute in New York University He received a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Miami in 1998.

Bilal M. Husain

Founder and CEO, Digital Transformation LLC,

Bio:
After holding different public sector positions, Bilal have moved back to his entrepreneurial spirit and founded a new startup Digital Transformation LLC, focusing on blockchain and cybersecurity. Now fully dedicated in this line of work and working with wide network of leaders to explore the applications of blockchain for both public and private industries as well as lobbying for any potential legislative and policies that might require to be amended or created.

While at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Bilal worked as an Advisor for the Minister as well as managing multiple operational roles. He was the first acting Deputy Minister for Shared Services at MEP, a newly developing concept at public sector for combining much of back office services into a single unit. Shared Services consisted of Finance and Admin, HR, IT, PMO and General Services.

Bilal was an active member of many internal and external committees, to name a few:

- Digital Transformation Acceleration, focusing on Cybersecurity, National Applications, Government Cloud…etc.

- Bureau of Experts at the Council of Minister, member of many committees discussing legislative reform of areas like review of government procurement system, drafting of Freedom of Information Act, drafting privacy of information act, review of general audit bureau's report...etc. - National Shared Services Committee, to discuss establishment of a multi organization shared services unit/entity for the public sector.

He also participated in numerous internal committees related to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and NTP2020 (National Transformation Program).

Prior joining MEP, Bilal worked as an Advisor to the Minister and Head of Internal Audit and Inventory Control at Ministry of Health (MoH) where he lead a major organizational restructure to provide empowerment and indecency to those critical functions.

On Jan 2013, Bilal was appointed as Director General of Internal Audit (Chief Audit Executive) at Ministry of Labor, Saudi Arabia. He was responsible for creating the Internal Audit function within the Ministry of Labor from scratch and make sure it’s aligned with the auditing and governance Bilal M. Husain
Founder and CEO Digital Transformation LLC organizations in the country taking into consideration the best practices and guidelines of the Internal Audit Institute (IIA).

In the past, he represented the Saudi eGovernment Program (Yesser) at all government agencies that are offered a wide spectrum of services to citizens, businesses and other government agencies. Yesser, a Saudi government initiative, was established in 2005 by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance and the Communication and Information Technology Commission to facilitate the provision of government services and transactions within Saudi Arabia electronically.

Bilal advised and guided agencies toward providing their services via electronic means. He was also involved in evaluating and approving funding requests proposed by various government agencies to support their eTansformation projects, as well as discussing and consulting with public agencies regarding their master IT and eGovernment action plans and strategies. Bilal was a key member in all steering committees for public agencies implementing eGovernment projects.

Bilal is a seasoned, senior-level consultant and advisor who can develop wining strategies and provide the necessary thrust required to produce clear and measurable results. He embraces the tremendous challenges his position brings, particularly in implementing IS management, obtaining sufficient and relevant resources, communicating and collaborating internally and externally, and overseeing change management.

Bilal has expertise in many areas, including strategy, organizational behavior, business development, corporate relations, technical development, BPM/BPR and knowledge management. His distinguished career portfolio includes the past positions of ICT consultant for King Fahd Medical City, vice president of operations for iLink Ltd., business consultant with British Telecom SA, and ICT consultant for the Supreme Counsel for Petroleum and Mineral Affairs.

Andreas Hadjioannou

Middle East Business Development and Sales Director,Virtual IT Consultants

Bio:

Dr. Ayad Aldaijy

Chief Information Officer (CIO),Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture

Bio:

Mr.Andreas Huber

Co-Founder and Managing Director,PublicOne and TDA Trusted Data Analytics in partnership with TerraFirma

Bio:

Eng. Mohammed Dreera

Member of the Board of Directors,Al Daleel Information Systems

Bio:

Mr. Mir Faisal Talpur

CEO, Cinch Group of Companies - UK

Bio:

• Resident of UK, Lives in London since 1997 (20 years)
• BSc Computer Science, 2001, Queen Mary, University of London
• CEO Cinch Group of Companies, United Kingdom
• Skilled consultant and business turnaround specialist, Technology enthusiast, Marketing and Property Investments expert. Serial Entrepreneur, Inventor, Innovator and a Visionary.

• 1995 Invented E-Thermal Shoes in Pakistan and holds the Patent
• 1995-97: published Pakistan’s First English Scientific Magazine. This was distributed nationwide in Pakistan.
• Youngest Member of Karachi Chamber of Commerce

Jules El Adem

Commercial Manager,SUEZ Middle East Recycling

Bio:

Clinton O’ Leary

Business Development Director at Yvolv,

Bio:
Clinton O’ Leary, is the Business Development Director at Yvolv, a JV company between Meraas and Alibaba. He has over 9 years experience in the Middle East in helping customers and partners build and sell Cloud, Big Data and Digitization Solutions. Passionate about all things Digital he has a stellar reputation in the region in advising large Enterprise and Service Providers on how to build their Cloud Platforms and Services using the most open, secure and standardized software available today.

