Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh leverages an extensive communication and development background. Currently he is the chairman of EFE-Jordan, and the CEO and Managing Partner of Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property, and the Vice President of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization. Alongside serving as a member of several associations worldwide, he is a Board Member of the Queen Rania Award for Excellence. He was appointed as Chair of the Young Presidents’ Organization in Jordan between 2006 and 2007; MENA Regional Chair between 2007 and 2009; and YPO International Board Member between 2008 and 2011. He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Yarmouk University.

Mr. Aclimandos serves as the chairman of the Egyptian-American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Egypt) and the President of TransCentury Associates. He first joined the AmCham Egypt board in 1987 and has served as chair of AmCham Egypt's Customs, Investment & Trade and International Donor Programs committees, and as vice president of membership from 2001 to 2005. A certified accountant, Mr. Aclimandos earned a Bachelor's of Arts in accounting from Cairo University and holds Egyptian and U.S. certification in financial management and analysis.

Ms. Bellamy served as Chair of the Global Partnership for Education where she oversaw a significant transformation of the Partnership Prior to this, Ms. Bellamy served as President and CEO of World Learning, a private, non-profit organization promoting international understanding through education and development. Bellamy also served 10 years as Executive Director of UNICEF, the children's agency of the United Nations and she was the first former volunteer to become Director of Peace Corps. Ms. Bellamy was named one of Forbes magazine's 100 Most Powerful Women in the World in 2004. In 2009, Bellamy was awarded the Légion d'Honneur by the Government of France.

Andrea Brentan is non-executive Chairman of FTI Consulting Spain (part of FTI Consulting, the global business advisory firm quoted on the NYSE), and Senior Advisor to Bain Capital Private Equity and to Bain Capital Credit. Between 2009 and 2014, he served as CEO of Endesa, the leading electrical utility in Spain and Latin America, part of the Enel group. Mr. Brentan had previously led Enel’s international expansion in Eastern Europe, Russia, Spain and Latin America as well as in other countries. He is a renowned expert in the management of large international companies in several fields, including energy and utilities, and engineering and contracting. He has a BA (with honors) in Mechanical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan and an MSc in Applied Science from New York University. He served in numerous boards of directors including the Supervisory Board of Slovenske Electrarne (Chairman), Viesgo (Chairman), Enel North America (Chairman), Enel Latin America (Chairman), Enersis (Deputy Chairman), Enel Green Power and EUFER. He was appointed “Grand’Ufficiale dell’ordine della Stella della Solidarietà” by then Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. He served as Chairman of ANIDA, the Italian association of environment protection companies, and as Deputy Chairman of the Club Español de la Energia.

Ron Bruder is the Founder and Chair of Education For Employment (EFE), the leading nonprofit job placement Network in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). A social franchise of independent, locally-run Affiliates, EFE identifies critical skill gaps in the local economy, then develops and delivers targeted training programs for youth with limited opportunity. Graduates are linked to jobs through, with employers, civic and educational organizations. After graduating its first class in 2006, EFE expanded rapidly, and operates in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia with support hubs in the USA, Europe and UAE. Honored by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People for his non-profit work with EFE, Bruder began as a serial entrepreneur. In 1977, Mr. Bruder founded The Brookhill Group, which owns and manages properties throughout the US with a focus on creating investment partnerships to develop or redevelop shopping centres, office buildings and multi-family homes. A globally recognized philanthropist, Bruder has addressed youth employment issues at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the United Nations, as well as in the media including the Financial Times, Forbes, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera. At the World Economic Forum in Tianjin in 2012, he was named a Schwab Foundation Global Social Entrepreneur for his work in founding EFE. Mr. Bruder earned a Bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University, an MBA from New York University, and a Post Master's degree in Accounting & Taxation from Iona College.

A journalist and professor, Mary Dedinsky helped establish Northwestern University’s international campus located in Qatar. For more than ten years she led a mission established by the Qatar Foundation and Northwestern to teach journalism to students of Qatar, the MENA region and other parts of the world and introduce them to employment experience at distinguished news and public relations firms. She served as Director of the Journalism and Strategic Communication Program and Director of the Journalism and Strategic Communication Residency at Northwestern University in Qatar. Before entering academia, Ms. Dedinsky was a Chicago newspaper journalist -- a beat reporter, investigative journalist, editorial writer and metropolitan editor before she became the first woman managing editor of a major U.S. metropolitan newspaper at the Chicago Sun-Times. Later she became associate dean and associate professor of journalism at Medill on Northwestern’s main campus in Evanston, IL, and served as internet web editor for the Chicago Tribune, coordinating the work of its newspaper, television, radio and internet news staffs. Awards include induction into the Medill Hall of Achievement, the Illinois Press Association Lincoln League and the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame.

Abed El-Jaouni is the founder of several successful real estate and aviation companies located in Germany, France and Lebanon. He began his career as a pilot with Team Lufthansa, where he attained the rank of Captain before transitioning to the private sector to launch a number of ventures. In 2004, he established Cirrus Middle East in Lebanon as a regional hub for his aviation group. Later renamed ImperialJet, the company operates aircrafts under Mr. El-Jaouni’s chairmanship. In 2010, he established Phoenix Real Estate, a luxury real estate company in France, where he currently serves as President. For more than a decade, Mr. El-Jaouni has actively supported charities and scholarships in Lebanon. He graduated from the FFL Flying Academy in Germany and earned his MBA from Atlantic International University.

Dr. Frye is the Presidential Senior Fellow Emeritus and a former president of the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington D.C. A widely-published author who provides frequent testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Frye has taught as a visiting faculty member at Yale University, the University of California (Los Angeles) and Harvard University.

Mr. Hassan began his career with D’Arcy, progressing through domestic and international assignments with Leo Burnett and FCB Worldwide until joining Element79 Partners as a founding partner and Chief Strategic Officer of the Omnicom start up. He went on to lead HP global marketing for the Imaging and Printing division and later Corporate Marketing. In 2012, Tariq returned to the Middle East as Omnicom’s first President of the Middle East & Africa managing holdings for the region with a focus on integrating capabilities across a broad range of marketing services. Prior to joining Petco, he served as Senior Vice President, Global Brand Strategy and Marketing at Bank of America.

Mr. Samer Khoury is the Chairman of Consolidated Contractors Group, one of the largest Arab international construction companies operating throughout the Middle East, Africa, CIS, Europe, and the U.S. For more than 20 years, Mr. Khoury has been highly involved in business, social and educational activities in the Middle East and Europe. He is co-chair of the Aspen Institute's Middle East Strategy Group.

Cynthia is a partner at Haven Green Capital Partners in London, which is dedicated to allocating capital to best-of-breed sustainable and impact investment managers. Previously, from 2014 to 2021, Cynthia was a partner at Cheyne Capital, a leading European hedge fund platform. Cynthia has dedicated the major portion of her career to Wealth Management, at Morgan Stanley from 1997 to 2013 as a Managing Director and at JP Morgan from 1983 to 1996. Cynthia holds a BA from Cornell University and an MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management.

Ms. Rizk currently consults with start-ups in Silicon Valley and New York City. She has been active with, and led, a number of non-profit organizations. Ms. Rizk is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an advisory board member of the Harvard Business School California Research Centre. Formerly, she was a trustee of the World Affairs Council of Northern California; board member of the Harvard Business School Alumni Association, board chair of the Harvard Business School Club of Northern California (over 20 years on the board), member of the President’s Council of Cornell Women, and board member of TechWadi.

Mr. van Slingelandt has over 19 years of investment banking experience in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. He specializes in cross-border M&A and capital markets transactions across a broad range of industries. Prior to joining Moelis & Company, Mr. van Slingelandt worked at J.P. Morgan for 15 years in a variety of senior roles in Dubai, London and Hong Kong.

