Hawkamah - The Institute for Corporate Governance

Speakers

Eugenio Berenga

Eugenio Berenga Managing Director Middle East +971 561 7910060 eberenga@alixpartners.com <div>26 years of professional experience in operations and supply chain transformation in automotive, aerospace, industria products, engineering and energy. Led successfully several transformation program for large industrial groups in Automotive, Aerospace and Defense and industrial goods.</div> <div>Eugenio has a proven track record in leading, driving and achieving tangible results.</div> <div>Member of AlixPartners EMEA Operating Committee</div> <div>He acted as Director, CEO and Chairman of industrial companies during their transformation / restructuring effort.</div> <div>• Development of an Automotive Industrial Cluster in a GCC Country • Transformation Program for a Healthcare group in GCC (including organizational re-design) • European Vending Machine Manufacturer – CEO and Chairman during operational and financial restructuring • Leading European Garden Equipment Manufacturer – Board Director pre and post restructuring • GCC Oil & Gas equipment provider: turnaround concept and performance improvement • Leading Aerospace Group – Multi-annual Turnaround and Transformation program • Major Global Automotive OES (Europe, US China and Latin and North America) – Material Cost Improvement Program • Major Automotive Powertrain Manufacturer – Post-merger integration and transformation on a global basis; • Leading Industrial Companies – developed and evaluated strategic business plans • 2nd Largest Worldwide Utility – Business Planning, Strategic Sourcing, Total Cost Improvement, Supply Chain optimization. • Leading European Engineering, Procurement and Construction Company – Global Sourcing (savings achieved up to 27%) • Worldwide Aerospace Engine Manufacturer Global Cost Reduction Program</div> <div>Eugenio holds an MBA from SDA-Bocconi (Italy) with honors and a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration from Bocconi University of Milan (Italy). He is fluent in Italian, English and French, and he has worked in the US, France, UK, Germany, Italy, KSA and other Middle East countries.</div>

Alec Aaltonen

Alec Aaltonen is the Vice President at HAWKAMAH Institute for Corporate Governance He is in charge of the HAWKAMAH/S&P Pan Arab ESG Index, HAWKAMAH’s SME initiatives, as well as corporate governance assessments. He is also an accredited facilitator for the Director Development Programmes run by the Mudara Institute of Directors (MIOD). He was engaged with boards assignments for listed companies within the Oil, Gas and Energy Sectors in the Middle East. Prior to joining HAWKAMAH, Alec worked for HSBC Global Asset Management in London, where he engaged with boards of FTSE-listed companies on their corporate governance practices. This entailed detailed corporate governance analysis of companies from sectors such as Banks, Financial Services, and Telecommunications and covered areas ranging from executive remuneration schemes to board balance and audit independence. He also prepared voting instructions for HSBC shareholdings at the general meetings of these companies. Prior to HSBC, he worked for a corporate governance consultancy in London as a Corporate Governance Executive. He holds Bachelor and Master’s degrees in International Relations, a Graduate Diploma in Law and a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law.

Dr. Ashraf Gamal

Dr. Ashraf Gamal El Din is the Chief Executive Officer of Hawkamah, the Institute for Corporate Governance, the DIFC. Prior to joining Hawkamah, Dr. Ashraf was the Executive Chairman of Egypt Post. Before that, he was the Deputy Executive Director of the Egyptian Banking Institute, the training arm of the Central Bank of Egypt. He was also the founder and Project Manager of the Egyptian Corporate Responsibility Center working on promoting the concepts and application of CSR in Egypt. Furthermore, he was the Executive Director of the Egyptian Institute of Directors (EIoD), the Institute of Corporate Governance in Egypt and the Arab Region Dr. Ashraf served as a board member and head of the Audit Committee in a number of listed, non-listed, State Owned and family owned companies. He also served a member of the General Assembly of the Holding Company for Transportation. Furthermore, Dr. Ashraf is an Associate Professor of Management, Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University and holds a Ph.D. degree from Manchester University, UK, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Carleton University, Canada. He further holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Cairo University with highest honor. Dr. Ashraf worked as head of Business Administration Department at Nile University for Graduate Studied, affiliated with the Ministry of Communication & Information Technology. Since 1997, he taught a large number of management and business courses in Egypt, the US, and the Gulf Area.