In his 20+ years experience in the IT industry he has represented many large global IT organizations such as Internet Solutions (Dimension Data), Dell, Microsoft, Citrix, Red Hat, Cisco and most recently Canonical as a start-up business development consultant.

Elizabeth Adeshina

Founder & CEO ,Integrated Digital Healthcare System Ltd

Bio:

Gurdeep Singh Randhay

Tax and VAT Leader, GCC - ,Grant Thornton, based in the UAE.

Bio:

Hani I. AlGhofaily

Consultant to the Minister of Culture and Media,, Official Spokesman

Bio:

Ahmed Aly Shaban

Senior Consultant ,in Prime Minister's Office of UAE

Bio:

HUSSAIN AFKAR

DIRECTOR – AUDIT & ADVISORY,AXIS AUDITING & ACCOUNTING

Bio:

Talal AlBakr

Seasoned Strategic Sales Executive and Cloud Architecture Consultan, Dell EMC

Bio:

Moaz Moqbel

E-Content Manager, Ministryof Culture and Media - KSA

Bio:

Joe Clabby

Vice President,CLABBY ANALYTICS USA & Datamatix International Advisor

Bio:
Noted for his research/analysis and public speaking abilities, Joe Clabby, former President, Bloor Research North America, and Vice President, Aberdeen Group, has written dozens of specialized analytical reports on computer technology vendors as well as spoken around-the-world on evolving computing trends. Mr. Clabby has a strong background in networking, systems platforms, operating environments, business application reengineering, as well as program-to-program communications.

Jorge Sebastiao, CISSP

ICT Expert, DC Cloud Practice Leader Data Center Solutions,Huawei

Bio:
A seasoned cloud, managed services & security professional focused on business value; Jorge brings experience, creativity, structure and innovation to the solutions he architects ICT infrastructure.

With over 30 years of ICT experience, covering, C level on Cloud Computing, Managed Services, managed security services, business continuity, and disaster recovery as well as governance, risk management, compliance, auditing, certification. Served sectors include oil & gas, banking, financial, telecom, government, defence, healthcare, and education.

Created the process A6 of security: Assess, Architect, Apply, Administer, Awareness & Agility. He architects practical & business focused solutions using standards & industry best practices.

Ali Al Kamali

Managing Director ,Datamatixgroup

Bio:

Dr. Seppe Verheyen

Research Fellow ,the Emirates Diplomatic Academy

Bio:

Dr. Seppe Verheyen is a Research Fellow at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy where he examines diplomatic best practices and training to develop the skills and competencies required for the new generation of diplomats. 

Previously, Dr. Verheyen worked at American University in the Emirates as Director of the Master of Arts in Diplomacy and Director of the International Office. In his dual role, Dr. Verheyen imparted the theoretical and practical knowledge to Emirati students to enhance their diplomatic skills. He also played an active role in setting up international and local partnerships to increase the university’s profile.

Before starting his Ph.D. at Trinity College in Dublin, Dr. Verheyen worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belgian Permanent Representation to the EU as an advisor. He was involved in drafting EU foreign policies and represented Belgium on the EU forum.

Dr. Seppe has consulted political parties in Belgium and Ireland on policies and is a frequent speaker at conferences covering topics in Policy, Diplomacy, Smart Cities and Leadership.

Dr. Anna Dolidze

Parliamentary State Secretary, Republic of Georgia

Bio:
Dr. Anna Dolidze was born in Tbilisi, in what was then the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia. As a child, she experienced the dissolution of the Soviet Union, including a civil war and secessionist conflicts with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In high school Dolidze won a scholarship to live with an American family and attend high school in Vermont. Upon her return, Dolidze started law school at Tbilisi State University, where she graduated with honors.

In her final year she took part in the Telders International Law Moot Court Competition, and was honored as the Best Respondent and Best Oralist. She became a clerk at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. Thereafter Dolidze worked for the international humanitarian organization Save the Children in Georgia. She was awarded a full fellowship by the Dutch government to study at Leiden University where she earned Masters Degree in International Law (LLM). In 2004 Dolidze was elected Chairperson of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA). As the head of the largest legal advocacy organization in Georgia, she oversaw program activities conducted by 125 lawyers, took part in drafting legislative reform proposals, practiced civil rights litigation and represented the organization in National Constitutional Commission, Commission for the Human Rights in Prisons and the Expert Commission for Georgia’s European Integration. In 2006, Dolidze spearheaded a nation-wide campaign to prosecute high-level government security officials implicated in the murder of Sandro Girgvliani. In 2007 Dolidze left Georgia for United States as a Scholar at Risk because it was increasingly difficult to practice civil rights litigation.

