Patrick Chalhoub

Chief Executive Officer, Chalhoub Group

As the group president of Chalhoub Group, a leading luxury retail distribution company based in the Middle East, Patrick Chalhoub oversees the retail operations of fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Nina Ricci, Marc Jacobs and Carolina Herrera within the UAE and wider Gulf region. Headquartered in Dubai, the group manages over 400 stand-alone retail outlets and department stores within the fashion, beauty and luxury gift sectors. In 2010 the group also became an honorary member of Italian luxury association Altagamma.

Initially joining the group in 1979, Patrick was appointed co-chief executive officer alongside his brother in 2001, with Patrick overseeing operations at headquarters. Under his stewardship, the family-run company entered into exclusive joint ventures with a number of brands including Christian Louboutin and Christian Dior and Dior Couture. Prior to his appointment the group had begun extending their operations through the launch of wholly-owned concept stores such as luxury gift boutique Tanagra and beauty store Faces. In 2011 Patrick added to this range, introducing a luxury children’s concept store Katakeek, and in 2012 opened Level Shoe District, a 9000 square metre shoe boutique in Dubai Mall.

Named retailed of the year at the 2011 CEO Middle East Awards, Patrick Chalhoub plays a prominent role in promoting the group’s rich legacy through active involvement in the French Business Council in Dubai, and has set up various scholarship funds in Lebanon. He was also awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French Government and has been a Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur since January 2016. In June 2018, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed Chalhoub to the Board of the UN Global Compact.

Michael Campbell

Head of Real Estate Investments, Mubadala Investment Company

Michael has been a commercial real estate professional since 1990, during which time he has held both institutional and entrepreneurial leadership roles as an investor and/or advisor across all major property sectors in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Before joining Mubadala in 2014 as Head of Real Estate, Michael was Founder and Managing Partner of Phene Capital, LLC, COO of a family office (Member of the Investment and Operating Committees), Managing Director of UBS Global Wealth Management (Member of the Global Investment and Management Committees), and Principal at JP Morgan (Merchant Banking, Investment Banking, and Mergers & Acquisitions). Michael began his career at Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen. Michael is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania (MBA) and Princeton University (BA).

The Honorable E. David Burt, JP, MP

Premier & Minister of Finance, Bermuda

Premier the Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP, is Bermuda’s youngest Premier. He is a graduate of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a double major in Finance and Information Systems. He was awarded The George Washington University Presidential Administrative Fellowship and received his Master’s of Science degree in Information Systems Development in 2003. Mr. Burt attained a Project Management Professional certification in 2009. He is also a licensed private pilot. An entrepreneur, Premier Burt started GMD Consulting Limited, an IT consulting company focusing on project management. He served as President since its inception until 2016 when he stepped down upon being appointed Leader of the Opposition. Premier Burt co-founded HITCH Limited and was the lead developer for the award winning HITCH Mobile App enabling Bermuda residents to hail taxis. In the past, Premier Burt has served on the Tourism Board, National Training Board, as a Director of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, and has been a Director of the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Burt is also active in local and international public service and community organizations. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, the Western Stars Sports Club, and the Devonshire Recreation Club. Premier Burt and his wife Kristin have two children, Nia and Edward.

Frederick Blackford

Founder & Managing Partner, Future Positive

Fred Blackford is Founder and Managing Partner of Future Positive, a multi-stage venture capital investment firm. Fred has led investments in Pinterest, Beyond Meat, NotCo, Belvo, Upside Foods, and Pachama among others. Fred serves as a board director of NotCo and Pachama. Previously Fred founded Swing Technologies, a San Francisco based imaging technology company, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2017. Fred graduated from the London School of Economics.

Nadine Benchaffai

Founder & Angel Investor

A strategic marketeer and entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience within the F&B. Nadine started her career in the world of FMCG at the likes of Kraft Foods, Nestle Purina and Yoplait.

During that time, she covered a variety of roles from brand management, to strategy development and innovation.

In 2006, she co-founded Tortilla Mexican Grills which today has over 50 stores in the UK and listed on the AIM LSE market in 2021. In Dubai, she co-founded and launched Taqado Mexican Kitchen and went on to build a family of homegrown brands under Abfab Foods which she exited in 2022. More recently, Nadine’s focus has shifted to the agritech field through some of her advisory work.

Nadine holds an MBA from London Business School. She’s also an investor and advisor in start- ups across a range of sectors both in Europe & the Middle East.

His Excellency Renat Bekturov

Governor, Astana International Financial Centre

Renat Bekturov was born in 1984 in the Almaty region.

In 2007 he graduated from the Al-Farabi Kazakh State National University with a major in International Relations (degree with Honors).