Bob Sehmi

Bob Sehmi FCMA, MIRM, MBA. Bob Sehmi is the Corporate Risk Manager with Dana Gas with responsibilities for Risk Management, Insurance and Internal Audit. Previously, he has worked with KHD International in Germany and BG Group in UK as Head of Risk Management. He has significant experience in reporting to the Boards, Audit Committees and external stakeholders on key risks and risk management methodology.

Bryan Stirewalt

<div align="LEFT"> Mr Bryan Stirewalt joined the DFSA in 2008 and has served as a Managing Director of the Supervision Division since 2010. The Supervision Division includes prudential- and conduct-oriented oversight of a variety of financial service providers, including: commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, wealth managers, and a variety of advisory services. The Supervision Division also oversees the DFSA's role with auditors and credit rating agencies. Mr Stirewalt is active in the DFSA’s efforts to fight methods of illicit finance with respect to the entities mentioned above, as well as with other designated non-financial businesses and professions. Mr Stirewalt has extensive experience in the financial regulatory sphere, in both public and private sector roles. From 1985 to 1996, he worked for the US Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency as a National Bank Examiner, where he specialised in policy development and implementation, problem bank rehabilitation and banking fraud initiatives. From 1996 to 2008, he worked for an international consulting and advisory firm, focusing his attention on emerging markets development programmes, including management of large-scale and multi-faceted projects in Poland, Ukraine, Cyprus and Kazakhstan. These projects related to a wide array of topics including financial sector development, risk management policies and practices, anti-money laundering systems and controls and methods of supervising complex financial conglomerates. Mr Stirewalt serves as the Co-Chair of the Basel Consultative Group (BCG) which provides a forum for deepening the Basel Committee's engagement with supervisors around the world on banking supervisory issues. The BCG facilitates broad supervisory dialogue with non-member countries on new Basel Committee initiatives early in the process by gathering senior representatives from various countries, international institutions and regional groups of banking supervisors that are not members of the Committee. </div>

Gaetan Desclee

Gaetan Desclee is the CEO of Securitas in the United Arab Emirates. Securitas Group is a world leader in Security Solutions with 320,000 employees and operations spread across in 52 countries. He has more that 14 years of extensive experience in the service industry dealing with both Governmental and private sectors. He has led and motivated worldwide team composed of more than 1500 employees. He has proven achivement and expertise in general management in service industry. Gaetan holds a Master's degree in Business Management and an EMBA from HEC Paris. His extensive business background in international and multi-cultural environment has naturally brought him closer to CSR. While leading his team, Gaetan has successfully implemented several CSR programs within Securitas UAE primarily focusing on the welfare of labour community in UAE. His global vision and in-house innovative CSR projects were great inspirations for the case studies in business school and are widely recognized by various CSR organizations and Ministry of Labour in UAE. Gaetan is a regular speaker in the CSR forum and well renowned in the industry.

George Dallas

Mr. George Dallas was appointed Policy Director at International Corporate Governance Network in 2014, where he coordinates ICGN’s governance polices and committees, and plays an active role in ICGN’s regulatory outreach. George is also a senior visiting fellow at Cass Business School, and is currently consulting for the World Bank on a project to establish a stewardship code in an African capital market. Previously, George served as Director of Corporate Governance at F&C Investments in London, where he led F&C’s global policies relating to corporate governance, proxy voting and engagement matters. Prior to joining F&C George was a Managing Director at Standard & Poor’s over a 24 year period, including as head of Standard & Poor’s European credit rating operations and global head of S&P’s governance services unit. Mr. Dallas holds a BA degree, with distinction, from Stanford University and an MBA from the Haas School of the University of California at Berkeley.

