Goodwin is the Vice President of Arc Group - Middle
East, a worldwide leader in SPAC and IPO advisory.
Previously he was a Managing Director and Head of
Middle East for a US-based 110-year-old market maker
and founding member of the New York Stock Exchange.
Mr Goodwin has a wealth of experience in private and
public markets and has worked across all elements of
investment banking over the last decade.
Founder & Managing Director at SCL Advisory Limited
Selloua Chakri is currently Managing Director of London
based SCL Advisory Limited, a strategic consultancy
firm that helps with the development of capital markets
and provides Data Services to Securities Exchanges and
various other financial institutions across Emerging and
Frontier markets. In 2022, SCL Advisory has won the
Euromoney’s Global Investor Group MENA Award for the
Best Consulting Firm of the Year.
John GolliferX
General Manager at Middle East Investor Relations Association
John Gollifer leads the Middle East Investor Relations
Association's (MEIRA) initiatives to promote best practice
IR in the Middle East. MEIRA's primary audience is IR
practitioners who wish to address the investment
community.
Mohamed DamakX
Global Head of Islamic Finance at S&P Global Ratings
In this capacity Mohamed leads SPGR’s cross-practice
analytical thought leadership initiatives and credit rating
activities in the Islamic Finance sector globally. In
addition to these responsibilities, Mohamed co-heads
the Emerging Market Global Industry Focused Team and
is a member of several senior forums and research labs
including the Digitalization of the Markets Research Lab.
Abdulla Jaffar AbdinX
Chief Operating Officer at Bahrain Clear
Abdulla Abdin has Masters in Business Administration
from the University of Glamorgan UK, and currently
holds the position of Chief Operating Officer– Bahrain
Clear. He is the Chairman of the Guarantee Fund
Committee and Chairman of the African Middle East
Depositories Association (AMEDA) & Chairman of World
Forum of CSDs (WFC) representing Bahrain Clear. Mr.
Abdin has over 31 years of experience in Banking and
Capital Market structure, regulations and operations.
Marwa Al-MaskatiX
Director - Marketing & Business Development at Bahrain Bourse
Marwa Al-Maskati leads the Marketing and Business
Development function of Bahrain Bourse where she is
responsible for all new business opportunities and
affairs. Since taking on this role in 2014, she has been
instrumental in the implementation and establishment
of new markets including the Real Estate Investment
Trust Market (REIT) in 2016 and the Bahrain Investment
Market (BIM) in 2017, played a crucial role in
championing ESG within the capital markets, as well as
the establishment and launch of the Middle East
Investor Relations – Bahrain Chapter. Mrs. AlMaskati
currently heads the Bahrain Chapter of MEIRA and sits
on the Board of MEIRA as well, she is also an active
member of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets -
Sustainability Committee (2021-2022).
Anthony MillerX
Chief Coordinator at the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE)
Anthony Miller is the Coordinator of the United Nations
Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative and the
focal point for responsible investment within the
Investment and Enterprise Division of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD).
Dr. Miller is a specialist on sustainable finance,
corporate sustainability and corporate governance. He
has managed the SSE initiative since its launch by UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in 2009. In 2011, the
initiative was named by Forbes magazine as one of the
“world’s best sustainability ideas” and in 2019 was
endorsed by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
Today the SSE counts over 100 partner exchanges
around the world.
Sherif SalemX
Chief Investment Officer at Chimera Capital
Salem heads the Public Markets department at Chimera
Capital, where he oversees Chimera’s ETFs business. He
has over 20 years of investing experience covering
equity markets in the Middle East and Africa. Prior to
joining Chimera Capital, he held senior fund manager
positions at Invest AD and National Bank of Abu Dhabi,
managing UAE, MENA and Africa mandates. He began
his career as a buy-side analyst in the Egypt-based
investment bank, EFG-Hermes, in 1997.
Wael Al-HazzaniX
Chief Executive Officer at Muqassa
Wael Al-Hazzani is the Chief Executive Officer of Saudi
Securities Clearing House (Muqassa) and has held that
position since its establishment in May 2018. He has led
the company in its drive to reduce counterparty risk,
improve market efficiency and enable the introduction
of new products and services.
He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of
the Security Depository Centre Company (Edaa) since
2018, Tadawul Advanced Solution Company (WAMID)
since August 2020 and Saudi Exchange since April
2021.
Mirna SleimanX
Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Fintech Galaxy
Mirna Sleiman is the founder and CEO of Fintech Galaxy,
a global platform that fuels
innovation in financial services, drives ecosystem
collaboration, and facilitates Open
Banking API integration between financial institutions
and fintech companies.
Mirna has more than 15 years of experience in
government relations, business strategy,
digital communications and journalism. She managed
public sector business for Thomson
Reuters across 22 MENA countries and partnered with
international organizations to
promote innovation and social change. She spent more
than 10 years as a financial
journalist with Reuters, Dow Jones, The Wall Street
Journal, and Zawya.
Mazen WathaifiX
Chief Executive Officer at Amman Stock Exchange (ASE)
Mr. Wathaifi is the CEO of the Amman Stock Exchange
(ASE) since September 2019.
He joined the Amman Financial Market (AFM) in1984
and became the Director of the Research and Studies
Department at the AFM in 1997. He was appointed as
the Director of the Research and International Affairs
Department at the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC)
in 1999. Among his main responsibilities were
conducting researches on matters related to capital
market regulation and activities, and following up the
JSC's relations with related international organizations
including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the
World Bank, the International Organization of Securities
Commissions (IOSCO), Union of Arab of Securities
Authorities (UASA), and International securities
regulators. He took part in internal committees that
drafted the Securities Law and legislations governing
various activities in the national capital market. He
headed the committee that drafted the Corporate
Governance Code for Shareholding Companies Listed on
Amman Stock Exchange.
