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Author: MENA2050

Ariel Ezrahi

Germany
Germany

Ariel Ezrahi, based in Berlin, is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs where he is working on a range of regional projects and initiatives. Ezrahi is an energy and sustainability diplomacy expert who appears regularly in the media.

Previously, he was the first director of energy at the Office of the Quartet where he shaped all energy aspects from conventional to renewable energy, and sustainability initiatives.

Ezrahi was the architect of the Gas for Gaza project and chaired its task force since inception, where he worked closely with the project’s key international actors, on this cornerstone Palestinian project, in close cooperation with Israel.

Ezrahi was the Energy Adviser to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Quartet Representative. Prior to that role, he worked for international law firms, in the corporate energy field, with an emphasis on the Middle East and North Africa region.

He holds an M.Phil. in modern Middle Eastern studies from the University of Oxford (St. Antony’s College), an LLM in international law from Georgetown University, and an LLB from the University of Manchester.

Majed Alseyabi

UAE
UAE

Mr. Majed Alseyabi is a staunch advocate for the Abraham Accords, he endlessly promotes collaboration between UAE, Israel and Abraham Accord Countries. He has taken initiative to create people to people meaningful connections, by visiting Israel, USA, Morocco & Bahrain to collaborate with different organizations focusing on interfaith youth dialogue between Arabs & Jews.

Mr. Alseyabi was recognized by Global Excellence Assembly as the 2022 Men of Influence Award in recognition of his outstanding efforts to bridge the divide between the Arab and Jewish communities, thus promoting harmony and cooperation between them.

As a highly educated and experienced professional with a strong background in information systems, business analytics, and office management, Mr. Majed Alseyabi has a proven track record of success in a variety of roles.

Professionally, Mr. Alseyabi has more than 12 years of demonstrated history working in the Oil & Gas, Social Support, Aviation & Aerospace industries. Mr. Alseyabi has served as the Chief of Staff to the CEO of Borouge, a major manufacturing company and joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Borealis, a leading Austrian chemical company. At present he is the Executive Operations Manager in Abu Dhabi Department of Finance.

Adham Naguib

Egypt
Egypt

Adham M. Naguib, is a recently retired Career Diplomat, Born on August 24th 1972 in Heliopolis Egypt, Adham comes from a Diplomatic family line and hence has traveled far and wide with his family since his very first months, living and studying in different countries, and amongst diverse cultures, environments and peoples ranging from the Peoples Republic of China to Cyprus, Central and Southern Africa, and Australia. Graduating from the Egyptian Diplomatic and General Intelligence Academies. Adham has served in the Egyptian Diplomatic missions in New York, Washington D.C, Damascus, Baku, Doha, Kabul, and N’djamena. During his 28 year career he also served in different Divisions of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry notably the Minister’s Cabinet, the Israel Affairs Division, the General Security Division, and the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, amongst others. During his Diplomatic career Adham has garnered extensive expertise in regional Geopolitics, Security, and Intelligence focusing especially on Israel, the Levant and Aghanistan, as well as the African Sahel and Horn regions. Attending many International, Regional, and Bilateral conferences, Adham has been privileged in meeting with many Heads of State and Prominent International and Regional Personages while witnessing, and being a part of many of the behind the scenes Diplomatic and Intelligence Interactions, Negotiations, and Historic events that today shape the current Diplomatic and Geopolitical landscape of the MENA region and the Sahel.These experiences have shaped Adham’s thinking leading to a firm belief that whatever the differences between peoples, cultures, and states in MENA and there are no Zero Sum games in Diplomacy when it comes to Security through Economic Development, trade ,Integration and above all the power of Will. Notably when the MENA region is the fulcrum of the future of the world’s geopolitics and geoeconomics. Appointed one of the youngest Ambassadors of Egypt at the age of 42, Adham obtained the Australian Higher Diploma and has Studied at the Australian National University in Canberra, The American University in Cairo ,and the University of California Los Angeles. His fields of study covered Geopolitics ,International Relations, Political Economy as well Modern European History, and the Diplomatic and Military history of the Ottoman Empire, and Modern Egypt.

Adham has also served in the EAF, 3rd Army Corps, and has a 14 year old Son (Naguib J.r) who ironically has also played his role in affecting Adham’s Diplomatic and Geopolitical thinking through the power and sounds of “PlayStation” Diplomacy.

