Hamid Mamdouh is the Former Director of the Trade in Services and Investment division of the WTO. Prior to that he was a Senior Counsellor in the Services Division and was Secretary of the WTO Council for Trade in Services since the establishment of the WTO in 1995.  During that time, he was also responsible for legal affairs in the area of Trade in Services.  During the Uruguay Round negotiations his responsibilities included legal matters relating to the drafting of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). His previous positions in the GATT include:  Assistant to the Deputy Director-General of the GATT and legal advisor on GATT dispute settlement.

Director General, National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, India

Shri Abhishek Singh, IAS, is a career civil servant with 30 years of experience in governance and policy formulation. He specializes in leveraging technology to enhance governance. His responsibilities include Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, Human Centred Computing (HCC), and the Digital India Bhashini Division. Previously, he served as CEO, Karmayogi Bharat in the Department of Personnel & Training, and as CEO of NeGD, DIC, and MyGov under the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and is also an alumnus of IIT Kanpur.

Dr. Abla Abdel Latif, originally a Professor of Economics at AUC, is currently the Executive Director and Director of Research of The Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES). She was the Chair of the Presidential Advisory Council for Economic Development for eight years until last September 2024. 

In 2013, she was honored with membership of the Committee of Fifty, whose mission was to draft Egypt’s Constitution following June 30, 2013.

Mr. Barhoumi has over twenty years of hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, MSME development, innovation, incubation, and investment promotion. 

In 1995, he began working at the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL), where he remained until 1999. During his time at IDAL, he participated in the UNIDO delegate program, serving at UNIDO-ITPO Milan. In 1999, he moved to Investcom as a marketing and commercial consultant for one of Syria's mobile networks. By early 2000, he joined UNIDO-ITPO Italy and was stationed in Lebanon as a national consultant, overseeing Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan under the project “Preparatory Assistance for Supporting SMEs in the Arab Region.” By mid-2003, Mr. Barhoumi had become an Investment Promotion Expert and Program Coordinator at UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain for the International Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, which runs entrepreneurship and investment development programs in 54 countries. Mr. Barhoumi earned his BS in Business-Computer in 1994 and later completed an MBA at the Lebanese American University.

Previously, he served as the Vice Minister of Finance for Fiscal Policies and Institutional Reform. Since 2016, he has been the Chief Negotiator and Government focal point with the IMF. He also serves as Egypt's non-resident Executive Director at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). He leads Egypt’s inter-ministerial team managing the annual economic dialogue with the EU. Kouchouk is a board member of several institutions including the Monetary-Fiscal Coordination Council, the Arab African Investment Bank, Talaat Mostafa Holding, and the Urban Development Economic Authority. He has previously served on the boards of the Central Bank of Egypt, Egypt Air Holding, and Misr Fertilizers Production Company (MOPCO). With nearly 25 years of experience, he worked as a Senior Economist for the World Bank (2013-2016) and held leadership roles in the Ministry of Finance and other ministries. Kouchouk holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a master’s degree in economics from York University, UK, and a BSc in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

Dr. Ahmed N. Tantawy’s career spans several key stages, beginning as a university professor in the USA, France, and Saudi Arabia, where he contributed to academic leadership and advisory roles. He then joined IBM, holding various technical and executive positions from 1988 to 2013, including CTO roles and leading major innovation projects globally. Since 2013, Dr. Tantawy has served as an expert advisor to leading corporations, the World Bank, the UN, and government agencies. As an entrepreneur, he founded the Egyptian Applied Innovation Center in 2019 to address national challenges through emerging technologies. He is Chief Technology Advisor at SDM HealthTech in Saudi Arabia, a principal advisor to venture capital funds, and a board member of national and regional initiatives. His commitment to community extends to trustee roles in nonprofits focused on education and sustainable development. With 34 patents, 4 books, and over 100 scientific publications, Dr. Tantawy remains deeply engaged with the academic and scientific community. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Grenoble, France, complemented by executive education at Harvard, MIT, and IBM.

Previously, he was deputy director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). He is the author of Revitalizing the World Trading System (Cambridge University Press 2023), selected by the Financial Times as one of best books of 2023 in economics.  He is a founder of the Trade for Peace (T4P) Initiative.  His numerous recent writings on current trade topics can be found at www.piie.com and www.WTO.org.  Prior to joining the WTO Secretariat, Ambassador Wolff was a leading member of the trade bar and chairman of the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC). He has served as a senior US trade negotiator in and advisor to both Democratic and Republican administrations, and is a lifetime National Associate of the National Academies. He has lectured on trade policy and related subjects at universities around the world. 

His work at SAIIA has focused on a number of resource governance-related themes, particularly climate change, energy and the just transition, extractive industry governance and the sustainable blue economy. He has conducted research in several African countries and has strong linkages with key regional institutions such as the African Union Commission and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as within broader national and regional policy and research communities.

She is a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and has numerous publications on regional security, international relations, African affairs, and women’s empowerment. El Taweel lectures at the Nasser Military Academy and the National Defense College in Muscat, Oman, serves as Editor-in-Chief of the African Strategic Report at the Information and Decision Support Center, and is the former Editor-in-Chief of Afriqat published by the General Egyptian Book Organization. She is a member of the Boutros Ghali Award Committee for African Studies and the State Incentive Awards Committee at the Supreme Council of Culture. Amani is an analyst of African and Sudanese affairs on Arab satellite channels and regularly writes articles for Independent Arabia and Egypt 360 websites. She holds a PhD in political history and international relations from Ain Shams University. 