H.E Fatima Al Jaber

Her Excellency Fatima Al Jaber Board Member Al Jaber Group <div>Fatima Al Jaber is an engineer with significant expertise in the management of international businesses, a prominent leader in the GCC area construction industry and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Al Jaber Group and former Group Chief Operating Officer for the years (2007 – 2014). Prior to this Fatima worked with the Abu Dhabi Government in various technical and managerial positions, including her pivotal role as Assistant Undersecretary for Projects & Technical Services at Abu Dhabi Public Works Department and later at Abu Dhabi Municipality.</div> <div>In 2010, Fatima became the first Emirati woman to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2010-2014). Fatima was a founding member and the Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen’s Council (2010 -2014) and was elected as the Chairperson of the United Arab Emirates Businesswomen’s Council for the term (2011 to 2014) Fatima has been twice acknowledged by Forbes Arabia as an Arab career woman of note. Most recently she has been ranked #4 by Forbes Middle east 100 Most Powerful Women in the Private sector for 2015.</div> <div>Fatima has won many awards and accolades from distinguished sources such as L’Official Middle East Magazine, and at the Arabian World Construction Summit, Amcham all lauding her as one of Arabia’s premier businesswomen. She was named by Arabian Business as the fifth (5) Most Powerful Arab Women for 2013. In Feb 2013 she was awarded an Entrepreneurship award at the Gr8 Woman Awards. In 2014 she was acknowledged by Forbes International as No.94 in The World “100” Most Powerful Women list. </div> <div>Concerned with how women operate in the economic fields, Fatima founded Al Bashayer Investment Company, as a wealth management service provider for female investors and acts as the chairman of this company.</div> <div>Fatima continues to play an active role in the business and corporate life through her different positions & roles in Private and Public Companies.</div> <div>Fatima graduated from the United Arab Emirates University with a Bachelor of Engineering (Architectural Engineering). Notwithstanding she is also a proud mother of five children.</div>

H.E. Hamad Buamim

Hamad Buamim has been the President & CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry since November 2006. He also serves as the Chair of the World Chambers Federation - ICC in Paris. Educated in the USA, Buamim graduated with Honors (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Southern California - Los Angeles in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In 2002, he obtained an MBA with Honors in Finance from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. Buamim is a Member of the Board of Directors of the UAE Central Bank, Managing Director and Board Member of Dubai World, Chairman of National General Insurance and Board Member of Union Properties. Previously, Buamim served as Chairman of Emirates Financial Services, Chairman of Emirates NBD Capital and Board Member of Emirates NBD Bank and Network International.

H.E Mohammed Ahmed Al-Shihhi

Mohammed Ahmed Al-Shihhi is Undersecretary for Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates. In this role, he is mandated to develop regulatory economic policies that reflect the UAE’s focus on economic diversification. In addition to overseeing the implementation of the policies, he leads the digitization efforts of the Ministry to ensure the delivery of advanced electronic services to internal as well as external stakeholders. Currently, Mohammed Ahmed Al-Shihhi also serves as Executive Chairman of the Emirates Identity Authority, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Consumer Protection. He is a board member of the Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority, as well as Meydan Group. He additionally heads the Internal Audit Committee and Trade Marks Committee. Prior to his current role with the Ministry of Economy, Al-Shihhi held senior executive roles at Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) across an eventful career that spanned 17 years. Al-Shihhi holds an executive master’s degree in Business Management from the American University of Sharjah. He has also earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Florida in Florida, United States.

Hanan Ahmad

Company Secretary, du <div>Hanan Ahmad is an Emirati national with extensive professional experience across a number of sectors.</div> <div>Hanan began her career at Dubai Group in 2006 as Assistant Manager and remained in the organization for the next four years. Having undertaken a role in the Marketing team, Hanan was promoted to Compliance Manager for the group responsible for ensuring the organization met with each regulatory and industry requirement.</div> <div>In 2010, Hanan moved to du to take the role of Corporate Governance & Board Relations Manager, a role which included responsibility for reviewing all governance matters relating to the firm’s activities, managing the Audit and Investment Committee of the Board and implementing a range of activities that have since established du as a market-leader in terms of best practice, accountability and transparency. Due to these achievements, in April 2012, Hanan was appointed du Company Secretary by the Chairman of the Board of Directors.</div> <div>Hanan’s efforts in improving du’s corporate governance enabled the Company to be placed the first in renowned the Standard & Poor (S&P)’s 2012 Hawkamah Pan Arab ESG Index. In 2014 and 2015 du has won for Best Corporate Governance in MENA, Telecoms Industry in the MENA region for Best Corporate Governance by Ethical Boardroom.</div> <div>Hanan is on the Editorial Board of the Hawkamah Journal and is an Independent Director at Zayed University’s Audit Committee in 2014.</div> <div>Hanan holds a BA in Business Administration from the UK</div>