Noor Sweid is the founder and General Partner of Global Ventures (“GV”), a leading emerging market-focused venture capital firm. With a headcount of over 30 people, AUM of almost $300 million, backing from well-known investors such as General Atlantic, Tiger Global, Capria Ventures, Bupa Arabia, Mubadala, ADQ and SVC – Global Ventures has made 46 investments across ten markets since 2018 - and invested in several EdTech companies. Previously, Noor was the first woman to operate, scale and IPO a company in the MENA region, listing Depa on NASDAQ Dubai and the London Stock Exchange, for US$1.1 billion, in April 2008. Noor scaled Depa tenfold, expanding from six countries to 22, including four cross-border acquisitions. Identified by Forbes as one of the “World’s Top 50 Women in Tech”, Noor's previous roles include CIO at The Dubai Future Foundation, and a Founding Partner at Leap Ventures, a tech-focused, entrepreneur-led venture capital firm. Noor also founded the largest yoga studios chain in the Middle East, ZenYoga - acquired by Cedarbridge in 2014. Noor holds several board roles on Global Ventures’ portfolio companies. She is also Chairwoman of the Middle East Venture Capital Association, and Director of the Global Private Capital Association. She is a Director at TechWadi and the Karman Fellowship, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders. Noor holds a Bachelors’ degree from Boston College, and an MBA from MIT Sloan.

Karthik Venkataraman is a partner in Bain & Company's Washington DC office. He is an expert in Bain's Results Delivery® practice. He has more than 10 years of industry and consulting experience and previously worked in Bain's London and Singapore offices. Karthik works across industries and has extensive experience in retail, airlines and healthcare, with a focus on organizational effectiveness. He also advises on M&A across industries with deep expertise in post-merger integration. Karthik is passionate about economic development and education and is a leader in the firm's social impact efforts. Prior to joining Bain in 2007, he worked in the technology space at SAP. Karthik earned an MBA from the Wharton School where he graduated as a Palmer Scholar. He also earned an MA in International Studies with Distinction from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor's degree in History with High Honors from Princeton University.

Zineb Guessous is the Managing Partner of Almena Partners, an advisory firm focused on impact investing in emerging markets. Prior to founding Almena, Zineb spent 14 years in the private equity industry during which she executed investments in small and medium-sized businesses in Europe and Latin America. She understands first-hand the importance of good leadership and management teams in successfully growing and managing businesses, and how increased female representation in the business world leads to higher returns for the shareholders. She is a firm believer in the power of education to create thriving societies and is working actively to expand access to high quality online education in the MENA region. Zineb holds an M.B.A from Harvard Business School and B.S. in Economics and Management from the University of Lausanne.

Andrew Baird is the President & CEO of the global hub of the Education For Employment Network (EFE-Global). Previously, Andrew was the Program Area Director, Workforce and Economic Development Group for RTI International, where he led a team of 130 employees and a $150 million portfolio. There, he provided leadership, strategic direction and technical support in workforce development, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, youth, and other areas closely related to EFE's work. Andrew brings to EFE more than twenty-five years of experience in advancing private sector-led strategies to create inclusive employment and livelihoods around the world - including in several countries where EFE operates. He co-founded the Global Center for Youth Employment, a membership-based organization devoted to developing collective solutions to the challenges of youth employment. Andrew is a skillful business development expert and has managed a number of long-term donor-funded projects. He has held leadership positions in a range of organizations in the field and home offices of RTI International, Making Cents International, Chemonics International, and the Peace Corps. Andrew holds a BA from The College of Wooster and an MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Hassan Damluji is Head of Middle East Relations at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he is responsible for strategy and engagement across the 22 countries of the Arab League, as well as Turkey. He is also lead Middle East adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates. Previously, Hassan worked for the consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, where he led large-scale transformations for governments and philanthropy in the Middle East. He co-founded and sits on the Board of the Lives & Livelihoods Fund (LLF), a $2.5 billion fund based in the Islamic Development Bank. He is a lead expert on education, and is actively involved in many educational initiatives in the UK such as the New Schools Network, Free Schools in England, Achievement for All, and One Degree Academy. Hassan holds a double-first class BA from Oxford University and an MA from Harvard University, where he was awarded the Von Clemm Fellowship. He has been named by Arabian Business as one of the 100 Most Powerful Arabs Under 40.

Cristina Manzano is editor-in-chief of “esglobal”, the former Spanish edition of Foreign Policy magazine, the leading digital publication on global affairs in Spanish. She is also a regular contributor to other Spanish and international media, such as El Periódico de Cataluña, or Open Democracy. Ms. Manzano writes a blog for The Huffington Post and participates as speaker or lecturer in events and seminars on different topics related to international affairs, with a special focus on Spanish and EU foreign policy, communications, and philanthropy.

Cynthia is a partner at Haven Green Capital Partners in London, which is dedicated to allocating capital to best-of-breed sustainable and impact investment managers. Previously, from 2014 to 2021, Cynthia was a partner at Cheyne Capital, a leading European hedge fund platform. Cynthia has dedicated the major portion of her career to Wealth Management, at Morgan Stanley from 1997 to 2013 as a Managing Director and at JP Morgan from 1983 to 1996. Cynthia holds a BA from Cornell University and an MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management.

Mrs. Shawwa inherited a security firm in Jordan and assumed executive responsibility in 1996. In 2004, she was key in the merger of the firm with the multinational G4S. Today, G4S Jordan has over 1,500 employees. Mrs. Shawwa is now a partner and director on the board of G4S Jordan. She is also a board member of the International Women’s Forum in Spain and of the Arab Ladies Diplomatic Association in Madrid. She has been active in several fundraisers for charity and has also volunteered as a teacher at a UNRWA school in Amman Jordan. In 2012, Mrs. Shawwa earned an executive degree from the Owners and Entrepreneurs Management Program from Instituto Empresa business school in Madrid, Spain.

Giuseppe Tringali is Vice-President of the International Advisory Board at IE Business School; President of the IE/EY Global Corporation Center; President of the Advisory Board of the IE/ FT “Top Board Program” Headspring; President of the CurArte Foundation; Senior Advisor at Pedersen & Partners, a leading international executive recruiting firm; and Board member of Vodafone Foundation Spain. He is also former advisor of the Board of Alkemy Iberia. Giuseppe Tringali has a long trajectory in the business and media industries, having been CEO (2004-2014) and later Vice-President (2014-2018) of Mediaset in Spain. He began his career at the Italian television company RAI and, over the years, has held several positions in the sector, including Managing Director and later member of the Board of Directors of PubliItalia; CEO of Publiespaña and Publimedia; and Director of Publieurope, among many others. He is author of the book "15 Casos de éxito probado" (Aguilar, 2013) on how companies’ attitudes help overcome moments of crisis, as well as several articles in renowned media outlets. He is a regular contributor of the Spanish daily ABC. In 2008, he was awarded the order of "Stella d’Italia” from the Italian Government.

1) Mr. Elfverson has devoted most of his career to the United Nations system, serving in a number of senior positions including that of Director in the Iraq Programme. In cooperation with the World Health Organization he established and managed the MENTOR Foundation, a private initiative working in the field of substance abuse prevention among young people in many countries of the world. He has also served in the Swedish Foreign Service and has held executive positions with the Axel Johnson Group in Sweden, Mexico and Australia, and the Nordic American Banking Corporation in New York. He has been Senior Diplomatic Advisor to the Club of Madrid, DARA, FRIDE and EFE.