Dolidze has lectured transnationally, including at Duke University, Sorbonne University, University of Berkeley, Cambridge and Oxford Universities, Queens University of Belfast and Elmira Maximum Security Correctional Facility in New York State. She conducted human rights documentation and research for Russia Justice Initiative and Human Rights Watch. Then she earned her Doctorate in Law (SJD) at Cornell Law School with full financial scholarship and residential fellowship at Telluride House. In 2012 Dolidze addressed the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress on human rights violations in Georgia. In 2013 she became assistant professor of law at the University of Western Ontario, where she taught property law and international law.

In May 2015 Dolidze was appointed as Deputy Minister of Defence for Republic of Georgia, overseeing the areas of education, social benefits and rehabilitation of wounded warriors. In June 2016 the President of Georgia appointed Dr. Dolidze as the Parliamentary Secretary of the President of Georgia (i.e. chief legal adviser), overseeing rule of law related issues as well as serving as the main liaison between the office of the President and the Parliament of Georgia.

Dr. Dolidze has published widely on international law, human rights and transitional justice in academic as well as policy journals.

Boris Koprivnikar

Deputy Prime Minister,Republic of Slovenia

Bio:
BSc in organisational science and information systems, Faculty of Organisational Sciences Kranj, University of Maribor,  Boris Koprivnikar has been successfully managing the challenges of public administration for twenty years. For a decade, he managed a public institution with a complex organisational scheme, the Association of Social Institutions of Slovenia, which combines 99 providers with over 10,000 employees, providing services to more than 21,000 users within the public network. In his work, he has cooperated with various state and other bodies on a daily basis and managed complex negotiation processes. These experiences will also be valuable in his management of the Ministry. He sees public administration as a service that has to ensure efficient support for citizens, various organisations and all state administration and public-sector bodies.

Marta Arsovska Tomovska

Minister of Information Society and Administration ,Republic of Macedonia

Bio:
On November 2015 Marta A. Tomovska was elected as a Minister of Information Society and Administration after serving as a Deputy Minister in the same Ministry since August 2011. Prior to her appointment, she served 10 years as a CEO of the first Internet Service Provider in the country, Unet, as well as 4 years as a Sales and Marketing Executive in one of the leading local IT companies, Ultra. Mrs. Tomovska leaded the implementation of several significant projects for Macedonian ICT sector such as: first e-Commerce and first e-Banking solution; first WIMAX pilot installation; initiative “Culture of Internet security” in the Republic of Macedonia, removing Republic of Macedonia from blacklists for unsafe countries for internet commerce; Digital Media Collaboration initiative between Macedonia, USA and Japan; Digital Sister Cities Initiative and many more. Took part in major ICT projects implemented in the public sector: finance and treasury; budget management; single window systems; health insurance and hospital management; education management; justice, etc., all of them involving products and services of vendors such as IBM, Oracle, HP, Cisco, Microsoft and many more. Mrs. Tomovska is member of the Internet Society and Macedonian ICT Chamber. Frequent speaker and panelist at national and international ICT conferences, she has always been passionate about how Internet and information technologies can help people, businesses and societies develop and grow. Mrs. Tomovska was awarded for achievements and extraordinary contribution to the development of ICT industry in the Republic of Macedonia. Mrs. Arsovska Tomovska started her career after graduating in 1996 at the University of Skopje, in Electrical Engineering. In 2011 Mrs. Tomovska completed marketing studies, and is preparing her Master thesis at the Faculty of Economy, University of Skopje. Fluent in English and South Slavic group of languages, with partial knowledge of French and Russian. She is certified in ICT field, as well as in leadership and management, with wider professional interest in the areas of general management, HR management, ICT, Internet technologies, e-Government, e-Business, e-Commerce, data security, distance learning and digital media. Mrs. Arsovska Tomovska is a member of the World Summit Award Grand Jury since January 2013. The award is partnered with the key United Nations organizations and agencies, which are taking initiatives for promoting Information Society. In September 2015 she was appointed as a Non-Executive Member of the WSA (World Summit Awards) Board.

Jurij Bertok

Director General Ministry of Public Adminisration,Republic of Slovenia

Bio:
Jurij Bertok holds a Master Degree in Electrical Engineering from Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana. He started his career with the same faculty, where he was working as a researcher in Laboratory for Communication Devices at the Department of Telecommunication. In 1991 he joined the Ministry of Defence where he was serving in several positions. From 2000 to 2005 he was the head of IT and Communications Sector, and in 2005 he was appointed as CIO to lead IT operations for Defence. As of January 2013 he has been acting as Director-General of IT Directorate at the Ministry of the Public Administration, the main coordination institution for the development and implementation of information of public administration in Slovenia.