Huda Buhumaid

<div>Huda Buhumaid is senior Vice President, Group Communications at Dubai Holding, a global investment company, where she effectively manages Corporate Communications, Public Relations, Marketing and branding. Huda successfully steers Dubai Holding’s communication including matters pertaining to its companies; Jumeirah Group, Dubai Properties Group, TECOM Group and Emirates International Telecommunications as well as the investments side represented by Dubai Group and Dubai International Capital.</div> <div>Prior to joining Dubai Holding Corporate Office, Huda was Managing Director – Marketing & Communications, Dubai Group, a member of Dubai Holding. She oversaw the marketing and communications strategies for Dubai Group subsidiaries in various international markets. Huda successfully developed and launched new brand identities for companies such as Borse Dubai, Emirates Investment Authority, Qatar Investment Authority Joint Venture as well as re-branding Dubai International Financial Exchange into NASDAQ Dubai. In addition, Huda revamped the strategy for the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) for Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Al Hussain and effectively managed the complex transaction of Borse Dubai bidding for the Nordic Exchange OMX. Previously, Huda worked with Citibank UAE quickly moving the ranks from Marketing Manager – Credit Cards to Assistant Vice President – Marketing and Business Development. At Citibank, Huda launched several “first” initiatives, including the internet and mobile banking service, which received several advertising recognitions.</div> <div>Huda holds a master’s degree in Organisational Excellence with Honours from Bradford University, UK and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai.</div> <div>Huda is currently a board member at TECOM Group and Dubai Women Establishment, she was the Vice Chair of Dubai First, a consumer finance company, Board Member at Khaleej Times newspaper and the Vice Chair of the Middle East Public Relations Association.</div>

Lubna Qassim

Group Chief General Counsel and Company Secretary, Emirates NBD (PJSC) Lubna Qassim is the Group Chief General Counsel & Company Secretary of Emirates NBD Bank (PJSC). She is also, at present, the first female EXCO member of Emirates NBD. Previously, Ms Qassim has held positions as Director of the Department of Economic Legislations at the UAE Ministry of Economy and the Executive Director of the Legal and Regulatory Affairs Department at Dubai Economic Council. Prior to that, Ms Qassim spent considerable years in the corporate practice offices of Clifford Chance both in Dubai and London. Ms Qassim is the first UAE national to have worked at the World Bank as the Public Sector Consultant and at the House of Lords, Parliament of the UK. In 2013 she was selected by William Hague, United Kingdom’s First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for her leadership skills to participate in the Future International Leadership Programme which took place in London. Ms Qassim is a fellow at Dubai School of Government and also sits on the Global Economic Symposium Fellows Advisory Committee of the Kiel University of the World Economy. In 2011 she was elected to sit on the Boards of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) and Injaz UAE Foundation. Ms Qassim was also the first national to sit on the Committee of the British Business Group in Dubai and Northern Emirates in 2009 and in 2013 the British Business Group of Abu Dhabi as the UAE Alliances Director. In 2015 Ms Qassim was elected by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to sit on the Board of Dubai Women’s Establishment. Ms Qassim was also appointed as Founding Chair of the 30% Club GCC Chapter.

Mahan Bolourchi

<div>Mahan Bolourchi began his career with Euler Hermes as a Senior Credit Underwriter in Hamburg, Germany in Jan 2001. In 2003 he became Senior Export Manager in Germany, before becoming head of risk underwriting and head of information and project management in Switzerland.</div> <div>Mahan was appointed Risk, Information and Claims Director for the GCC in 2007, setting up the department in the newly established operational unit in the region. In 2010 the responsibility was extended to include both GCC and rest of the Middle East regions.</div> <div>He was appointed CEO for GCC in 2014 and since has been overseeing the Euler Hermes GCC’s operations which is part of the Euler Hermes Mediterranean region.</div>