Andrea Brentan is non-executive Chairman of FTI Consulting Spain (part of FTI Consulting, the global business advisory firm quoted on the NYSE), and Senior Advisor to Bain Capital Private Equity and to Bain Capital Credit. Between 2009 and 2014, he served as CEO of Endesa, the leading electrical utility in Spain and Latin America, part of the Enel group. Mr. Brentan had previously led Enel’s international expansion in Eastern Europe, Russia, Spain and Latin America as well as in other countries. He is a renowned expert in the management of large international companies in several fields, including energy and utilities, and engineering and contracting. He has a BA (with honors) in Mechanical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan and an MSc in Applied Science from New York University. He served in numerous boards of directors including the Supervisory Board of Slovenske Electrarne (Chairman), Viesgo (Chairman), Enel North America (Chairman), Enel Latin America (Chairman), Enersis (Deputy Chairman), Enel Green Power and EUFER. He was appointed “Grand’Ufficiale dell’ordine della Stella della Solidarietà” by then Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. He served as Chairman of ANIDA, the Italian association of environment protection companies, and as Deputy Chairman of the Club Español de la Energia.

Ron Bruder is the Founder and Chair of Education For Employment (EFE), the leading nonprofit job placement Network in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). A social franchise of independent, locally-run Affiliates, EFE identifies critical skill gaps in the local economy, then develops and delivers targeted training programs for youth with limited opportunity. Graduates are linked to jobs through, with employers, civic and educational organizations. After graduating its first class in 2006, EFE expanded rapidly, and operates in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia with support hubs in the USA, Europe and UAE. Honored by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People for his non-profit work with EFE, Bruder began as a serial entrepreneur. In 1977, Mr. Bruder founded The Brookhill Group, which owns and manages properties throughout the US with a focus on creating investment partnerships to develop or redevelop shopping centres, office buildings and multi-family homes. A globally recognized philanthropist, Bruder has addressed youth employment issues at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the United Nations, as well as in the media including the Financial Times, Forbes, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera. At the World Economic Forum in Tianjin in 2012, he was named a Schwab Foundation Global Social Entrepreneur for his work in founding EFE. Mr. Bruder earned a Bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University, an MBA from New York University, and a Post Master's degree in Accounting & Taxation from Iona College.

Zahira is Head of Middle East Relations at the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation. A Middle East and Africa enthusiast, Zahira has over a dozen years of experience in the field of development, advocating for policy change, cementing partnerships and leading investment projects. She started her career as a policy officer at the Quai d’Orsay (France’s Foreign Ministry) before working as a management and strategy consultant between France and Morocco. She later joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, spearheading the Bank’s engagement efforts in the Gulf region. Zahira joined the Gates foundation a first time in 2015 before re-joining in 2021. She has co-launched the foundation’s largest partnership in the region, the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, and championed the foundation’s gender equality priorities in the Gulf. Zahira has spent time living in Kuwait where she authored Philanthropy in evolution: private foundations in Kuwait (Harvard Kennedy School) and advised her family business on strategic ventures with blue-chip companies and global philanthropic partners.

Zahid Afzal is a functional, transformational and strategic business executive with broad business (including Profit & Loss), operational, technical and strategic experience in a variety of senior management positions from a global Fortune 500 setting to startups. Demonstrated ability to define and lead strategy and goals, select appropriate tactics, and provide business and technology leadership in execution and operations to internal and external customers over assisted and self service channels. An organization builder and people manager with excellent leadership skills, especially in developing effective leaders and motivating others. More than 26 years of experience as a senior Information Technology and business Executive for some of the top global and regional financial services and progressive technology companies including Capital Bank, Huntington National Bank, Bank of America, Broadslate Networks, Citibank, and MCI Telecommunications. Mr. Afzal has had the privileged to serve on many for-profit and non-profit boards. He is also very active in the business and civic communities.

Dr. Amira Annabi is an Associate Professor of Finance at Manhattan College in New York. She earned a Ph.D. in Finance from HEC Montreal, an MSc in Financial Engineering from HEC Montreal, and a BSc from Institut Superieur de Gestion in Tunis. She serves as the Faculty Advisor of the Manhattan College Investment Club, mentoring students in investment, portfolio selection, and stock pitches. Her academic research interests include the interplay between bankruptcy laws and capital structure decisions, the impact of financial regulation on banks’ performance, and the drivers of financial literacy among young adults. Dr. Annabi has presented her research at numerous conferences and published her work in the International Review of Law and Economics, the Journal of Financial Education, the Journal of European Operational Research, and the Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, among others. She is the recipient of the Collaboration, Growth, and Innovation (CGI) grant awarded by the New American Colleges & Universities (NAC&U). Dr. Annabi launched a Financial Literacy Initiative at Manhattan College, which serves the Bronx community in New York. She is also regularly invited to talk at the annual Bloomberg for Education symposium, an event focused on integrating the use of the Bloomberg Terminal in undergraduate finance classes.

Robert Dinerstein has had an extensive and varied legal and investment career in commercial and investment banking, venture capital, strategic consulting and service on two public company boards. He has served as general counsel of the investment banking divisions of Citicorp, Shearson Lehman Bros. and UBS; as chairman of the venture capital firm, Crossbow Ventures and as a member of the board of a bio pharmaceutical company and a commercial bank. He is currently chairman of Veracity Worldwide, a strategic risk advisory firm which counsels multi national companies and other organizations doing business in emerging markets. He also has broad experience in the not for profit and educational fields having served on the boards of Phipps Houses, a leading New York low and moderate housing developer, the American Red Cross in Greater New York and Sheltering Arms, a 150 year old diversified social services organization. In the education field, Bob has served as chairman of Everybody Wins, a literacy and mentoring organization, as a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and as a member of the Advisory Board of the School of International and Public Affairs of Florida International University. He is also currently a member of the Advisory Committee of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Bob is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Michigan Law School.

Andrew Macken thrives on collaborating with the families he works with, finding new and interesting ways to bring their passions too investing and philanthropy. His natural and insatiable curiosity encourages innovation, and was instrumental in the development of AddeparTM, a family office repointing software application designed to make investing more data-driven, transparent and impactful. He also advises several startups and entrepreneurs that are building disruptive new innovative technologies. Andrew spent over eighteen years at Goldman Sachs and Fidelity Investments advising both families and institutions on investment strategy, portfolio management and economic policy. Andrew also sits on several non-profit boards and carries that passion and experience for global business to the EFE community.

John Mannix, CEO of Baldwin Brothers Inc., is a big picture thinker who sets strategies for long-term success while staying mindful of the present moment. In addition to his work with some of the leading families in the U.S., John is also a Board member at New Summit Investments. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, a member of Pershing’s Advisor Council and is active on several non-profit boards, including Nativity Preparatory School, the Marion Institute, and Buttonwood Park Zoological Society.

Mr. Massand is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Advisors, Ltd., an Abu Dhabi based firm focused on legal finance, knowledge transfer, and innovation in the legal industry across the globe. Phoenix also offers dispute resolution and advisory services to clients seeking to navigate multijurisdictional issues and distressed credit opportunities.

Mr. Massand has over 20 years of international experience working with Institutional Investors, Multinational Corporations, Banks, and Family Offices in the United States, the Middle East, and India. He holds a Juris Doctor in Comparative Constitutional Law from New York Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Boston University. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, ABANA (formerly the Arab Bankers Association of North America), a Charter Member of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Dubai, and serves as an Advisory Board Member of New York Law School’s Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Kevin Matossian is a film producer and founder/CEO of SilverCrest Entertainment LLC, a Los Angeles based film and television production company. Mr. Matossian’s extensive background in production includes “The Promise”, “September Dawn”, “LOST”, “Purgatory Flats” and “In Living Color”. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Matossian has founded and successfully exited several ventures including Film Solutions LLC, which provides film productivity and workflow solutions with offices in Los Angeles, Raleigh and London. In addition, Mr. Matossian has served on the boards of several start-up ventures including, Ventura Marketing, Inc., Netlinks Co. and SearchFast Inc. Most recently, Mr. Matossian served as a board member and advisor of Critique It, Inc., where he helped oversee its successful exit to 2U Inc., a publicly traded technology provider in the education sector. Mr. Matossian’s passion for business establishes the tempo in all his ventures. While putting family first, he takes pride in his work ethic, leadership-by-example and a fiscally responsible approach to any venture that he is a part of.