Prior to her diplomatic career, she had worked in the energy industry for 10 years at TotalEnergies in Paris, at various positions related to energy diplomacy, strategy and sustainability. She integrated in late 2021 the ENA (Ecole nationale d'administration renamed INSP), during her curriculum as a senior civil servant, she was posted at the French Embassy in the U.S.A as an energy advisor to the chancery. In 2023, she joined the G7-G20 and International Summits taskforce at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in Paris, where she was in charge of climate, energy and economic diplomacy. Ambre Eyoum is ranked among top 200 next economic leaders in France under 40 contributing to France’s economic influence by the Choiseul Institute. She is a graduate from Sciences Po Bordeaux, she also holds a Master’s degree in Applied Geo-economics (2011). She had been a Young leader of the World petroleum Council from 2017 - 2020 and a fellow of the “Global Governance Futures 2030” project led by the German think tank GPPi (2018-2020).

Amro Elshurafa has over 20 years of experience in renewable energy policy, electricity market design, and power systems modeling. He has led several national power modeling initiatives at both the utility and distributed scales. Credited with more than 60 publications and patents, parts of his research have been adopted by organizations such as BP in their Statistical Review. Recognized among the top 2% of scientists globally by Stanford University, he holds a Ph.D. in engineering and an MBA in finance. Amro serves on the executive committee of the World Utilities Congress and is also a board member of the Saudi Electricity Regulatory Authority.

Ana Palacio, an international lawyer by training, was the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain. She has accomplished a long career in public service, from leading positions in European institutions to the front lines of the World Bank Group. Among the positions she has held in major foundations and think tanks, her position as a member of the Board and the Strategy Committee of the Atlantic Council stands out. In addition, she has recently been appointed as a member of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies’ Academic Council. Currently, along with leading Palacio y Asociados, the European Union consultancy, she is a regular speaker at international conferences and a contributor to different publications, including a monthly column for Project Syndicate, and a weekly column for El Mundo (Spain). She is a visiting professor at the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and is a frequent speaker at international conferences. 

His research focuses on technology policy, particularly AI, the digital economy, digital public infrastructure, platform governance, sectoral applications of ICTs, and the future of work. He is the co-author of GeoTechnoGraphy: Mapping Power and Identity in the Digital Age (Penguin Viking, 2025). Anirban chaired the Think20 task force on digital affairs during the Indian and Brazilian G20 presidencies in 2023 and 2024. Previously, he served as Chief International Outreach and Communications Officer at the National Digital Library of India. He also worked at UNESCO, leading tech-for-development initiatives across South Asia for nearly ten years. In 2007, Anirban received the Inlaks Scholarship to pursue a second master’s degree in media and communications at the London School of Economics, graduating with Distinction. He was earlier a double gold medallist at Jadavpur University in Kolkata.

She is the founder of Research Lab Asia, which provides research solutions for trade and Infrastructure for emerging economies and global south with a focus on GVCs and supply chains, investment in infrastructure for manufacturing and digital economy, and connectivity in Asia, Europe and Africa. Her important works include Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, Asia-Europe Connectivity, and new supply chains in Indo-Pacific. She is developing the research framework for India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).  Previously, she has served as Director in the Government of India in the Department of Commerce and NITI Aayog. Anita is a Distinguished Fellow at the Council for Strategic and Defence Research (CSDR), India and a member of Research Advisory Committee of the Center of Excellence for Global South (DAKSHIN).

Since January 2025, Anja Berretta has been heading the Regional Programme on Economy in Africa, based in Nairobi. From 2019 to 2024, she led the Regional Programme on Energy Security and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa. She began her work with KAS in 2008 as a trainee in the Regional Programme for Political Dialogue in West Africa and subsequently worked in the Evaluation Unit of the Department of European and International Cooperation, where she was responsible for evaluations and programme management. From 2017 to 2018, she served as Learning and Evaluation Manager at the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in London. She studied Cultural and Social Sciences at the Universities of Frankfurt (Oder) and Marne-la-Vallée, France, as well as International Relations and European Studies at the Universities of La Sapienza, Italy, and Osnabrück. In addition, she completed a postgraduate certificate course in Advanced Studies in Development and Cooperation at ETH Zurich.

Ayo Sopitan is the founder and CEO of Metalex Commodities, which delivers carbon-neutral critical metals from Africa to the world. Prior to Metalex, Ayo held consulting and commodity trading-related roles at Bank of America, Ernst & Young, Accenture, S&P Global, and Open Link Financial over a 15-year career. He is an investor in over 25 startups and is a member of several angel networks and syndicates. He holds degrees from Bryant University and New York University and is a fellow at the Legatum Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT.

Previously, she was Head of DGAP’s Globalization and World Economy Program. She has published extensively on European and transatlantic trade policy, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Doha Round as well as on the role of informal global forums such as the G7 and G20. Schmucker holds a PhD in economics from the Freie Universität, Berlin.

Grybauskaitė focused on lifting the country’s economic fortunes, emphasized Lithuanian security issues and welcomed a NATO battle group as part of the Alliance’s “enhanced forward presence” in Lithuania. D. Grybauskaitė also served as Finance Minister for Lithuania and European Union Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budgets. Dalia Grybauskaitė remains widely popular with the Lithuanian public after ending her second and final presidential term. She continues to speak widely on energy security, transatlantic relations, geopolitical security, sustainable development, economic transparency and accountability, women’s leadership. President D. Grybauskaitė serves on a number of advisory boards and commissions.

Ms. Dina H. Sherif was the Executive Director of the Legatum Center for Development & Entrepreneurship at MIT and a Senior Lecturer at the Sloan School of Management. With over 20 years of experience in sustainable development, corporate sustainability, youth engagement, social entrepreneurship, and women's economic inclusion, she is interested in the role of the private sector in sustainable development. She founded her own social enterprise, Ahead of the Curve, in 2012 and is a Senior Advisor to Ashoka. Dina previously held the Willard Brown Chair for International Business at the American University in Cairo and was a founding director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement. She has published several works, including a book and reports on philanthropy and responsible business practices in the Arab region.