Marcus Huebel

Former Member of the Executive Board, Muntajat, Qatar Dr. Marcus Huebel is a Senior Advisor / Executive Coach to the top management of ChevronPhillips Chemicals' business for polyolefins in Europe, Africa and Middle East, based out of Brussels, Belgium. Furthermore, he serves as a non-executive director on the board of Kemgo, Inc., a Princton/NJ based buy/sell platform for polymers and chemicals, as well as on the Advisory Boards of the German Arab Friendship Association DAFG and the German Seawater Desalination Society DME; both Berlin, Germany. Until spring this year, Dr. Huebel served on the management board of Muntajat, the USD 7 bn Qatari government owned marketing, sales and distribution company for chemicals, polymers and fertilizers. As Executive Director, Corporate Strategy & Communications his accountability included Business Transformation, Performance Management, Strategic Marketing, Business Development and Investment Projects, Corporate Strategy as well as Corporate and Marketing Communications. He was based out of Doha, Qatar. Prior to Muntajat, Dr. Huebel held senior executive positions at SABIC in Riyadh, Saudi-Arabia. This included global responsibilities in strategy development as well as the lead for transformational initiatives in the Saudi, Middle East and Africa Region. He gained a wealth of functional and geographical experience in the global chemical industry through various leadership roles in management consulting, initially with Arthur D. Little and later, as a Partner, with Accenture, being based out of Germany and Shanghai, China (2007/8). Dr. Huebel started his career as a scientist with BASF in Germany. He earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry, after studying at the universities in Bochum and Marburg, and at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. He conducted postdoctoral studies in Polymer Science & Technology at Durham University, UK. Dr. Huebel holds a Professional Director Certification from Hawkamah / Mudara Institute of Directors (IoD), Dubai.

Mishal H. Kanoo

Mr. Mishal Kanoo Chairman, Kanoo Group Mr. Mishal Kanoo serves as the Chairman of The Kanoo Group, one of the largest, independent and longest running family owned groups of companies in the Gulf region. He is also one of the most iconic business figures in the Middle East, featured on various magazines and listed in ‘Top 100 Powerful Arabs 2013’, ‘The 15 Wealthiest Arab Businessmen in the World 2012’, among others. Born in Dubai and educated until high school locally, Mishal Kanoo continued his college studies in United States. He took Comparative Theology and Philosophy and double major in Economics as his first degree and later earned his MBA in Finance from University of St. Thomas in Houston. After awhile, he pursued higher learning and obtained his second MBA from American University of Sharjah where he occasionally teaches courses. Subsequently, he worked at Arthur Andersen in Dubai as an Auditor before taking up his current position in 1997. Mishal Kanoo is a frequent speaker at conferences and has a reputation of a futurist and strategist with a strong track record in forecasting economic developments in the Middle East. Some of his speaking engagements include Forbes’s Middle East Forum in Qatar, World Summit of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Dubai, The International Herald Tribune’s CEO Round-table in Malaysia, and other related business and social affairs in Europe, US, and so on. He is a columnist of Money Works Magazine and regularly writes articles for local and regional media. His wide-ranging knowledge of regional business affairs and global capital markets give him unique and often controversial insight into business life in the Gulf region. As a Professor at the American University of Sharjah School of Business Administration, he is consequently a powerful advocate of education and believes that it allows people to take responsibility and control of their lives, spelling out ethical and religious values, blending them with modernisation and progress. Being a part of the family business that now runs for 124 years, The Kanoo Group has unremittingly grown its realm into various divisions – Kanoo Shipping, Kanoo Travel, Kanoo Holidays, Kanoo Machinery, Kanoo Oil & Gas, Kanoo Power & Industrial Projects (Kanoo P&IP), Kanoo Freight, Kanoo Rapid Transit (KRT), H.A.K Industrial Chemicals, Kanoo Exhibition Organizers LLC, Kanoo Industrial Products, Kanoo Engineering LLC, Kanoo Equipment Rental (KanRent, formerly GLRC), Stor-Mat Systems, BRC Arabia, Kanoo Business Centre and Gemini Software Solutions; other joint ventures and supporting divisions. Mishal Kanoo adheres to family values and ideals in pursuit for quality and excellence which therefore greatly influenced his corporate policies and goals for The Kanoo Group as a reputable company. It is a generation of success, growth and stability. Over the years, Kanoo family has always been associated with the progress and development of the entire region combined with a sense of philanthropy. Today, The Kanoo Group as a prominent house name has developed local as well as world-class standards as evident in its brand value and consistent remarkable achievements through Shaikh Khalifa Excellence Award, ISO certifications, and as a UAE brand asset earning its Superbrands® status, to name a few.