Isha Mehmood is Global Compliance Counsel of News Corp, a global, diversified media and information services company. Her expertise includes cross-border litigation, government investigations, corporate compliance and ethics, and ESG. Prior to joining News Corp, Isha was an associate at DLA Piper and Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in New York, where she represented multinational corporations and foreign governments in litigation, regulatory, and enforcement matters, including alleged violations of anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws. She has also served as a legal liaison for the UN International Law Commission, a fellow for the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, and a program officer for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ROLI). She also co-founded Inaayah, a nonprofit organization that, while active, supported migrant, refugee, and displaced communities through an arts-based fundraiser. Isha received her law degree from NYU School of Law, and holds a bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech and master's degree from American University. She has lived in five countries and has experience in more than 60 countries.

Katherine Parr is an American designer and entrepreneur with a background in both the public and private sectors. Currently working as the founder and owner of a namesake jewelry brand, and co-founder of a chocolate brand, Parré Chocolat; volunteer advisor for charities. She began her career as a fashion model following graduation from Villanova University's School of Business, discovered by Patrick Demarchelier. Enjoyed honing expertise in international fashion industry as well as in the non-profit sector as a US government-certified teacher and social entrepreneur. Co-founder of Parré Chocolat and founder of Katherine Parr Jewelry, both with an ethical luxury philosophy and transparent supply chain. Advocate and speaker: completed a TEDx Talk on Conscious Consumerism Is the Road to Economic Empowerment, and has been featured on CNN, and at various venues including Villanova University and others. Member of the Accessories Council.

Zainab Salbi is a leading humanitarian, speaker, and author known for her decades of dedication to serving female survivors of conflict. Ms. Salbi founded Women for Women International and served as its CEO for almost 20 years, serving thousands of women in conflict areas, and has spoken and written extensively on women’s lives during conflict. She has received recognition as part of People’s “25 Women Changing the World,” Foreign Policy Magazine’s “100 Leading Global Thinkers,” and Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” in addition to being honored by President Clinton for her humanitarian work in Bosnia.

Alex Velaj is a dedicated philanthropist and chairman of the Velaj Foundation. The Foundation supports a number of important areas: a public/private partnership to develop urban open space, helping families and individuals as they move toward financial independence, year-round mentoring and activities for grades K-12 and other community-based organizations. The foundation has been awarding grants in the MENA region since 2008, starting with after-school and summer music programs for young people and is now focused on the work of EFE.

Ambassador Frank G. Wisner currently serves as an International Affairs Advisor at Squire Patton Boggs, LLP. During his diplomatic career spanning nearly four decades, he served as US Ambassador to Egypt, India, the Philippines, and India. He also served as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and as Undersecretary of State for International Security Affairs. He serves as the Chairman of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and International House.

Omar Wohabe is a partner at Wohabe Law Offices in New York representing Arab Gulf State governmental, institutional, and private clients on investments/commercial transactions abroad. He has served as an advisory board member of the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, the president of Arab Bankers Associate of North America, and Director of Badwa Capital Limited.

Born in Beirut, Amira spent her formative years in Dubai and Geneva, where she attended a French school until she graduated from high school. She then attended Stanford University in California, graduating with a B.A in English Literature with a focus in Creative Writing in 1999. She moved to the East Coast immediately after graduation to attend The Georgetown Law Center, and in 2002 moved to New York City where she worked a short time in corporate law in securities, before realizing that the corporate environment was not fulfilling for her. She has been a New Yorker ever since, where she continues to live with her husband and now two teenage sons who attend the Lycée Francais de New York, a school she is passionate about, for which she serves as vice-chair of development, and where her husband currently is Chairman of the board since 2022.

An entrepreneur at heart and a fitness enthusiast, Amira opened Flywheel Sports in Dubai in 2010, which was the first American boutique fitness studio in the Middle East. She is a dedicated and creative fundraiser and volunteer who has helped raise important sums over the years, for the Lycée Francais de New York and Every Mother Counts, where she continues to be involved.

She is passionate about human rights, the status of refugees, immigration rights, and access to health care and education. Amira sits on the board of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation since 2019. Amira has also recently joined the Stanford LEAD New York City Council.

Andrew Baird is the President & CEO of the global hub of the Education For Employment Network (EFE-Global). Previously, Andrew was the Program Area Director, Workforce and Economic Development Group for RTI International, where he led a team of 130 employees and a $150 million portfolio. There, he provided leadership, strategic direction and technical support in workforce development, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, youth, and other areas closely related to EFE's work. Andrew brings to EFE more than twenty-five years of experience in advancing private sector-led strategies to create inclusive employment and livelihoods around the world - including in several countries where EFE operates. He co-founded the Global Center for Youth Employment, a membership-based organization devoted to developing collective solutions to the challenges of youth employment. Andrew is a skillful business development expert and has managed a number of long-term donor-funded projects. He has held leadership positions in a range of organizations in the field and home offices of RTI International, Making Cents International, Chemonics International, and the Peace Corps. Andrew holds a BA from The College of Wooster and an MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Jasmine Nahhas di Florio has 25 years of experience spanning the nonprofit, philanthropy, government and private sectors. She is Executive Director of the Bruder Family Foundation. Having joined EFE in 2005, she is currently Senior Advisor at EFE, after working closely with EFE's Founder and Chairman since startup as Senior Vice President for Strategy, Partnerships & Communications. Today, EFE is the leading youth employment and nonprofit job placement network in the Middle East and North Africa. Jasmine ran programs for private donors to support access to education and health care for girls, and women's economic inclusion. Early in her career, Jasmine was a corporate attorney at the international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, and she also served as an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of Treasury. Jasmine consulted the United Nations (UNFIP) on private-public sector partnerships. A Rhodes Scholar, Frank Knox Scholar and Fulbright Scholar, she is a graduate of the University of Alberta, Oxford University and Harvard Law School. She also completed the Columbia Business School's Social Enterprise Program Senior Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals and currently serves on the board of the Middle East Children’s Institute. Jasmine’s expert commentary on economic opportunity, women’s empowerment and youth issues has been featured in The Financial Times, Forbes, Stanford Social Innovations Journal, Arabian Business, and Finance Middle East, among others.

Ana Martiningui has seventeen years of experience in communications, public and corporate engagement, business development, fundraising, project design and management, and research in the non-profit and private sectors. She joined the EFE Network in 2016 managing business development and research in EFE-Europe, and became the organization's CEO in 2020. Prior, she was Communications Chief and Publications Coordinator at the international think tank FRIDE, organization she joined in 2004. During the same period, she also acted as Communications Advisor for several institutes, including Concordia21, DARA, ECFR, Toledo International Centre for Peace or the Global Observatory. Previously, she worked in the private sector at Globalia Corporation, one of the largest holdings of the travel and tourism industry. She holds an MA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews and an MA in International Relations and Communications from the University Complutense of Madrid. She is author and editor of various publications on communications, European foreign policy, youth unemployment and the Middle East and North of Africa. She is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Amr Abdallah has over 20 years of experience working in the MENA region in senior roles in non-for-profit, public and private sector. Prior to joining EFE, Mr. Abdallah served as part of the MENA leadership team at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Before moving to the US, he taught Public Administration, Principles of Business Administration, Strategic Management and Business Policy at Egyptian and Arab Universities. He held several Senior Executive level positions in projects funded by international donor organizations like USAID, UNDP and is used to mediating and facilitating negotiations at the highest levels of national and international institutions. He has significant professional experience in designing, directing, implementing and evaluating public, private programs, and performing management-consulting services to government, public and private companies and institutions in the MENA region. Amr joined EFE in 2015.

