Amira's journey as a visionary leader in sustainability and regenerative built environment began with a passion for crafting a better world for future generations. As the Head of Middle East & North Africa (MENA) at the World Green Building Council, & the Co-founder & CEO at KAWN, she has dedicated herself to creating a sustainable, regenerative, and healthy future.

With a robust background spanning over 17 years in architecture and sustainability consulting, Amira's expertise is deeply rooted in her experiences, including seven impactful years at Sidara (Formerly Dar Group). Her contributions have been widely acknowledged, earning her recognition as a distinguished expert in her field.

Amira's impressive credentials speak volumes about her commitment and proficiency. Holding prestigious titles such as USGBC® LEED & WELL Faculty, LEED® AP BD+C, WELL AP®, Living Future Accredited, and Fitwel Ambassador, she stands as a beacon of knowledge and excellence in the industry. Her remarkable achievements include being honored as a distinguished WELL Mind Advisor with the International WELL Building Institute, serving as a Living Future & Biophilic Design Ambassador, and founder of the International Living Future Institute Cairo Collaborative.

Throughout her career, Amira has been celebrated for her significant contributions to various LEED and green projects across Egypt and the MENA region. Her expertise extends beyond traditional boundaries, as evidenced by her involvement in resilience initiatives. Amira's leadership was recognized by the UNFCCC, which nominated her to join the Resilience Frontier Initiative alongside esteemed global thought leaders.

The impact of Amira's work is tangible in groundbreaking projects like the ICD Brookfield Place in Dubai, known as the largest LEED Platinum building in EMEA and the largest WELL Health & Safety Rated Building in MENA, she was the WELL & Healthy Building Consultant for that project, and the project received the Healthy Spaces Award at the MENA Green Buildings Awards 2021.

Through her unwavering dedication and pioneering spirit, Amira continues to shape the landscape of a regenerative future, leaving an indelible mark on the built environment and inspiring others to join the movement towards a sustainable, healthier planet.

Andrei Covatariu is an international energy and climate change expert. His activity focuses on climate and energy policies, concentrating on the energy transition process and its geopolitical, economic, and social challenges. Andrei’s views and policy analyses are constantly published and cited in international media. He holds multiple roles, working at the intersection of theoreticians (think tanks, academia) and practitioners (energy industry, international organizations), while also advising both private and public stakeholders, across wider geographies.

Andrei is currently the Co-Chair of the Task Force on “Digitalization in Energy” at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). At the same time, Andrei is a Non-resident Scholar in the Climate and Water Program, at the Middle East Institute (United States), a Senior Research Associate at Energy Policy Group (Romania), and an Associate Lecturer at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, teaching energy and environmental policies. In 2021, Andrei co-founded ECERA, a network of sustainability practitioners aiming to produce policy-relevant knowledge, helping governments, companies, NGOs, universities, and others navigate the various facets of sustainability.

Bernhard Rettig joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 2005 as an Urban Designer in the firm's Urban Planning team. As a Senior Associate Principal, based in SOM's London office, Bernhard has guided the designs for several large scale mixed-use districts in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In addition to the recently unveiled Sultan Haitham City in Oman, designed to foster an inclusive future for the country's growing population, Bernhard is currently working on large scale master plans in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Before joining SOM, Bernhard worked in Paris on a range of urban design projects in France and across Europe.

In the past 22 years, Dr. Ghaith served at different positions in academia as well as industry. He is the Head of the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot Watt University. He held the position of the University Dean of Science and Engineering at Heriot Watt University (2017-2020). He is involved in many activities related to direct, regulate and promote the learning and teaching, research, knowledge exchange and scholarship of the University. He led a multidisciplinary research in the areas of solar powered cooling systems, integrated earth heat exchangers and solar desalination.. Dr. Ghaith has about 45 technical papers that have been published in peer-reviewed international journals and presented in refereed international conferences. The excellence of his publications can be viewed by their high industrial impact and integration between research and industrial needs. Also he is a reviewer for many international refereed Journals. In addition, Dr Ghaith held many external roles as Consultant, Principal Investigator, and reviewer of external funded research projects and served as Chair in many international conferences. On the industrial side, he held different positions in the Oil and Gas industry such as Design and Development Engineer, technical purchasing manager and Engineering Consultant (2002-2010). During his service in these positions, Dr Ghith led many projects which exceeded the value of 10 Million USD. His industrial experience is recognized internationally as being Fellow and Chartered Engineer in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (CEng FIMechE) and Certified Consultant and professional engineer in the Jordan Engineering Council (PE, JEA).