Michal Divon

Israel
Israel

Michal Divon is an Israeli-American journalist and TV host living in NYC. Michal specializes in hosting live interviews and has emceed high profile events such as the annual Israel Day Parade with Fox5 and the Israeli Embassy Independence Day Celebration. Michal works with various organizations, including FIDF, Israel Bonds, Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, JNF, MADA, Soroka Medical Center, Batsheva Women, JCRC, AICF, and Portugal Ministry of Tourism. Michal has interviewed key figures on stage including Ambassador Ron Dermer, former Ambassador Ron Prosor, Maj Gen (res.) Amos Gilad, SpaceIL Morris Kahn and has written for Times of Israel and The Forward. Michal holds a BA in Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy from the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.

Dr. Dalia Fadila R.I.P

Israel
Israel

Dr. Dalia Fadila is the founder of Q Schools: Education, Consultation & Development, an institution for promoting quality education in the Arab society in Israel. She is an organizational development and educational entrepreneurship expert and consultant, and an international speaker on the issues of minority women, identity and education.

Between the years 2013-2018, Dr. Fadila occupied the position of President of the College of Engineering and Science, leading it from a small technological institute into a leading academic and professional college for qualifying engineers in the Arab community in Israel. Prior to that, in the period between 2000- 2011 Dr. Fadila, acted as the Academic Director of Al Qasemi Teacher Training College. As a member of the college’s leadership, she helped develop it from a religious seminary into an academic institution.

Shabib Bin Shabib

UAE
UAE

Shabib is a futurist, consultant and lobbyist focusing on cultivating synergies between the public and private sectors in order to deliver on long term state strategies. He specializes in culture engineering, policy development, and social mobility through integrated future mapping.

Dr. Nadia El Baroudi

Morocco, Cyprus
Morocco, Cyprus

Dr. Nadia El Baroudi-Kostrikis holds dual citizenship from Cyprus and Morocco. She is an Attorney at Law with the Paris Bar Association. She holds a doctorate degree in Law from the Faculty of Law of Montpellier I in France and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London (FCIArb). She is also a member of the CIArb Cyprus Branch Committee in Nicosia (Cyprus) and the ICC Commission of Arbitration and ADR in Paris (France). She is listed in the roaster of arbitrators of several arbitration institutions.

She is the founder of Menalink Ltd., a business consulting firm, in Nicosia (Cyprus), which main goal is to be at the service of the Mediterranean’s dynamism and influence by contributing to the development of regional economic and cultural cooperation, to the dialogue between regional and international stakeholders and to the development and implementation of strategic partnerships.

She has over 20 years’ experience on international business law matters with a focus on Europe and North Africa. She also has over 15 years of extensive experience in art collection and charitable foundation management, including extensive involvement with museums, private and public foundations, auction houses, art dealers and experts. For the past 15 years, Dr. El Baroudi-Kostrikis has been a member of the Board of Directors and Vice President of the Patti and Everett. B. Birch Foundation, a charitable Foundation based in New York, for which she has been principally responsible for the management and disposition of the Foundation’s significant assets in Europe and North Africa.

Abbas Kazmi

UAE
UAE

Abbas Kazmi is a multi award winning serial entrepreneur and investor who founded his first of several successful companies at 16. Abbas has been chosen as a Forbes 30 Under 30 Standout, as a Maserati 100, as one of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards Entrepreneurs’ Champions of the Year, and as one of startups.co.uk’s Young Entrepreneurs of the Year and Business Growth Enablers of the Year, to name just a few amongst many other awards. Abbas has been appointed as a United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Fellow, focussing on youth entrepreneurship and empowerment, peacebuilding and encouraging intercultural dialogue in MENA. and as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. He has been chosen as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and was selected to become part of the prestigious Helena Group Class of 2018 alongside the likes of Snap Inc CEO Evan Spiegel.

Dr. Gedaliah Afterman

Israel
Israel

Dr. Gedaliah Afterman is the Head of the Asia-Israel Policy Program at the Abba Eban Institute. Well experienced in International Relations, takes particular interest in Asian regional security, Chinese foreign policy as well as superpower competition and its impacts globally and in the evolving Middle East. His previous roles include serving as a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Beijing; International Strategic Policy Specialist at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT), as well as leading the China Program at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) in Jerusalem. Has been working extensively with partners in Asia and the Middle East to better understand regional developments and advance newfound opportunities for greater Middle East-Asia cooperation.

MENA2050