He is the Co-Founder and former CTO of Rancard Solutions, where he pioneered patented work in Artificial Intelligence and Social Recommendation Systems. Previously, he was CEO of Brij, where he helped drive mobile money interoperability across Africa, expanding access to financial services at scale. As CEO of Resrv Technologies and ClearSpace Labs, Ehi leads the development of financial and technology infrastructure that powers liquidity and cross-border trade flows.

Ms. Panova has over 22 years of experience in development and management, specializing in programme management, cross-area collaboration, resource mobilization, and financing in both government and private sectors. She most recently served as Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan. Previously, she held leadership roles at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), including Senior Programme Coordinator at the UNDP Regional Hub in Istanbul, Deputy Country Director of UNDP Ukraine, and Private Sector Engagement Specialist at UNDP Headquarters in New York. She also managed a flagship employment creation and micro-financing project at UNDP Bulgaria and helped establish a private sector Global Compact network. Before joining the UN in 1999, Ms. Panova was Executive Director of a Bulgarian NGO supporting micro, small, and women entrepreneurs. She holds a master’s degree in international law and foreign trade from the University for National and World Economy as well as a master’s degree in microelectronics from the Technical Chemical University, both in Bulgaria. 

His work focuses on assessing the impacts of environmental and climate policies at both macroeconomic and sectoral level, covering industry, shipping, agriculture, and tourism. He also serves as Regional Coordinator for South-East Europe and the Benelux in the LIFE Programme Monitoring Teams—an EU-funded mechanism supporting environment and climate action—having monitored over 60 projects in Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Elias has worked with international organizations including the IMO, UNEP/MAP, and UNEP ROWA, advising on maritime sustainability, climate adaptation, and financing mechanisms. His recent work includes technical assistance and policy support in Iraq and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the Athens University of Economics and Business on the macroeconomics of climate change.

Previously, he assumed several esteemed positions at Goldman Sachs, including executive director in Global Investment Research and managing director. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Farouk was Head of MENA Economics at Citigroup. He also worked at Standard & Poor’s (S&P) as Head of Government Ratings for the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. Farouk began his career as an economist at the Bank of England in 1998. He was also a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence. Farouk holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Birmingham, UK.

Previously, he served as Diplomatic Advisor to Prime Minister Meloni, Permanent Representative to NATO, Italy’s Ambassador to Israel, Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Consul General in New York, and Deputy Diplomatic Advisor to PM Berlusconi. He also held postings at the Italian Embassies in Germany, Japan, and the UN Mission in New York, and served as a Lieutenant in the Carabinieri Corps. He has 40 years of experience in international relations, with a focus on transatlantic affairs, the Middle East, the Arctic, technological innovation, security, and energy policy, and is active as a conference speaker and consultant. Ambassador Francesco M. Talò holds a Law degree (summa cum laude) from the University of Rome.

El Khatib is a non-executive Board Member of the Central Bank of Egypt and formerly served as an Independent Board Member of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt. He also lectures on Private Equity Venture for Master of Finance students at Imperial College London. He was Managing Director Equity at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and has held key roles in private equity, including Managing Director at the Carlyle Group and Managing Partner at EFG-Hermes Private Equity. His expertise spans financial institutions, energy, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and charities. El Khatib chaired the Egyptian Junior Businessmen Association and the Egyptian Private Equity Association. He is a founder and trustee of Misr ElKheir Foundation and has served on boards including the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies and the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo. He holds an MBA with highest distinction from California State University, Sacramento, and a BSc in Civil Structural Engineering from Cairo University. 

Heba Saleh is the Cairo Correspondent of the Financial Times, focusing mainly on political and economic developments in Egypt and North Africa.  She has reported from most countries of the Arab world for the FT and before that for the BBC.

Hoda Baraka is also a Professor of Computer Engineering at Cairo University. She leads several national skilling initiatives under Digital Egypt Generations and oversees the National AI strategy and governance framework to ensure ethical AI deployment. Previously, she served as First Deputy Minister of ICT from 2006 to 2013 and was National Director of Egypt’s ICT Trust Fund. Dr. Baraka has over 40 years of experience in digital transformation and has received the UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa prize for her contributions to education through ICT.

He has an extensive experience in AI and has held leadership roles including Team Leader at the Artificial Intelligence Convergence Headquarters and the Public Cloud Business Unit, and Research Fellow at the Electronic Government Headquarters. Kang has led generative AI projects supporting communication for the disabled, early detection for slow learners, AI-based research support, smart fire administration, labor inspection, and patent examination services. He holds an IT MBA from KAIST and a bachelor's degree in economics from Seoul City University.

Previously, she was executive producer and editor-at-large at N1 Television and chief foreign correspondent at Croatian Public Broadcaster. Ivana is a 2022/2023 Europe’s Futures Fellow at IWM Vienna. With nearly 30 years of experience, she has produced documentaries on global security and geopolitics, collaborating with the European Parliament on projects like Voters 2024. She is the founder of Europe Future Centre, and a member of the Trilateral Commission and author of two acclaimed books on global order and security.  Ivana received many awards, including the 2024 Gordana Susa Award for best TV journalist in the Adria-Balkans region and the Europa Award for EU affairs reporting.

He is President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Co-Chair of the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition, Commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, and an academician of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences at the Vatican. Previously, he was Director of the Earth Institute, and served as Special Advisor to three UN Secretaries-General and is an SDG Advocate under António Guterres. He spent over 20 years as a professor at Harvard University, where he earned his B.A., M.A., and PhD. degrees. Sachs has received 42 honorary doctorates and prestigious awards including the 2022 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development and the Legion of Honor from France. His recent books include “The Ages of Globalization (2020) and Ethics in Action for Sustainable Development” (2022).