Sarah Little joined EFE in 2009 as a program coordinator and has held several different positions on the team over the past eight years. Before joining EFE, Ms. Little worked for SOS Children’s Villages, a Washington, D.C.-based international non-profit organization, and for the Michigan State University Office of Study Abroad as a student adviser. She also interned for a non-profit, humanitarian organization called Secours Populaire Francais in Paris, France, where she worked mostly with French immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa. Sarah holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with specializations in Muslim Studies and Western European Studies from Michigan State University.

Dima Najim has over 13 years of experience working in the MENA region in senior NGO roles. Prior to joining EFE, Dima served as part of the World Wildlife Foundation - UAE fundraising team. Before moving to the UAE, she held the position of Chief Operations Officer of Relief International/MSME in Iraq, and in 2010 was part of the team assigned by AGFUND to establish the first microfinance bank in Syria, where she assumed the role of Operations Manager. Also, she was part of UNRWA's Microfinance Department management team. Dima has significant professional experience in women and youth empowerment and financial inclusion, in addition to her experience in partnership management, fundraising and operations management of NGOs. Born and raised in the MENA region, Dima holds a BA in accounting from Damascus University and a Master’s degree in finance from the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences.

Nour has over 10 years of experience working in the non-profit and private sectors in Egypt. Over the past seven years she focused on youth empowerment: training for employment, entrepreneurship, TVET, and more recently a focus on gender. Prior to joining EFE, she was the Egypt country director for IECD, a french non-profit organization that was starting up in Egypt. There she led the establishment of their country office and development of their operations. Before that, she worked at EFE-Egypt as partnerships and communications officer. Early in her career, Nour worked in branding and advertising. She holds a Master of Science in NGO Management from EDHEC, France, a Master of Marketing from EADA, Spain and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the American University in Cairo. She is fluent in English, French and Arabic

Rita joined EFE in 2017 as an Evaluation and Learning Analyst. Previously, she worked as Research Manager at J-Pal in Mexico and as a Senior Research Assistant at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, D.C. She has participated in several multi-country international development projects, being responsible for data management and analysis, and program and policy impact evaluation, including field work on the implementation of several randomized control trials. She has experience in a wide range of policy topics, from food security and technological adoption in agriculture, to labor markets and education, her main areas of interest. She holds a BA in Economics from Universidade de Vigo, an MA in Economic Analysis from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, and an MPP from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.

Ms. Dandachli holds a B. Sc. in Environmental Sciences, an M.A. in International Relations and African Studies, and advanced studies in Euro-Mediterranean Relations and International Development Cooperation. She joined EFE-Europe in 2013, where she provides business development and overarching strategic and technical oversight and assistance to multi-million high-impact USD projects across the Education For Employment Network, funded by international public and private institutions. Prior to joining EFE, she worked at the Autonomous University of Madrid, as well as at international and non-profit organizations, including the World Leadership Alliance - Club de Madrid, UNDP Burkina Faso, and Nantik Lum Foundation. She is an expert in international development, with over 18 years of progressive experience in programs, fundraising, and business development at different non-profit organizations. She has ample experience in fundraising, leading and overseeing multi-million USD programs and projects funded by public and private multinational, national and local organizations and institutions, including, but not limited to: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), UKFCDO, MEPI, the Bill & Melinda Gates, MasterCard, Citi, Trafigura, Chanel or Cartier Philanthropy. Ms. Dandachli's expertise lies in ensuring that all projects are carried out to the highest international standards and providing technical assistance in various areas such as overall project management, compliance, fundraising, writing and presenting project and funding proposals, and coordinating multi-country projects. She is fluent in French, Arabic, English, and Spanish.

Joana joined EFE in 2019 to manage EFE-Global programs in the UAE. Prior to joining EFE, Joana has accumulated seven years of work experience in the UAE, first as a Communication and PR Executive at GEMs Education, and later as the Regional Business Development Manager for an international company, at which she managed UAE operations. Joana relocated to the UAE from Syrian as the conflict there escalated. Prior to the move , she had assumed the position of Head of Marketing and Communications in one of the country’s leading banks. Joana has a degree in Business Management from Damascus University and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School. She speaks English, Arabic and Bulgarian fluently.

Abbey brings more than three years of experience in designing and implementing programming for youth as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) in Southern Morocco. Her accomplishments in this role include increasing attendance of girls at the local youth center by 60%, securing two USAID grants to fund local projects aimed to educate youth on healthy lifestyle and inclusion projects, delivering a 2-day Training of Trainers to educate other PCVs and their local counterparts on working with people with disabilities, and organizing an inclusive week-long camp for youth with and without special needs. Abbey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies with a minor in International Business from American University and is fluent in Moroccan Arabic.

Yolanda Merayo joined EFE in 2020 as Finance Director. She has over twenty years of experience in financial management and control, contracts and grants management, and financial systems, specializing in the non-profit sector. She has worked in both public and private foundations, managing Spanish, European and international grants. Prior to joining the EFE Network, Yolanda also helped NGOs set up Enterprise Resource Planning (EPR) systems – Netsuite (Oracle) and Navision (Microsoft). She has a BA in Economics from the University of Valladolid, an MA in Communications Management from Cesma Business School, as well as several executive courses on NGO financial management.

Agustin Perez Vilaplana has more than 27 years of experience in operations, technology and project management in Citibank, working as Senior Country Operations Officer in 8 different countries in Latin America, the United States and Europe. Prior to joining the EFE Network, his last position was Senior Vice President in charge of Latin American Account Services for Corporate Clients out of Bogota, Colombia. Mr. Perez Vilaplana also run his own consultancy company, focusing on human resources and operations in Spain, Morocco and Chile.

Ashley joined EFE in 2015, offering a breadth of experience in the technology, conservation, education, and international development fields. Before joining EFE, she worked in corporate and foundation relations at The Nature Conservancy. Prior to that, she worked at Facebook, participating in the launch of the Arabic site. She also served as a faculty member at the Middlebury Arabic School and as an election observer with the Carter Center during Tunisia’s parliamentary elections in 2014. She has worked to advance young women’s employment in the MENA region, authoring the report, First Jobs for Young Women in the Middle East & North Africa: Expectations and Reality, produced by EFE in partnership with YouGov and Bayt.com. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a B.A. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures: Arabic from the University of California, Berkeley.

Álvaro Muñoz joined EFE in October 2021 as Financial Assistant. Previously, he worked in several organizations in the consulting and financial sectors, and also has experience in different activities related to the third sector. Álvaro obtained a double degree in Business Administration and Law from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and also holds a Master in Governance and Human Rights from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. As part of this last degree, he did his internship in Elcano Royal Institute, taking part in several research projects on public security policies in Latin America.

Akshay joined EFE in September 20201 as a Program Associate supporting projects in Tunisia and Yemen. Akshay is a recent graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University where he completed a Master’s degree in International Education Development with a focus on International Humanitarian Issues. Prior to Teachers College, Akshay worked as an elementary school teacher in Brooklyn, NY while completing his Bachelor’s in elementary education at Brooklyn College. Akshay recently worked as a research assistant supporting research on refugee teacher wellbeing and completed internships at Jusoor, a Lebanese NGO, and the United Nations Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section. Outside of work, Akshay loves watching soccer, playing disc golf, taking hikes, and cooking.