Samia Melhem

Lead Policy Specialist, Transport and ICT,World Bank

Bio:
Samia Melhem is an international development expert at the World Bank Group. She is a Global lead on Digital Development. Her current operational responsibilities include investment operations management, advisory services, capacity building and leading the digital development partnership. Samia has led investment projects in National ICT strategies, Telecoms/Broadband policy, and Private participation in infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital government, trade facilitation, electronic procurement, identity management and urban development in Rwanda, Philippines, Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, Morocco, Burkina Faso amongst many others. Samia held several positions as regional coordinator in different regions such as Africa, Middle East and Europe and Central Asia and has experience in more than 50 countries. She represents her group at ITU, UN, WSIS, donor organization and private sector/academia high level conventions. She has authored several research, working papers and policy notes on innovation and on technology’s impact on growth & development. She holds degrees in Electrical Engineering (BS), Computer Sciences (MS) and Finance (MBA)

Mohamad Zainuddi bin Mat Taib

Public Sector ICT Principal Consultant (Strategic),Government of Malaysia

Bio:
Dr Mohamad Zainuddi bin Mat Taib has been serving as an Information Technology Officer of the Government of Malaysia since 1983. He has served in various capacities at the ICT divisions of several agencies of the Federal Government of Malaysia. He is currently attached to the Public Sector ICT Consulting Team of ICT Consultancy Divison, Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU), Prime Minister Department. He also sits as members of advisory panel of Faculty of Computing, School of Informatics and Information Science at various prominent public universities in Malaysia His present position as the Public Sector ICT Principal Consultant (Strategic) enables him to involve in the implementation of various initiatives under the Government Transformation Agenda. It is particularly related to his fields of expertise such as Information Management, Business Intelligence, Knowledge Management, IT Governance, Enterprise Architecture and Big Data Analytics.

Giorgi Vashadze

Member of the Parliament ,Republic of Georgia

Bio:
Georgian politician and a member of the Parliament of Georgia. Deputy chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, member of the Education, Science and Culture Committee, member of the Commission on Implementation of Quality and Internal Control Procedures of Audit, Financial and Economic, Legal and Organizational Activities of the State Audit Service. Giorgi Vashadze is the author of major reforms towards, public services. Development of Georgian Public Service halls, that unites around 400 public services in one space and lead to massive improvements in services: Property Registration (#1 by World bank), Ease of doing/starting business (#8 by world bank), Place in official document issuance (#1 Life in transition survey, EBRD) Founder of Innovation and Development Foundation, that operates both in Georgia and Ukraine. IDF is an International knowledge platform, that develops the mechanisms of accumulation, acceleration, progression and transfer of expertise, practices from different fields, creating the unified, integrated solution for reforming state sector in young democratic countries and transitional economies.

H.E. Saeed K. Al Dhaheri

Chairman, Board of Smartworld,رئيس مجلس إدارة شركة سمارت ورلد، والمدير العام سابقا لهيئة الإمارات للهوية

Bio:

Safder Nazir

Regional Vice President Smart Cities & IoT,Huawei

Bio:
Safder heads Huawei’s Smart City and Internet of Things (IoT) Center of Excellence, prior to which he has held various leadership roles in global ‘blue chip’ companies. With over 20 years of experience across the world in industry verticals including real estate, smart cities and smart grid, Safder has enabled global companies to deliver exceptional results in new lines of business. Key to this success has been the innovative use of technology to drive business outcomes. Having held senior leadership positions as the customer, the consultant and the vendor, this 360 degree view combined with over 10 years in the Middle East region gives Safder a rounded perspective of the market, challenges and opportunities. Safder is also an Advisory Board Member for Dubai Silicon Oasis Smart City Program and Associate Rapporteur in the ITU-T Study Group 20 on Smart Cities and IoT.

Vita Narnicka

Director of IT Depart,State Revenue Service of Latvia

Bio:
Ms. Vita Narnicka has played an important role in the State information systems and development of the e - service in the Republic of Latvia in general. Ms. Vita Narnicka has previously worked in the institutions responsible for the creation of a central eGovernment solutions in Latvia. Over the last 10 years Ms. Vita Narnicka has been involved in such important projects as the establishment of electronic procurement systems and a centralised infrastructure of e-services', including creation of the portal www.latvija.lv. Under her lead the State Revenue Service of Latvia in recent years has shown rapid growth in the development of diverse information systems, achieving improvements in system development both for the customers and administrators.