Nagesh Suryanarayana

Nagesh Suryanarayana is as a Managing Director responsible for Internal Audit and Risk Advisory Services in Protiviti Member Firm, UAE practice. He has over 14 years work experience in the areas of Internal Audit, Governance and Risk Management engagements. As a consultant he has gained his experience working with some of the big organizations across UK, Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. Throughout his career, Nagesh has gained a broad experience across numerous industries; with a specific focus on Corporate Governance and Internal Audit Advisory Services. His areas of specializations include establishing internal audit functions, benchmarking corporate governance frameworks, process reengineering, performing internal audit quality assessments, establishing ERM frameworks, developing delegation of authority matrices and conducting internal audits. He has moderated multiple board, audit committee workshops and has also spoken in various conferences. Amid technological advancement, enhanced stakeholder expectations, heightened competition for talent and a global economy that remains uncertain, Board members are continuously striving to build world class Companies. In this conference, Nagesh will discuss ways in which we can draw experiences from our peers on what drives top-Company Directors in managing these push backs effectively and work smarter in managing group governance more effectively.

Nick Hornung

Nick is Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of Dubai World. Dubai World is a global holding company of the Government of Dubai focusing on transport and logistics, dry docks and maritime, urban development, investment and financial services. Nick also continues to serve as General Counsel and Company Secretary of Istithmar World, which is the investment subsidiary of Dubai World and has an extensive global portfolio of assets spanning private equity, commercial real estate and hotels. Nick is a practising Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, holds a Diploma in Legal Practice with distinction from the College of Law in Chester in the UK and an MA (Hons) in Law and Natural Sciences from Jesus College, Cambridge University in the UK. Previously, Nick had spent his entire legal career with leading international law firm Linklaters where he trained and qualified in their London office. As well as working for a number of years in their London office Nick also spent over four years in Asia based in both Linklaters’ Hong Kong and Singapore offices.

Peter Montagnon

Peter Montagnon is Associate Director, Institute of Business Ethics. Prior to this he was Senior Investment Adviser at the Financial Reporting Council, with responsibility for addressing corporate governance policy and strengthening the FRC's understanding of the investor community. Peter was a Senior Journalist on the Financial Times for twenty years, before becoming Director of Investment Affairs at the Association of British Insurers. After graduating in Modern Languages from Cambridge University in 1972, Mr Montagnon joined Reuters news agency as a financial journalist, completing assignments in Hong Kong, Zurich and Washington before joining the Financial Times. Mr Montagnon is a visiting Professor in Corporate Governance at the Cass Business School of the City University, London, and a member of the Corporate Governance Advisory Board of Norges Bank Investment Management. He is past Chairman of the Board of the International Corporate Governance Network and served on the European Commission's Corporate Governance Forum from 2005 to 2011.

Rajesh Pareek

<div>Chief Financial Officer, DIFC Authority Chief Executive Director, DIFC Authority, LCIA</div> <div>Rajesh joined DIFC in January 2011 as the Chief Financial Officer of DIFC Authority overseeing the financial performance of the DIFC Authority, DIFC Investments LLC and its subsidiaries ('DIFCI'), Registrar of Real Properties, Registrar of Companies, Hawkamah and other entities. Rajesh is responsible for overseeing the entire financial spectrum from strategic financial planning through to execution for these entities, while adhering to DIFC's values of transparency, efficiency and integrity. Rajesh implements financial best practices and industry standards in the Centre, including the development, management and monitoring of the Centre-wide revenue cycle.</div> <div>One of the key milestones achieved by Rajesh with DIFC in 2012 was his instrumental role in directing and managing the refinancing of the US$1.25 billion DIFCI Sukuk and its repayment in June 2012. This involved high level discussions with various stakeholders, local and international banks, lawyers and financial advisors. The refinancing was achieved through a syndicated facility of US$1.035 billion with participation from international and local banks and key divestments. The transaction was a dual tranche five-year Islamic facility and included both Commodity Murabaha and Ijarah tranches. This was a landmark transaction which was very well received by the market and recognised the strategic importance of the Centre to Dubai. He successfully managed relationships with investors and the rating agencies in order to maintain the Sukuk's rating from January 2011 to June 2012.</div> <div>In 2014, Rajesh effectively spearheaded DIFC Investments' credit repositioning initiative by engaging with Standard & Poors, which resulted in the Company achieving an investment grade rating (BBB-); this required the re-anchoring of the rating agency's understanding of DIFC Investments' credit fundamentals (given that the Company was previously rated "B+"). Lead the Sukuk issuance, following the rating exercise, marking the return of DIFC Investments to the international Debt Capital Markets, allowing the Company to raise $700mn with a 10-year tenor. The pricing achieved was well inside "theoretical fair-value", with the Company pricing flat or inside Dubai-based peers with higher ratings. Ultimately, the credit repositioning, along with the Sukuk issuance provides DIFC Investments with an effective capital structure and a platform to implement its growth strategy over the coming years. The Sukuk deal has been awarded the prestigious Islamic Finance News (IFN) Award - Ijarah Deal of the Year. DIFC is the only Dubai name to have won any award from IFN during 2014.</div> <div>Rajesh is a Chartered Accountant with over 16 years of experience advising key clients with the Big 4 accounting firms across a broad range of services. Prior to joining DIFCA, Rajesh was a Director at KPMG Dubai, where he worked for more than 8 years. Rajesh is an Associate with the Institute of Chartered Accountants, India. He also holds a Bachelors of Commerce with Honours in Finance and Accounting and has done a General Management Programme from IIM Ahmedabad, India.</div>