Samiya joined EFE in November 2020 as a Development & Communications Associate. She graduated from Western University with a joint degree-diploma in Media, Information & Technoculture and Broadcast Television Production. Prior to EFE, Samiya worked as a Producer and Production Coordinator on documentaries, comedy TV pilots, music videos, and commercials. She has experience working at a variety of creative agencies in New York and Toronto on campaigns promoting youth empowerment and diversity.

Javier joined EFE-Global in October 2021 as a Program Associate, providing programmatic support across projects in Morocco, Palestine, and Jordan. Prior to joining EFE, he served as an Education and English Outreach Assistant at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers, where he implemented social media campaigns and advised Algerian students preparing to attend university and enter the workforce. Javier is a recent graduate of the Dual Degree Program between Sciences Po and Columbia University, earning Bachelor’s degrees in Politics and Government and Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies, respectively.

Brad Kushner has been the C.P.A. and Treasurer at Brookhill Property Management since 1992 and Treasurer at EFE since 2003.

David Sloane has been IT Administrator at EFE since 2005.

Julio Andrés joined EFE-Europe in February 2022 as Business Development Assistant, following an internship at the organisation. Prior to this, he had worked and held internships in banking and volunteered in several NGOs. Julio has an MA in International Relations from the IE School of Global and Public Affairs and a BA in Economics from the University CARLOS III of Madrid. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Hala joined the EFE Network in September 2022 as a Senior Program Officer in Madrid. She has over seven years of experience in education, non-profits, and the United Nations system. She previously worked in Jordan with international non-profit organizations such as Save the Children and Blumont, where she managed and coordinated programs in Zaatari camp, the world's largest Syrian refugee camp. She has also worked with the United Nations System Staff College in supporting and managing online learning programs for professionals. Hala holds an M.A. in International Development from IE University in Madrid and speaks fluent Arabic and English, and is intermediate in Spanish.

Jessica Wakim joined EFE in June 2022 as a Program Officer. She has experience working in conflict resolution and peacebuilding with MARCH, a Non-Governmental organization located in Lebanon. Jessica obtained a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (Lebanon) with training in International Humanitarian Law in collaboration with the Lebanese Army. She completed her education through an internship at the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the diaspora department and is currently enrolled in an M.A. in Diplomacy and International Security. Jessica was an active Emergency Medical Technician volunteer with the Lebanese Red Cross over the course of three years, and has also volunteered with the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) in monitoring and evaluating the 2022 Lebanese Parliamentary Elections.

Sofiane M. Timtaoucine is Partnerships and Business Development Officer at EFE-Europe since February 2022. Prior to this, Sofiane consulted for institutions in Algeria and Lebanon supporting their efforts in developing and monitoring projects that assist refugees and conflict impacted communities. Along with that, he was the main Researcher on North Africa on a public policy research at the University of St. Gallen. Previously, Sofiane served as Policy and Liaison Assistant at the UN Migration Agency office in Algeria working on coordination efforts, communication, project development, and implementing social cohesion and capacity building projects for migrants in the country. Sofiane holds an MA in Public Policy and International Affairs from the American University of Beirut and a BA in Political Science/International Affairs (minor in Conflict Analysis & Resolution) from the Lebanese American University, Byblos. He is fluent in English and Arabic.

Ivan joined EFE-Europe in March 2023 as Communications and Development Officer. Originally trained in technical architecture at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid, he worked for a number of years in project management firms. He moved to London in 2008 to pursue postgraduate studies in psychotherapy at the Tavistock Centre - University of Essex in London, where he also worked with vulnerable adults in the British National Health Service. Ivan returned to Madrid in 2021, after two years in Paris working for the British Council, to complete a master's degree in Corporate and Institutional Communication at the Universidad Carlos III, during which he also collaborated with Unidad Editorial, one of Spain's leading newspaper and magazine publishing companies. He is fluent in Spanish, English and French.

Mr. David Arkless is our Global Ambassador and previously served as an EFE-Global Board member during its startup years. David is Founder and Chairman of ArkLight Consulting and The Future Work Consortium. David was formerly a Global President at ManpowerGroup, International President of CDI Corporation and European Director at Hewlett-Packard Europe. David has in-depth experience in corporate and international affairs and has advised the governments of China, Mexico, Vietnam, Serbia and Singapore, as well as the US Department of State, the European Union and the cities of Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian and El Paso/Juarez. David also regularly appears on global media outlets such as Bloomberg, the BBC, CNBC and CNN and has lectured at Georgetown University, Durham University Business School and INSEAD. Voted one of the top 50 CSR influencers in the world, David has received awards from many institutions for his CSR work, including the Vatican. David was president, co-chairman and co-founder of anti-trafficking nonprofits, and serves on the boards of numerous nonprofits. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. David received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Durham where he is now a Professor, and participated in executive programs at INSEAD, IMD and the San Jose College of Business.

Shereen Ahmed is one of Broadway’s most notable rising stars. After her groundbreaking debut, Shereen has been recognized as the first woman of color to play Eliza Doolittle in Broadway & West End history.

Shereen was spotlighted as one of ‘40 Under 40’ accomplished Arab Americans in the United States by the Arab America Foundation, and was invited as a guest speaker for the United Nations 14th Conference of States Parties on ‘Disability, Diversity and Inclusion: The Broadway Masterclass.’

Shereen has studied human rights at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Sociology & Anthropology with a Concentration in Criminal Justice from Towson University. She was recently seen on NBC’s hit show New Amsterdam as Shenaz Shetty, and starred Off-Broadway in the Irish Repertory Theater’s virtual holiday production Meet Me in St. Louis as Esther Smith. Shereen is currently traveling the country starring as Eliza Doolittle in the first national tour of The Lincoln Center Theatre’s production of My Fair Lady, under the direction of Bartlett Sher.

Ambassador D’Archirafi began his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1956. In 1957, he served at the Italian embassy in Munich. He became representative of Italy to the European Economic Community (ECC) in 1961. He worked at the Italian embassy in Buenos Aires (1966- 1969), and was Italian ambassador to Spain (1984-1987) and to the Federal Republic of Germany (1987-1989). In 1989, he became general director of Economic Affairs at the government led by Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. In 1991, he became general director of Political Affairs. He served as a member of the European Commission from 1993 to 1995, during which he was commissioner for internal market and services together with Martin Bangemann. Ambassador D’Archirafi was awarded the Robert Schuman medal. He has served as a member of the EuropEFE Board of Directors.

Baroness Mary Goudie is a senior member of the British House of Lords and a global advocate for the rights of women and children. She is involved in promoting gender equity with both the G8 and G20, and chairs the Women Leaders’ Council to Fight Human Trafficking at the UN. She is actively engaged in numerous philanthropic organizations, including through her role as member of the Executive and Board of Directors of Vital Voices Global Partnership. In this role, she has been involved in training community and business leaders and parliamentarians. She is a founding member of the 30% Club Steering Committee, which aims to influence chairmen into bringing more women onto UK corporate boards. She is also a trustee of the US-based El-Hibri Charitable Foundation, whose aims are to foster inter-faith dialogue and to establish common ground and solutions to global challenges affecting mankind. She has served as a member of the EuropEFE Board of Directors.

Mr. Olcese is member of the Royal Academy of Economics and Chairman of Fincorp Mediacion (Merchant Bankers). He is also board member of AC Hotels; independent director of Attijariwafa Bank Maroc; and senior advisor of N+1 Investment Bankers, McGraw Hill, world leader financial and industrial restructuring firm Alvarez & Marsal, and leading Spanish satellite and Wi-Fi communications company Eurona. He is also Chairman of Fundación Independiente, the oldest institution in Spain advocating for an open, participative and solidary Spanish civil society. He was awarded the Civil Merit Highest Cross by HRM the King of Spain for his contribution to good corporate governance and corporate social responsibility, having published over ten books on these subjects. He has received the Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine del Mèrito by the Republic of Italy, the Commander of the Order of Wissam Al-Alaoui by the Royal Throne of Morocco, and the Commander of the Order of Civil Merit by the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. He received his doctorate, with honours, in Economics and Business from the Autonomous University of Madrid. Mr. Olcese sits on the EFE-Global Board of Directors.