Lasha Antadze

Member of Innovation and Development Foundation ,Innovation and Development Foundation, Georgia

Bio:
Member of Innovation and Development Foundation Project manager and co-author of: World’s first Decentralised Blockchain Auction for state property privatisation and lease. The aim of the project is to build up a transparent, e-Auction system for state property privatisation and lease, for minimizing the existing corruption and mismanagement risks, reduce the state budget expenditure and give barrier less global access for participation in the process. Project management: Redesign of public services; “Public Service Hall” concept development; Streamlining business processes; Minimizing time and resources of customers to comply with the requirements defined by relevant legislation and procedural requirements; Drafting legal initiatives for optimizing the processes, to simplify significantly the relationship of citizens with the public sector through prompt and effective steps

Fadi Salem

Research Fellow; Founder, Governance and Innovation Program,Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government

Bio:
Fadi Salem is a Research Fellow and founder of the Governance and Innovation Program at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (formerly Dubai School of Government). He was also a Research Associate at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School (HKS); and a Fellow at the I+I Policy Research Centre, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY SPP), National University of Singapore. He is currently a PhD in Public Policy candidate at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. Fadi’s areas of expertise extends to innovation policies, smart cities development; including policy implications of IoT, open and big data. Additionally he has extensive policy and scholarly publications on digital and open governance, social media and public engagement, e-participation, ‘future of government’ applications, and the impact of digital transformations on societal discourses in the Arab region. Fadi has over fifteen years of multidisciplinary working experience in the public sector, the media and policy research fields, including projects with the OECD, UN, WEF and the World Bank. Prior to joining the School, he worked in The Executive Office in Dubai, advising senior government leaders on technology policy and digital economy. He also previously worked as an editor of two pan-Arab periodicals. Fadi is currently a PhD candidate in Public Policy at the University of Oxford. He is a graduate from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and the School of Engineering, Aleppo University. He is also an author of numerous publications and policy reports, including the widely cited ‘Arab Social Media Report’ series and the ‘Arab World Online’ series. He is a public speaker and a frequently invited guest in international conferences and policy forums, regularly commenting on governance, technology policy, the Internet, policy and the knowledge economy. He is also a frequent media commentator on current Arab affairs, appearing regularly in international and regional media. His work and interviews have been featured in (among others) The Economist, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Financial Times, Foreign Policy Magazine, Foreign Affairs, BBC, CNN and numerous other media outlets.

Viljar Lubi

Deputy Secretary General for Economic Development ,Ministry of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Government of Estonia

Bio:
After receiving his first degree in economics (honors) from the University of Tartu, Estonia, he acquired his masters degree in political science from the University of Tallinn, Estonia. He has also complemented his academic background at the University of Sussex, UK, and at the Estonian School of Diplomacy. Although V. Lubi started his working life in the private sector (insurance business), he soon entered the Civil Service, at first as an official in the Ministry of Finance. From 1999 onwards he has worked at the Foreign Ministry, initially in the press and information department and later in foreign economic policy department. 2002–2006 he was an economic counsellor at Estonia’s embassy in London. After returning from the United Kingdom he took the job as the director of the general affairs division in the EU department. His responsibilities there included EU's institutional settlement, EU enlargement and also some EU’s regional policy aspects like the Northern Dimension and the Baltic Sea Strategy. In August 2009 he took a position of a counsellor (economic) at the Estonian Embassy in Washington, DC. Since his return from the USA in August 2011 he has been seconded to the Ministry of Economic affairs and Communications in Tallinn, Estonia. Being the director of the EU and International Cooperation Department enables him to continue his work in the diplomatic field. In January 2013 he resumed its diplomatic career and worked in New Delhi as the first residing Estonian ambassador to India. His co-accreditations brought him also to Myanmar and Sri Lanka. After 3 years in India he returned to Estonia to be seconded again to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications as deputy secretary general for economic development.

Kaiser Naseem

Head - Bank Advisory and Digital Finance Services MENA, Pakistan and Central Asia,International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group, Dubai