Jo Tyndall is Director, Environment Directorate at the OECD where she oversees the implementation of the Directorate’s programme of work, covering a broad range of environmental issues, including: green growth; climate change; biodiversity; quality of ecosystems; eco-innovation; circular economy; and, resource productivity.

She was, most recently, New Zealand High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Singapore from February 2019 to September 2022. Prior to that, Jo served as New Zealand’s Climate Change Ambassador, commencing this role in June 2010. From 2016 to December 2018, she also co-chaired the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA). As Climate Change Ambassador, she was head of delegation to the United Nations climate negotiations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Prior to her role as Climate Change Ambassador, Ms Tyndall was Director of the Broadcasting Unit in the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. From 1999 to 2006, she was Chief Executive of the public broadcasting funding body, NZ On Air. She has also served as Chief Executive of two screen industry organisations - the Screen Production and Development Association (SPADA) and Project Blue Sky (1994 to 1999).

Ms Tyndall began her career as a multilateral trade policy specialist with the then Department of Trade and Industry and subsequently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Rabih El Chaar is chief executive and co-founder of Nadeera Technologies, a UAE-based innovative waste-management company that helps communities to recycle through their digital platform Yalla Return. This platform focuses on maximizing recycling through technology-enabled behavioural change, thereby diverting solid waste from landfill and recovering valuable materials. This includes promoting recycling awareness, verifying that waste is sorted effectively and rewarding sustainable practices with financial incentives (a cash-for-recyclables scheme). Mr El Chaar’s background is in engineering and consulting.

BUTHAINA MAHFOODH AL WAHAIBI RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY HEAD NAMA HOLDING (BRONZE SPONSOR)

● Head of Research, Development, Innovation and Sustainability Management in Nama Water Services company with more than 14 years of professional experience in water and wastewater treatment technologies.
● Initiated and Establish National Water Innovation and Sustainable Center in Nama Water.
● Leading Decarbonization and Sustainability projects in Nama Group. Developing High Level Decarbonization Plan and road map of Energy Transition towards carbon neutrality.
● Member Participant in development of National Water Strategy Committee with MoAF&WR.
● Nominated as a Technical Expert in water and wastewater in Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and innovation (MoHERI).
● Collaboration with several External and Local Research institutes (Ex: Water Research Centre at Sultan Qaboos University,WHO,OWS,OES).
● Advisory Board Member on Water Technology Program -SQU.
● Advisory board member on Military Technological Collage
● Advisory board member on Vocational Collage – Water Technology.

Abdulaziz Al Shidhani has more than 20 years of experience in the energy and water sectors.He is currently leading, as Managing Director, the Hydrogen Oman Company SPC (Hydrom), a company launched in 2022 as the central and independent entity orchestrating national interests in the green hydrogen sector.

Before joining Hydrom, Al Shidhani served the Ministry of Energy and Minerals as Director General for Renewable Energy and Hydrogen. During his tenure at the Ministry, he led the crafting and implementation of Oman's Green Hydrogen Strategy, announced in October 2022, and the Oman Energy Transition Policy and Strategy. He also chaired the Alternative Energy Working Group as part of the Omani - US Strategic Dialogue, the Omani - German Energy Dialogue, and other national and regional committees and taskforces.

From 2016 to 2020 Abdulaziz served as a Board Member of the Oman Power and Water Company, and since 2020 has also served on the Board of the Oman Environmental Services Company (Beah) as Deputy Chairman.

From 2013 to 2022, Al Shidhani worked for the Public Authority for Electricity and Water and for the Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company (OWWSC). He held multiple positions in OWWSC, including Chief Operations Officer for the water sector and Chief Projects Officer. During his time working in the water sector, Abdulaziz was engaged in national and regional assignments including contributing to the formulation of Oman Vision 2040, as part of the Committee for Strategies alignment and national priorities, as well as participating in the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) unified water strategy. He additionally contributed to multiple strategic discussions on electricity and water policy making and took part in strategic projects such as the water sector restructuring and the electricity market privatization.

Abdulaziz started his career as an electrical engineer for Mazoon Electricity Company, ascending the career ladder and holding multiple leadership position including Manager of Planning and Regulatory Affairs. During this part of his professional journey, Abdulaziz contributed to the growth of Mazoon Electricity company, formulating sector policies and regulations and leading multiple specialized taskforces.

Al Shidhani graduated from Sultan Qaboos University with a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering in 2003, and obtained an MBA in 2012. He was among the first cohort of the National Leadership and Competitiveness Program organized by the Royal Court of Diwan for government officials. As part of his education, Abdulaziz attended various leadership programs from 2012 to 2015 at IMD in Switzerland.