In 2009 he graduated from the University of Leicester, UK («Bolashak» scholarship) and received an MSc degree in Banking and Finance with Distinction.

Since 2015 – CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter holder.

From 2009-2014 he worked as a manager and senior manager at the treasury department at the Development Bank of Kazakhstan.

2014-2016 he worked as the head of the treasury department, Member of the Investment Committee at the National Investment Corporation of the National Bank of

Kazakhstan.

In 2016 he was a project manager at the department of entrepreneurship and innovations at the «Baiterek» National Management Holding.

In 2016 -2017 he joined the Astana International Financial Centre Authority as Head of Asset Management development department.

2017-2021 he was Chief Financial Officer at the Astana International Exchange.

2021-2023 he was the CEO and Director of Astana International Exchange.

On January 06, 2023, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, he was appointed governor of the Astana International Financial Centre.

Other achievements:

2019 – Member of the Presidential Youth Talent Pool (No1 in the rating)

2001 – Altyn Belgi (gold medal) award

Nardos Bekele-Thomas

Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD

NARDOS BEKELE-THOMAS is the Chief Executive Officer for the Africa Union Development Agency- New Partnerships for Africa’s Development (AUDA- NEPAD). She commenced this role in May 2022 having been unanimously endorsed by the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government during the 35th Ordinary Session of the AU.

Her immediate former role is as the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations (UN) and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in South Africa. In 2016 she served as the Senior Director of the Office of the former UN Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, in charge of the overall management of the Office of the Secretary-General, the Office of the Chef de Cabinet and that of the Deputy Secretary-General.

Madam Bekele-Thomas has also worked as the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Benin. In these roles she had the overall responsibility for high-level social, political, and economic policy advisory services to the highest Government authorities at national and local levels and to key private sector and civil society actors. Additionally, she has been responsible for the overall coordination of collective UN operational activities for development results as well as the delivery of effective UNDP programme of assistance aimed at promoting and supporting pro-poor and inclusive economic growth and development. The primary programmatic focus of her work includes policy dialogue at the highest level of national governance, strategic public-private sector consultations, resource mobilization, pro-poor policy and programme development and implementation at the local and national levels.

Prior to her appointment by the UN Secretary-General as Resident Coordinator and as Resident Representative by the UNDP Administrator, in Kenya and Benin, she served for over four years in Kenya as Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP with responsibility for the formulation and implementation of UNDP programme of assistance to the Republic of Kenya. This included support to national planning and development, private sector development, mitigation of the socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS, Governance, Capacity Building, Health Sector Reform as well as Strategies and programme for Poverty Reduction.

Ms. Bekele-Thomas’ professional experience and background in the field of development span a broad spectrum, including private sector development strategies and policies, public policy; decentralized governance and participatory development; public/civil service reform and management; public-private sector strategic partnerships; women and youth leadership; empowerment and employment; and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) for development. She is the author of numerous articles and monographs and member of various Professional Organizations including the Allied Social Sciences Associations (ASSA), and the American Economic Association.

As Private Sector Policy Adviser (1998-2001), Ms. Bekele-Thomas conducted extensive research on private sector development, supported the strengthening of African business associations, provided advisory services and played advocacy role in the development and management of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises. Based on her strong belief in promoting women an youth empowerment, she has carried out policy studies and developed programmes on the promotion of entrepreneurship and business skills training for employment and job creation. Ms. Bekele-Thomas has worked in collaboration with regional and international organizations, including the African Business Roundtable (ABR) and the Corporate Council on Africa to promote trade and investment in African Countries through private/public sector partnerships in the United States such as in the States of Connecticut, New Jersey and Arizona. She has served in technical and advisory capacities such as Technical Advisor to the Government of Uganda (1994-1998), on advocacy, formulation and successful implementation of Decentralized Governance and Private Sector Development and as a member of the Presidential Advisory Group, Republic of Benin (1990–1993), in which she helped initiate and conceptualize a pro-poor programme on the Social Dimensions of Development.

Over the last four decades, Ms. Bekele-Thomas has also lived and served in various capacities in Ethiopia (1974-1982), USA, (New York) (1983-1987 and 1998-2004), India (1987-88), Bhutan (1988-1989), Comoros Islands (1989-1990), Republic of Benin (l990-1993), and Uganda, (1994- 1998), promoting human development anchored on the principles of economic, social, and political rights for all.

Ms. Bekele-Thomas is a member of the Group of African Imminent Women, she is a recipient of the prestigious AU/DAF Award of “2015 Woman of Excellence” along with the Presidents of Liberia and former President of Malawi. She was also honored in 2007 as recipient of the Living Legend Achiever’s Award in recognition of her service and leadership role in the promotion of sustainable human development globally, particularly in Africa.

Ms. Bekele-Thomas holds a Master’s Degree in Economic Development, Monetary Economics and Econometrics from New York University (NYU).

Eric Anziani

President & Chief Operating Officer, Crypto.com

Eric Anziani is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Crypto.com where he oversees a team of 200+ individuals working across several functions including product, growth, institutional sales, strategy, partnerships, blockchain, research and data. He previously served as the company’s Chief Strategy Officer and SVP of Group Strategy where he was instrumental in the conceptualization and implementation of the company’s major initiatives, including the Crypto.com App and the Crypto.org Chain. A seasoned tech leader, he brings 15 years of experience in strategy, partnerships and innovation in financial services/payments, fintech and lifestyle tech.

Prior to joining Crypto.com, Eric served various roles at leading global companies including Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, PayPal and Global Fashion Group, where he supported defining growth plans, negotiated partnerships and developed strategic solutions.

Margaret Anadu

Senior Partner, The Vistria Group

Margaret Anadu is a Senior Partner at The Vistria Group where she heads Real Estate. She is based in New York City.

Margaret has devoted her career to investing which not only generates strong economic returns, but importantly has a demonstrable positive impact on underserved individuals, families, and communities. Margaret is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts on equitable access to capital having invested over $10 billion across hundreds of transactions throughout the United States and was named one of the most influential figures in U.S. commercial real estate by Commercial Observer.

Margaret has been a trusted advisor to many senior government officials at the federal, state, and local levels on utilizing private capital to create more equitable communities. As an experienced investor and thought leader on public-private partnerships, Margaret is often asked to share her views including on CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC and Yahoo Finance. She was named to 40 Under 40 lists by Fortune, Black Enterprise and Crain’s.

Prior to joining Vistria, Margaret was a Partner at Goldman Sachs where she was the Global Head of Sustainability and Impact for Asset Management and Chair of the Urban Investment Group (GSUIG), the first impact investing platform at a major U.S. financial institution and Goldman Sachs’ primary impact investing business. Under her leadership, GSUIG’s portfolio was primarily comprised of real estate with a focus on workforce, affordable, and mixed-income housing, but also included investments in community facilities, educational space, industrial facilities, green infrastructure, student loans, and small businesses. Margaret ultimately grew the business to over $2 billion of investments annually.

While at Goldman Sachs, Margaret was the chief architect of the One Million Black Women investment strategy, the Firm’s $10 billion capital commitment to narrow opportunity gaps for Black women in the United States and by extension their families and broader communities. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she led a $2 billion relief effort for small businesses.

In April 2022, Margaret was appointed chair of the board of directors of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. She also serves on the boards of the Low Income Investment Fund, the Center for an Urban Future, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the Africa Center. Margaret is a graduate of Harvard College and lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and two children.

Obaid Amrane

Chief Executive Officer, Ithmar Capital

Mr Amrane has been appointed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI as Chief Executive Officer of Ithmar Capital in February 2019.

Prior to this appointment, Mr Amrane was Deputy CEO of the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN). He was a member of the Executive Board since its creation in 2010.

His previous experience in the economic and financial areas, as well as his engineering capabilities, allowed him to oversee all the procedures and operations within MASEN, from development to legal engineering, partnerships and financing.

From 2006 to 2010, Mr Amrane was the Managing Director of the Moroccan subsidiary of the BPCE Group to develop the activities of the French banking group in the banking and real estate sectors in Morocco. Prior to that, Mr Amrane held various positions in the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance. He was a Public Finance Inspector, Head of the Debt Restructuring Service at the Treasury Division, and then Head of Credit within the same division.

Mr Amrane holds a dual degree in engineering, from Hassan II Institute of Agronomy, and Finance, from the General Inspectorate of Finances and the Association of Investment Management & Research (certification).

Hala Bou Alwan

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, HBA Consultancy

Hala is the Founder and CEO of Hala Bou Alwan (HBA) Consultancy firm specialized in diverse fields including compliance, financial crimes, cybercrimes, governance’s advisory and training. Nine years prior to establishing her two firms in 2018, Hala led two senior Management Consultancy roles at Thomson Reuters, the Market Development of the compliance, risk & financial crimes business across Emerging Markets globally & prior to this, Hala created the Advisory and Educational governance, risk, and compliance business across EMEA & Asia.