Mr. Hidalgo is co-founder of the leading Spanish daily newspaper El País and for 30 years he served as a member of the Board. He is President of FRIDE and of DARA Evaluation. He is also President and founder of the Foundation Los Santos de Maimona, and founder of the Club of Madrid and of the Toledo International Center for Peace. He is advisor of the United Nations Commission on “Legal Empowerment of the Poor”, founding member and senior fellow of the Gorbachev Foundation of North America (GFNA), and fellow of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. He recently founded the European Council for Foreign Relations with George Soros. Mr. Hidalgo has an LLB from the University Complutense of Madrid and an MBA from Harvard University. In 2008 he received the Raymond Goris Prize for Best European Philanthropist and in 2011 the Commitment to Development Award from the Center for Global Development.

• Anis Aclimandos (Chair): Chairman, American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham Egypt)
• Dr. Abla Abdel-Latif, Chairwoman, Presidential Advisory Council for Economic Development
• Ahmed Abou Ali: Partner, Hassouna & Abou Ali
• Hossam Allam: Managing Director, Head of MENA and New Markets, Hassan Allam Services
• Amr Badr: Managing Director, AmCham Inc.
• Andrew Baird: CEO, EFE-Global
• Ronald Bruder: Founder, Education For Employment
• Adel Danish: Chairman & CEO, The Smart Village
• Hisham Fahmy: CEO, American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham Egypt)
• Alaa Hashem: Co-Founder and Executive Partner, Transcendium
• SherifH. Kamel: Professor & Dean, American University in Cairo (AUC)
• Elizabeth Khalifa: Chief People Officer, Zooba
• Omar A. Mohanna: Chairman, Suez Cement Group
• Gamal Moharam: Non-Executive Chairman, Newscape Egypt
• Tarek Tawfik: Chairman, Cairo Poultry Group
• Shahira Zeid: Vice Chairman & CEO, MZ Investments
• Dalia Ibrahim: CEO at Nahdet Misr Publishing House & Founder of EdVentures

• Luay Abugazaleh (Chair): Managing Partner, Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property
• H.E. Samir Murad: Business and Social Entrepreneur
• Andrew Baird: President & CEO, EFE-Global
• Mohammed Bataineh: Chairman & CEO, Agri Jordan, and BADR Developments
• Ronald Bruder: Founder, Education for Employment
• Taima Khoury Kawar: Social and Civic Leader
• Isam Salfiti: Chairman, Al Etihad Bank for Savings and Investment
• Ms. Haifa Al-Khraisha: Former policy analyst, International Affairs Department at the Royal Hashemite Court
• Prof. Rowaida Al Maaitah: Professor at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Former Minister of  Higher Education and Scientific Research

• Amine Berrada Sounni (Chair): CEO, Compagnie Chérifienne de Chocolaterie (Aiguebelle)
• Laila Slassi-Sennou (Vice President): Co-founder, Afrique Advisors
• Anas Guennoun: Managing Partner, West Capital Partners
• Naziha Belkeziz-Laraqui, Co-Founder, Cabinet Associés en Gouvernance Maroc
• Abdelkader Boukhriss: CPA, Societe Feduciare du Maroc
• Ronald Bruder: Founder, Education For Employment
• Omar Chaabi: Executive Vice President, Ynna Holding
• Mohamed Ali Kadiri: Founder, Dictys
• Soraya Sebti: Head of Sustainability & CSR, BMCE Bank of Africa
• Mohamed Ibrahim Slaoui: CEO, MAFODER Group

• H.E Mazen Sinokrot (Board Chair): Chair & CEO, Chairman, Sinokrot Global Group (SGG)
• Dr. Safa Nassereldin (Vice Chair): Former Minister- VP for Jerusalem, Alquds University, Al-Quds Open University
• Dr. Samih Al Abed (Treasurer) : Advisor, Former Minister of Public Works and Housing, Palestine Investment Fund
• Mr. Ragheb Budeiri (Secretary): Consultant, World Bank Group
• Mr. Samer Khoury: President Engineering & Construction, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)
• Mr. Nafez Husseini: VP, ICT & Digital Business; Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)
• Ms. Asma' Al-Khoudary: Financial Officer, Saqqa & Khoudary (Gaza)
• Mr. Bayan Qasem: General Manager Istiqlal Bank for Development and Investment
• Mr. Bashar Al-Azza: Founding Owner and Deputy Chairman, Tatweer Development Group
• Ms. Mais Sawafta: Co-Founder and General Manager at Oyoun Media
• Mr. Fadi Dweik: General Manager at Palestine Investment Fund
• Mr. Hani Skaik: Business Advisor at Middle East Investment Initiative 
• Andrew Baird, CEO, EFE-Global
• Ronald Bruder: Founder, Education For Employment

• Majid Baterjee (Chair): Director Corporate Communications at Olayan Saudi Holding Company (OSHCO)
• Sultan Olayan: Senior Associate Private Equity and Corporate Development, Olayan Financing Company
• Anas AlJurafani: Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Strategic Partnerships Director at Alturki Holding

• Maître Donia Ellouze (President of the Board): Lawyer, Supreme Court of Tunisia, Hedda-Ellouze, Ellouze & Belajouza-Felli
• Adel Torjmen (Secretary General of the Board): Head of EMEA Operations, SUNGARD – FIS
• Leila Kefi (Treasurer of the Board): Co-Founder and Associate of Actawa, Tunisian Investment Fund for Impact Startups
• Badreddine Ouali: Founder and President of Vermeg and Tunisia Foundation for Development
• Elyes Jeribi: Senior Vice President of JumiaPay Business Services, Jumia African E-commerce platform 
• Mouna Hamden: Senior Operations Officer in the Maghreb Country Management Unit, World Bank
• Naceur Hidoussi: President of Amcham Tunisia; Founder of Hexabyte
• Slim Zeghal: CEO of Altea Packaging
• Ronald Bruder: Founder, Education For Employment
• Andrew Baird: CEO, EFE-Global

• Abdul Aziz Al-Yaqout: Founder & Partner, Meysan Partners
• HE Reem Abdel Rahim BinKaram: Director, NAMA Women Advancement Association
• Andrew Baird: CEO, EFE-Global
• Ronald Bruder: Founder, Education For Employment
• Mariam Farag: Head of CSR, MBC Group
• Raza Jafar: Founder GSN, ENSHAA
• Yogesh Mehta: CEO, Petrochem Middle East
• Hamdi Osman: Founding Member, Middle East and North African Franchise Association (MENAFA)
• Karim Seifeddine: Corporate Communications Head, Middle East & Africa, CITI
• Arda Atalay: Regional Director, LinkedIn Middle East

• Foud Hayel (Board Chair): HSA Group
• Abu-Baker Balbarid (Chairman): Aden Chamber of Commerce
• Ali Alhaibshi (Chairman): Broom Company
• Huda Al-Sharafi (Chairwoman): VP, Almaz Group
• Talat Abdelaziz (Chairman): Saif Group
• Amat Alaleem: Public Political Figure 
• Mohammed Saeed: Universal Group
• Osam Saeed: Universal Group
• Rashad Hayel: HSA Group
• Ronald Bruder: Founder, Education For Employment
• Andrew Baird: CEO, EFE-Global

Nora Abou El Seoud has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of education, training and social development in multinational institutions and NGOs. Nora joined Education For Employment-Egypt (EFE-Egypt) in 2012 as trainer working directly with youth. She gradually took on additional management responsibilities, starting from training officer, and rising to become Director of Programs, and then Chief Operating Officer. She assumed the role of CEO in December 2017. Under her executive leadership, EFE-Egypt doubled the size of its operations, average number of graduates and annual budget. Previously, Nora worked at Regional IT Institute (RITI), a leading human resource development nonprofit, as a Senior Training and Operations Manager overseeing all training and developmental projects as well as business operations. Prior, she worked with international education nonprofit AMIDEAST, where she implemented a project for LLM students in cooperation with Indiana University. She began her career with the American University in Cairo (AUC), one of the top universities in the Middle East, as an instructor, teacher and curriculum developer. Nora graduated from the AUC with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business Administration. She then earned her Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from AUC. She is fluent in English and Arabic.