Karim Badawi is SLB's Director of New Energy for the Middle East & North Africa. Karim is playing a critical role in industrial decarbonization and is responsible for SLB's New Energy portfolio in MENA, which includes Carbon Solutions, Geothermal and Geoenergy, Critical minerals, Stationary Energy Storage, and Hydrogen.

Prior to his current role, Karim was SLB's Global Director of Enterprise Digital Performance. In this position, he leveraged our digital offerings to drive performance, create a digital-first culture, and strengthen our position as the partner of choice globally in the energy sector. Karim's experience with delivering digital at scale and now leading our regional clean energy solutions is enabling SLB to meet energy demands while reducing emissions. Prior to that Karim was Managing Director for SLB for Egypt & East Mediterranean from 2018-2021.

Karim graduated from the American University in Cairo with a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has more than 27 years of industry experience with SLB, working in key leadership positions globally and currently driving positive change across Middle East & North Africa.

Mr. Agnello Borim is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Sohar Aluminium Company, a 395,000 tonnes per annum Aluminium Smelter, Power Plant and Port situated in Sohar, the industrial hub of the Sultanate of Oman.

Agnello has more than 30 years of experience working in large global companies in the metallurgical and mining sector while holding leadership positions including Vice President and Director in complex industrial facilities that included some of the largest producers of primary Aluminium in the world. These include Alcoa, Ma’aden, BHP Billiton, Murabeni, Chinalco and Rio Tinto.

At Sohar Aluminium, Agnello is the custodian of the Productivity and Incremental Improvements Business focus area overseeing the development of their strategies and contributing to driving the overall strategy of the Company.

Agnello has an MBA from IBMEC Business School for Executive Education in Sao Paulo, and a bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Metallurgy and Mines in Minas Gerais state in Brazil.

Maher Al Kaabi is a visionary leader and an experienced banker with more than three decades of experience in the Banking, Digital industry, and Family Business sectors. His vast knowledge spans across Board Membership, Islamic Banking, Wholesales & Consumer Banking, Risk Management, Finance, Operation & Technology, Sales & Distribution, and Business Development. Additionally, he possesses a deep understanding of innovation, data sets generation and utilization, as well as new technologies. Mr. Al Kaabi is actively involved in various startup companies, serves as the Chairman of the Board of Governance at a Star International School, and is a co-founder of Blink.

He collaborates extensively with different ministries on future technologies, circular economy, and the sustainability of family businesses by educating the NextGen through the Venture Studio Module.

Mr. Al Kaabi is on the Advisory Board of:
UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment – Circular Economy Council
Middle East Energy
MENA Power Projects
MIT Sloan CIO Council
Cybersecurity – CYSEC Global

A highly sought-after keynote speaker. Mr. Al Kaabi imparts his knowledge and insights on a wide range of topics at events covering FinTech, Building Digital Economy (AI, metaverse, blockchain, web3, etc.), Circular Economy, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Sustainability of Family Businesses, Banking & Finance, Corporate Governance, and Investments.

He acts as an advisor to the Group Chairman of Al Serkal Group of Companies (165+ year old family), and serves as an Independent Board Member. His expertise is instrumental in developing a more structured governance model, refining the group's structure, and transitioning businesses digitally to enhance flexibility, robustness, and efficiency in responding to future business opportunities.

Alserkal Group, a co-founder of various entities including Etisalat, Emirates NBD, DEWA, SEWA, CBD, Dubai Insurance, Pepsi (DRC), and Blue Biofuel, continues to thrive under Mr. Al Kaabi's guidance.
He commenced his professional journey at New Era Computers, where he served as one of the Co-founders.
Subsequently, he transitioned to Citigroup, where he dedicated 15 years to advancing his career. During his tenure, he held various esteemed positions both domestically and internationally.

Following his time at Citigroup, he assumed the role of Chief Risk Officer at Dubai Bank. In this capacity, he successfully established the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework, which encompassed all facets of risk, including Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, and Fraud Risk. Furthermore, he devised and implemented a comprehensive risk strategy that prioritized crucial areas such as Business Continuity, Regulatory Compliance, Quality Assurance, and Governance.

Later, he joined Emirates National Bank of Dubai as the Group Head of Islamic Banking. In this influential role, he spearheaded the growth and development of the Islamic Banking business across ENBD's local, regional, and international branches. He actively participated in the Islamic Banking Committee and collaborated with local regulatory authorities to introduce innovative Shari’ah compliant products and services for clients. Additionally, he also assumed the dual responsibility of Group Head Chief Operating Officer for Wholesale Banking.