His career in development finance and capital markets has closely intertwined with China’s economic reform, opening up and development over the past three decades Previously, he was CEO of the World Bank Group IFC, and had worked at Goldman Sachs, TPG, Morgan Stanley and China International Capital Co.  Cai holds PhD from Boston University.

Previously, he was visiting fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and American University in Cairo. His research is focused on the field of Middle East politics and society in general, with a special concentration on China-Middle East relations and the political economy of development. 

Previously, he was Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation. He has held senior United Nations roles in Latin America. Jorge is a visiting professor in Argentina and has contributed extensively to advancing global South-South cooperation initiatives, including organizing major conferences and launching key platforms to promote inclusive growth and sustainable development. He holds a Master’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

His work focuses on India’s relationship with the Middle East specifically looking at the domestic political dynamics, regional security, non-state militant actors and the general security paradigm of the region. He has authored books, chapters, and is a regular contributor to national and international newspapers and publications. He is also the author of ‘The ISIS Peril: The World’s Most Feared Terror Group and its Shadow on South Asia’ (Penguin, 2020).

Previously, he served as chief of staff (2014–2015) and Chairperson of the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces since December 2015.

He was responsible for overseeing several projects including, the New Suez Canal excavation project in 2015, the side canal excavation for East Port Said Port, execution of the national road project, the Galala Plateau project in Ain Sokhna, and Rod El-Farag Axis, among others.

He was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and the Excellent Service Medal. 

Al-Wazir graduated from the Military Technical College with a specialization in construction, and holds a Master’s degree in Military Science from the Command and Staff College, a fellow of the Higher War College, and completed the senior leadership course at Nasser Military Academy.

Karim is a partner/portfolio manager at Moon Capital covering emerging markets since 2003, when it was Oaktree Capital Management’s Emerging Market Fund. Prior to that, he worked for Morgan Stanley for three years in the Investment Banking Division in the Global Communications and Media Group.  Karim began his career in the Investment Banking Division of J.P. Morgan & Co. in the Financial Institutions Group.  He received a B.S. degree in International Business and Finance, with a minor in Economics, from Georgetown University. 

El Hakim Karima is renowned and recognized within her community to be one of the youngest female enablers and investors in the tech startups ecosystem in North Africa and was featured several times in local and regional publications such as, Enterprise Egypt, Techcabal, Tech Crunch, Al Monitor and Al Mal news. Her work revolves around ecosystem building, VC investment and startup acceleration/incubation which was duly recognized throughout her previous work at Fawry, Falak Startups and Orascom Development Holding. She holds a BSc. in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo and a MSc in Market Intelligence and Research from Sciences-Po Paris (IEP).

Linda Mabhena-Olagunju is Founder and CEO of DLO Energy Resources, a Black woman-owned independent power producer operating some of Africa’s largest wind farms. She is among the first Black women globally to own and run utility-scale renewable energy plants, developing major projects in South Africa and expanding across Zambia, Botswana, and Nigeria. Linda serves on advisory boards including Oxford University, the Zayed Future Energy Prize, Energy for Access, and City Power Johannesburg. She has won multiple international awards for her leadership in energy, including the Forbes Africa Entrepreneur Award, the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman Award, and the CNBC All Africa Business Leaders Award. In 2022, she launched the DLO Skills Initiative, an AI-driven platform to train Africa’s renewable energy workforce. She holds law degrees from the University of Cape Town and University of Aberdeen, and is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Kuo Sharper Fellow.

Al Naber is a specialist in sustainability and integrated natural resources management and policies in the Arid region. She manages several projects addressing the environmental security in the WANA region. Al Naber takes a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses the fields of climate change, food and water securities, environmental displacement and migration, social inclusions, vulnerability and gender. She has an extended experience in the sustainability of agriculture system under scarce conditions of drought, salinity and water scarcity. Majd Al Naber earned her Joint Doctorate degree from Wageningen University and Research Centre and Universite Paul-Vallery Montpellier 3, and MSc from CIHEAM-Bari.

Previously, he assumed various esteemed positions, including Vice-President, Global Head of Inclusive Growth, Regional Head of Social Impact for the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa Region, Managing Director Africa for the Rockefeller Foundation, and Oxfam’s Regional Director for West Africa.

Previously, she was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. Mariya was member of the European Parliament, and served as European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society (2017-2019) and European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth (2019- 2023). 

Previously, he served as Regional Director for Central Europe (covering Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia) and Regional Director for Bulgaria and Romania. He joined the EBRD in 2013 as Head of Armenia, where he expanded the Bank’s local business and contributed to creating the Armenian Private Equity Fund. Before EBRD, Mr. Davis held senior roles at Goldman Sachs in Moscow and Morgan Stanley in London. He began his career at the World Bank as a Senior Country Economist and Adviser in Washington, DC and Europe. He holds a PhD in Economics from Tulane University, New Orleans.

With over 30 years at IBM since 1994, she has held key leadership roles across Egypt and the Middle East & Africa region. In 2013, she launched IBM’s first MEA Digital Sales Center in Cairo. In 2022, she became the first female General Manager of IBM Egypt. Marwa drives strategic growth, digital transformation, and AI adoption, while championing youth empowerment and women in tech. She serves on the boards of Beltone Holding and AmCham Egypt, and is a certified board director from the IFC–World Bank Group. Marwa holds a BSc in Computer Science and an MBA from the American University in Cairo.

Mirette F. Mabrouk is a senior fellow and founding director of the Egypt and Horn of Africa Program at the Middle East Institute. She focuses on economic development, regional security, and sustainable development in the Middle East and North Africa. Before joining MEI, she served as deputy director and director for research and programs at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council and was a fellow at Brookings Institution. With over 20 years in journalism, she founded Egypt’s The Daily Star Egypt (now The Daily News Egypt), the country’s only independent English-language daily newspaper at the time, and was publishing director at IBA Media. Her work has appeared in major international media, and she is an author on Middle East economic issues. She holds an MA in Broadcast Journalism and a BA in Mass Communication from the American University in Cairo.

He is also Senior Consultant at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport and a member of the Board of Trustees at Alamein International University. Previously, he has held key leadership roles including Chairman of the Executive Office of the Arab Ministers of Communications, Chairman of the Boards of Directors of Telecom Egypt and TE Data Company, and President of the Information Technology Institute in Egypt. He also works as a consultant in Information and Communications Technology. He holds a PhD in Computer Engineering with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence.

Mohamed Hanno is on the bord of Borg El Arab Technological University, the Board of Trustees Alexandria National University, and the Board of Trustees of Alamein International University. Previously, he held several prominent positions, including Chairman of the Alexandria Software and Information Technology Association (ASITA), Board Member of Etal Transport, An Egytrans Group company. He served on the board of Alexandria Business Association as Vice Chairman and Treasurer. As the head of ABA’s Advocacy Committee, he was responsible for the issuance of ABA’s private sector business index ‘ISLAH’ and the Micro Enterprises Reform Index in collaboration with the IFC. Mr. Hanno has also served as Chairman of ABA’s Microfinance Project’s advisory board and has an experience of more than 20 years in the field of microfinance.  Mr. Hanno has more than thirty years of experience in the IT field and is the Managing Director and founder of Arab Computers, Alexandria's leading IT systems supplier and business partner of leading international IT companies like Cisco, Dell, HP and Microsoft. His earlier experience includes working for a US IT company in Silicon Valley.

He served 15 years in Foreign Service, ending as Commercial Counselor at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington D.C. (1985–1989). Kassem is Vice Chairman of Africa Cotton and a board member of ACTIF, ITMF, and the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI). He has founded and directed companies across textiles, ICT, energy, and real estate, and supports various NGOs. He chaired the Garments Export Council and was Vice Chairman of the Egyptian National Council of Textile (2012–2017). He also chairs Polaris Management Company and the Egyptian Exporters Association (Expolink).

Previously, he held several positions at Naggar Shipping Co. (family business), including operations manager and chartering manager. He succeeded in 1990 in starting the first container transshipment hub in Egypt at the port of Damietta. In 1995, he Introduced the first two gantry cranes owned by private sector in Egypt as additional capacity for Damietta Port. He established a joint venture with Suez Canal Authority to operate two coastal vessels for movement of containers between Egyptian Ports (vessels: Nagda I and Nagda II), the Egyptian Container Line (NVOCC), a Ropax line connecting Mersin with Port Said and Suez with Dibah in Saudi Arabia, and Norna Shipping Corporation (a tanker owning company with a fleet of 6 tankers.) In 2005, he started Egyptian container line service with two RORO vessels. In 2007 he started Red Sea bridge service with RORO ships between Suez, Jeddah, Aqaba and Port Sudan. He edited the first port information guide “Naggar’s Ship owners’ guide to Egyptian Ports and the Suez Canal” in 1983, and issued second port information book “Tanker Ports of Egypt” in 1991. El Naggar holds BSc. engineering from the American University in Cairo (AUC).

Previously, he held leading positions in both the Egyptian Human Rights Organization and the Arab Political Science Association. He directed the Center for the Study of Developing Countries at Cairo University. Al-Sayyid was a member of the Committee on Global Security and Cooperation of the US Social Science Research Council, and has been a visiting scholar at UCLA, Harvard Law School, Colgate University, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has published extensively in Arabic, English, and French on Political Economy, Human Rights, and civil society. Al-Sayyid holds a Ph.D. from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.

Nabil Fahmy has been a career diplomat for over three decades, served as Egypt's Ambassader to several countries, including the United States and, Japan. He held numerous government and international positions mostly focusing on crisis management, conflict resolution & arms control. He founded and was Dean of School of Global Affair and Public Policy, at the American University in Cairo (AUC). He is Chairman of Lynx Business Advisors, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cairo Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration. He has published three English and Arabic books and is a syndicated columnist and an active public speaker.

Dr. Nangula Nelulu Uaandja is also a Chartered Accountant by Profession and has served as an auditor and business consultant over 24 years at PwC Namibia, and was the Firm's first female and first black Country Managing Partner. Previously, Nangula was Deputy Chair of the President’s High-Level Panel on the Namibian Economy. She also serves on Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Council, overseeing sustainable energy initiatives. Her academic work focused on the collaborative role of the public and private sectors in driving inclusive economic growth and addressing shared challenges.  She holds a PhD in Business Leadership, studying public-private collaboration for inclusive growth.

A career diplomat for the Egyptian government, Nasser Kamel held the position of Ambassador of Egypt to the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2018. He was also Ambassador to France in the period 2006-2012, during which he took part in the drafting of the Joint Declaration of the 2008 Paris Summit that marked the launch of the Union for the Mediterranean. Furthermore, between 2012 and 2014, he was Assistant Minister for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs. From 2004 to 2006, he was the Director of Egypt’s Public Information Service. Prior to this position he served in various embassies, including Washington (1984-1988), Lisbon (1990-1994), Tunis (1994-1998), Brussels (1999-2001) and Paris (2001-2004).