Abdullah Al Ghamdi previously served as the Training Manager for EFE in Saudi Arabia. He started his career at Carrefour and Al Nasban Group prior to moving to Dairy Queen KSA where he rapidly progressed, eventually becoming responsible for the Learning & Development function and certifying the first two training centers for Dairy Queen Middle East North Africa (MENA). Following Dairy Queen, Abdullah served as Dar Juwanah Group's Learning & Development Manager overseeing two brands across four countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco and Egypt). In 2015, he assumed the role of Training Manager for House of Retail, building the company's department and standard operating procedures. Abdullah has also worked as a freelance trainer and consultant developing programs, departments and capacity in Saudi Arabia and the UAE for companies such as Marriott, Royal Commission, Almarai, Mobily, Riyadh Metro, Almajdouie and many others. Abdullah holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication; is a Certified Master Trainer under the Association for Talent Development (ATD); is certified in emotional intelligence models EQi- 2.0 and EQi - 360; and is a Situational Leadership facilitator.

Ameen Alqadri has over 15 years of experience in international development, education quality improvement, vocational training, and youth programs. He has worked at Education For Employment-Yemen (EFE-Yemen) since January 2014, when he began his EFE-Yemen career as the Project Director for Youth Vocational Empowerment Project. He was soon after appointed to CEO of EFE-Yemen. Under his leadership, EFE-Yemen has remained one of the few organizations offering tangible employment and economic opportunities to Yemeni youth amid the country’s ongoing conflict. Previously a Program Manager at Education Development Center, he also held a National Coordinator position at World Links International. He has worked extensively in providing training, facilitation and evaluation expertise in programs involving school authorities, administrators, teachers, students, and parents. He also served as a research specialist for the Yemen Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment, a USAID-funded study. Ameen holds a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree from the College of Education at Sana’a University and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Education Management at Queen Arwa University. He is fluent in English and Arabic.

Lamia Chaffai has over 20 years of experience in social impact, politics, technology, and commerce in Tunisia. Lamia joined the EFE Network as the founding CEO of Education For Employment-Tunisie (EFE-Tunisie), which was launched after the Tunisian Revolution in May 2012. Today, EFE-Tunisie has become the country’s leading civil society organization addressing youth unemployment providing women and men with skills and tools to secure a job or start a business, while also bringing together Tunisian and international partners in public-private partnerships. Prior to her position as CEO at EFE-Tunisie, Lamia served as a Senior Advisor for the Tunisian Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training. She was responsible for the coordination of Information Technology and Information Systems projects at the Ministry and its related agencies, as well as for the coordination of Digital Economy Pilot Projects. She has also served as Secretary of State for Information Technology at the Ministry of Communications Technologies and as CEO at the Tunisian Internet Agency. Lamia holds degrees from the Université de Technologie de Compiègne and the National Engineering School of Monastir. She is fluent in English, Arabic and French.

Ghadeer Khuffash has over 20 years of expertise in workforce development, project management, and fundraising and as a workforce and human rights activist. Since joining Education For Employment-Jordan (EFE-Jordan) as CEO in November 2014. EFE-Jordan empowers youth with the needed soft and technical skills they need to work, and then links them with private sector jobs based on a demand-driven approach. Under Ghadeer’s leadership, EFE-Jordan’s team, outreach, and implementing capacity has increased dramatically, and EFE-Jordan continues to establish itself as a national leader in creating economic opportunities for unemployed youth in Jordan. Prior to assuming her role at EFE-Jordan, Ghadeer was the Executive Director at Luminus Group and the Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Employment at Al-Quds College and the Luminus Vocational Training Center. In this role, she helped Luminus Group’s education and training center to prepare youth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for work and establish linkages with the private sector. Previously, she served as a Business Acquisition Manager at DAI, where she built business networks in the MENA region, identified new business opportunities for the company and managed proposal development for USAID and other investors. Trained academically as an engineer, Ghadeer holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from the University of Jordan. In 2018, she completed Stanford University’s Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders. Ghadeer is fluent in English and Arabic.

Dima Najim has over 15 years of experience working in the Middle east and North Africa (MENA) region in senior NGO roles. She assumed the role of Managing Director of Education For Employment-UAE (EFE-UAE) in March 2017. Under her leadership, EFE-UAE builds partnerships that catalyze youth employment through EFE Affiliates across the MENA region, and contributes to local projects that benefit Emirati youth through job training and placement, entrepreneurship, and employability skills. EFE-UAE has a special focus on empowering young women through economic opportunity. Dima has significant professional experience in women and youth empowerment and financial inclusion, in addition to her experience in partnership management, fundraising, and operations management of NGOs. Before joining EFE-UAE, she served as part of the World Wildlife Foundation - UAE fundraising team. Before moving to the UAE, she held the position of Chief Operations Officer of Relief International/MSME in Iraq, and in 2010 was part of the team assigned by AGFUND to establish the first microfinance bank in Syria. A Palestinian raised in Syria, Dima holds a BA in accounting from Damascus University and a Master’s degree in finance from the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences. She is fluent in English, Arabic and French.

Saro Nakashian has over 20 years of experience developing programs, marketing services and managing teams that enable organizations to succeed and create an impact. Since joining Education For Employment-Palestine (EFE-Palestine) in April 2011, he has grown the organization to operate in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem, where it provides demand-driven training to youth with limited opportunity, and offers startup support to aspiring entrepreneurs. Prior to joining EFE-Palestine, Saro held the position of Senior Management and Marketing Analyst with the Center for Continuing Education (CCE) of Birzeit University. Throughout his career, he has worked across multiple sectors, from public health to private industry, and has substantial experience managing technical development assistance, including but not limited to in the EU, UNIDO, UNRWA, WB, and USAID. Saro holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from St. Peter’s College; an MBA in Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University; and a Master of Philosophy in Human Resources Development from the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands. He serves as Chairman of the Board at the Juzoor Foundation, and a Board Member at WorldVision Jerusalem East Jerusalem YMCA. He is fluent in English, Armenian and Arabic.

Houda joined EFE-Maroc in March 2018. She brings over 17 years of experience in Business Management, Audit, Finance, Admin and HR with SMEs and multinational companies. Her experience working in the finance departments of private-sector companies, along with her skills in management, budgeting, cost-control and financial efficiency, has been instrumental to develop a strong financial case for the prior companies and for EFE-Maroc. Prior to joining EFE, she was the CFO of RMO Group, one of the largest staffing companies in Morocco. She also worked as the Finance Director of Laureate Somed Education Holding, part of the Somed conglomerate; as Cost Control & Credit manager at G4S, the largest security service company in Morocco; and in audit for Groupe Palmeraie Développement and Sigmatel. Houda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from ISCAE and a Master’s degree in Financial Management and Audit from IAE Bordeaux.