Maher possesses a diverse range of expertise stemming from his professional experience in Strategy, Human Capital Development, Digital & Circular Economy, Engineering, among others. These skills are complemented by his soft skills, including being a Leadership, Multiplier, passionate, self-starter, team builder, innovative, and executive coach. In addition, he has been honored with numerous Global Awards.

He is currently pursuing his doctorate in the field of AI driven sustainability.

Myrtle Dawes is Chief Executive Officer of the Net Zero Technology Centre where she leads the development of technology for a net zero energy industry.

She is a non-executive board member of FirstGroup, a non-executive director on the Aquila European Renewables plc board, an advisory board member for the Association of Black and Minority Engineers and sits on the Technology Leadership Board.

A Chartered Chemical Engineer, Myrtle is an established leader with extensive experience in the energy sector both in the UK and overseas. Respected as a prominent voice on the energy transition, she began her career 30 years ago as an offshore engineer for BP, before delivering on leadership roles in engineering, project management, technology and digital transformation. Myrtle’s passion for innovation and technology galvanises her colleagues, government and industry to take action and push boundaries.

Myrtle holds a Masters in Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology from Imperial College. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers, Fellow of the Energy Institute, Fellow of the Forward Institute and Honorary Fellow of the Association of Project Managers.

n 2017, Myrtle received recognition for her contribution to business, having featured in Breaking the Glass Ceiling and being selected as one of 100 Women to Watch in the Cranfield FTSE Board Report 2017. In 2021 she was recognised by TE:100 as one of the Women of the Energy Transition.

Myrtle has two children and in her spare time studies mathematics, is a keen cat lover, and gamer.

Muhsin Alrustom is the Group CFO at Asyad, the most integrated logistics group in the Middle East.

With over 15 years of experience in the logistics and maritime sectors, Muhsin is an established finance professional focusing on sustainable value and financial excellence. He successfully operated and developed financial processes and systems and managed corporate financing, hedging and liquidity needs.

Prior to joining Asyad, he served as the General Manager of Treasury at Oman Shipping Company from 2018, following a tenure in Dubai as the Treasury Manager of Oman Trading International prior to that worked in various roles for DP World which included a two-year stint at DPW’s European regional office in London.

Muhsin holds a degree in Accounting from Sultan Qaboos University and is also a qualified CMA and ACT accountant and treasurer.

Neil Wilmshurst is EPRI's Senior Vice President of Energy System Resources and Chief Nuclear Officer. He has overall management and technical responsibility for the research and development activities conducted by EPRI with its global membership related to all generation sources and storage.

In August 2021, Wilmshurst became Chair of the World Energy Council (WEC) US Member Committee. The US Member Committee is hosted by EPRI, and represents innovators, leaders, and disruptors in the US energy community, bringing their voices to the global community of WEC.

From 2010-2020, when he was EPRI’s Chief Nuclear Officer, the nuclear sector global membership expanded to encompass more than 80% of the world’s commercial nuclear fleet.

Wilmshurst joined EPRI in 2003 as a Senior Project Manager in the Plant Support Engineering program. In 2008, he became Director of the Plant Technology department, and was appointed as Vice President, Nuclear and Chief Nuclear Officer in 2010. In November 2020 he was appointed to his current role.

Before joining EPRI, Wilmshurst worked in a variety of nuclear utility engineering and maintenance roles with AmerGen at Three Mile Island Unit 1 and British Energy at the Sizewell B plant. Prior to joining the civil nuclear program, Wilmshurst served for 13 years in the Royal Navy as a Nuclear Submarine Engineer Officer.

Wilmshurst earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, and control engineering from the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon, UK; a post graduate diploma in nuclear reactor technology from the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, UK; and a master’s degree in defense administration from Cranfield Institute of Technology, Shrivenham, UK. While serving in the Royal Navy he was certified as a Naval Nuclear Plant Operator.

Sareen Malik leads the African Civil Society Network for Water and Sanitation, an umbrella organisation of water and sanitation NGOs, present in over 50 countries in Africa. She is also vice-chair of Sanitation and Water for All, a UN-hosted global partnership of governments, donors and civil society groups working to provide water, sanitation and hygiene for all. Ms Malik has more than 15 years’ experience in the field, working with NGOs, governments and the private sector, to improve sector performance and promote human dignity and gender equality through good governance. She has published widely and helped develop sector-governance tools for state and non-state actors globally.

Seb is Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of BeZero Carbon, a global ratings agency for the Voluntary Carbon Market. BeZero was founded in 2020, its global team combines expertise within climate and earth science, financial research, data science, and public policy.