Robert Ansari

<div>Robert Ansari joined MSCI in 2005 as a member of the client coverage team and is now Executive Director and Head of the Middle East at MSCI based in Dubai.</div> <div>Robert previously held the post of Head of Index Sales for UK Banks and Brokers for MSCI in London. Before joining MSCI Robert held positions at Barclays Capital, Dresdner Kleinwort and Deutsche Bank, all in London.</div> <div>Robert received his undergraduate degree in Medical Biochemistry from Brunel University in London and his postgraduate degree in Molecular Genetics from Cambridge University. </div>

Dr. Sameer Al Ansari

Sameer Al Ansari qualified as a Chartered Accountant in London in 1987 and has worked in Dubai since then. Sameer founded PEPlus in 2012, a regional boutique investment bank based in Dubai. He was the Chief Executive Officer of SHUAA Capital, the region’s leading financial services institution between Sept 2009 and Oct 2011. Between 2005 - 09, Dr. Al Ansari was the founding Chairman & CEO of Dubai International Capital, creating a global investment company with AUMs of $13B by 2008. He was also the founding Chairman of JD Capital (Jordan Dubai Capital) in 2005, and the founding Chairman of MENA Infrastructure Fund in 2006. He previously served as Group Chief Financial Officer for The Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Prior to joining the Executive Office, Mr. Al Ansari was Chief Financial Officer at Dubai Aluminium Company (DUBAL) between 1992-2000, where he played a significant role in the successful turnaround of the company to what is today one of the largest and most profitable aluminium companies in the world. Sameer is widely considered as one of the most respected senior financial figures in the GCC and has and continues to sit on many Boards around the world. Below listed current Board positions: ICAEW MENA advisory board Hawkamah Institute of Governance, UAE The Industrial Group, KSA Eureeca Capital, Crowd funding platform (UK, DIFC, Malaysia) TVM Healthcare Partners, PE Healthcare Fund, DIFC, UAE Page Group, Hong Kong Homes & Houses, UK

Samer AlHaj

Samer R. Alhaj is the Chief Financial Officer of Dubai Holding since he joined in 2012, and serves on various boards and board committees. Prior to that, he was the CFO/COO at Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporation from 2009 to 2011, and the Chief Executive Officer of Waha Capital from 2007 to 2009, both in Abu Dhabi. Mr. Alhaj also served as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Investment House in Kuwait from 2002 to 2007. Mr. Alhaj is a veteran Wall Street investment banker having held senior positions with William Blair & Co. in Chicago and London, Merrill Lynch & Co., and Salomon Smith Barney (Citigroup), and Lehman Brothers, in New York City, between 1988 and 2001. He is also a professional civil engineer and possesses an M.Sc. in construction management.