Hala as well is a risk & legal, human rights TV subject matter expert at Dubai TV & hosted the EXPO Entrepreneurs live show , where she conducted many interviews & reports with entrepreneurs, politicians, presidents , government officials and celebrities. She is a lawyer, member of the Lebanese Lawyers’ Bar Association who holds master’s degree ELLM in International Business Law, with focus on Cyber Security from Boston University USA and another LLM on Artificial intelligence & Law from Universite La Sagesse, Lebanon, and a bachelor’s degree in law from the Lebanese Law University. Prior to this, Hala was the TSME –- Compliance Consultant – Authorized by DFSA- Dubai Financial Services Authority, before that Hala was the Head of the Compliance , Anti-Financial crimes and Sanctions at BLOM Bank France, and prior to that legal Consultant at Raja Bou Alwan Law firm & Intellectual Property compliance Officer at United Nations -UNDP. Hala is a registered International Trainer and speaker at several Governmental Authorities & highly reputable organizations including Union of Arab Securities Authority, FSRA – ADGM - IOSCO - International Organization for Securities Commissions, Thomson Reuters, Forbes Middle East, Capital Markets Authorities and many more. She is an Advisory Board member at the British University in Dubai for two Faculties: Business and Law, and a Co- Chair of the Entrepreneur Committee at the Capital Club DIFC. She has 22 years of success helping Regulators, Governments, Universities, Boards, and high-profile organizations pave their governance & compliance roadmaps. She is a thought leader and author of an AI Book, many articles, interviews, research papers (published by Boston & Cambridge Universities, Forbes, Gulf News, Thomson Reuters and many more).

His Excellency Ahmed Al Zaabi

Chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development

Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi is the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. He has long standing experience in the finance and business environment, and has served in key positions in the government. He is also the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

His Excellency Sameh Al Qubaisi

Board Member, Wio Bank

H.E. Sameh Al Qubaisi is the Director General of Economic Affairs at the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. He is responsible for the development and implementation of economic policies and strategies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Prior to his current role, H.E. Al Qubaisi held various positions in the Abu Dhabi government, including Director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Director of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office.

H.E. Al Qubaisi holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arizona and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the United States.

Zaid Al Qaimi

Managing Partner, Patrimium

Zaid Al-Qaimi is the Managing Partner of Patrimium, a new Multi-Family Office that was established in early 2023 to facilitate the generation of superior returns for families globally through the establishment of world class infrastructure and access to a global network.

Zaid is seeking to build on the success of Kimera, a single-family office based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he was the CIO for 6 years. There, he put in place an institutional standard infrastructure, including a team of very talented individuals, to support the execution of a global mandate across all asset classes, investing in public equities, private equity, venture capital, fixed income, real estate and hedge funds.

Zaid successfully established a global network of contacts across the investment ecosystem, which helped Kimera secure access to premium transactions. Leveraging this network, Kimera maintained a healthy pipeline of opportunities throughout the year and invested across the life cycle of companies, from late seed stage to public equity. Private investments were made on both a direct basis and through funds whilst the public equity portfolio was managed internally.

Kimera successfully generated sustainable superior returns by focusing on long-term value creation through an opportunistic approach to investing, whilst placing increasing emphasis on ESG and impact investing.

Zaid currently serves on the boards of portfolio companies in various sectors, ranging from Fin-tech to digital healthcare to the experience economy.

Prior to this, Zaid worked at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) for 16 years, covering private equities, public equities and strategic investments. Before joining ADIA, he spent over a decade in management consultancy, audit and accountancy, including five years with PwC. As well as holding CFA®, FRM® and FCCA® designations, Zaid received a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK.

Ahmed Nasser Al Nowais

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Annex Investments

As the founder & CEO of Annex Investments and a self-sufficient innovator, Ahmed is a pioneer in providing innovative business solutions and advisory support to shine a spotlight on start-ups. He has over ten years of experience in providing strategic foresight & drive across venture capital, consultancy, and technology services as a founder of many start-ups. Ahmad has led an inspiring corporate journey in guiding a community of entrepreneurs through resilient business pathways. He is also an Attorney at Law for the growth & support of start-ups in the UAE via the involvement of HNWIs and the Government Entities in the tech environment sustainably.

Ahmed Al Naqbi

Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Development Bank

Appointed in May 2021, Ahmed is set to lead and execute EDB’s strategy to transform the bank into a key enabler role to support the UAE’s economic diversification plan, industrial growth and adoption of advanced technologies.

Ahmed is driving the transformation of EDB from a mortgage lender to becoming a corporate & SME development bank. He is driving the organization to focus on innovation and digitization, enhancement of products, services and capabilities along with promoting technology solutions, delivering best-in-class customer experience, and easing access to finance for individuals, small & medium enterprises and corporates in priority industry sectors.