Prior to founding BeZero Carbon, he worked as a Rates Strategist for Bank of America, focusing on fixed-income markets. He began his career as an Economist at the Bank of England. He has an MSc in Finance & Economics from Warwick Business School and an MA in Economics from the University of Sheffield.

Robert is the Director of the Economist Corporate Network based in Dubai and covering the MENA region. Robert works closely with network members to help inform their business strategies through political, economic and operational insight and to connect them with their senior leadership peers. Robert is a business journalist, editor and publisher with nearly 25 years of experience covering a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality, retail, construction, energy and transport, and a particular interest in human capital management. An accomplished event chairman, moderator and speaker, Robert completed an MBA at the University of Leicester School of Business in 2012 and holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nottingham.

Anthony joined the Sustainable Markets Initiative in September 2022. The SMI was founded by HM King Charles III in 2020, to convene the private sector in driving an acceleration of the transition to a more sustainable future. In his role Anthony has accountability for the strategy, integration, and operation of the SMI’s industry task forces, across a variety of sectors including energy, agribusiness, aviation, telecoms, fashion and fusion energy.

Anthony originally joined bp in London, into bp ‘s corporate treasury organisation, holding a variety of roles, including leading bp’s relationships with the investment banking community, and based in Chicago, leading the integration of bp and Amoco’s Treasury teams.

In 2003, Anthony moved to the Upstream Oil and Gas business, working in both the UK and Norwegian North Sea as the North Sea Regional Planning, Performance and Control Manager. He returned to London as the Head of European Investor Relations. This included managing investor relationships and communications in the aftermath of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the restructuring of bp’s interests in Russia and the prolonged period of low oil prices.

Anthony was appointed Chief of Staff for the bp’s Renewable Energy business leading the creation of growth strategies and portfolio building in biofuels, hydrogen, solar, and Offshore Wind. Most notably he led the innovation resulting in bp’s success in the Scotwind offshore wind auction.

Prior to his secondment, Anthony Senior Vice President for Portfolio and Integration, leading the continued evolution and implementation of bp’s Gas and Low Carbon Energy strategy.

Gregg Carlstrom is a Middle East correspondent for The Economist, based in Dubai. He has covered the region for more than a decade, with stints in Cairo, Beirut and Tel Aviv. His reporting and analysis on the Middle East has been published in a number of other publications, including Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic and Politico. His first book, “How Long Will Israel Survive: The Threat From Within,” was published in 2017.

Phillip Cornell is a principal at Economist Impact, where he leads the global energy and sustainability practice of The Economist's consulting business. He is also a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, specialising in energy economics, foreign policy, and global energy markets. He chairs the Clean Energy Ministerial initiative on energy interconnection, and advises the World Bank and other private and public institutions.

Prior to joining The Economist Group, Phillip held senior advisory and management positions at Saudi Aramco, the International Energy Agency, and NATO. He held research positions at the Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey), the Royal United Services Institute (London), and the Center for International Security and Cooperation (Stanford). He is the author of various published works on international energy security, transition, economics, and governance.

Alida is the Head of Sustainability for Middle East and Africa at JLL and is based in Dubai. She also serves as the Senior Advisor for the Climate Champions Built Environment Team, led by the High-Level Champion for COP28 H.E. Razan Al Mubarak.

Alida, a global sustainability leader, brings over 20 years of expertise developing sustainable and net zero transition strategies on an international scale. She is a highly regarded domain expert within the field. A graduate of Harvard University, where she undertook her Masters in Sustainability, she leverages her knowledge, network, and expertise to translate complex sustainability challenges into practical action plans to achieve results.

Alida currently serves as a Board Member on the Emirates Green Building Council. She has also served as Board Member of the Harvard Sustainability Infrastructure Advisory Board; a Board Member of the Canadian Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory Board with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development with the Canadian Government; and a Steering Committee Member, Disaster Management Advisory Committee, with Focus Humanitarian Assistance Canada.

Mohammed Mahmoud is the Director of the Climate and Water Program at the Middle East Institute. Mohammed has held leadership positions in several organizations, including being the Chair of the Water Utility Climate Alliance; a coalition of 12 of the United States' largest water utilities that collectively provide water to over 50 million people, with the purpose of providing leadership and collaboration on climate change issues that affect water agencies.
Mohammed has conducted water management research and work for the Middle East and North Africa region; most extensively on the Nile River Basin. His research on the Nile River Basin focused on the development of water resources in the Basin, analysis of Nile water- sharing agreements, and solutions for current and future challenges in the Nile River Basin. Mohammed’s other water management work in the region explored formalizing the administration of Saudi Arabia’s groundwater resources through established groundwater management frameworks.

Mohammed’s educational background includes a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University, and a PhD in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona.