Faisal Ali Al Rashid is the Senior Director of the Demand Side Management (DSM) Directorate at the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, where he is responsible for overseeing energy demand management initiatives in Dubai. He has played a pivotal role in the successful development and implementation of the Dubai DSM program since its inception. In addition to his leadership in energy management, Faisal chairs the Advancing Net Zero Volunteering Team, which is dedicated to accelerating decarbonization efforts in UAE cities.

Gauri Singh is the Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Ms. Singh brings more than 30 years of experience in policy, advocacy and project implementation within the field of renewable energy and sustainable development from India and the internationally.

Captain Saif Al Mheiri oversees the Group’s ESG strategy. With over 20 years of experience across senior roles at ADNOC, ADNATCO, and more, he has expertise in maritime strategy, planning, and digital innovation. He also contributed to Abu Dhabi’s Plan Maritime, advancing the emirate’s maritime sector development.

H.E. Dr. Aynour Tatanaki is a visionary entrepreneur leading a retail revolution across the Middle East. As the Founder of Hashtag Department Store, and Chairwoman of SMEDistrict Group, she has built an ecosystem that empowers brands to scale and succeed in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

Recognized by the UAE government as a pioneer in youth and women empowerment, she collaborates with national entities including the Ministry of Economy, Dubai SME, and UAE Youth Council, supporting over 600 businesses to date.

Maen Mahmoud Razouqi is known for his visionary approach. He was honored as one of Forbes’ Top 100 MENA Leaders. Maen currently serves as Vice Chairman and CEO of International Marine Construction Company (IMCC), an offshore marine services and project management company founded in 1974. Also, the Group Managing Director of Razouqi Holding, a pioneering regional investment firm. The firm is dedicated to seeding and scaling startups and driving the expansion of established companies in the region.

Ghada is a dedicated sustainability and energy management expert with deep expertise in energy efficiency, building retrofits, renewable energy, carbon management& accounting, ESG reporting, and sustainability strategy. She partners with organizations to decarbonize operations, enhance resource efficiency, and achieve ambitious sustainability goals. Ghada also serves as a Future Energy Leader at the World Energy Council.

Rajesh Garg is the Group Chief Financial Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer at Landmark Group. Landmark is the largest and fastest-growing retailer across 21 countries, with 30 million sqft retail space and 42,000 employees. He has been leading enterprise-wide transformation including a big push into newer technologies such as RPA and Blockchain and the integration of AI. He also leads Sustainability for the Group where he is helping Landmark take a lead in driving far more sustainable retail across 3 pillars of Sustainable Product, Sustainable Supply Chain & Sustainable Consumer Journeys.

Dr. Bassam Kaddissi is a seasoned architect and healthcare facilities consultant with extensive expertise in the planning, design, and delivery of complex medical and research environments. Over the course of his career, he has successfully led multi-disciplinary teams on projects ranging from tertiary hospitals and specialty clinics to advanced laboratories and life science facilities.

Deepthi Chandran Joyau is a sustainability entrepreneur and ethical fashion advocate based in Dubai. She founded Only Ethikal in 2019 to address what she saw as a gap in the UAE and GCC markets: sustainable fashion options that are both conscientious and accessible. She combines a background in finance and SME consultancy with a passion for ethical style. Before launching Only Ethikal, she worked as a finance consultant and held finance roles, including financial controller and accounting positions.

As Vice President – Sustainability at Expo City Dubai, Dr Spanos oversees all the Sustainability department’s activities, including implementation of new initiatives, reporting and safeguarding the quality of the living environment. Dr Spanos also focuses on Expo City’s sustainability certifications as well as the delivery of its decarbonisation activities.

Naveen is a banking professional with over 18 years of experience. Her early career started in Islamic Finance with HSBC Amanah, since then she has worked in various roles at HSBC including Private Banking & Wealth Management, Strategy & Planning, Streamlining & Process Excellence. Recently Naveen was the Head of Sustainability & Financial Inclusion for WPB in the EMEA region. She is now looking after Net Zero Transition and Leading Partnerships in the HSBC MENAT Corporate Sustainability Centre of Excellence

Prof. Phil Hart is Chief Researcher at the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Center at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a cutting-edge UAE-based scientific research center. He is responsible for the research and development of the next generation of energy systems and solutions – from fuel cells and batteries to alternative fuels, bioenergy and renewable energy production, and carbon capture and reduction technologies, as well as energy system design and modelling.