Ahmed is uniquely positioned to lead EDB due to his background. He served in multiple Managing Director roles across both retail, corporate & investment banking. He has also been a pioneer in digital innovation in banking in the UAE.

Ahmed is an alumni of Harvard Business School and Virginia Tech’s school of architecture and urban studies.s

His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak

Managing Director & Group Chief Executive Officer, Mubadala Investment Company

Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak is the Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Mubadala Investment Company, a leading Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company. He is also the Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi, a position he has held since 2008.

H.E. Al Mubarak has been a key figure in the development of Abu Dhabi’s economy and has been instrumental in the growth of Mubadala. He has overseen the company’s expansion into a global investment powerhouse, with a portfolio of more than 200 investments across multiple sectors and geographies.

H.E. Al Mubarak is a member of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, the highest governing body in the Emirate, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council.

H.E. Al Mubarak is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science and holds a Master of Science degree in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri

Director General, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri is the Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism. He is a member of the Executive Council of Dubai and also the Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA).

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), is the government authority responsible for continuously furthering Dubai’s position as a leading global tourism destination and business hub. In his capacity, Al Marri is accountable for the planning, oversight, and delivery of Dubai’s vision and aspirational targets for the sector. His mandate also includes a strategic focus on driving sustainable tourism – contributing to the economic development of the emirate of Dubai and ensuring that tourism as a sector with all related adjacencies are effectively growing their contribution to Dubai’s GDP.

Al Marri’s responsibilities span both leisure and business aspects of the city’s value proposition. As such his role entails enhancing Dubai’s positioning as the preferred international hub for the global business community to network from, establish and expand their presence in, and service the broad range of markets across EMEASA. To facilitate delivery, he is equally responsible for forging collaborations and partnerships across the industry ecosystem globally, and Dubai government, private and public sector stakeholders.

Helal Al Marri also heads up the DWTCA, which encompasses the UAE’s leading event venue and the largest event and exhibition centre in the whole region. He is responsible for developing the centre’s strategic and development plans that aim to position Dubai as a leading global MICE destination. In his capacity, Al Marri is mandated to manage various sides of the business including exhibitions and conferences; real estate; and hospitality – all collectively driving towards the company’s growth strategy in line with Dubai’s vision to create a global platform for business tourism, as mandated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Al Marri serves as a member of the Supreme Committee of the Expo 2020 and board member at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Emaar Malls PJSC and Taaleem PJSC.

Helal Al Marri holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the London Business School (LBS). Al Marri is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and previously worked at consulting firms, McKinsey and KPMG.

Khawaja Aftab Ahmed

Regional Director - Middle East, Pakistan & Afghanistan, IFC

Khawaja Aftab Ahmed as Regional Director, Middle East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, MCT, based in Amman, Jordan.

Aftab, a Pakistani national, has 33 years development banking experience including 25 years at IFC. He has held various managerial positions, including Regional Manager, Financial Institutions Group, Middle East and North Africa, Director, Financial Institutions Group & Private Equity Funds, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and most recently, Director, Investment and Credit Risk. He has well rounded experience in building new business, portfolio management and advisory services across sectors and was instrumental in growing strategic business and new products.

As IFC Regional Director, Middle East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, MCT, Aftab’s top priorities will be to: (i) lead efforts to grow impactful business in the region supporting the regions’ economic diversification and its IDA/FCS countries; (ii) develop and nurture strong relationships with key stakeholders, including private sector, governments, partner IFIs, and Sovereign Wealth Funds; (iii), support south-south investment to help strategic clients in the GCC expand and diversify to other parts of the region and beyond; and, (iv) contribute to the success of the new MCT VPU by building a high performing team and articulating and implementing the VPU’s strategy.

Aftab holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi and MBA in Finance from Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Pakistan.

Aftab was selected to this position through the World Bank Group competitive managerial selection process. His appointment date will be announced shortly.

Issam Abousleiman

Country Director of the GCC Countries, Middle East and North Africa, World Bank

Issam Abousleiman has been the Country Director of the GCC since August 1st, 2018.

Mr. Abousleiman, a Lebanese national, joined the Bank in 1989. His most recent assignment was Country Manager of Colombia in the Latin America and Caribbean Region. Having started his career at the World Bank in the Loans Department, he has since held various positions across the institution, including Head of Financial Advisory and Banking at the World Bank Treasury and Principal Investment Officer in the Banking & Debt Management Department. His regional expertise includes Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East regions.

Mr. Abousleiman is a graduate of the Harvard University Executive Management program, and holds an MBA in finance and investment from George Washington University, as well as an MBA in management from the American University of Beirut. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).