Shahzad Khan

<div>Mr. Shahzad is Group Head of Corporate Governance & Compliance for the Mubadala Group, and Secretary to the Mubadala Investment Committee. He is a Barrister (Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn) and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales, as well as a Certified Compliance Officer and a contributor to several international and regional governance symposiums. Additionally, he is a member of the Conference Board’s Council of Governance. Prior to joining Mubadala, Shahzad worked at the London office of Allen & Overy and for the Executive Office of the U.N. Secretary General in New York, having read Jurisprudence at the University of Oxford. </div>

Simon C.Y. Wong

Simon C.Y. Wong is an independent adviser on governance, institutional investment, and capital markets. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Northwestern University, Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and External Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company. Previously, Simon was a partner at activist investment firm Governance for Owners, Head of Corporate Governance at Barclays Global Investors, and a management consultant at McKinsey. Simon started his professional career as a securities lawyer with Linklaters & Paines and Shearman & Sterling, and also served as Principal Administrator/Counsel at the OECD. Simon has contributed actively to policymaking and testified before the UK House of Commons in 2013 on The Kay Review of UK Equity Markets and Long-Term Decision Making. His writings have appeared in the McKinsey Quarterly, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review Online, New York Times, and other publications. In 2013, he contributed three essays to the Harvard Business Review volume on How CEOs Can Fix Capitalism.

Stilpon Nestor

Stilpon Nestor is the Managing Director of Nestor Advisors Ltd, a London- based corporate governance and organization consultancy. He has advised the boards of some of the largest companies and financial institutions in the EU, MENA, Asia and Latin America as well as several IFIs, including the World Bank/IFC, the EBRD, SECO and FMO. Until March 2002, Stilpon was the Head of the Corporate Affairs Division at the OECD, the team which produced the OECD Principles, the global corporate governance benchmark. He is a non-executive director of ACC, one of the largest contractors in the Gulf. He was also a NED and member of the risk committee of the European Investment Bank (2009-2013); a member of the EU Commission’s Advisory Board on Company Law and Corporate Governance (2007-2011); and a member of the board of the International Corporate Governance Network 2004 - 2007).

Tarek Hajjiri

Tarek Hajjiri is the Director of Legal Policy, one of the strategic operational arms of the Dubai Economic Council (“Council”) Government of Dubai, UAE. Mr. Hajjiri serves as the Council’s advisory on all legal and regulatory matters at both local and federal levels that affect Dubai’s economy and competitiveness. Mr. Hajjiri through his position as Legal Policy director actively participates in the development of legal strategies and policies by providing policy recommendations that are the culmination of extensive research and collaboration with public and private sector representatives both locally and internationally. Mr. Hajjiri has established global legal advisory network to benefit from the best practices. He worked on numerous projects, including among other things innovation and creativity, smart governments and cities, free zones, companies law, foreign direct investment, corporate governance, financial restructuring and insolvency, competitiveness and government strategies. Mr. Hajjiri works closely with international organizations and financial institutions and led projects and several engagements with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Arab Monetary Fund, China Development Bank, China Council for Promotion of International Trade, United Nations Development Program, INSOL, UNCITRAL, INTA, WIPO and many others. Mr Hajjiri’s recent focal projects are corporate governance, innovation, smart governments and enhancing the role of SMEs towards economic sustainable growth. In recognition of his exceptional accomplishments, Mr Hajjiri was awarded the “Best Professional Achievement Award” for the years 2012 and 2014. Mr Hajjiri has also established the Corporate Social Responsibility Department “CSR” and has successfully created new strategies for promoting the public private partnerships “ppp” through strategic alliances as well as learning & development programs. Mr Hajjiri has successfully established a global and local network including all relevant leading institutions. As a result of such programs, DEC internship program has successfully supported graduated young Emiratis. He is also working on new initiative focusing on innovation and creativity in addition to several community service initiatives including health care. Prior to joining the Council Mr. Hajjiri was the Regional Chief Legal Officer for multibillion US$ holding company advising on strategic planning, corporate governance, and managing all legal matters including structuring and restructuring of the holding companies. Mr. Hajjiri also has extensive experience in private practice in the UAE, Jordan, Canada and USA. Mr Hajjiri is a registered and licensed arbitrator with Dubai International Arbitration Center “DIAC” where he successfully arbitrated several cases including construction and commercial disputes. In addition to arbitration, Mr Hajjiri is an expert mediator. Mr. Hajjiri holds Masters degree in Intellectual Property Law from Franklin Pierce, as now known as the University of New Hampshire, USA, and has also written many papers and edited books in respect to Commercial Law, innovation and smart cities. Mr Hajjiri is now preparing for his PhD in commercial law and has successfully completed his first year course work where he ranked the First among his fellow students. Mr Hajjiri’s thesis focuses on “Family Owned Businesses. A Comparative Study.”

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