Middle East Annual Conference

The Middle East Conference is one of LBS's flagship conferences, where 10+ senior speakers from across the region will join us on campus! 

As one of Europe's largest annual conferences covering the Middle East, we will bring together prominent government and business leaders to discuss matters of great importance to the region and the global arena. We expect to welcome around 200+ attendees, including ambassadors, diplomats, senior executives, professionals, academics, and students.

Speakers include:
●    Dr. Ibrahim AlMojil, CEO of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund
●    Mohammed AlShaya, Executive Chairman of the AlShaya Group
●    Rusha Al-Rawaf, Ph.D. Managing Director of Aramco UK 
●    Noura AlAbdulkareem, Head of Capital Markets in Boursa Kuwait 
●    Hisham Al Faleh, Founder and CEO of Lean Technologies
●    Faisal Toukan, Co-founder & CEO of Ziina

Our theme for the conference this year is “Paradigm Shift - Reimagining the Future of MENA”. From growing the retail sector to cultivating the venture capital and private equity scene, the Middle East is undergoing social and infrastructural changes to lay the foundation for a sustainable future. This year’s conference will serve as a forum for rich discourse on how major governmental institutions and private sector pioneers will cultivate nascent opportunities in the region, so it remains competitive in the 21st century.

09:00 – 09:45    Registration and Breakfast
09:45 – 10:00    Welcome Speech

10:00 – 10:55 Women Empowerment: Breaking Glass Ceilings
Speaker 1: HH Intisar Salem Al Ali Al Sabah, President of Intisar Foundation 
Speaker 2: Sarah Al Ayed, Summit Sherpa at YEA Saudi Arabia 
Speaker 3: Lynn Zovighian, Co-founder & Managing Director of The Zovighian Partnership
Moderator: Jane Khedair, Director of Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital

11:00 – 11:50 Fireside Chat
Mohammed Alshaya, Chairman of Alshaya Group
Moderator: Dr. Rusha AlRawaf, Managing Director of Aramco UK

11:50 – 12:00    Coffee Break

12:00 – 12:55 Fin-Tech: Modern Solutions to Old Problems
Speaker 1: Hisham Al Faleh, Founder of Lean Technologies
Speaker 2: Faisal Toukan, Founder of Ziina
Speaker 3: Tarek Sadi, CEO of Aktagold
Moderator: Julian Birkinshaw, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at LBS

13:00 – 13:50 Fireside Chat
Dr. Ibrahim AlMojil, CEO of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund
Moderator: Roger Rabbat, Partner at Strategy& Middle East

13:50 – 14:50    Lunch

14:50 – 15:45 Finance: Growth of Capital Markets & Private Equity in the MENA Region
Speaker 1: Noura AlAbdulkareem, Head of Capital Market at Boursa Kuwait
Speaker 2: Ahmad Youssef, Senior Partner at McKinsey, Dubai
Moderator: TBD

15:45 – 15:55    Coffee Break

15:55 – 16:50 Energy Transition: Opportunities & Challenges
Speaker 1: Ahmed Mehdi, Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
Speaker 2: James Thomas, Partner at Strategy& Middle East
Speaker 3: Mehdi Chennoufi, Head of Global LNG Origination & Market Development at Shell
Moderator: Dr. Rusha AlRawaf, Managing Director of Aramco UK

16:50 – 17:00     Closing Remarks
17:00 – 20:00    Networking Session and Dinner

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