Covering the big ideas, bold leadership and dynamic economies at the frontlines of global transformation
Global Perspectives is CNN's new live event series, bringing the network’s renowned journalism and expert analysis to the stage. Each event features in-depth conversations exploring the ideas, leadership and forces shaping the global economy, business and culture.
This October, CNN brings Global Perspectives to the Gulf with Global Perspectives: In Doha. Exploring The Invisible World, the event examines the hidden forces reshaping how the world works. As power shifts in new and often unseen ways, the Gulf is emerging not just as a responder to change, but as a key player in shaping what comes next.
Convening world leaders, CEOs and cultural voices, CNN’s award-winning journalists will lead conversations at a pivotal moment of global transformation, as technology, geopolitics and influence continue to evolve. Editorial highlights, interviews, and coverage from the event will feature across CNN's platforms.
The global order is no longer shaped by superpowers alone. Smaller and mid-sized nations are using diplomacy, investment, trade and strategic relationships to extend their influence. For those caught between competing powers, the challenge is avoiding taking sides. As alliances become more fluid and transactional, could the world’s middle powers play an outsized role in shaping what comes next?
America remains the world's largest economy and military power, but it is entering a period of intense political division and growing international competition. As they prepare for midterm elections, how is American leadership evolving and what does that mean for allies, rivals and regions such as the Gulf? And how much of the world's future still depends on decisions made in Washington?
The AI boom is driving extraordinary demand for energy. As data centres expand worldwide, the race is on to find enough electricity to run them. Green data centres, combining renewable energy, storage and AI could offer a solution without adding pressure to traditional power grids. As AI adoption accelerates, could access to abundant clean energy ultimately determine who comes out on top?
The energy transition was once presented as a simple shift from fossil fuels to cleaner alternatives. The reality is proving far more complicated. Oil and gas demand remains resilient, renewable capacity is expanding, and industries face pressure to cut emissions. So, rather than replacing one energy system with another, are we entering an era where old and new will have to coexist for longer than expected?
Networking Break: Take a moment to recharge and continue conversations sparked during the morning sessions. Connect with peers, exchange ideas, and expand your network in an informal setting.
Sovereign wealth funds now rank among the most powerful forces in the global economy. Controlling trillions in capital, they are moving beyond passive investment to back industries, build partnerships and shape long-term strategy. As their role and influence grows, how are funds and their global partners shaping the future?
With trillions poured into tech and innovation every year, investors are always hunting for the next big win. But beyond the returns, today's biggest innovations are also reshaping the real world—for better or worse. So when does money not just do well, but do good? A conversation with some of the world’s most influential funders, from global policymakers to VC firms and philanthropies.
Every day, we interact with a world we cannot see. Beams of invisible light help autonomous cars navigate our streets. Invisible clouds of sovereign data centers process our daily decisions. Unseen algorithms construct the videos and media we consume. This session brings together three pioneers to demystify the hidden infrastructure shaping the physical and digital landscape of tomorrow.
In a world shaped by algorithms, noise and constant distraction, art and culture still have the power to stop people in their tracks. This special conversation with a closing performance brings creativity and human connection back to centre stage, a reminder that behind every headline, strategy and technological shift, there are still stories, emotions and voices that connect us.
Networking Lunch: Join your peers for a networking lunch designed to foster meaningful dialogue. Continue discussions from earlier sessions or spark new ones in a relaxed and engaging environment.
Media zones, sovereign capital, and creators who build audiences without institutions are producing a new kind of confident local storytelling. The old formula of diluting content for a global audience is no longer a given. How can creatives and entertainment financiers make stories that stay deeply local and still reach the world? When is staying local the smarter play? And what do independent creators and traditional media still need from each other?
When the technology your economy runs on is built, owned, and controlled somewhere else, the answer, increasingly, is to build your own stack. Sovereign AI infrastructure, homegrown platforms, and state-backed research institutions are laying the foundations of digital economies designed to operate on their own terms. What are the challenges and opportunities of building a technology stack that is locally rooted, globally competitive, and resilient enough to survive?
From health, sports and education to trade and innovation, cross-border collaboration has always been vital to global wellbeing and prosperity. Today, as the world economy and global politics fracture along new fault lines, our ability to collaborate across borders faces a critical test. How can business leaders and philanthropists, diplomats and innovators continue to think and act global, reaching across borders to forge new connections, find common ground and create shared solutions?
Pressure defines modern life, from sport and leadership to business and politics. While technology is changing how we compete, human performance still comes down to mindset, resilience and control. How do the world’s top performers train their minds as much as their bodies, and why do resilience, focus and human connection still matter in an increasingly automated world?
In a world shaped by platforms and algorithms, individuals still have the ability to cut through. For business leaders to creators, athletes and public figures, personality has become a powerful force in shaping influence, ideas and global conversations. In an age of automation and AI, is human connection more valuable than ever?
Rosewood Doha
First Street 69, Lusail, Qatar
Rosewood Doha is an ultra‑luxury landmark in Lusail’s Marina District, blending contemporary elegance with Qatari heritage. Its coral and pearl‑inspired design, refined interiors, Gulf views, and world‑class hospitality create a distinctive, elevated setting.
Sir Mark Thompson is Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of CNN Worldwide where he oversees all aspects of the business in the U.S. and around the world. He also serves as the editor-in-chief of CNN.
Sir Mark stepped down as President and CEO of The New York Times Company in the summer of 2020 after an eight-year tenure during which he led the transformation of the 170-year-old news brand into a digital powerhouse.
Sir Mark’s appointment at The New York Times Company followed an eight-year term as Director General (Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive) of the BBC. As well as guiding the BBC’s coverage of the global financial crisis and the 2012 London Olympic Games, he is credited with major advances in the BBC’s digital offering and digital audience reach, including the successful launch of the BBC’s iPlayer, one of the world’s first streaming services from a major broadcaster (2007).
He joined the BBC from Channel 4 where he was Chief Executive from 2002 to 2004. Before Channel 4 he held a series of senior posts at the BBC including Editor of The Nine O’clock News and Panorama, Controller of BBC Two and Director of Television.
Christiane Amanpour is CNN’s chief international anchor, host of the network’s flagship global affairs program Amanpour which airs weekdays on CNN International and on PBS in the United States. She is also host of the Saturday show The Amanpour Hour.
Amanpour’s fearless and uncompromising reporting from warzones and sites of natural disasters around the world over the past four decades has made her one of the most recognizable and iconic journalists in the world.
Throughout her time at CNN, she has secured countless exclusive and hard-to-get interviews with the global leaders, newsmakers and cultural icons shaping our world.
Amanpour has earned every major television journalism award including 16 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, four Peabody Awards, two George Polk Awards, three duPont-Columbia Awards and the IWMF’s Courage in Journalism Award. She has received nine honorary degrees, has been named a CBE and was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. In 2023, she was honored with the Columbia Journalism Award, the highest award bestowed by Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, and with the President’s Award from the Overseas Press Club.
Richard Quest is CNN’s foremost international business correspondent and anchor of Quest Means Business, the definitive word on how we earn and spend our money.
Quest also serves as CNN Business editor-at-large, and is the network’s established airline and aviation correspondent, having interviewed all of the major airline executives.
Additionally, Quest is the host of CNN International’s signature monthly feature program Quest’s World of Wonder, an immersive travel series that finds him exploring a new destination each month and meeting fascinating people who reveal the heart of that city.
Quest’s dynamic and distinctive style has made him a unique figure in the field of business broadcasting. He has regularly reported from G20 meetings and attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland each year. Quest has covered every major stock market and financial crisis since Black Monday in 1987 and has reported from key financial centers globally including Wall Street, London, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Wolf Blitzer is co-anchor of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown, which airs weekdays on CNN and provides viewers with in-depth reports about the political, international and breaking news stories of the day. One-on-one interviews with prominent figures who are shaping news on the world stage has been a hallmark of Blitzer and The Situation Room throughout the entire 21-year on-air run – one of the longest running CNN shows.
Blitzer has been with CNN for 36 years, where he has played a pivotal role in CNN’s election coverage, moderating debates and town halls and anchoring the network's Election Night in America and presidential inauguration coverage. In addition to politics, Blitzer is also known for his in-depth reporting on international news and Middle East expertise.
Throughout his career, Blitzer has interviewed some of history’s most notable figures, including U.S. Presidents and foreign leaders. Blitzer has reported on a wide range of major breaking stories in the United States and around the world that have shaped the global political landscape.
An award-winning journalist, Blitzer has received numerous honors for his reporting, including the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2025 and the News & Documentary Emmy Awards Lifetime Achievement honor in 2023, among many others. Blitzer is set to be inducted into the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame in 2026.
Becky Anderson is one of CNN International’s highest profile anchors. She hosts Connect the World with Becky Anderson, which airs weekdays at 5:00pm UAE time. She is based at CNN’s Abu Dhabi bureau, where she also serves as Managing Editor.
In these roles Anderson has a distinctive regional perspective on some of today’s most important news stories, including the emerging politico-economic trends in the Gulf, the regional rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the deepening humanitarian crisis stemming from years of political instability in Syria and Iraq.
Anderson is a skilled interviewer, adept at close questioning and has interviewed many of the world’s leading politicians, decision-makers and thought-leaders. She has conducted one-on-one interviews with top world leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abudllah bin Zayed, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Al Thani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and leading humanitarian leaders such as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. She is equally at home with celebrities, quizzing the world’s A-listers, including Jennifer Lopez, Will.i.Am, Akon, Oprah Winfrey, Juliette Binoche, Andrew Lloyd-Weber, Beyoncé, George Clooney, Lady Gaga, Tom Hanks, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt.
Since moving Connect the World to Abu Dhabi, Anderson has spent much of her time travelling across the Middle East at an extraordinary time of upheaval and change. Anderson and the team were the first team to broadcast from Riyadh after the ban on women driving were lifted. She has broadcast special shows from Tehran to Jerusalem, from Istanbul to Beirut, bringing a range of interviews, reports and packages to CNN International viewers around the globe.
Anderson has extensive business journalism experience including posts with the UK’s ITN, CNBC Europe and Bloomberg. She began her career in journalism as a print reporter with various business publications in Arizona, after gaining a Master of Mass Communication from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University in 1992 and in 2012 was inducted into their hall of fame. She gained her BA (Hons) in Economics at Sussex University in the UK.
Eleni Giokos is a CNN anchor and correspondent, based in the UAE. A regular anchor across CNN’s news and business programming, she also presents the network’s Connecting Africa and Marketplace Middle East feature shows.