He is a member in several local, Arab, and international
working groups and task forces. He was elected as a
board member of Arab Financial Capital Markets (AFCM)
and the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges
(FEAS).
Wan NorhazikiX
Head of Global Shariah Governance at Crédit Agricole
Wan Norhaziki is a Shariah finance professional bringing
15 years of experience with extensive exposure within a
wide range of financial industries, from central banking,
global standard-setting, applied research, to Islamic
banking sectors in both Middle Eastern and Malaysian
banks. He currently leads the global Shariah
Governance Unit at Crédit Agricole Corporate and
Investment Bank (CACIB) in Dubai. Prior to this, he was
Vice President and Head of Shariah at Asian Finance
Bank, Head of Shariah Risk Management at Bank
Muamalat Malaysia, and Head of Shariah at the Islamic
Financial Services Board (IFSB). Wan Norhaziki started
his career with the Central Bank of Malaysia in 2007 and
had been involved in the Malaysia International Islamic
Financial Centre (MIFC) initiative, prior to joining the
International Shariah Research Academy for Islamic
Finance (ISRA) as a researcher. A Certified Islamic
Banker by CIBAFI, Wan Norhaziki holds an M.A. in
Shariah, and LL.M. in Banking Law from the
International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM), a B.A.
in Politics and Islamic sciences from the IIUM, a B.A. in
Shariah from Al-Madinah University, and a diploma in
Islamic studies from Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Michael GriffertyX
President at The Gulf Capital Market Association (GCMA)
Michael Grifferty founded and leads The Gulf Capital
Market Association (formerly known as The Gulf Bond
and Sukuk Association) the industry association
representing the Arabian Gulf debt and equity markets.
The GCMA is composed of the region’s leading banks,
law firms, issuers, ratings agencies and service
providers and plays a leading role on all major matters
concerning development of capital markets in the
region.
Previously, Michael served as advisor for the US
Treasury on sovereign debt and bond markets, advising
over forty countries and regional organizations. He has
also consulted extensively for the International
Monetary Fund and Arab Monetary Fund.
Prior to his international career, Mr. Grifferty was a
senior vice president at Government Finance Associates,
providing problem-solving financial advisory services to
US state and local governments. He has degrees from
New York University and Georgetown University in
Public Finance and International Relations, respectively.
A native English speaker, Michael speaks French and
Russian.
Sina HbousX
Sustainability Advisor to the Chairman at The Egyptian Exchange
Mrs. Sina Hbous has an overall professional experience
of over 17 years in the diversified field of sustainable
development. She has two master’s degrees in
international Affairs and Development Studies from the
Lebanese American University and The London School
of Economics, respectively.
She is currently advising and consulting several
institutions on reporting, sustainability and governance,
Islamic banking and climate and sustainable finance for
UNEP FI, IsDB, Insurance federation of Egypt, UN
Women, among others. She was assigned as the first
interim executive director of the Regional Center for
Sustainable Finance in Egypt. She was also chairman’s
advisor of Egypt’s financial regulatory authority (FRA)
for sustainable development since the beginning of
2019, where she has led efforts to introduce promote
climate finance instruments, sustainable insurance and
ESG related disclosures, and women leadership in the
finance sector. She is also a trainer and a consultant in
sustainable development working with international
organizations such as UNEP, UNDP, ESCWA, IFC and
ILO. She designed and undertaken a national and
international process to develop the ESG and TCFD
regulation issued by FRA.
Prior to her work at FRA, she assumed the position of
associate director of the Gerhart Center for
Philanthropy, Civic Engagement and Responsible
Business at the American University in Cairo (AUC).
Before joining the AUC, she worked as a sustainable
development expert for the Sustainable Growth
Division, Centre for Environment and Development Arab
Region and Europe, Cairo, Egypt starting 2013.
In 2010 and up till end of April 2012, Sina assumed the
role of Corporate Social Responsibility Unit Head,
National Bank of Egypt, Cairo, Egypt. She held several
positions, while working at the Egyptian Ministry of
Trade and Industry between September 2009 and till
April 2010. Sina was the Program Manager, Minister's
Technical Office, at the Ministry of Trade & Industry. She
was the Special Assistant to Minister’s Office, from
October 2006 till September 2008.
Rami El DokanyX
Executive Chairman at The Egyptian Exchange (EGX)
Rami El Dokany has more than ninteen years of
professional experience in the field of capital markets
private equity, investments, corporate finance, strategic
planning and business development, accompanied by a
strong educational background, from prominent local
and international institutions. El Dokany was appointed
as the Executive Chairman of The Egyptian Exchange
(EGX) on the 25th of August 2022.
Prior to this, in 2019, Rami was appointed as Secretary
General of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets, to
formulate a common vision for the Arab Capital
markets. Arab Federation of Capital Markets is the home
for more than 24 Arab exchanges and clearing houses,
as well as many prominent brokerage firms throughout
the Arab World. During his post as the Secretary
General of the AFCM, he managed, to tailor a strategic
restructuring program of the federation, allowing more
inclusion among its members, abiding to governance
practices and providing a sustainable path for the
federation, taking its revenues from US$ 177k in 2019
to over US$ 660k by the end of 2022.
Rami co-founded Pride Capital in 2017 to utilize his long
experience in financial services and investments and
passion to technology, and recently launched a fintech
accelerator with Start-up boot camp in Cairo – the
program is supported by Alex Bank, Visa, IFC, GIZ,
Pharos Holding, Ayady & Exprot Development Bank of
Egypt, and has invested in more than 11 startups in 1
year.
Rami was a Board member of BM Lease– subsidiary to
Banque Misr, and an Investment committee member of
the VC program of the Social Development Fund (in
cooperation with the World Bank), where he approved
several investments in debt and equity with multiple
start-ups and accelerators like Cairo based Flat6Labs, as
well a former Investment Committee member of the
Insurance Holding Co.
His last post was VP at Al-Ahly Capital Holding – the
investment arm of the National Bank of Egypt. During
his post, he joined the Board of Directors of one of the
leading oil refineries in Alexandria – Alexandria Mineral
Oils Co. and handled the strategic restructuring of the
company’s investors relations and approach to the
Capital Markets. Before that, Rami worked in HC
investment banking, Etisalat Misr, LINKdotNET, and
MIBank.
Rami Holds an M.Sc. From Wales University & B.Sc. in
economics from Cairo University. As well as several
executive certificates including Oxford University Fintech
program, Cambridge University’s strategy for CXOs
program, London Business School Private Equity
program, and Amsterdam Institute of Finance Valuation
program.
Eline SleurinkX
Head of UK & Ireland and Middle East at Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
Eline Sleurink is the Head of UK & Ireland and Middle
East at the PRI. Over the past 4 years she has
supported over 850 signatories in both regions on their
responsible investment journeys, including discussions
around climate change, human rights and ESG
integration considerations across all asset classes. In
light of the PRI’s growing signatory base in the Middle
East, Eline has recently relocated to Dubai where she is
spearheading responsible investment awareness and
engagement with local investors to further drive the
PRI’s mission and vision in the run up to COP28. Prior to
the PRI Eline started her career at J.P. Morgan Asset
Management in London as a Client Portfolio Manager,
before working with impact ventures as a Business
Development Manager in Kenya and Ghana.
Ndidi Nnoli-EdozienX
Member of the International Sustainability Standards Board at IFRS Foundation
Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien was appointed as a full-time
member of the International Sustainability Standards
Board (ISSB) in June 2022, effective 15 July 2022.
Her career has been focused on building connections
between business and sustainable development,
working across multinational and indigenous
companies,
public institutions and civil society organisations—in
Africa and Europe—to initiate sustainable development
initiatives.
She served as the inaugural Group Chief Sustainability
and Governance Officer of Dangote Industries Limited—
one of Africa’s largest manufacturing businesses—from
2017 to 2020. In this role, she was responsible for
developing the company’s sustainability culture,
strategy and reporting across 14 countries.
Dr Nnoli-Edozien has also served on several boards,
committees and initiatives focused on corporate
culture,
impact investing, sustainability reporting and
governance.
She has a PhD in social ethics, cultural adaptation,
sustainability and governance from the Johann
Wolfgang Goethe University in Germany and a
bachelor’s degree from the London School of Economics
and Political Science, UK.
Rafael PlataX
Secretary General at European Association of CCP Clearing Houses
Rafael is the Secretary General of the European
Association of CCP Clearing Houses (EACH), the trade
organisation that represents the interests of European
CCPs. A government affairs professional with over 20
years of experience in the financial services industry,
Rafael has also represented the interests of regulated
market at FESE and worked for the European Parliament
as well as in investment consulting.
He is a Member of the Consultative Working Group for
ESMA's CCP Policy Committee, an Editorial Board
member of the Journal of Securities Operations &
Custody and Vice-President and Chair of Leadership
Circle at the European Society for Association
Executives. He has also been an Invited lecturer on CCP
Clearing at the Solvay School of Economics and
Management.
Rafael studied Business and Economics at Universidad
Loyola Andalucia (Spain) and The University of
Birmingham (UK) and holds a master’s degree in
European Economics from the Free University of
Brussels (Belgium).
Martin JanzenX
Managing Partner at Ntsal Consultancy
Ntsal® is a multinational consultancy, design & software
studio on steroids, where Martin is the Managing
Partner of the Chamber of Consultancy.
He is an expert in strategy development, commercial
excellence & monetization and organizational
transformation with 15 years of experience in Financial
Services.
The consultancy team is advising clients in MEA and
Europe out of Ntsal’s offices in Germany, Austria and
Egypt.
In 2021 Ntsal conducted a study with the AFCM on Data
Monetization in Capital Markets for the Arab Region.
Michele CarlssonX
Managing Director and Non-Executive Board Member at Nasdaq (MENA)
Michèle Carlsson is the Managing Director of Nasdaq in
the Middle East and Africa and a non-executive member
of board of directors. Michèle has been representing
Nasdaq based in Dubai since 2009. Her focus is bringing
Nasdaq’s capital markets expertise to the region, by
building relationships and being the ambassador for
Nasdaq, making sure that clients receive the attention
and care that they deserve. Michèle has always had a
client-centric approach, ensuring Nasdaq’s customers
receiving the support they need, to thrive and
implement best practices. With over 30 years of
experience in the intersection between technology and
finance, Michèle brings unique skills and capabilities to
Nasdaq and the development and growth of the Middle
Eastern and African capital markets.
Michèle started her career in 1985, after studying
Information Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Prior to
relocating to the GCC, Michèle held various managerial
positions at Nasdaq and has experiences is in a wide
variety of disciplines such as being the CTO of a joint
venture between Nasdaq and the Egyptian Stock
Exchange. A three years engagement that brought
Michèle and her family to live in Egypt before moving to
the UAE. Prior to Nasdaq, Michèle worked as a system
developer at the Stockholm Stock Exchange, the
Swedish Credit Agency UC and the Publisher Esselte DC.
Sherif KhalilX
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Expert
17 year multi-award winner veteran of the Egyptian
financial industry, holding positions that include Head of
Investor Relations and Chief Communications Officer for
one of the largest banks in Egypt. An expert in building
corporate narratives and story to bridge perception gaps
between corporations and their respective stakeholders,
as well as an expert crisis communicator. A skill set
acquired through almost two decades that saw various
economic cycles in the local, regional and global
economies.
Mervyn TangX
Head of Sustainability Strategy, APAC at Schroders
Mervyn Tang is the Head of Sustainability Strategy,
APAC. Currently based in Singapore, Mervyn is
responsible for Schroders’ Sustainability Strategy in the
Asia Pacific. He works in partnership with client facing
and product teams to build the firm’s sustainable
investment propositions across the region, and lead the
company’s Regional Centre of Excellence for
Sustainability.
Prior to joining Schroders in July 2021, Mervyn was
Global Head of ESG Research at Fitch Ratings,
overseeing a research team of 4 analysts across London
and Hong Kong which primarily focuses on thematic and
cross sector ESG research. He also held roles at MSCI,
the Bank of England, and Citigroup.
Mervyn holds a Master of Arts degree in Economics and
Management from the University of Oxford and a Master
of Science degree in Economics from the University of
London. Mervyn is also a Chartered Financial Analyst
(CFA) charterholder, a member of the advisory
committee to Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology’s BSc in Sustainable and Green Finance
Program, and a faculty member of the Wealth
Management Institute in Singapore.
Khaled RashedX
Managing Director at Misr for Central Clearing, Depository and Registry
Khaled has over 24 years of solid experience in the
financial sector. He is the Managing Director of Misr for
central clearing, depository and registry. He is also a
board member of the Arab Federation of Capital
Markets.
Prior to that, he was the Chairman of Sameem, Egypt’s
first activist investment firm. Throughout his career,
Khaled held various positions in banking, private equity
and capital markets. He was the CEO of CORECAP, a
leading alternative investment firm in Dubai, Board
Member and CEO of Amwal Investment Bank in Qatar,
Vice President of Abraaj Capital and Manager of Direct
Equities in Dubai Islamic Bank. He started his career as
a corporate banker at CIB in Egypt.
His transactional track record includes leading Amwal to
become the premier investment bank in Qatar and
participating in realizing a 101% IRR on its sale. He has
also participated in underwriting the US$ 337M Ithmaar
Bank IPO, managing the QAR 1bn first Qatari mutual
fund and Dubai Islamic Bank’s US$ 150M proprietary
private equity book. He also led the acquisition of a
strategic stake in Tameer-Bahrain, the first real estate
company to go public on the Bahraini stock exchange
and in financing Sokhna Port, the first BOOT port in
Egypt.
Under his leadership, CORECAP was acknowledged as a
New Champion by the World Economic Forum and
selected as a member of the community of GGC in
2008
and Amwal was awarded the “Leading Investment Firm
in Qatar”.
In 2009, Khaled was awarded “Entrepreneur CEO of
the
Year” by ITP. He was also chosen as one of the Gulf's
50
Most Admired Executives by CEO Middle East
magazine.
He was voted a Young Arab Leader by the YAL
Association – UAE. He is a board member of the UAE
chapter of the CEO Club. He is also a member of the
UAE French Business Council. Khaled holds an MBA
from
ESLSCA University in France and a BA in Business
Administration (English Section) from Helwan
University
in Egypt.
Jai WatermanX
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at Blockstation
Waterman is an experienced business and technology
leader, currently serving as CEO at Blockstation. With
over 22 years of experience in business optimization
and 18 years building enterprise software, he is a
dedicated advocate for the adoption of flexible turnkey
solutions that provide efficiency, transparency, and
unparalleled security to regulated institutions. His
forward-looking approach has resulted in
groundbreaking innovations with the potential to
revolutionize the financial industry and his unwavering
dedication to providing exceptional market-ready
solutions has earned him a reputation as a trusted and
respected leader. Prior to Blockstation, he founded
"illions", an ERP cloud blockchain accounting company
and invented Cross Company Automation, a process to
automate internal and external data exchange across
multiple independent organizations.
Shaikh Khalifa Al KhalifaX
Chief Executive Officer at Bahrain Bourse
Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa currently holds the
position of Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Bourse as
well as Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bahrain
Clear. Sh Khalifa also serves as the Chairman of Arab
Federation of Capital Markets, as well as an active
member the GCC Exchanges Committee - GCC General
Secretariat. As CEO, Sh. Khalifa drives BHB’s strategy,
with the aim of positioning Bahrain Bourse as a
‘Sustainable & Innovative Marketplace’. Sh. Khalifa has
more than 14 years of capital markets experience and
possesses a wide range of expertise from business
development and corporate planning to strategy and
operations.
Preceding his appointment as CEO, Sh. Khalifa served
as Deputy Director for Central Securities Depository
(CSD) and Information Technology, and subsequently
Chief Operating Officer, prior to handling the role of
Chief Executive Officer. Sh. Khalifa holds an MBA from
the CASS Business School – London.
Yasmine HemedaX
Head of Investor Relations at Commercial International Bank Egypt
Yasmine is with more than 15 years of experience in the
financial industry, Yasmine currently holds the position
of Head of Investor Relations (IR) at CIB, a position she
assumed in November 2017. As head of IR, she leads
CIB’s award-winning investor relations program,
responsible for crafting the story of CIB and conveying
it to the all stakeholders (investors, analysts, rating
agencies, financial media etc). The Bank’s IR program
holds more than 300 meetings a year with over 400
investors and fund managers across 15 or more
international conferences, roadshows and reverse
roadshows in Europe, North America, the Middle East
and Africa. CIB’s IR program has finished atop the
Reuters Extel poll and is a regular winner of awards
programs for best regional or national investor relations
program and best investor relations professional.
Yasmine is also involved in various strategic initiatives
the Bank undergoes (from strategy, to process re-
engineering). She joined CIB in January 2008 as a
member of the Investor Relations Department and
completed the CIB Credit Training Program in 2012 at
the top of her class. Prior to becoming head of the
department, Yasmine was one of the core members who
built and elevated the program to be one of the best
and regionally recognized IR programs. She holds a
bachelor’s degree from the Cairo University, faculty of
Economics and Political Science (French section) and
pursued various Investor Relations and leadership
courses and workshops in Egypt, UK and the United
States, the latest of which is the Harvard business
school executive leadership program in Boston in June
2022.
Ohood Al BalushiX
Manager of KYC Strategy at Bank Muscat
Ohood Al Balushi is a seasoned banking professional
with over a decade of experience in the industry. She is
currently working as the Manager of KYC Strategy and
CDD at Bank Muscat, one of the leading banks in Oman.
With a regulatory background, Ohood Al Balushi has
worked as a senior bank examiner with the Central
Bank of Oman. She has also participated in the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF) Mutual Evaluation of
Netherlands. Her expertise in regulatory compliance has
made her an invaluable asset to Bank Muscat.
Ohood Al Balushi has played a crucial role in
implementing the bank's KYC and CDD strategies,
ensuring that the bank is compliant with regulatory
requirements. She has also been instrumental in
developing and implementing risk-based approach
frameworks, which have helped the bank to identify and
mitigate potential risks.
Throughout her career, Ohood Al Balushi has
demonstrated a commitment to excellence,
professionalism, and integrity. Her ability to work
effectively in a team and her strong leadership skills
have helped her to achieve success in her roles.
Ohood Al Balushi holds a bachelor’s degree in
accounting and a master’s degree in business
administration and information technology from
Coventry university. She is also a certified Anti-Money
Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and a member of the
Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering
Specialists (ACAMS).
Nandini SukumarX
Chief Executive Officer at The World Federation of Exchanges
Nandini Sukumar is the Chief Executive Officer of the
World Federation of Exchanges, the global association
for exchanges and CCPs. The WFE represents more than
250 exchanges and clearing houses globally, educating
stakeholders on the vital role played by market
infrastructures in the real economy and as a standard
setter, finding the consensus on issues among the
global membership. Of its members, 37% are in Asia-
Pacific, 43% in EMEA and 20% in the Americas. WFE
exchanges are home to 59,400 listed companies, and
the market capitalisation of these entities is over
$122.94 trillion; around $162.04 trillion (EOB) in
trading annually passes through WFE members (at end
2021). WFE’s 57 member CCPs collectively ensure that
risk takers post some $1 trillion (equivalent) of
resources to back their positions, in the form of initial
margin and default fund requirements. Ms. Sukumar is
Vice Chair of IOSCO’s Affiliate Members Consultative
Committee and Chair of the AMCC’s Sustainability
Taskforce.
Gerard SmithX
Head of Business Development - Digital Assets at Nasdaq
Gerard Smith is Vice President, Business Development
of Digital Assets for Nasdaq's Marketplace Technology
business, where he leads the development of Nasdaq’s
technology services in digital assets, tokens and
cryptocurrency.
Before joining Nasdaq, Gerard was Managing Director,
Head of Post Trade Product Development at Hong Kong
Exchanges and Clearing. In this role, Gerard led a team
of Product and Network Managers in all aspects of the
exchange's Post Trade business. Prior to this, he served
as Product Director in Collateral and Liquidity
Management at LCH Ltd. He also held positions with
Euroclear and the Bank of England.
For over 15 years, Gerard has led change, gaining
extensive experience in trading, clearing, settlement,
payments and collateral management.
Gerard has a master's degree in European Politics and a
bachelor's degree in Politics. Gerard is a qualified Scrum
Master and Agile Product Owner. He has also
successfully passed the Financial Times Non-Exec
Director Diploma.
Riham ElGizyX
Chief Executive Officer at MENA Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM)
Riham ElGizy has over 20 years of international
experience dedicated to impact-related investments
through her extensive work as a leader in mergers and
acquisitions, as well as strategy and business
development experience. She was formerly head of
Saudi Aramco’s Investment valuations and structuring,
the function responsible for advising and formulating
investment decisions for corporate and executive
management, as well as government institutions. Prior
to joining Saudi Aramco, she spent 16 years with BP in
North America and North Africa.
ElGizy has a track record in originating and executing
energy, clean technology, and renewable energy
transactions across the globe. She has advised strategy
and investment boards and led negotiations with
governments and privately held institutions.
ElGizy is a Sloan fellow MBA (MIT Sloan School of
Management) and during her time at MIT, she worked
on projects promoting sustainable economic growth in
emerging markets through the deployment of innovative
technology solutions and climate change simulations.
She is currently CEO of the Voluntary Carbon Market
(VCM). In her role at the helm of the VCM, she has
launched the first voluntary carbon market in the MENA
region and led the single largest voluntary carbon
market auction to ever take place.
Shobhit ThaparX
Director, Head of Index and Analytics (CEEMA) at FTSE Russell
Shobhit has over 12 years of experience in the financial
services sector, covering multiple buy-side disciplines
and geographies from Middle East, to Africa and Europe.
Based out of Dubai, Shobhit is responsible for FTSE
Russell’s Index and Analytics business in Central &
Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, working with
Asset Owners, Asset Managers, Central Banks, and Sell-
Side institutions.
Prior to FTSE Russell (an LSEG business), Shobhit has
worked extensively with Portfolio & Risk Management
Solutions, and Index Solutions.
Shobhit earned his MBA from The University of Chicago
Booth School of Business, and is a certified FRM
(Financial Risk Manager) and CIPM (Certificate in
Investment Performance Measurement).
Sumer ChopraX
Director & Founding Member at Alumia
Sumer is one of the Founding members of Alumia, a
global capital-raising platform, headquartered in
Luxembourg. He is responsible for capital raising, fund
distribution, and SPAC advisory at Alumia. Previously,
Sumer was the Lead SPAC Expert at Mazars
Luxembourg, responsible for the capital markets
advisory for SPAC engagements. He was also part of the
Corporate Finance division at Mazars Luxembourg,
performing Valuations for M&A transactions and
specializing in valuation of alternative assets such as
VC, PE, and Real Estate.
Sumer has been studying & researching SPACs for close
to a decade and has been involved in several SPAC IPOs
and De-SPACs. Sumer acts as an advisor for SPACs,
advising on topics ranging from capital raising, target
search, deal structuring, to M&A execution. He holds a
Masters degree in Financial Markets Investments from
SKEMA Business School.
Hany SabriX
Head of Investment & Capital Markets Products at ADIB
Hany Sabry has over 24 years of experience working in
financial sector, including 19 years in the Banking
industry. He has a distinguished high-profile diversified
experience in Credit Risk, Product development, Private
Banking, and Investment Banking.
He worked previously for HSBC, International Company
for leasing, Dubai Islamic bank, Mashreq Bank and
Ajman bank. He holds a master’s degree in business
administration from Preston University, USA and
Certified from Chartered Institute for Securities &
investment, UK.
Khaled KurdiehX
General Manager at ADIB Securities
Khaled is the General Manager of ADIB Securities LLC.
He joined ADIB in 2010 with more than 20 years of
experience in the global and regional financial
brokerage industry.
One of his key objectives is to deliver best in class
brokerage experience for ADIB’s clients through a team
professionals and cutting edge technology. Prior to
joining ADIB, he was the CEO of Mashreq Securities.
He was earlier the Director of TAIB Securities a
subsidiary of TAIB Bank Bahrain. Throughout his tenure,
he was responsible for managing the firm’s regional and
international brokerage business. Khaled additionally
worked for Charles Schwab & Co. in the United States.
During his last assignment with Schwab; he managed
the unit’s global client’s relationships where he gained
an edge in the financial advisory business, prime and
institutional brokerage. He holds an MBA in
Management from WIU Phoenix, Arizona USA.
Fahd ChaudhryX
Client Coverage Director at S&P Dow Jones Indices
Fahd Chaudhry is Director of Client Coverage for the
Middle East and North Africa, the Commonwealth of
Independent States and Turkey at S&P Dow Jones
Indices (S&P DJI). He joined S&P DJI in 2010 and is
based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In his role, he
works to develop the passive market in his regions and
works closely with clients to innovate, strategize and
design products that serve the local markets across
asset classes. Fahd has extensive experience in capital
markets, as well as commodity and fixed income
markets, strategy, product development, marketing and
selling passive solutions. Prior to joining S&P DJI, Fahd
held multiple roles in the financial sector in various
countries, which included trading and business
development in Dubai, London, the U.S. and Iran. Fahd
holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the
University of Massachusetts in Boston and is fluent in
English and Urdu.
Abdul Hadi ShaikhX
Co-Founder at Islamicly App
Abdul Hadi Shaikh is a graduate in commerce and is a
Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor (CSAA) from
AAOIFI. He has been working in the Islamic finance
Industry for the past 15 years and has been the lead
researcher and presenter at various globally renowned
Shariah Boards such as the S&P and Dow Jones Shariah
Boards.
Abdul Hadi is a specialist in Shariah equity screening
and has advised some of the biggest Shariah compliant
asset managers and indices globally. He is the co-
founder of Islamicly App - a consumer platform which
has disrupted access to real time Shariah compliant
equities on a global scale.
Prior to joining Ratings Intelligence, Abdul Hadi was at
Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, in the
Assurance and Business Advisory vertical.
Manish DhamejaX
Chief Wholesale Banking Officer at Sohar International
Mr. Manish is a seasoned banking professional with over
23 years of working experience, during which he worked
in UAE, Africa & across various cities in India. He is an
Engineer, MBA & CFA. He has joined from Standard
Chartered Bank, where he held multiple leadership roles
and led many businesses & large teams. Mr. Manish
strength lies in establishing and growing new and large
businesses, improve business profitability, client
connections & team engagement.
Amr EmaraX
Head of Investor Relations Business at GFM Mubasher
Emara is an accomplished IT professional with over 5
years of experience in the technology industry.
Throughout his career, he has specialized in providing
financial services solutions to clients in the financial
sector, working with leading technology companies such
as Oracle and SAP. His expertise in the field has enabled
him to navigate complex financial environments and
provide innovative solutions that have helped clients
achieve their goals. He has a passion for utilizing
technology to drive financial growth, which has been a
key driver for his success. Currently, he serves as the
Head of Investor Relations Business at Mubasher, where
he is responsible for enhancing listed companies' IR
communications and applying best practices in the GCC
region.
Ashar SaleemX
Fund Manager at Yaqeen Capital
Ashar Saleem, CFA has been a part of the investment
management industry for more than 8 years working
across multiple asset classes. In his current capacity as
a Fund manager at Yaqeen Capital (Previously known as
FALCOM financial services) in Saudi Arabia, he manages
assets in excess of USD 1 Billion which are spread
across multiple asset classes ranging from equities,
fixed income, real estate and private equity. Previously
he was associated with the Saudi Kuwaiti Finance House
and also the Rashid Saad Al Rashid & Sons family office
in similar capacities in Saudi Arabia.
Ashar has been an active part of the development of the
Saudi investment industry with specific focus on the CFA
society Saudi Arabia. He currently serves on the boards
for University of Business & Technology (UBT) and Dar
Al Hekma University in Saudi Arabia. Ashar regularly
appears as a guest speaker at multiple occasions at the
Prince Sultan University in Saudi Arabia and the
Institute of Public Financial Accounts (UK) and has been
a continuous mentor for the finance graduates for the
institutes. Ashar regularly provides his comments and
views on renowned media outlets mainly Bloomberg and
Argaam.
Ashar holds the CFA charter along with an MBA in
Banking & Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in
Economics & Finance both from the Lahore School of
Economics, Pakistan.
Brandon GoodwinX
Vice President - Middle East at ARC Group
Goodwin is the Vice President of Arc Group - Middle
East, a worldwide leader in SPAC and IPO advisory.
Previously he was a Managing Director and Head of
Middle East for a US-based 110-year-old market maker
and founding member of the New York Stock Exchange.
Mr Goodwin has a wealth of experience in private and
public markets and has worked across all elements of
investment banking over the last decade.
Lamia HarizX
Head of Corporate Communications, Marketing & IR at ADIB
Lamia Hariz joined ADIB in June 2016. Reporting
directly to the GCEO, she oversees the primary
functions that shape the reputation of ADIB, including
marketing, Communications, Investor relations, ESG,
Public Affairs and sponsorships.
Prior to joining ADIB, Lamia was heading the internal
communication and stakeholders’ engagement at
Emirates Steel from 2015 to 2016. In that capacity, she
oversaw all CEO’s stakeholders’ engagement.
Before that, she was the head of corporate
communication at ADIB. She managed all
communications operations, including media relations
and content development. Prior to joining ADIB, she
worked for 7 years with Weber Shandwick, a leading
global PR agency.
Lamia earned a degree in economics from Saint Joseph
University and a Master in communication from
Leicester University. She is certified by Chartered
Institute of Public Relations.
Rafaqat MirX
Head of Fintech at DirectFN
“20+ years of experience as Investment Management
Fintech Leader with specialization in Capital Market
innovation and now leading teams to bring fresh ideas,
and innovative products in frontier & emerging markets.
Recently been part of some exciting projects in Africa to
establish cross-border order routing platform building.
He brings experience in overall Financial Software
Solutions building across ME/GCC, North and West
African markets, and South Asia. He is an MBA, Finance
with a bachelor’s in computer sciences from Pakistan.”
Silvina BruggiaX
Director of Emerging Markets at Refinitiv
Silvina Bruggia is Director of Emerging Markets at
Refinitiv, an LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)
business, responsible for addressing client needs in the
Sustainable Finance and Investing segments. She has
held different positions in the areas of products,
content, sales, and marketing at Refinitiv and in the
Financial & Risk business division of Thomson Reuters in
Latin America since joining the firm in 2006. Between
2016 and 2018 she led the South Latam business and
then The Market Development team in Latin America
until 2020.
She currently has an active participation in the
development of capital markets in emerging countries,
promoting global best practices in sustainable finance
and financial inclusion, generating initiatives and
discussion spaces for the adoption of ESG criteria in
investment decision-making, and supporting innovation
and new technologies that facilitate access to data and
connectivity.
Education: Degree in Economics (Merit: CUM-LAUDE)
from the University of Buenos Aires, where she also was
assistant professor for almost 7 years lecturing on
macroeconomics, monetary economics, credit and
banking. Also, she holds a Postgraduate Degree in
Human Resources Management at Universidad Católica
Argentina. Silvina participated in several programs
focused on Innovation and new technologies like Digital
Immersion in Silicon Valley and Smart Investing in IAE.
Dawn FranklinX
Product Specialist of Wealth Management at GTN Middle East Financial Services
Dawn is a highly experienced financial services
professional with over 20 years of experience in the
industry. Having worked as a Senior Financial Planner
for over a decade, she has honed her skills in the UK,
Switzerland, and Dubai, catering to high-net-worth
individuals. Dawn's extensive background in wealth
management and financial planning enables her to
provide clients and partners with tailored solutions to
grow and preserve their wealth. As a Wealth
Management Product Specialist at GTN, Dawn leverages
her vast industry experience and knowledge to work
closely with GTN clients and partners in the
Middle East region.
Hanifa YmerX
SVP & Head – ESG at Sohar International
Hanifa joined Sohar International in July 2022, as Head
of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) and is
responsible for developing and executing the Bank’s
ESG Framework – embedding ESG throughout the Bank
– be it through effective ESG risk management, or
through supporting Sohar International’s stakeholders
through sustainable financing solutions. With over 25
years of experience managing across all ESG topics
(e.g. climate change, diversity & inclusion, energy,
water & waste management, social impact), Ms Hanife
draws on her experience from South East Asia, Europe,
South America, North America, Australia and the MEA
(Middle East and Africa) regions. Within MENA, Hanifa
has previously held similar leadership roles with Jones
Lang LaSalle; Mubadala Investment Company and
KPMG. Her experience includes advising leading banks
globally and regionally. Hanifa holds a Bachelor's
Degree in Strategic Management and Marketing
(Monash University - Australia), a Graduate Certificate
in Sustainability (Swinburne University - Australia), as
well as certificates in Sustainable Finance (Frankfurt
School of Finance and Management), Climate Change
and TCFD – Risks and Opportunities for the Banking
Sector (UNEP FI), and Social Return on Investment
Practitioner (Social Value International).
Christian LeeX
Partner at Sionic
Christian leads Sionic’s internationally renowned
Clearing team that has advised CCP and exchange
clients across the globe on developing best practice
solutions. He was previously at LCH where, at the
height of the 2008 banking crisis as head of
SwapClear’s Default Management Group, he
successfully unwound Lehman’s $90trillion portfolio.
Since 2021, the team has been working in Qatar
advising on the development of its capital markets
infrastructure including the design and implementation
of a securities CCP.