Previously, she was Inspecteur General des Finances at the French Ministry of Economy and Finance. She has served as an advisor to the French Government on Africa and Development and worked with the French Senate’s Finance and Budgetary Commission. Nathalie is co-Secretary General of the Africa-Europe Foundation, sits on the boards of the International Crisis Group and Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), and is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network. She is honored as Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite.

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli has over 25 years of experience in international development, focusing on social innovation in Africa. Beginning at McKinsey Chicago, she returned to Nigeria to lead the FATE Foundation and founded LEAP Africa and African Food Changemakers, supporting African leaders and agribusiness entrepreneurs. She co-founded Sahel Consulting and AACE Foods. Ndidi sits on boards including the Rockefeller Foundation and Chanel Foundation, and has been a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, McGill University, Aspen Institute, and Eisenhower program. She received a National Honor by the Nigerian Government and the Harvard Business School Distinguished Alumni Award. Ndidi is a published author on entrepreneurship, social innovation, and resilient agriculture in Africa. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate honors degree from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Previously, she was regional director of the Ford Foundation for the Middle East and North Africa. She worked with UNDP's Bureau of Development Policy and Regional Bureau of Arab States as the regional policy advisor, providing technical advice on governance programs of UNDP offices across the Arab region. In addition to being a policy practitioner, El-Mikawy's academic background includes research development and management at the Center for Development Research at the University of Bonn, Germany, as well as teaching at UCLA, AUC, the Free University of Berlin and the University of Elangen. She has published two books on Egypt with AUC press and several articles and book chapters on governance and institutional reform in Egypt and the Arab region, including with Oxford and Cambridge University Press. El-Mikawy serves on the governing board of the Swedish International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI) as well as the advisory board of the Swedish Dialogue Institute. She holds a master's degree in comparative politics and international relations and a PhD in comparative politics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Omar El-Shenety has over 15 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, and strategy consulting, having worked with various family offices and high-net-worth investors. Omar also serves as adjunct faculty at the American University in Cairo and the University of London at AAST, and is a research consultant at the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies, focusing on macroeconomic and financial analysis for the Middle East region. He holds a Global Executive MBA from Columbia Business School and London Business School, a Master of Laws from King's College London, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

Chairman, Chubb Insurance Egypt, Prometeon Tyre Egypt Co. (Pirelli) & Coca-Cola HBC Egypt

Chairman, The United Bank 

Omar Mohanna is former Chairman of Suez Cement Group of Companies (SCGC), a subsidiary of the German Multinational Group Heidelberg Cement AG.

With over 25 years of commercial and investment banking experience with Egyptian and international financial institutions, he was Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Egypt Arab African Bank (EAAB). He also held the position of Managing Director of Accor Hotels Group in Egypt and has been a member of the Board of Directors of diverse companies.

He is the former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham Egypt) and is Chairman of the Egypt-US Business Council. He is also a member of the Italian Egyptian Business Council, the French Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, the Egyptian Businessmen Association and Egypt's International Economic Forum among others.

At the broader community level, he is a Board member of the Association for the Protection of the Environment, and member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Relations. 

As an economist, industrialist and active member of the business community, Mohanna has brought his knowledge and expertise to bear at the policy level in his capacity as Chairman of the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES).

He is a member of the Europe Policy Group at the World Economic Forum (Davos), serves on the Board of Directors of LUISS University, and is a member of the Council of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). He frequently appears as a speaker, writer, and commentator for various media outlets. His publications include: Il marketing del terrore (co-authored with Maggioni, 2016); Il mondo di Obama. 2008–2016 (2016); Il mondo secondo Trump (2017); Post-vote Iran. Giving Engagement a Chance (co-authored with Perteghella, 2017); Four Years of Trump. The US and the World (co-authored with Del Pero, 2020); Il Conflitto senza fine (2024); and Europe in the Age of Insecurity (co-authored with Alessandro Colombo, 2024).

His topics of focus include Germany’s EU and foreign policy, Poland in the EU, and EU politics. Buras is a journalist, author and expert on German and European politics. Between 2008 and 2012 he worked as a columnist and Berlin correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza, the biggest Polish daily newspaper. He started his professional career in the late 1990s at the Center for International Relations in Warsaw, one of the first Polish think-tanks. He continued his career at the Institute for German Studies at the University of Birmingham and at the University of Wroclaw (Poland). He was also a visiting fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Berlin. His recent book Moslems and the Other Germans. The Reinvention of the Berlin Republic was published in Polish in 2011.

Previously, she served as the Minister of International Cooperation, and was the first female Minister of Tourism. She held several esteemed positions at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC., served at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) as the Sub-Governor for Monetary Policy and was CBE’s liaison with the IMF and the Sovereign Rating Agencies. She is a member of several boards, including those of the Egyptian Stock Exchange, the Egyptian General Authority for Free Zones and Investment, the Arab International Bank and the Arab Investment Bank, among others. She is also a member of several Advisory councils and international alliances including, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) GenU, and Founding Member of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) launched by the Rockefeller Foundation, among others. Al-Mashat authored key publications on economic diplomacy and climate finance, and has received prestigious awards for her leadership in international cooperation and tourism reform. She holds a PhD and MA in Economics from the University of Maryland, and executive education from Harvard and Oxford.

Previously, she assumed various esteemed positions, including EU Ambassador to Albania; Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Croatia, and has held senior diplomatic roles in Washington, Belgrade, and strategic positions at Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She also worked with the UN ICTY, Council on Foreign Relations, and OSCE Mission in Kosovo. Ambassador Vlahutin is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Her expertise includes strategic infrastructure, EU connectivity, foreign and security policy, and European enlargement. She holds a BA from Zagreb University and an MPA from Harvard University. 