Born in Greece and raised in South Africa, she has more than 15 years’ experience working across TV, digital, radio and print media, and is one of CNN’s most versatile correspondents.
Giokos has interviewed countless heads of state over the years, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, former South African President Jacob Zuma, and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, to name just a few. Her list of business interviews includes the likes of International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde, and Virgin founder Richard Branson; as well as a ‘who’s who?’ of Africa’s most prominent business leaders.
Bijan Hosseini is a Senior Producer for CNN International Productions, working on feature shows, television segments, and digital videos spanning the globe. He is currently based in Doha, Qatar, as a member of the CNN Creators team – a multi-platform programming initiative which explores conversations capturing the zeitgeist, with a focus on AI, tech, and social trends. Hosseini also hosts CNN half-hour feature programs and engaging social video series, reaching audiences worldwide.
Tareq Amin serves as the CEO of HUMAIN, a full-stack AI company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
He was named as one of TIME’s top 100 leaders in AI in 2025 and one of the Observer’s 2026 AI Power Index in 2026.
With prior executive leadership roles at Aramco Digital, Rakuten, Reliance Jio, Huawei, and T-Mobile, he brings extensive global experience driving digital transformation and AI innovation across the U.S., Japan, India, and now Saudi Arabia.
Ester Baiget has more than 25 years of global experience. As an international leader with a strong track record, Ester has driven transformational change, enhanced profitability, and laid a strong foundation for sustainable growth across a diverse range of industries. Through her leadership, she nurtures a diverse culture of inclusion, engagement and commitment to delivering strong results.
She joined Novozymes in 2020, now Novonesis, after serving as president of Dow’s Industrial Solutions business and as a member of Dow’s Executive Leadership Team.
Ester is a compelling advocate of the power of biotechnology and the positive change biosolutions can bring to support a healthy, resilient, more prosperous planet.
She represents Novonesis in key global arenas and brings the voice of innovation, and hope to several Boards of Directors of which she is a member.
Ester holds a chemical engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Tarragona in Spain.
His Excellency Mr. Jasem Albudaiwi has served as Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf since February 2023. He previously served as Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United States of America (2022-2023), Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union and NATO (2016-2022), and Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (2013-2016). He has also headed Kuwait’s delegation to numerous international conferences and forums, and throughout his career has contributed to strengthening regional and international partnerships at all levels.
Vitaliy Klitschko is the current mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, and a dedicated social activist. Mr. Klitschko began his political career in March 2006, when he ran simultaneously for Verkhovna Rada and the Kyiv City Council as the head of the Pora-PRP Bloc (the union of the PORA and the Reform and Order parties). The election results allowed him to become the bloc group leader at the Kyiv City Council. In April 2010, Klitschko became the Party Leader for UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms). After the parliamentary elections in 2012, Vitali Klitschko’s UDAR entered the Parliament.
Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro serves as the chief diplomat and steward of Philippine foreign policy. With the Philippines serving as ASEAN Chair, she also plays a pivotal role as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar. A seasoned legal mind and career diplomat, her distinguished service spans key global capitals, including posts as Ambassador to France and Switzerland, Consul General in Sydney, and postings in New York, Madrid, Geneva, and Bangkok. Prior to her appointment as Foreign Minister, she served as Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, shaping the nation's key foreign policy priorities and regional engagements. She holds degrees from Maryknoll College and the UP College of Law. Secretary Lazaro has been decorated with the country's highest diplomatic honors, including the Gawad Mabini (Grand Cross) and the Order of Sikatuna (Grand Cross, Gold Distinction).
H.E. Wamkele Mene was elected by the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States & Government of the African Union, to the position of Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Prior to being elected Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, he served as Chief Director: Africa Economic Relations, at the Department of Trade & Industry of South Africa. In this role, he was South Africa’s chief trade negotiator in the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTA negotiations. During his tenure as chief negotiator, South Africa ratified both the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTAs agreements.
Prior to assuming this position, H.E. Wamkele Mene occupied the position of Director: International Trade Law & Investment Law at the Department of Trade & Industry, a role in which he was principal legal counsel on international trade law and international investment law.
From 2010 until 2015, H.E. Wamkele Mene represented South Africa at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. He was elected to the position of Chairman of the WTO’s Committee on International Trade in Financial Services.
Charles Stewart has served as Chief Executive Officer of Sotheby’s since 2019. Under Mr. Stewart’s leadership, Sotheby’s focuses on expanding access and ownership of fine art and luxury objects. Sotheby's seeks to balance the power of its nearly three centuries of heritage while embracing innovation and technology to power its future. Prior to Sotheby’s, Mr. Stewart served as Co-President and Chief Financial Officer of Altice USA. In 2017, he helped deliver the company’s successful $2.1 billion initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Stewart joined Altice USA after two decades of international finance experience. During his seven years in London, he served as CEO of Itaú BBA International plc, the international arm of the largest bank in Latin America. Prior to that, he spent 19 years in investment banking at Morgan Stanley in various client and leadership roles, including as Deputy Head of EMEA Investment Banking, Head of Latin America Investment Banking, and member of the global investment banking management committee.
Julie Uhrman is the co-founder of Angel City Football Club (ACFC), Los Angeles’ professional women’s soccer team in the NWSL, recently named the most valuable women’s sports team globally, with a valuation of $345 million. Uhrman co-founded ACFC alongside Academy Award-winning actress and activist Natalie Portman and technology venture capitalist Kara Nortman.
As CEO, she built and led a franchise that has become a global benchmark for innovation, community impact, and commercial excellence in women’s sports. Under her leadership, ACFC has earned USA TODAY Women of the Year in 2026, ESPN’s Humanitarian Team of the Year at the 2024 ESPY Awards, and Sports Business Journal’s 2023 Sports Team of the Year, the first women’s team to ever win the category. A recognized founder and influential voice in global sports, Uhrman was named Innovator of the Year 2025 by the LA Business Journal, as Forbes America’s Most Powerful Women in Sports 2025, and to the LA 500 List in 2025. A proud mom of two, she resides in her hometown, Los Angeles.
Alex Mashrabov is the CEO and Co-Founder of Higgsfield, a leading generative video platform and a fast-scaling force in the AI sector. Before Higgsfield, Alex co-founded AI Factory, the startup behind Snapchat’s viral Cameos and Face Filters, which reached billions of users and was acquired by Snap in 2020. At Snap, he served as Director of Generative AI, leading teams that shaped the company’s early AI strategy.
Shamina Singh is the founder and president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and executive vice president of sustainability at Mastercard, where she leads the company’s global social and environmental impact strategy. A member of Mastercard’s Management Committee, she draws on more than two decades of public and private sector experience to unite investors, policymakers, government and impact leaders to advance private sector-led social and business outcomes that shape inclusive and impactful economies. Her cross-functional leadership style has been recognized by American Banker and the Financial Times.
Since launching the Center in 2014, Shamina has leveraged the power of Mastercard’s data, technology, capital, and expertise to advance inclusive and sustainable economic growth around the world. Mastercard and the Center demonstrate how the private sector can lead on business and impact outcomes alongside
governments, nonprofits and researchers. This “doing well by doing good” strategy has earned recognition from Fast Company, Fortune, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.
With a career spanning four U.S. presidential administrations and three Fortune 500 companies, Shamina has held senior roles in the White House and the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, a Presidential Leadership Scholar, and an alumna of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders Program.
Currently, Shamina serves on the board of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), and on the advisory boards of data.org, Okta for Good, the Aspen Institute’s Civil Society Fellowship and the CGAP Financial Inclusion Initiative. She is also a contributor to MIT Sloan Management Review on the topic of responsible AI.
Shamina holds a Bachelor of Science from Old Dominion University and a Master of Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas at Austin. She has received Alumni of Distinction honors from both institutions.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is a four-term Ghanaian legislator representing North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region of Ghana.
He has had an illustrious career spanning two decades. For nearly eight years he served as the ranking member of the select committee on foreign affairs. He has previously served as Dep. Min of Information from 2009-2013 and Dep. Minister for Education from 2013-2017.
He is a prolific author, former President of the National Union of Ghana students (NUGS), accredited member of the Institute for Public Relations and the African leadership network. He is the recipient of numerous awards including an honorary doctorate degree from AMET University in India, being adjudged the most impactful MP in 2024, medal of honour from the Ghana Medical Association and a citation from the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation.
He holds an MSC in Defence and International Politics from the Ghana Armed Forces and Staff College, MA in communications and public relations from the University of Leicester, LLB from the University of London. Bachelor of arts from the University of Ghana and certificate of Leadership from Harvard.
Yasmina El Abd is an Egyptian-Swiss actress whose work across film and television has established her as one of the region’s most exciting rising talents. Known for her thoughtful performances and modern perspective, she represents a new generation of Arab creatives shaping the future of entertainment.
Alongside her acting career, Yasmina serves as a Dior Ambassador across Fashion, Beauty, and Fine Jewelry, representing the House at major international events and collaborating on campaigns that celebrate its enduring heritage and contemporary vision. Her growing influence at the intersection of culture, fashion, and cinema has positioned her as a distinctive voice on the global stage.
Courtney Powell is Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner of 500 Global, where she leads global growth and strategy, scales the firm's investment platform, and mobilizes institutional capital into innovation-driven economies. She works at the intersection of entrepreneurship, institutional capital, and public-private collaboration, partnering with governments and sovereign institutions to translate economic priorities into investable strategies.
She serves on the Advisory Council at Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government and as a Board Observer of the Digital Cooperation Organization.
Courtney's relationship with 500 Global began in 2012 when the firm invested in her startup, PublikDemand. She later served as CEO of Agent Pronto (acquired by Fidelity National Title Group) and as Head of Corporate Development at Keller Williams Realty International, where she launched the firm's first corporate innovation and investment platform.
Courtney has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and studied at the University of Texas at Austin.
Mohammed Al-Sowaidi was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of QIA in November 2024, bringing over nineteen years' experience in global investments and financial strategy.
Directly prior to his role of CEO, he served as QIA's Chief Investment Officer for the Americas and spent five years as Head of QIA Advisory in New York since establishment.
Since joining QIA in 2010, Al-Sowaidi has also led various teams including the Private Equity Funds team, Technology, Media & Telecoms team and Industrials team.
Before joining QIA, Al-Sowaidi was Director of Corporate Banking at AlRayan Bank. He started his career at ExxonMobil in Qatar.
He currently holds several board roles both globally and in Qatar, including at Qatar National Bank, Qatar Airways Group, Ooredoo, Volkswagen and Harrods.
In addition to being a CFA Charterholder, Al-Sowaidi holds an executive MBA from the TRIUM Program and a Double Major Bachelor's degree in Statistics and Finance from the University of Missouri, USA.
Yusuff Ali M.A. is the Chairman of Lulu Group International and ranks among reputed business personalities around the world today. The Wall Street Journal has named him as one of the most influential non-Royals in the United Arab Emirates. In recognition of his longstanding contribution to the economy of the Gulf countries, he was the first person to receive the Golden Residency long-term Visa from all the Gulf countries namely Qatar, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Among the several reputed awards presented to him, Yusuff Ali is the recipient of the prestigious Queen’s Award by late Queen Elizabeth II, Wessam Al Bahrain (Medal of Bahrain – Order of the King) by The King of Bahrain, Abu Dhabi Award, the highest civilian honor by The President of U.A.E and Prima Dutta Award, highest honor of the Indonesian Government by The President of Indonesia.
Noura Al-Sayeh Holtrop is an architect and curator with over 15 years of experience in the cultural development, architectural and planning fields. She is currently advising the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) on cultural and heritage policies and is responsible for overseeing the planning and implementation of cultural institutions and museums as well as urban rehabilitation strategies. She was the co-curator of Reclaim, Bahrain's first participation at the 12th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2010 and the deputy commissioner general of Heatwave Bahrain’s pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, both awarded a Golden Lion for best national participation. Since 2015, she heads the Pearling Path, which received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture as part of the Muharraq Revitalization project in 2019. She is the curator for the upcoming 2026 Design Doha Biennale.
Luma Makari is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and co-founder of Elggo, the Arab world's first digital behavioral health platform for youth, powered by a proprietary, locally-hosted LLM fine-tuned for Arabic-speaking young people. At 25, she's scaled preventive mental health solutions to over 16,000 students across the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon through schools and national youth programs. Recognized with the Falling Walls Future Learning Award and as a Young Innovator in Behavioral Health, Makari is part of a generation of Arab founders building critical infrastructure in the region, for the region. Before Elggo, she co-founded Elgorithm, establishing digital skills labs in Lebanon's largest refugee camps and creating employment pathways for over 5,000 displaced people. After the 2020 Beirut explosion, she coordinated relief for 4,500 individuals and secured critical medical resources when formal systems collapsed.
H.E. Wamkele Mene was elected by the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States & Government of the African Union, to the position of Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Prior to being elected Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, he served as Chief Director: Africa Economic Relations, at the Department of Trade & Industry of South Africa. In this role, he was South Africa’s chief trade negotiator in the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTA negotiations. During his tenure as chief negotiator, South Africa ratified both the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTAs agreements.
Prior to assuming this position, H.E. Wamkele Mene occupied the position of Director: International Trade Law & Investment Law at the Department of Trade & Industry, a role in which he was principal legal counsel on international trade law and international investment law.
From 2010 until 2015, H.E. Wamkele Mene represented South Africa at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. He was elected to the position of Chairman of the WTO’s Committee on International Trade in Financial Services.
Mohammed Soliman is Director of AI and Compute Infrastructure at McLarty Associates. An engineer, he is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, focusing on the geopolitical and geoeconomic implications of AI and technology across the Gulf, Europe, and broader emerging markets in Asia.
Mr. Soliman is the author of the acclaimed book West Asia: A New American Grand Strategy in the Middle East (Polity Press, 2026). He serves on the boards of Ideas Beyond Borders, the Indian Society of Artificial Intelligence and Law (ISAIL) and the Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (GC REAIM). He holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service with distinction from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Engineering from the Egyptian Aviation Academy.
Baiba Braže currently serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
From 2020 to 2023, B. Braže held the post of Assistant Secretary General of NATO for Public Diplomacy. Within her remit, she devised and oversaw strategic communications activities across all NATO civilian and military bodies and commands.
From 2016 to 2020, she was posted as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. From 2003 to 2008, B. Braže served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands while also representing Latvia in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Cecilia Shen is Co-Founder and CEO of Utopai Studios, an AI-native entertainment company building the cinematic AI infrastructure for the future of filmmaking, television, and long-form storytelling. Under her leadership, Utopai Studios is combining proprietary AI technology, original IP creation, real-world production expertise, and global studio partnerships to help define how the next generation of entertainment is created, produced, and experienced.
Shen is guiding Utopai Studios beyond the limits of both a traditional studio and a standalone AI company. The company’s model brings together advanced cinematic AI, professional production workflows, and filmmaker-driven IP development, enabling artists, studios, and media partners to create premium entertainment properties with greater speed, flexibility, and scale.
Brett McGurk served at the highest levels of American national security across four presidential administrations, most recently as the White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa under President Joe Biden. He earlier served as Special Presidential Envoy to Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, where he led the global coalition against ISIS. Under President Obama, he also led secret talks with Iran to free several American hostages held in Iran’s Evin Prison, later receiving the James Foley Freedom Award for hostage diplomacy. McGurk earlier served as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, where he was the Senior Director for Iraq on the National Security Council. He is currently a Global Affairs Analyst for CNN and the author of Brink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7 Hostages (Crown). He also holds fellowships at Harvard’s Belfer Center, and the Atlantic Council, and is a Venture Partner at Lux Capital.
Ms. Koch is President and Chief Executive Officer of TCW and serves as a member of the Board of Directors. In this role, she is responsible for the strategic direction and overall day-to-day management of the Firm. Prior to joining TCW in 2023, Ms. Koch spent 20 years with Goldman Sachs in the Asset Management Division (AMD), where she was a Partner and most recently served as Chief Investment Officer of the $300 billion Public Equity business and as a member of the AMD executive committee. Previously, she was based in London for 10 years where she held several leadership roles including Head of the Multi-Asset Solutions business internationally.
Ms. Koch currently serves as a board member for Nasdaq Inc., the University of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees, The Investment Fund for Foundations (TIFF), The Investment Company Institute (ICI), The Spence School and St. Matthew's Parish School. She also serves as a Co-Chair of the University of Notre Dame Wall Street Leadership Committee and was named a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum.
Ms. Koch earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Literature at the University of Notre Dame.
Noor Tagouri is an award-winning journalist and founder of At Your Service, a production company redefining storytelling through journalism, community, and culture. She has spent over a decade reporting on underrepresented communities, best known for her award-winning investigative series ""Sold in America: Inside Our Nation's Sex Trade,"" and Webby-nominated ""REP: A Story About the Stories We Tell,"" which examines representation and objectivity in American media.
Noor has toured the world as a speaker for 15+ years, from college campuses and conferences to corporate boardrooms and private retreats, speaking on Building Bridges Through Storytelling, and The Rise of The Independent Journalist.
Noor's latest project reimagines the classic Phil Donahue/Oprah style talk show, creating space for real dialogue across divides, and she is currently writing her first book on ""Self Investigation"" with Penguin Random House.
Hing Chao is Chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport, a global integrated shipping company with over 70 years of history. He is the Co-founder and Chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping, a Board Director of the Global Maritime Forum (Copenhagen), and chairs several international maritime and decarbonisation initiatives. He was named one of Lloyd's List’s global Top 100 in 2025. Beyond industry leadership, he is committed to advancing talent development, education and cultural and heritage preservation through cross-sectoral partnerships. In 2025, he was awarded the Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy in recognition of his contributions to strengthening economic, industrial and cultural ties between Italy and Hong Kong.
Dr Mohamed Farid Saleh currently serves as the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and Chairman of the Board of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones.
Prior to his current role, Dr Farid served as Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority, where he led a comprehensive reform program to develop non-banking financial markets, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and enhance financial inclusion, while aligning Egypt’s financial system with international standards.
Earlier, he served as Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange during which he held several international leadership roles.
Dr Farid holds a PhD in Financial Economics from Cardiff Metropolitan University (UK), an LL.M. in International Financial and Commercial Law from King's College London (UK), an MSc in Quantitative Finance from Bayes Business School, City, University of London (UK), and an MSc in Economics from the University of York (UK).
David Li is Co-Founder and CEO of Hesai Technology, a physical AI infrastructure company and the world's leading LiDAR maker. He is also Co-Founder of Sharpa, a full-stack physical AI and robotics company developing next-generation humanoid robots with advanced manipulation intelligence.
A serial entrepreneur and robotics pioneer, David has spent his career advancing how machines perceive, understand, and act in the real world — from real-world perception and spatial intelligence to the infrastructure that physical AI is built on.
Rajit Nanda is the Chief Executive Officer of DataVolt, leading the company’s ambition to become a global force in AI-ready digital infrastructure. At the helm of DataVolt, he is shaping a next-generation data centre platform that combines scale, innovation and environmental responsibility to meet the rapidly accelerating demands of the digital economy. Rajit brings more than three decades of leadership across energy, infrastructure, investment and finance. During 15 years at ACWA Power, he served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Portfolio Management Officer, playing a central role in its international expansion and growth into a business valued at over US$45 billion following its 2021 IPO. Earlier, as ENGIE’s CFO for the Middle East, Asia and Africa, he helped build a leading regional power and water platform. He also holds board and investment committee roles across prominent infrastructure and investment businesses.
Annemarie Jacir has written, directed and produced over sixteen films with premieres in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Telluride and Toronto. All four features were Palestine’s Oscar entries. She shot the first feature by a Palestinian female director, the acclaimed Salt of this Sea and her second work to debut in Cannes. Based in Palestine, she collaborates regularly as editor, screenwriter and producer with fellow filmmakers. She has been jury member to numerous festivals including Cannes, Sundance and Berlinale competition.
Her latest feature Palestine 36 is her most ambitious project to date.
Tima Shomali is an award-winning Arab director, showrunner, producer, writer, and she is the Founder & CEO of Filmizion Productions.
She rose to prominence with the hit series FemaleShow, which amassed over 100 million views across three seasons. She holds a BA in Business Administration and Finance and an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts.
Tima is the creator, showrunner, and director of the Netflix Original AlRawabi School for Girls, a groundbreaking series that earned regional and global acclaim. Released in 2021, its second season debuted in 2024, reaching Netflix’s Global Top 10 in 43 countries and winning Best Levant Series at the Joy Awards 2025.
Recognized for her impact on the region’s creative sector, Tima has been named among Arabian Business’s Most Influential Young Arabs and its 2025 list of 100 Most Inspiring Women, listed by Variety among the Most Impactful Women in Global Entertainment (2022), and featured on Esquire’s 2023 “The Esquire 40: Arabs Changing Film & TV”.
Majid Jafar is the CEO of Crescent Petroleum, the Middle East’s oldest and largest private oil and gas company, and Vice-Chairman of the Crescent Group, with assets in energy, port management, logistics, venture capital, and private equity. He is also Managing Director of the Board of Dana Gas (PJSC), the Middle East’s leading listed private sector natural gas company, in which Crescent Petroleum is the largest shareholder.
He serves on numerous boards and advisory committees, including the International Energy Forum, the Center for Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, the Arab Forum for Environment and Development, the Atlantic Council, Chatham House, and Harvard Medical School.
He holds Bachelor and Masters degrees in Engineering (Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics) from Cambridge University, an MA with Distinction in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, and an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School, and has been named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Lei Zhang is the Founder and Chairman of Envision, a global green technology group founded in 2007 with businesses spanning renewable energy, energy storage, intelligent infrastructure and AI-enabled energy systems.
Lei serves as Founding Member and Chairman of the Bloomberg New Economy Climate Technology Coalition and is a member of the World Economic Forum Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. In 2026, he received the Energy Institute's President's Award, becoming the first entrepreneur to be honoured with the Institute's highest distinction.
Beyond his business leadership, Lei is committed to advancing the knowledge, talent, and institutional foundations required for long-term sustainable development. He led the establishment of the Tsinghua University-Envision Institute for Sustainable Development and the Tsinghua University-Envision Sustainability Fund, and co-founded the Global School of Sustainability at the London School of Economics and Political Science with Lord Nicholas Stern.
Under his leadership, Envision has been recognised among MIT Technology Review's leading climate technology innovators and named to TIME's list of the World's Most Influential Companies.
Ferdi Alıcı is an award-winning new media artist and the founder and director of Ouchhh Studio. With 18 years of experience, he brings together art, science and artificial intelligence through data paintings, sculptures and immersive installations. His work has been presented at London’s V&A Museum and Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum, with AI art installations at iconic sites including Burj Khalifa, Petra and Singapore’s ArtScience Museum. His collaborations include CERN and Paramount Pictures. Ouchhh’s Human Cell Atlas travelled into space aboard the Odysseus lunar lander, launched by SpaceX, and was presented as an official selection in the Cannes Film Festival’s Cannes Next programme. Working with scientific data and live brain activity, Alıcı explores new forms of artistic expression through the principle of “data as paint, algorithms as a brush.”
Deemah AlYahya is a tech diplomat and digital economy leader, serving as Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) since its founding in 2021. She spearheads global cooperation among governments, businesses, and civil society to advance inclusive and sustainable digital economies, with a focus on bridging divides and empowering women and youth.
AlYahya is a Commissioner with the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development and an Edison Alliance champion for digital inclusion. A lifelong advocate for women in technology, she founded Women Spark, a non-profit supporting developers, founders, and investors. She also serves on boards including the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the Saudi National Bank, the E-commerce Council, and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones.
Her career spans pioneering roles at Samba, Tadawul, and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she became the first woman to lead e-services. At Microsoft, she was the first Saudi woman in a leadership role, overseeing developer ecosystems and digital innovation across multiple regions. Later, as CEO of the National Digital Transformation Unit.
Hiba Qasas is a political strategist, mediator and coalition builder, and Founding Executive Director of Principles for Peace, a Geneva based think and do tank advancing more legitimate, effective peacemaking.
Swiss Palestinian and originally from the West Bank, she convenes unlikely actors and bridges formal diplomacy with informal political engagement, translating intent into action.
She convenes GAPS MENA, a discreet Track 1.5 platform advancing regional dialogue where official channels are absent, and Uniting for a Shared Future, bringing together over 550 Israeli and Palestinian leaders supporting a political solution.
Her 26 years of experience include 18 with the UN: Iraq Country Representative and MENA Section Head with UNWomen, alongside UNDP work on resilience, peace and security.
She serves on the boards of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform and Fondation La Tour en Commune, and is a visiting fellow at the University of Sydney and the European School for Advanced Development Studies.
Adam Goldstein is the Founder of Archer, a leading electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft company listed on the NYSE (ACHR) in 2021. Mr. Goldstein has served as Chief Executive Officer of Archer and Chairman of the Archer Board of Directors since October 2018. Before founding Archer, Mr. Goldstein founded and led Vettery, a software company from November 2012 to December 2019. Vettery counted amongst its key customers Amazon, eBay and JP Morgan. Vettery raised less than $10 million and was sold to the Adecco Group for over $100 million. Mr. Goldstein has also held various leadership positions in leading financial institutions. Mr. Goldstein holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Florida and an M.B.A. from NYU Stern School of Business.
Abdallah Abu Sheikh is an Emirati entrepreneur and technology leader, best known as the founder of Mal, an AI-native Islamic digital financial platform being built in Abu Dhabi. Mal aims to make financial services more accessible, intelligent, and aligned with the values of underbanked communities and consumers worldwide.
Recognized as one of the region’s prominent entrepreneurs, Abdallah has raised more than $1.2 billion across his ventures. Before founding Mal, he established and led several technology and digital businesses spanning fintech, marketplaces, mobility, and renewable energy, developing extensive experience in scaling innovative platforms across the Middle East and internationally.
Abdallah holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Commerce from Saint Mary’s University and Accounting and Finance from Dalhousie University in Canada, as well as an MBA from London Business School. In 2022, he established the Mohammad Abu Sheikh Scholarship Fund at King’s Academy in honor of his late father, supporting future generations of students.