H.E. Munther Al BusaidiX
Vice Chairman of Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit
H.E. Sayyid Dr. Munther Al Busaidi is the Vice Chairman
of Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit.
The unit is tasked with following up and supporting the
implementation of the vision’s programs and initiatives.
Prior to joining the unit, he was an advisor to the
Behavioral Economics Department in the Ministry of
Economy. He was also vital in setting up the department
and leading it in the first year of establishment. He was
also the Assistant Dean for Training and Community
Service in the College of Economics and Political Science
at Sultan Qaboos University. His role involved building
ties with the public and private sectors through joint
projects and initiatives. Dr. Munther was also a founding
partner at The Firm for Business & Economic Consulting.
The company specializes in management consultancy
and capacity building. He has a PhD from the University
of Melbourne - Australia and a master’s degree from the
University of Illinois - USA
Mahmood Al AweiniX
Program Director of Estidamah Program Oman
Mahmood Abdullah Al Aweini is a senior executive with
20 years’ experience in finance and investments as well
as in business development and forming corporate
strategies for large and complex organizations. He is
leading the National Program for Fiscal Sustainability
and Financial Sector Development (Estidamah), which
has been launched by Ministry of Finance upon the
directive of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman for duration
of three (3) years, effective from 1st January 2023. The
aim of this program is to support the economic and
investment growth to enable Oman to achieve its Vision
2040. Before joining the program, Al Aweini was
procurement advisor for projects organizations of Middle
East Finance in BP Exploration Ltd. He also acted as
regional director (Middle East) finance. Moreover, he
held several other management roles at the company in
various teams, including material management &
distribution, in-country value and planning and
performance. Prior to BP Exploration Ltd., he was
general manager at Rawasi Oman Investment looking
after the investment opportunities through mergers &
acquisitions within the GCC. Earlier than that, he was
head of billing and revenue in Oman International
Container Terminal (Hutchison Ports Sohar). At the
beginning of his career, Al Aweini was financial analyst,
then he became a head of trading & surveillance
operations in Muscat Securities Market. He is an MBA
holder, and he completed his bachelor’s degree in
finance in 2003 from Sultan Qaboos University.
Haitham Al SalmiX
Chief Executive Officer at Muscat Stock Exchange
CEO of Muscat Stock Exchange SAOC and chairman of
Muscat Clearing and Depository SAOC with over 19-year
executive experience capital markets and securities
industry in leading financial markets institutions
including financial market infrastructure institutions,
intermediaries, and investment banks. He is master’s
degree holders in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from
University of Bedfordshire and a bachelor graduate in
Accounting from Sultan Qaboos University.
H.E. Tahir Salim Al AmriX
Executive President at Central Bank of Oman
Royal Decree No.44/2017 appointed His Excellency Tahir
Salim Al Amri as Executive President of the Central
Bank of Oman (CBO) in September 2017. He provides
overall leadership to the CBO in its endeavors to
achieve the desired goals and objectives for supporting
the overarching national interest. H.E. Al Amri has been
dealing with public policy for a long time and his
expertise lies in economic and financial policymaking. At
CBO, while serving as the Executive President, nurturing
a sound and resilient banking sector and deepening of
financial markets remain the topmost priority of His
Excellency. Towards this objective, important policy
matters steered by H.E. include banking regulations,
monetary policy operations, financial stability,
payments, settlement, Fintech, etc.
H.E. Al Amri possesses wide experience, and before
taking over as Executive President of CBO, he held
various executive positions in Ministry of Finance and
other institutions in Oman. He also served on the board
of several prestigious private and public entities those
were engaged in diverse fields, viz. banking, sovereign
wealth management, shipping, and oil& gas. H.E. holds
a B.Sc. degree in Finance & Accounting from Salford
University, UK.
Amit ThusuX
Senior Director – Climate Action at Global Carbon Council (GCC)
Amit Thusu is a Carbon Market and Sustainability
professional with working experience of over
22+ years. Since last more than four and a half years,
he has been working as Senior Director-
Climate Action and has been instrumental in designing,
establishing and operating a new
voluntary carbon market Program- Global Carbon
Council (GCC) for endorsement of the quality
of carbon offsets. Global Carbon Council (GCC) is the
first and only International voluntary
carbon offsetting program in the entire global south and
is accredited by ICROA and
ICAO/CORSIA. GCC Program is up on running and is
dealing with 1485+ greenhouse gas
(GHG) reduction projects while ensuring sustainability,
no-net-harm on Environment and
Society, and contributing to UN SDGs and compliance to
CORSIA label. He is responsible for
day-to-day operations of the GCC Program and oversees
and supervises teams and functions,
including Governance management, Project
assessment, Verifier management, Regulatory
development, CORSIA/ICROA accreditation
management, Digitization and IT initiatives,
Registry operations, linking exchanges/platforms and
new initiatives, partnerships and
collaborations
Bogolo KenewendoX
Africa Director at UN Climate Change High Level Champions Team
Bogolo J. Kenewendo is a global economist and Former
Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry in Botswana.
She is currently championing climate finance and action
as a catalyst for development in Africa and the global
south in her role as Africa Director & Special Advisor of
the UN High Level Climate Champions Team.
Kenewendo is also a vocal advocate for gender equity
and protection of children’s rights. She has received
global recognition for her work, being appointed as a
member of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, a
member of United Nations Secretary-General António
Guterres’ High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation,
Advisory group on the gender architecture of the UN
and group on Financing for Development, a member of
the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Council
on Global Public Goods in the Fourth Industrial
Revolution, and a WEF Young Global Leader. She is also
a Non-Resident Fellow with Center for Global
Development and a member of several corporate
boards.
In 2022 she was one of the Time 100 Next Honorees
and has been named as one of Africa’s 100 most
influential people by various publications over the last 5
years.