Bio:
Kaiser is a resourceful professional with over 36 years of international experience in banking and financial sectors; he has a MBA in Finance from the Asian Institute of Management Manila and a MS in Metallurgical Engineering from Moscow Institute of Steel & Alloys. Kaiser is an innovator with an entrepreneurial attitude and a leader in developing new financial institutions and standards in challenging environments. His core competencies include SME Banking, Project Financing, Team Building, Change Management, Business Development and Good Governance. Kaiser has strong ethical standards and focus on results, combined with exceptional business acumen and broad experience on a global stage including serving on the BODs of international companies. Kaiser was instrumental in the developing the Pakistani and Central Asian Financial Sectors through IFC assistance to the leasing, investment banking, modaraba, commercial banking and MSME sectors there. From 1997 he pioneered IFC’s initiatives in Central Asia for the development of the MSME sector. Kaiser has established three financial institutions in Pakistan and is also the Founder President of Pakistan’s SME Bank. He has served on the Boards of several companies globally, including the Pakistan Microfinance Network; Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund; ABN-AMRO Bank Kazakhstan; Uzbekistan Leasing Company; Engro Chemicals Pakistan; SME Bank Pakistan; KHN Associates - Canada; Sarah Textiles - Pakistan; and PIDC - Pakistan. Kaiser is an ardent supporter of good corporate governance and has inculcated such practices on the Company Boards that he has served. He has been the Manager of IFC’s Pakistan Corporate Governance Program responsible for raising awareness of good corporate governance practices within the Pakistani corporate sector including training for Board members and capacity building of the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance. Currently, Kaiser heads IFC’s Bank Advisory Services in the MENA and Central Asia region responsible for providing advisory services to the region’s banks, including promoting Shariah compliant banking products to meet the growing demand. During the past eight years Kaiser has grown IFC’s EMENA Bank Advisory Business to be the largest in terms of revenue generation within IFC. He has offered advisory services to banks, mainly to enable them to establish a business model for SME Banking, strengthen risk management systems, develop new products and delivery channels, re-vamp underwriting processes and manage transformation. Kaiser frequently blogs on issues ranging from SME development, Digital Finance, FINTECH and corporate governance on various platforms and social media.

Lynn C Reyes

Business Development Executive, Public Sector,IBM Middle East & Africa

Bio:
Lynn drives new markets and solutions-that-matter where creative people, business, information and technology meet. She builds high-performing teams. A critical and design thinker, creative problem solver and industry SME, Lynn connects the dots across cultures, perspectives, personalities and disciplines. She shapes innovative, distinctive solutions from the client’s perspective and her own unique one. With a background in economic development and public sector, entrepreneurship and innovation, she is passionate about results and progress. Lynn has worked with government clients and their ecosystems worldwide on their transformation journeys. In MEA, she led industry-driven business development for services in Global Business Services and then in MEA’s Industry Solutions Sales Team. Before heading to MEA, Lynn led research and thought leadership initiatives for the global Public Sector team of the IBM Institute for Business Value. She focused on topics such as innovation, collaboration and emerging opportunities where the public and private sectors converge. She authored several thought leadership pieces on public and cross-sector management issues including “Opening up government”, “The power of analytics for public sector”, “The yin yang of financial disruption” and “The yin yang of financial reform” with the IBV’s Finance Sector team, and Public Sector insights on IBM’s Global CxO Studies. As a consultant, Lynn led global teams to help clients innovate and transform in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. These projects spanned industry domains and management issues including eGovernment, revenue and fiscal management (tax, budget and expenditure), trade and transportation, business model innovation, banking and financial markets. Lynn holds a patent for Outcome Based Delivery and continues to drive Public Sector thought leadership, such as citizen-centric government and digital transformation. Lynn has an MBA from the University of Maryland and has served as a practicum advisor for its Center for Social Value Creation. Prior to IBM, Lynn worked at the World Bank focusing on the Asia Region and also did volunteer work in Uttar Kashi, Northern India.

Dima Kandalaft

Government Cognitive Solutions Lead,IBM Middle East & Africa

Bio:
Dima is responsible for Cognitive Government Solutions and Smarter Cities in IBM in the Middle East & Africa based in Dubai. As an executive business development, her role entails developing new markets, building new clientele with focus on IBM Government offerings across various sub sectors acting as an executive advisor and thought leader. With an overall of 20 years of experience in Management Consulting, 17 of which in IBM, Dima has been focusing on transformational government initiatives in the region. Dima has also built extensive expertise in cross governmental collaboration, transportation, utilities and municipal affairs where she brings strong technology and industry skills, developed in local and regional clients.

Yousef Al Barkawie

Chief Executive Officer ,AW Rostamani Shift Technologies

Bio:
Yousef AlBarkawie is the Chief Executive Officer of Shift Technologies at AW Rostamani Group, leading a team of exceptional consultants who enable organizations meet their Digital Transformation agenda. Shift Technologies provides an array of business driven solutions and services devoted to aligning an organization's operations with its overall strategy, and how to best leverage technology advancement. Our solutions support management planning and decision making processes by providing a holistic and integrated view of the entire enterprise. From Strategy to Execution, Shift Technologies has the skills, capabilities, independence, and innovation to empower a truly connected Enterprise Yousef’s career spans more than 16 years. Prior to joining AW Rostamani, Yousef spent over 12 years with “Big 4” Management Consultancies, where he delivered and led large scale transformation programs, helped establish new government functions, and implemented large scale technology solutions. Yousef has led projects in with a total capital budget exceeding US$ 150 million. Prior to that, Yousef designed and managed what was considered the 1 st wave of e-Government services for multiple government departments across the GCC. Yousef has led numerous very large-scale transformation programs that spanned between 2-5 years in their execution cycles, helping establish new functions, new government departments, restructured operations, and reengineered processes. Yousef successfully helped organizations in their cloud transitions and advanced technologies adoption. He has also helped clients in diverse industries implement large-scale technology solutions including four major SAP implementations. Yousef holds a Bachelor’s of Science (BS) degree in Management Information Systems from George Mason University, and is currently an MBA candidate.