Ms. Majdalani has had a distinguished career with the United Nations, working in development and political roles in the Middle East and Africa. From 2010 to 2021, she was Director of the Arab Center for Climate Change Policies and led the Climate Change Cluster at UN-ESCWA, focusing on sustainable management of water, energy, and food resources. She joined ESCWA in 1989, serving in technical and leadership positions, and managed the ESCWA Technology Center in Amman. She holds a master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Syracuse University and previously worked at Dar Al-Handasah Consultants in London. Ms. Majdalani serves on several advisory boards for international and regional organizations and was recently appointed to the Global Water Partnership.

Saad is a multicultural professional with international expertise and a career spanning over 24 years in major multinational institutions in the USA and the Middle East/ North Africa region. 

He is recognized for animating and turning visionary thinking to elevate corporate value and purpose in the leadership arena. He is also a subject matter expert in infrastructure investment, public private partnerships, corporate governance, and digital economy 

development. Prior to joining the IFC in 2004, Saad worked in Management Consultant at the strategy practice of KPMG Consulting as well as at NDC Group Advisory Services practice in the USA. In that capacity he advised senior management of multinational corporations in a wide range of industries on business strategy and investment decisions as well as advised government client and public agencies on business process and foreign investment development and competitiveness. 

Saad holds a Master’s degree in Business Management from Strayer University in the USA. He also holds a dual Bachelor’s degree, in accounting and in decision science/management from George Mason University in the USA.

Samir Saran also serves as the Founder and President of RPIF, the entity responsible for administering the Raisina Dialogue and its associated events. Samir curates the Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship platform on geopolitics, and chairs CyFy, the annual conference on cybersecurity. He serves on several international advisory boards, including the Global Future Council on Geopolitics of the World Economic Forum, and has authored multiple books and papers on governance, climate, technology, and India’s foreign policy. He holds a PhD from the UK’s Global Sustainability Institute, a Masters from LSE, and a Bachelor's in Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology. His latest publications include GeoTechnoGraphy: Mapping Power and Identity in the Digital Age with Anirban Sarma, The New World Disorder and The Indian Imperative with Shashi Tharoor and Pax Sinica: Implications Dawn with Akhil Deo.

Previously, he has been with IPIS for the last three decades serving as its Director General from 1999 to 2004 and IPIS President and deputy Foreign Minister from 2016 to 2021. He was also Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva. Professor Sajjadpour is also a media commentator appearing in Iranian National TV on international developments. He has a weekly column in the oldest Iranian Newspaper, Ettalat under the title of Foreign Policy in Turbulent World. He holds a PhD from George Washington University and was Post-Doctoral Fellow at Harvard University.

He is also Honorary Director General of the European Institute of Public Administration (Maastricht), and he consults for governments and businesses. Stefan is co-editor of key publications on EU innovation policy and governance, including "Reimagining Africa" (2023) and "Revolutionising EU Innovation Policy" (2016). He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Edinburgh, UK.

Previously, he was appointed by the UN Secretary-General to lead a High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism and became a resident fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. He served as Prime Minister of Sweden (2014–2021) and Leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party (2012–2021), leading the party to two election victories. Known for his strong commitment to democracy, European values and human rights, as Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven was the driving force behind the proclamation and signing of the European Pillar of Social Rights at the Gothenburg Social Summit for fair jobs and growth in 2017. Löfven studied social work and began his career as a welder and trade union leader, serving as President of IF Metal (2006–2012).

Previously, Mr. Krüger managed the KAS country program Morocco / Mauritania (2018-2023) and an EU program to promote the political participation of women in Benin and Morocco (2018-2022). From 2015 to 2018, he was a consultant for the francophone countries of sub-Saharan Africa at the headquarters of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin. He was head of the KAS country program in the DR Congo with a focus on the reform of the security forces, promotion of civil society and the rule of law from 2012 to 2015. From 2006 to 2011, Mr. Krüger worked for different US-based organizations. Prior to that, he started as a project assistant (2002 - 2005) with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Benin, West Africa. Mr. Krüger holds a Diploma in Political Science (University of Marburg) and a Graduate Degree in International Education (SIT Graduate Institute).

Previously, he was the Bank’s Operations Policy Director in the Operations Policy and Country Services Vice Presidency (OPCS). He co-led the coordination of the IDA/IBRD COVID-19 vaccines program, the steering of the new Country Climate and Development Reports. He also established a coordination mechanism with other multilateral development banks (MDBs) on operational policies and strengthened the partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He headed the team preparing and negotiating IDA replenishment strategies and policies, and coordinating their implementation across the institution. He managed the transformation of the IDA financial model and the creation of the IDA Private Sector Window. He also led the corporate finance function for the IDA and World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) balance sheets, including for the 2018 IBRD capital increase. Prior to joining the Bank, Stephane was economist at France’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. He holds Masters degrees from Ecole Polytechnique, ENSAE Paris and the Sorbonne University.

Joshi began his career in the Indian Administrative Service in 1983, serving 25 years in various roles before joining ORF in 2009 to focus on energy and environment. He has served on the boards of national energy companies like ONGC and OIL and has expertise in energy policy, water management, and fiscal regimes for oil and gas. Joshi has been a Visiting Associate at the International Institute of Strategic Studies and a Distinguished Visitor at Stanford University. He is also Vice President of the Mountain Children’s Foundation, supporting rural Himalayan children, and frequently publishes on technology, energy, and development in the context of global trade and sustainability. He holds Master’s degree in English Literature from Allahabad University and Development Studies from the University of East Anglia.

Ambassador Suresh Reddy has had a distinguished career since he joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1991. He has served in Cairo, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, and Islamabad and later as India’s Ambassador to Iraq, ASEAN, and Brazil. Amb Reddy also served as Special Envoy of Government of India to Iraq. In the Ministry, he has held sensitive and crucial positions, including Head of Office of Minister of State for External Affairs and has been engaged with the neighboring countries in different capacities including as Desk Officer/Director/Director-General. He also established and headed the first ASEAN Multilateral Economic Relations Division and, in that capacity, while strengthening engagement with ASEAN & EAS, was also looking after ASEM, ACD & APEC related issues.

