Faisal J. Abbas

Editor-in-Chief, Arab News

Faisal J. Abbas is the Editor-in-Chief of the Riyadh-based leading Middle East English language daily, Arab News. He has held this position since September 2016.Under his editorship, Arab News (established in 1975) relaunched with a more global, more digital direction. It has expanded its international presence through several new international editions, a large network of local and international correspondents and regional bureaus across the world.

Prior to joining the Arab News, Abbas has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Dubai-based English language news site of Al Arabiya News Channel.

Abbas is a renowned columnist on Arab-international affairs, he also appears regularly as a political commentator on CNN International, BBC World and Sky News (UK). Throughout his career, he has interviewed several world leaders; among the latest were Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Pakistani President Arif Alvi, Coptic Pope Tawadros II of Egypt, Former Japanese Foreign and Defense Minister Taro Kono. He has previously written for Newsweek, Foreign Policy, The Huffington Post and worked with both Asharq Al Awsat and Al Hayat leading pan-Arab daily newspapers.

Abbas is a member of the Editorial Board of Al Arabiya News Channel, an associate fellow of the Cambridge Union Society and a member of the British Society of Authors. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders network, and an alumnus of the US State Department’s Edward R. Murrow International Visitor Program for Journalists. He has been the recipient of many media awards, including the UK’s Next Century Foundation’s Cutting-Edge Award (2009) for efforts in bridging the communication gap between the West and the Arab World, and British Council’s UK alumni “Social Impact” award in Saudi Arabia (2017).

Abbas holds a master’s degree from the University of Westminster and a bachelor’s degree from the Lebanese American University. He is also a graduate of the Executive Education Program of the Harvard Kennedy School, where he studied Global Leadership and Public Policy; and has recently completed a Leadership module at the Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge.

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama

Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, United Arab Emirates

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama has been appointed as Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence following the Cabinet reshuffle in October 2017. His responsibilities include enhancing the government performance by investing in the latest technologies and tools of artificial intelligence and applying them in various sectors.

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama is currently the Managing Director of the World Government Summit. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation and Deputy Managing Director of the Foundation. In November 2017, the UAE government announced selecting HE. Omar Al Olama as a member of the Future of Digital Economy and Society Council at the World Economic Forum.

During his work in the Future Department at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, His Excellency participated in developing the UAE Centennial 2071 strategy that aims to position the UAE as the best country in the world. He also participated in developing the UAE 4th Industrial Revolution Strategy that aims to promote the UAE’s status as a global hub for the 4th Industrial Revolution and develop a national economy based on knowledge, innovation and future technologies. Prior to his appointment, His Excellency worked on developing the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy, making it the first such strategy of its kind globally.

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama worked in several sectors including the banking sector, telecommunications, private enterprises and government. H.E. also worked on developing and executing strategies, risk analysis, change management and scenario planning.

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama holds a Diploma in Project Management and Excellence from the American University of Sharjah and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the American University of Dubai.

وزير دولة للذكاء الاصطناعي

انضم معالي عمر سلطان العلماء إلى الحكومة الاتحادية كوزير دولة للذكاء الاصطناعي في أعقاب التعديل الوزاري في أكتوبر2017، للارتقاء بالأداء الحكومي من خلال استثمار أحدث تقنيات وأدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي وتطبيقها في شتى ميادين العمل.

يشغل معالي عمر سلطان العلماء منصب مدير مؤسسة القمة العالمية للحكومات، وعضو مجلس أمناء مؤسسة دبي للمستقبل ونائب العضو المنتدب للمؤسسة. وفي نوفمبر 2017، أعلنت حكومة دولة الإمارات اختيار معالي عمر سلطان العلماء لعضوية مجموعة مستقبل الاقتصاد الرقمي والمجتمع التابعة للمنتدى الاقتصادي العالمي.

خلال عمله مع فريق إدارة المستقبل في وزارة شؤون مجلس الوزراء والمستقبل، ساهم معالي عمر سلطان العلماء في إعداد استراتيجية "مئوية الإمارات 2071" التي تهدف إلى الارتقاء بجميع القطاعات التنموية في الدولة وتعزيز مكانتها كأفضل دولة في العالم. وشارك معالي عمر سلطان العلماء في إعداد استراتيجية الإمارات للثورة الصناعية الرابعة، التي تهدف إلى تعزيز مكانة دولة الإمارات كمركز عالمي للثورة الصناعية الرابعة، والمساهمة في تحقيق اقتصاد وطني تنافسي قائم على المعرفة والابتكار والتطبيقات التكنولوجية المستقبلية التي تدمج التقنيات المادية والرقمية والحيوية. عمل معاليه ايضاً على تطوير استراتيجية الذكاء الاصطناعي في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة والتي تعتبر الأولى من نوعها في العالم.

عمل معالي عمر سلطان العلماء في عدّة قطاعات من بينها القطاع المصرفي، وتنظيم الاتصالات، والقطاعين الحكومي والخاص، كما شارك في تطوير وتنفيذ الاستراتيجيات وتحليل المخاطر، وإدارة التغيير، وتخطيط السيناريوهات.

يحمل معالي عمر سلطان العلماء دبلوم في إدارة المشاريع والتميز من الجامعة الأمريكية في الشارقة، وشهادة البكالوريوس في إدارة الأعمال من الجامعة الأميركية في دبي.