Nasser Almuraqab

Director of IT,University of Dubai

Bio:
ناصـــر المرقـّـب يشغل السيد ناصر منصب مدير تقنية المعلومات في جامعة دبي, يمتلك خبرة أكثر من 12 سنة في مجال تقنية المعلومات, ويقوم بتحضير رسالة الدكتوراه في تخصص الحكومة والمدن الذكية, كما يقوم بتدريس وإلقاء محاضرات في أنظمة المعلومات في نفس الجامعة, وهو أيضا عضو لجنة تحكيم في جائزة الشيخة لطيفة بنت محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم لإبداعات الطفولة.

Ali Al-Gobishy

IT Center General Manager,Education Evaluation Commission KSA

Bio:

Willem Clappaert

Leader for Government Industry Solution for Middle-East and Africa ,IBM Middle East and Africa

Bio:
Mr. Clappaert is the IBM Leader for Government Industry Solution for Middle-East and Africa with a particular specialization in Public Security and Safety. Mr. Clappaert completed his Masters in Economic and Social Law from the University of Ghent (Belgium) and complemented this with an MBA at Antwerp University in 1999. Mr. Clappaert has over ten years experience in large and strategic governmental programs related to Smarter Cities and Smarter Governments helping government institution to design and adopt new concepts and technologies to provide a productive, healthy and sustainable environment for businesses and citizens that will lead to sustainable economic vitality and citizen centricity. In his current role he is involved in a number of strategic discussion and projects across the region. Previously, Mr Clappaert was Client Executive for IBM managing a number of large accounts in an international context. Prior to joining IBM he was active as a Sales Manager and Corporate Lawyer.

Ghazi Atallah

Managing Director ,neXgen Group

Bio:
Ghazi has over 20 years of experience in the IT and Telecommunications industry. He is the MD of neXgen Group, a management and technology consulting company focused on helping Smart City customers realize business value out of technology investments. He takes an active role in projects with leading customers in the MENA region to develop Smart City and National ICT/Digital strategies leveraging next generation business models, technology blueprints with a focused Go-To-Market approach. Ghazi is also a Partner at Liveroute, the first true Cloud/SAAS Service Provider in the Middle East delivering Cloud based Collaboration, Infrastructure, CRM and ERP solutions to enterprises in the ME. Ghazi Was the MD/VP for Cisco’s Service Provider (SP) business in the Emerging Markets theatre that covers Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa as well as Russia and CIS countries, a $1.1B business for Cisco. He was responsible for defining the strategy and Go-To-Market plans for Service Providers business-both fixed and mobile operators-in a region that includes Cisco’s fastest growing markets worldwide. Ghazi also sat on Cisco’s Corporate SP Business Council that is tasked with shaping Cisco’s SP technology strategy worldwide. He was also GM of Cisco’s MENA operations for 3 years, built and lead one of the most effective GTM organizations in the region, Cisco’s highest growth region worldwide. Expanded the business from $100M to well over $500M. As well as being GM of Cisco Saudi Arabia for 2 years. Prior to that in Canada, He was the head of multimedia ATM access technology at General Datacom’s R&D labs in Montreal, Canada. Leading a team of engineers in R&D to develop a new product line. Previous to that, He was Chief Network Architect in the network planning group for Teleglobe Canada, Canada’s international carrier. Ghazi received his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Business Administration degree from the University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada. He also received executive education through Stanford and London Business Schools executive MBA programs for enterprise. Ghazi Received the Telecom leadership award at the 8th Arab Internet and Telecom conference in May 2006. He was also named among most influential ME IT leaders in Al Idari magazine’s special issue of TOP 100 ME business leaders in Feb 2006. Ghazi was named among the ‘Top 35 People worldwide to Watch in 2010’ by Realcomm, a leading American research company focused on technology, energy efficiency and intelligent buildings in real estate. Ghazi was a member of the Board of Advisors of SAMENA telecommunications council. Ghazi is a member of the Young Arab Leaders and was previously on the board of directors in the UAE.