President of The American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt 

Chairman Cairo Poultry Group

Deputy Chairman of The Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES). 

First Vice President of The Federation of Mediterranean Business Organization (BUSINESSMED) 

Tawfik is a Board Member of the General Authority for Investments and Free Zones (GAFI), Egypt Sovereign Wealth Fund, Egyptian Countryside Development Company, the Egyptian Food Safety Authority, the Chamber of Food Industries, Agricultural Bank of Egypt, Industrial Modernization Center-Ministry of Foreign Trade & Industry, Egyptian Poultry Federation, The Holding Company for Cotton, Spinning, Weaving & Garment. Tawfik holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering - Cairo University, a master's of engineering from California Polytechnic State University (Pomona), and an MBA degree from San Francisco State University.

His career has spanned the academic and think-tank worlds as a faculty member in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University; Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; and Senior Fellow at Brookings and Director of the Brookings Doha Center. His involvement with public policy includes working at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the UN. He holds a PhD in economics from Harvard University. His research has focused on international economics and political economy. He has contributed more than 80 articles, chapters, and reports, and co-edited several volumes including most recently Public Sector Reform in the Middle East and North Africa: Lessons of Experience for a Region in Transition (Brookings Institution Press, 2020); The Gulf Cooperation Council at Forty: Risk and Opportunity in a Changing World (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022); and The Middle East's Fragile Reset: Actors, Battlegrounds, and (Dis)order (Middle East Council on Global Affairs, 2023).

He serves on the scientific committee of the Institute of Advanced Studies in National Defense (IHEDN) and is a member of the editorial boards for the French journals Politique étrangère, Revue des deux mondes, and Études. Thomas Gomart was also part of the French Ministry of Armed Forces’ strategic review committee for the 2017 Strategic Review of Defense and National Security. He has published extensively on topics including Russia, digital issues, think tanks, and geopolitical risk. Thomas Gomart earned his EMBA from Hautes Études Commerciales de Paris and his PhD from Pantheon-Sorbonne University. He has been honored with the rank of Knight of the National Order of Merit.

As of August 2024, Dr. Thomas Volk serves as the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Dr. Volk began his tenure at the Foundation as Coordinator for Islam and Interreligious Dialogue at the headquarters from 2014 to 2016. He then managed the Foundation’s Senegal/Gambia Office in Dakar from 2016 to 2020. Following this, he led the Regional Program for Political Dialogue in the Southern Mediterranean based in Tunis from 2020 to 2024. In 2023, he oversaw the reopening of the Foundation’s Egypt Office in Cairo. From February 2024 until August 2024, he headed the Israel Office in Jerusalem.

Ms. Picard oversees ICC’s global public policy engagement on trade and customs matters. Previously, she was Deputy Director of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, a public-private partnership co-led by ICC that delivers targeted trade reforms in developing economies. Prior to joining ICC, Ms. Picard practiced law for 20 years, both in private practice and in-house, notably advising on legal matters relating to public-private partnerships and the development and operation of ports and terminals in Africa and Asia. She holds degrees from Duke University School of Law and Smith College.

Wael Ziada has over two decades of experience in financial markets in the Middle East. He was appointed as Minister Assistant for Investments and Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. Previously, he assumed various esteemed positions, including Non-Executive Board Member of Banque du Caire, Executive Chairman and CEO of EFG Hermes Finance, and a member of the Executive Committee of EFG Hermes Holding. He led EFG Hermes’s non-banking financial activities, helping it become one of the fastest-growing sectors for the group, and headed its award-winning research division, expanding its coverage to over 12 countries and significantly growing its digital services. He holds a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

He has over 25-years of significant experience within the spectrum of investment management and financial markets. Previously, he held various esteemed positions, including chief investment and commercial officer at Manazel Real Estate in Abu Dhabi, and deputy CEO for Baniyas Investment & Development Company. 

He holds a Master's degree of Science in Financial Engineering & Quantitative Analysis from ICMA Centre, Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK.

He also serves as non-executive Chairman of Bank of Alexandria and Uswah Capital (KSA), and holds non-executive board positions at several Egyptian and regional companies including MTI Egypt, Albaraka Bank (Bahrain), and Sinai White Portland Cement. Previously, he held several esteemed positions including Executive Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority “FRA”, and Executive Chairman of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones “GAFI”. He has legal experience in Egypt and Washington DC and has served on the boards of the Central Bank of Egypt and the National Bank of Egypt. He holds a Ph.D. in Financial Law from the London School of Economics.

Founder of “The 2043 Project,” a newly established initiative aimed at developing individuals and institutions to become #2043able. Previously, he was Chairman and CEO of ALZWAD for Economic Development Co. He founded and managed innovative ventures such as Club Executive (a fashion retail chain), L’escapade Café at the Cairo World Trade Center, and Protech (an IBM partner later becoming a NOKIA agent and part of RAYA holding). He led a turnaround operation for Aramex Egypt and played a key role as part of Vodafone Egypt’s senior executive team, contributing to its rise as a model company in Egypt and the Middle East. He also founded The Post Distribution Company, wholly owned by the Egyptian National Post Authority, serving as its first CEO. Ziad sits on the boards of Bedaya, the SME fund and Plantform Agri, a leading exporter of agricultural produce to the USA and Europe. among others. He previously served on boards including the Egyptian Chamber of Information Technology, the Egyptian Federation for Industries – SME Committee, and the Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of Egypt.