His Excellency Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri

Chief Executive, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange

H.E. Khalifa Al Mansouri was appointed as Chief Executive of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) in November 2018. Prior to this appointment, H.E. held many senior positions in the economic and industrial fields, most recently the Undersecretary of the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi. He was also the Vice Chairman of the Economic Development Committee of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Chairman of the National Industrial Coordination Council, and member of the Board of Directors of the Etihad Export Credit Insurance Company.

H.E. has previously served on the Board of Directors of Etihad Airways, Board of Directors of the Social Welfare and Minors Affairs Foundation, Statistics Center Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and ZonesCorp, as well as being the former Director General of the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development.

H.E. holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration majoring in Chief Executive Officers and Presidents from Pepperdine University in the USA. He also holds CFA certificates Level I & Level II from the CFA Institute and a BA degree majoring in International Economic Policy and a minor in Economics from the University of Puget Sound in the USA.

Her Excellency Dr. Hawaa Al Thahak Al Mansoori

Member, Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates

H.E. Dr. Hawaa Althahak Almansoori is a Member of the UAE’s Federal National Council, Consultant Endocrinologist, Healthcare Leader, Inventor and Entrepreneur. She was the first Emirati to be awarded a prestigious UAE Presidential Scholarship to study Medicine. She went on to become the first non-American woman to graduate from George Washington University School of Medicine. In 2014 she received “The UAE Pioneers Award” from H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and was presented at the UAE Government Summit by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan as an example of success in education and innovation.

In addition to her role as part of the UAE’s Government’s Parliamentary body, Dr. Hawaa is Chairman of SonoStik LLC; a venture stage MedTech company founded to commercialize her patented and FDA approved invention. She also works for Mubadala as Deputy Medical Director of Imperial College London Diabetes Center and is a practicing Endocrinologist. In recent years she has been a regular presenter at high profile forums both in the UAE and internationally as a Speaker, Chairperson and Master of Ceremonies. Thanks to the vision of the UAE’s Leadership she is involved in national initiatives to promote STEM education, empower Emirati women and encourage enterprise by Emirati youth.

His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al Faisal

Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies

His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Turki AlFaisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.

He was born on Rabi Al-Awwal 3, 1364 H/February 15, 1945 in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. HRH began his schooling at the Model School in Taif and went on to gain his high school diploma at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, the United States of America. HRH then completed his studies at the Georgetown University.

HRH was appointed Advisor at the Royal Court in 1393H/1973. In 1397H/1977, HRH was appointed Director-General of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), Saudi Arabia’s main foreign intelligence service, with the rank of Minister, and headed the GID until 1422H/2001.

In 1423H/2002, HRH was appointed Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. HRH served in the position until 1426H/2005 when he was appointed Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States of America. He retired in 1428H/2007.

HRH’s Roles around the World

• Visiting Distinguished Professor at the Georgetown University

• Honorary Professor at the Tor Vergata University of Rome

• Trustee of the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford

• Trustee of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at the Georgetown University

• Member of the Board of Trustees of the Library of Alexandria

• Member of the Board of the Beirut Institute

• Member of the Board of Trustees of the Council of Arab and International Relations

• Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Quds Fund and Endowment

• Member of the Advisory Council of the Munich Security Conference

• Member of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Society

• HRH is a member of the Advisory board of Think20 (T20), which was tasked by the Saudi G20 leadership to provide policy recommendations.

In addition, HRH has been an active participant to the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, the Global Economic Symposium, and the Clinton Global Initiative’s Annual Meeting. HRH was a commissioner for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, which was a joint initiative of the Australian and Japanese Governments.

Awards

In 1441H/2019, HRH was awarded Afghanistan’s highest honors, the Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan Medal.

In 1437H/2016, HRH was awarded honorary citizenship of Seoul, South Korea, by H.E. Mr. Park Won-Soon, Mayor of Metropolitan Government of Seoul.

In 1436H/2015, HRH received the Mediterranean Award for Diplomacy from the Fondazione Mediterraneo in Naples, Italy.

Honorary Degrees

In 1438H/2017, HRH received an honorary PhD from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University of Astana in Kazakhstan.

In 1436H/2015, HRH received an honorary PhD from the University of Shanghai.

In 1432H/2011 HRH received an honorary PhD in International Politics from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea.

In 1431H/2010, HRH received an honorary PhD in Law from the University of Ulster in Ireland.

His Excellency Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh

Minister-of-State (UAE) & Chairman, Abu Dhabi Global Market

H.E. Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh is Minister of State to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cabinet and Executive Chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). With three decades of international experience and business leadership, H.E Al Sayegh supports the government actively in initiatives and efforts that drive the nation’s economic diversification plans and the sustainable future of the UAE.

As Chairman of ADGM, H.E Al Sayegh oversees the growth of ADGM as one of the world’s leading International Financial Centres anchored in Abu Dhabi. He had also served in several key capacities including as the former founding Chairman of Aldar Properties, the founding Chairman of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), Deputy Chairman of First Gulf Bank, and held senior positions in Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Abu Dhabi Investment Company (Invest AD).

H.E. Al Sayegh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Lewis & Clark College, USA.