Gert Botha

CEO ,Hive Technology

Bio:
Gert Botha is the CEO and one of the founding team members of Hive Technology — the Dubai based technology innovation, consulting business and wireless identification company launching the world’s first single wireless identification product, the missing link in the Internet of Everything evolution. Gert has spent the last 5 years side by side with the inventor of the technology aligning and building the Hive One ID technology and solutions. Thinking and looking outside the conventional box is one of Gert’s key strengths. He believes that the only way to change the companies and the world we live and work in is by recreating and innovating exciting ideas, practices and products. Gert’s core focus is the role of ‘Technology Innovation’, an element which is proving to be a vital component in today's fast-changing online world. Gert is a seasoned management and technology consultant with 25 years diverse experience in the Public and Private sectors across various industries and countries. He stays abreast of technology trends and consults with CIO's, CMO's & CEO's on technology strategy and how to use technology to innovate client service delivery. Gert’s approach revolves around ensuring that the real value of the Internet of Things isn’t about linking millions of devices together, just like the internet innovation wasn’t just done to network computers across the globe. Instead, the true and still unrealized potential of this technology wave is to simplify how people interact with technology and the world around them. This poses major opportunities for Business and Governments alike to adjust by transforming business and service delivery models to take advantage of technology.

Munthir M. Alansari

Director General for Tourism Information and Research Centre,Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage

Bio:
Director General for Tourism Information and Research Centre|مديرعام مركز المعلومات والأبحاث السياحية ماس
Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage | الهيئة العامة للسياحة والتراث الوطني
MAS Center | مركز ماس

Majid Saad Aldraehim

UN e-Government Survey Project Manager,Saudi e-Government Program (Yesser)

Bio:
Dr. Majid Saad Aldraehim UN e-Government Survey Project Manager - Saudi Arabia Research and Innovation Manager at the Saudi e-Government Program (Yesser)

Michael J. Tolan

Executive Director for Innovation, Inspiration & Leadership,Sebchem Consulting House (S.C.H)

Bio:

Leadership has been much of the professional focus of Michael J. Tolan during his 25 year career in establishing over 20 enterprises.

Michael Tolan led his own team of over 700 staff in 8 countries as CEO for 15 years.

After divesting his holdings, he turned his attention to the Leadership Gap within the L&D space.

His is an author and columnist on Leadership topics within the GCC and founded the YEP, Young Entrepreneurs Program for teens in the UAE, A CSR program that enables companies and institutions to brand and support the business and leadership skills in this program.

Mr Tolan is the Executive Director of the World Class Institute for Innovation and Leadership at Sebchem Consultancy House, and has created several leadership development programs to enable organizations positively embrace the importance of leadership ethics and alignment. He is the Co-Founder of GetAwesomeRewards.com, a global employee benefits travel scheme for leaders to support and engage their team members with amazing and awesome rewards for companies around the world.

Saifaddin Mohammed Thiab Abuzaid

Designate Assistant President of Saudi Red Crescent Authority for Investment Affairs,Saudi Red Crescent Authority

Bio:
Currently Assistant President of Saudi Red Crescent Authority for Investment Affairs, Director-General, General Department for Training& HR Development, Head of Saudi Humanitarian Emergency Aid & Response Team (Saudi Heart), and Director-General, General Department of Information & Awareness

 Yousef Khalili

Senior Partner,NexGen Group 

Bio:
Yousef  Khalili  is  a  senior  partner  at  NexGen  Group,  the  region’s  leading  advisory  and  consulting services organization in the field of Smart Cities and Next Generation Technology  Innovation.    As  a  senior  partner  at  the  firm,  Yousef  maintains  executive  relationships  within  leading  public and  private sector organizations in the MENA region, and  manages key projects that  involve  developing  technology  and  Go‐To‐Market  strategies  all  the  way  to  effective  implementation, with a focus on maximizing value and achieving the highest possible return  on investing in technology innovation for clients.    Yousef  is  particularly  passionate  about  helping  clients  build  cutting‐edge  Smart  Service  portfolios and practices with the aim of improving life conditions and maximizing happiness.   Yousef  is  an  accomplished  and  versatile  executive  with  over  22  years  of  experience  within  the ICT industry. He joined NexGen Group in 2013, and was before that a senior director at  Cisco Systems International for 9 years where he managed various functions across Europe,  Middle  East,  Africa  and  Russia  /CIS  Markets  including  Sales,  Channel,  Marketing  and  Business  Development,  with  a  business  portfolio  of  over  USD  $3  Billion  in  products  and  services.   Prior  to  joining  Cisco,  Yousef  worked  for  various  international  ICT  organizations  including  Microsoft, and Texas Instruments, and was one of the founding team members who helped  launch  the  Dubai  e‐Government  initiative  back  in  2001    (currently  the  Dubai  Smart  Government Department).     Yousef is a Jordanian national but spent all his life in the UAE and Kuwait. He holds a Global  Executive  MBA  degree  from INSEAD  business  school  in  France  and  a  Bachelor’s  degree  in  Business Administration from the University of Jordan.