Luigi Di Maio has been the European Union Special Representative for the Gulf region since June 2023. He previously served as Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2022 and as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour, and Social Policies from 2018 to 2019. In 2013, he was Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies.
Throughout the years he chaired many international high-level meetings, including three consecutive editions of the MED Dialogue conference, G20 foreign and trade ministerial meetings, the 2021 Ministerial Meeting of the International Anti-Daesh Coalition, or the first ever Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis in June 2022.
He has been appointed as an Honorary Professor by King's College London and serves on the Council of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a leading think tank that
promotes informed discussion and analysis of European foreign policy.
Aamir Hafeez Ibrahim is CEO & President of JazzWorld and Chairman of Mobilink Bank, JazzCash and TPL Insurance. With over three decades of experience, he is among Pakistan's leading digital leaders. An alumnus of the University of Texas and IMD Switzerland and graduate of Harvard's Advanced Management Program, he has led Jazz since 2016.
Under his leadership, Jazz evolved into JazzWorld, an integrated ServiceCo delivering connectivity, financial services, cloud, insurance and entertainment to over 100 million users. Backed by USD 11 billion investment, its core is financial services: JazzCash serves 62 million users and Mobilink Bank advances financial inclusion.
As a member of VEON's Group Executive Committee, he shapes strategy across Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh, serving 200 million customers globally. He serves on the Prime Minister's Task Force on Digital Payments, WIDEF Advisory Council, and boards of NUST, NDU and NETSOL, and is a recipient of the Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
Saleha Williams is CEO of IAMT (International Association of Media Technology) and a multi-award-winning technology thought leader and international speaker. Her recognitions include Financial Times Top 100 Tech Leaders, London 2012 Olympics Inspire a Generation and INSEAD Technology Inspirational Female.
With over 30 years of global business and technology experience, Saleha has led strategy, transformation, marketing and thought leadership with organisations including Google, the BBC, London 2012 Olympics, BT, Siemens and Cognizant, as well as media and entertainment clients worldwide.
Educated at Harvard, Henley and Cambridge, she holds an MBA specialising in Digital Transformation and Innovation and an MSc in Applied Psychology, specialising in Neuroscience and Inclusive Leadership.
Saleha is passionate about combining human talent and next-generation technologies with authenticity, empathy and collaborative leadership to deliver impactful, results-driven outcomes.
Siddharth Roy Kapur is one of India’s leading media and entertainment figures, with a distinguished career spanning filmmaking, global media leadership, and the creative industries. Founder and Managing Director of Roy Kapur Films, he previously led The Walt Disney Company in India and served six terms as President of the Producers Guild of India.
His filmography includes Dangal, India’s highest-grossing film of all time, and six films selected as India’s official entries to the Academy Awards. He has featured on Variety’s list of the 500 Most Influential People in Global Entertainment for eight consecutive years and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Through international collaborations, including an adaptation of William Dalrymple’s bestselling The Anarchy, directed by Sir Stephen Frears, Siddharth continues to champion Indian storytelling globally, fostering cross-border creative partnerships and strengthening India’s influence on the world entertainment stage.
Los Angeles-based Stuart Ford is Chairman and CEO of AGC Studios and one of the industry’s most experienced independent producers, financiers and entrepreneurs. UK born and Oxford educated, Ford is a former entertainment attorney and Miramax Films executive who in 2007 founded IM Global, building it into a leading independent production, financing and sales platform. In 2018, he launched the “super-indie” AGC Studios, which develops, finances, produces and sells a diverse slate of film and television and has been involved in over 50 productions, including the $165 million series “Those About to Die.” Across his career, Ford has produced or executive produced nearly 80 films and shows, assembled over $2 billion in production financing and executed over $2 billion in sales. A champion of international cinema, he was honored at Cannes in 2023 with Variety’s “Billion Dollar Producer” award and is a member of the Academy, Television Academy and BAFTA.
Reem Wazzan is Head of Entertainment and News for TikTok across the Middle East and North Africa. In this role, Reem leads TikTok's regional partnerships with publishers, broadcasters, entertainment brands and creators to bring high-quality, relevant content to the platform and to TikTok's growing MENA community. Reem has over a decade of experience in content strategy, operations and consumer insights across the Middle East. Reem holds a BBA in Marketing from the American University of Beirut.
Martin Griffiths is a British diplomat, humanitarian leader and conflict mediator with five decades’ experience in crisis response and peace negotiations. From 2021 to 2024, he served as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator during emergencies including Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he played a central role in negotiations that produced the Black Sea Grain Initiative, enabling Ukrainian grain exports and helping stabilise food supplies. Previously, he served as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, leading efforts towards a political settlement. Griffiths founded and directed the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and became Executive Director of the European Institute of Peace. His career included roles with the United Nations, UNICEF, Save the Children and ActionAid. A qualified barrister, he has championed humanitarian access, civilian protection and dialogue, earning a reputation as one of the world’s most experienced diplomats and mediators.
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was appointed as Prime Minister of the State of Qatar on March 7th, 2023 through Amiri Decree No. (2) of 2023, while maintaining his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs since January 27, 2016. In His Excellency’s capacity as Prime Minister, his main priorities include advising His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on the formation of ministries in the country, and assisting His Highness the Amir in performing his duties and exercising his roles. His Excellency also leads the sessions of the Council of Ministers, including managing its discussions and supervising the coordination of work between the various ministries to achieve unity between governmental agencies and ensure the integration of their activities.