Eftal Efecinar is a sustainability, innovation, and partnerships leader working at the intersection of climate technology, strategy, and systemic transformation. With more than 15 years of experience across the GCC, Türkiye, and Europe, she helps organizations translate climate commitments into measurable, technology-enabled action.

In her role at Coral, she leads global strategy, ecosystem partnerships, and market expansion, enabling companies to adopt data-driven climate practices at scale.

Florence Bulte is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Chalhoub Group. In her current role, she is responsible for fostering a culture of Business Ethics and Integrity for the Group by developing and sharing the code of ethics, creating training programs for employees as well as monitoring and auditing the ethics compliance framework. She also drives transformational change for
people in the company, promoting sustainability through advocacy and partnerships and engaging employees to give back to the community.

A global speaker and a leading figure in the global recycling and sustainability sector with 39 years experience in Metals Recycling and a PhD in Socioeconomic Sustainability. A recognized leader in policy advocacy and the circular economy across the Middle East, Africa, and
globally. Previosuly, he has been the BIR Past Chairman of Ambassadors Committee and Former Director of Advocacy at DRBG under Dubai Chambers.

Patil serves as the Sustainability Solution Director for the Middle East at Sustainable 1, where she plays a crucial role in delivering tailored sustainability solutions that facilitate the region’s transition to a greener economy. Her primary focus is to assist clients in integrating sustainability intelligence into their strategic decision-making processes. This enables them to effectively navigate the complexities of climate change risks and financial implications

Ghaith is an Associate Urban Planner and the Middle East Sustainability & Climate Leader for Arup. He works closely with clients and stakeholders in the public and private sectors, advising on achieving ambitious sustainable planning and design outcomes appropriate for the region.

Ghaith is active in promoting sustainable development, speaking at high-profile events such as COP27 & 28 where he tackled principles of sustainable urban planning on panels in the Blue Zone.

Nadia Boumeziout is an accomplished Sustainability leader with extensive experience in corporate governance, marketing, and strategic communications. With a wealth of experience, she seamlessly bridges strategy and implementation, managing impactful initiatives while upholding a steadfast commitment to transparency and integrity. Her dynamic leadership and strategic thinking drive sustainable practices, leaving a lasting impact on organizations, the environment and society.

Dr Adnan Aziz is an award-winning and formally trained Islamic economics, banking and finance professional with nearly three decades of rich professional industry experience. He has been involved in the structuring of multi-billion-dollar worth of Islamic Finance transactions globally. A dedicated pro-poor development activist, he is amongst the pioneering proponents of Islamic social and development finance supporting commercially viable integration of social responsibility into the mainstream practice of financial industry.

With over 18 years of experience Daxita has established herself as a thought leader and an influencer in the sustainability sector. Recognized as one of Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Sustainability Leaders in 2024, she is an advocate for environmental protection and climate change with a keen interest in developing real world strategies that balance the economy, society and the environment. She has leveraged the unique lessons she learned from Africa, Europe and the Middle East to drive change and improve sustainable growth.

Tamil Selvan Ramadoss is a Seasoned Strategic Finance & Business Transformation Professional trained at Harvard Business School (HBS), with International accreditations in Finance, Accounting, Project Management, International Arbitration, Risk Management and Maritime Economics/Finance. He has more than 25 years of International Corporate world experience across 20+ verticals.

He is currently heading as Group Chief Finance & Business Transformation Officer of RMB Holdings, JAFZA, UAE.

Eve Laws is a leading voice at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and capital strategy. As Co-Founder of Maison IG, a family office and strategic holding company, she architects ventures that align impact with luxury and long-term value creation. She also serves as Chair of the UAE ESG & Sustainability Taskforce under MEBAS, advancing cross-sector collaboration on climate, social equity, and responsible innovation.
Her current focus includes launching Dubai’s first Affordable Housing Impact Fund.

Martin Popilka is the Founder and CEO of P1 Energy, a U.S.-incorporated climate-tech company pioneering the world’s first decentralized synthetic-fuel platform. A former oil-and-gas executive and competitive racing driver, he built P1 Energy to replace fossil fuels with modular “refineries-in-a-box” that convert captured CO₂ and renewable electricity into fossil-free drop-in gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

He led P1 Fuels, which became the official supplier of 100 % fossil-free fuel to global motorsport series.

Yasmine Barbir is a senior executive and sustainability architect with over two decades of leadership experience driving growth, transformation, and impact across the MENA region. She built a legacy of performance and purpose, becoming the first woman to lead Nestlé Lebanon, where she achieved double-digit growth amid political and economic turbulence.

Today, as Co-Founder and CIO of FusionMinds.AI, she bridges AI, education, and sustainability to democratize ESG knowledge and accelerate responsible growth models.

Thomas Spannring joined EtihadWE in August 2024 from leading German renewable energy company, Siemens Gamesa. At Siemens, he held several senior leadership positions, exploring opportunities in sustainable development. He has an MBA from the University of Augsburg and a degree from the University of Bayreuth.

Dr. Katharina Bryan is a senior sustainability policy advisor with 20 years of experience at the intersection of international organisations, governments, and global business. Her career combines public and private sector sustainability management, reporting and audit experience.
She has a passion for policy and standards deliver better outcomes for people and planet.
She is Senior Policy Advisor to GRI advising on global sustainability reporting developments and engagement.

Basem built his career leading Private Equity and Venture Capital investments and advisory in the Education, Healthcare and Real estate sectors. He advised on over 300 M USD investments for private family offices, institutions and HNI while creating many JVs and partnerships.

He is actively involved in the EdTech sector after assessing hundreds of startups and launching an EdTech Venture Studio to invest and consolidate an expansive portfolio of startups and develop the nascent EdTech ecosystem, and support founders.

Waad Barakat is a journalist and special correspondent at Khaleej Times. She covers a wide range of national stories, focusing on technology, legal and policy developments, social change, and emerging trends shaping the Gulf. Her work bridges the gap between public interest and innovation, highlighting how new technologies, from artificial intelligence to green energy, impact everyday life in the region.

Waad has reported from events like the Sharjah International Book Fair and Global AI and sustainability forums

Oliver Kraft serves as the Executive Vice President of Corporate Account Management for NEOM at Siemens.
Previously, he led sales, business development, and account management for Siemens Middle East. He also spearheaded Siemens’ efforts to develop a technology blueprint for future smart cities at Expo 2020, Dubai.
Kraft has held various management positions in Germany and the USA, including roles as Chief Operating Officer for a solar business and Senior Vice President of Operational Excellence

Marina Bird is the Managing Director at ESG News, the leading media outlet specializing ESG topics and sustainable business news.

She has served as Regional (12 countries) VP as Business Finance Partner at Bureau Veritas supporting the development of comprehensive sustainable solutions for global supply chains, addressing critical environmental challenges.

She has played a key role in launching and supporting several successful ventures, including Allianz Medical Services, Global Fashion Group, Exclaim and others

Jens has more than two decades of Private Equity & Venture Capital experience and a track record of building successful businesses internationally.
Since 2004, he has been working in Private Equity in South Asia and the Middle East. He has led over 50 investments, served on over 30 public & private boards and founded several companies in the US, Europe and Asia. He has been very active in impact investing, initiated by spearheading and scaling pioneer investments in the education sector in Emerging Asia.

Nasreen Abdulla is a seasoned journalist with over 18 years of experience across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a Special Correspondent at Khaleej Times, she has covered some of the region’s most important and human-centered stories. She has also ventured into radio, TV, and digital media during her career.

Currently Founder & CPTO at emtribe – Building technology solutions that advance energy and sustainability goals for businesses and governments

Serial Entrepreneur, 21 years of experience building B2B (telco-scale) and B2C products focused on social, sports gaming, and Real-Money Gaming.

He has also worked with Subex as technical product manager and was driving vision and roadmap for fraud management products & solutions worldwide

Nisha Devadoss is a global venture investor and strategic advisor operating at the intersection of frontier technology, systems innovation, and human potential. With two decades across finance, venture capital, and cross-border strategy spanning the UAE, North America, and India, she backs technologies that shape future-ready industries and long-term value creation. An early investor in transformative companies including OpenAI, FigureAI, Biofire and many more.

Amit Puri brings over 26 years of global experience shaping the real estate and development sector. Currently the CEO of BCD Global in Dubai — part of India’s largest privately held construction conglomerate — he is driving the brand’s international growth, leveraging innovation and sustainability to expand its seven-decade legacy across the UAE and beyond.

He has been honored as one of Asia Retail Congress’s “Top 100 Global Retail Minds” and as a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Charles Gardner is the Chief Operating Officer of Neutral Fuels, the leading producer and provider of biofuel in Dubai. The company is committed to promoting environmental sustainability by producing high-quality, low-carbon biofuels from locally sourced, waste-based raw materials.

With his extensive experience working for industry leaders such as DHL and Emirates Airlines, his expertise allows him to provide valuable recommendations for the most appropriate sustainability plan.

Maher Al Kaabi, is a visionary leader and a seasoned banker with over 30 years of experience in the Banking, IT industry and Family Business.
Currently, he is an advisor to the Group Chairman of Al Serkal Group of Companies.
He has worked at Citigroup for over 14 years where he has assumed various senior roles both locally and internationally.
Post that he worked as the Chief Risk Officer at Dubai Bank and then as Group Head of Islamic Banking at Emirates NBD.

Dragos Fundulea is a sustainability & energy transition expert, with 15 years of experience in implementing innovative solutions for companies in the energy, industrial and transportation sectors. He specializes in alternative green technologies as well as the development of decarbonization and environmental strategies. He strongly believes that tailored solutions for each region should be crafted to drive zero-/ and low-carbon solutions, with coordinated efforts from all key stakeholders in the ecosystem.

Adib is the Director of the Dubai Center for Family Business that works under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers focused on empowering multigenerational family enterprises.

With over 2 decades of experience in specialized advisory services for diversified businesses Adib leads a team of experts to deliver innovative solutions and services to Dubai based family business including awareness building to training and development of family members advocating for family business.

Karl is a strategic business leader with over 25 years building market presence, driving revenue growth
and innovation across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
He is recognized as an industry transformational leader across the Digital Economy, Fintech, Innovation,
Partnerships and Venture Capital space.

Karl has held key executive leadership roles with several industry leaders. He led the Visa Strategic Partnerships, Fintech, and Ventures group for Central
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Sal Jafar is the CEO of the first and only comprehensive ESG knowledge hub in the Mena region  leading the hand-picked team delivering world-class work in both Arabic & English.

A journalist at heart, he has interviewed over the years global icons including Former US VP Al Gore, Elon Musk, Sir Richard Branson, Diego Maradona and more.

His connection to ESG stretches from his profound aerospace knowledge where he leads his low-profile consultancy firm, where he analyzes trends & policies at Macroeconomic levels.

Raji Hattar is a seasoned Sustainability and ESG leader with over 30 years of experience driving responsible business transformation across logistics, transportation, and infrastructure sectors.

His work spans multiple leadership roles, advisory boards, and international sustainability networks—including the UN Global Compact, Green Building Council, and World Economic Forum for the advancement of corporate ESG frameworks and climate action initiatives globally.

Ahmed is a seasoned professional in the sustainability and clean energy industry, currently serving as the Director of Sustainability for the Middle East, Caspian and Africa Region at Bureau Veritas. He is a trusted advisor to clients across the region, helping them to establish and achieve their net-zero goals.
Ahmed, having served as the Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Lead at the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions. He also served as the Managing Director of the MENA Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC).

Mahdi Alhindawi CEO of Enjhazponic focusing on R&D of Smart Sustainable farms solutions

Sri Saiteja Annareddy is the founder of Cero Hero. He is on a mission to reshape how we think about our environmental impact through innovative solutions that make carbon offsets accessible to everyone.

Senior Investment professional with deal experience exceeding US $450 mm over 15 years. Sector expertise in tech and tech-enabled businesses in climate & sustainability, healthcare, education, consumer and financial services. Highly skilled in deal structuring, portfolio management and creating exit opportunities

Sibi Sathyan is the Founder and Editorial Director of ESG Times, India’s first news portal dedicated to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) topics. He helps companies, CXOs, and industry leaders define sustainability goals, improve climate disclosures, and align with global ESG standards.

With twenty-five years of experience in print, wire, digital, and television media, he offers expertise in business, sustainability, economics, and financial research.

Ivano is widely acknowledged as the GCC’s foremost experts in the fields of Sustainability, GHG inventories and Carbon Markets. He is the Chief Sustainability Officer of the Green Economy Partnership, Board Director of the ESG Foundation, former Senior Advisor to the CEO of EGA, former CEO of Dubai Carbon and a United Nations senior official before then. He has extensive experience in facilitating economically relevant low-carbon pathways and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

Oscar Santi is a strategist and marketing leader with over twelve years of experience in the fashion and luxury industry. His expertise spans e-commerce, sales, and marketing, with a strong focus on digital transformation, business growth, and sustainability.
He is currently the COO of Veganologie, the fastest-growing sustainable accessories brand in the Middle East. Oscar has helped position the brand at the forefront of ethical fashion, becoming the first to introduce apple leather accessories across the GCC