Shady Elborno
UAE
UAE
Advisor, Abu Dhabi Executive Office Shady Elborno is a distinguished economist and policy advisor with over 24 years of experience spanning financial services and government sectors. Currently, as the Head of Insights at the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, Shady leads a team dedicated to developing strategic economic and policy insights that inform high-level decision-making. His work focuses on leveraging advanced analytics and big data to enhance economic frameworks and drive innovative strategies across various sectors. Shady’s career has been marked by a commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth and diversification. At the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, he has been instrumental in operationalizing analytics and developing economic composites tailored to critical indicators like GDP growth, employment rates, and sectoral contributions. His role as a MENA Advisor at Alumia further demonstrates his expertise in providing strategic financial, economic, and policy insights to support business growth and alignment with regional economic and regulatory frameworks. Holding a Master’s degree in Big Data and Business Analytics, Shady is at the forefront of integrating AI and data-driven methodologies into policymaking. His ability to translate complex data into actionable insights has made him a trusted advisor to both government executives and corporate leaders.As a thought leader, Shady is passionate about using his knowledge and skills to contribute to the sustainable development of the MENA region. His dedication to innovation, collaboration, and strategic foresight aligns closely with the mission of MENA 2050, where he aims to work with fellow members to address regional challenges and create a prosperous future.
Yasmina Asrarguis
Morocco
Morocco
Researcher specialised on Peace in the Middle East, Yasmina Asrarguis is a former professional at UNESCO, the United Nations Cabinet and the diplomatic cell of President Emmanuel Macron. She has great expertise in the issues of peace and stability in the Middle East and currently documents bilateral recognitions and cooperation between Israel and the Arab countries signatories to the Abraham Accords. A Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum, she notably received the Peter Throughton Prize in 2018 for her field study on Islamism in France. In 2015-2017, she also worked with the OneVoice movement and the UNESCO Aladdin project, both of which promise inter-religious dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean zone.
Elana Banin
Israel, USA
Israel, USA
Elana Banin is a Policy Advisor at the International Rescue Committee leading public policy engagement across issues that span women and children. She has 15 years of experience working across development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding initiatives. She led strategic planning in the Division of Communications at UNICEF, research analytics for policy and advocacy at PATH, and previously spent several years advising the Israeli government on the implications of the onset of the Syria war as well as studying external funding flows abetting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Elana holds an MA from Tel Aviv University in Security and Diplomacy.
Ben Grisheff
UK
UK
Ben Grischeff is a recent graduate in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Cambridge. His studies retained a close focus on political economy, security studies and development in the MENA region. He has published research papers with other think tank organisations recommending socio-economic policy to combat climate-induced risk, and works with a collaborative and analytical mindset.
Rabbi David Rosen, KSG, CBE
Israel, UK
Israel, UK
Rabbi David Rosen is the Special Advisor for Interfaith Affairs of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, and has been active in promoting interreligious understanding globally for some forty years. In the last decade, his work has increasingly focused on the advancement of Jewish-Muslim relations, particularly in the Arabian peninsula.
the third son of the renowned Rabbi Kopul Rosen (founding Principal of Carmel College in England) he was born in 1951 in Newbury, Berkshire, and educated in England and Jerusalem. He served in the IDF and was chaplain to the forces in West Sinai. Subsequently he served as the Senior Rabbi of the largest Jewish congregation in South Africa, in Sea Point, Cape Town, as well as on the Cape Beth Din (Ecclesiastical Court.) and he was the founder/chairman of the Cape Inter-Faith Forum, the Council of Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Thereafter he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Ireland during which time he also served on the Academic Council of the Irish School of Ecumenics. He returned to Israel in 1985 to take up the appointment of Dean at the Sapir Center for Jewish Education and Culture in the Old City of Jerusalem and subsequently became Professor of Jewish Studies at the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. At that time, he also served as the Anti-Defamation League’s Director of Interfaith Relations in Israel and as the ADL’s co-liaison to the Vatican. In 1997 he became the Director of the ADL Israel office, and in the Spring of 2001 he was appointed International Director of Interreligious affairs of the American Jewish Committee assuming responsibility for AJC’s global interfaith work from his base in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Rosen is a member of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s Commission for Interreligious Dialogue; and is a past chairman of IJCIC, the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations that represents world Jewry to other world religions .
He is an International President of the Religions for Peace (RfP); Honorary President of the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ); and is a member of the Elijah Interfaith Institute’s Board of World Religious Leaders. He served for ten years on the Board of Directors of the King Abdullah International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), established by the King of Saudi Arabia together with the governments of Austria and Spain and the Holy See. He has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Imams and Rabbis and as a member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum’s Council for promoting relations and cooperation between the Muslim and Western worlds. He is a Founder of Rabbis for Human Rights, and the Rossing Centre for Education and Dialogue.
Rabbi Rosen was a member of the Bilateral Commission of the State of Israel and the Holy See that negotiated the Fundamental Agreement between the two, leading to the establishment of full bilateral relations in 1994.
In November 2005, Pope Benedict XVI made Rabbi Rosen a Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great for his contribution to promoting Catholic-Jewish reconciliation; in 2010 he was made a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to interfaith relations; and in March 2016 he was awarded the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation.
In addition to honorary doctorates, Rabbi Rosen is the recipient of various awards including the Premio Galileo 2000 Award; the Raphael Lemkin Award for Human Rights; the Search for Common Ground Award for Interfaith Dialogue; Waldzell Institute Life Achievement Award (together with the Dalai Lama and Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb); and the Festival of Faiths’ Lifetime Achievement Award.
Rabbi Rosen is married to Sharon (Global Director of Religious Engagement, Search for Common Ground) and they have three daughters, four granddaughters and three grandsons.
Prof. Yossi Mekelberg
Israel, UK
Israel, UK
Prof Yossi Mekelberg has been an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House since 2002.
He is currently a guest professor at the University of Roehampton, in the UK. He was previously professor of international relations at Regent’s University, where he was head of the international relations and social sciences programme, and the faculty lead on outreach projects. He had taught at Regent’s University since 1996, and before that at King’s College, London. His fields of expertise include the politics of the Middle East, Israeli politics, the Middle East peace process, revolutions as an international phenomenon, and US foreign policy towards the MENA region.
For four years he wrote a weekly column for the Al-Arabiya network before moving to write twice a week for Arab News. In addition Yossi is a regular contributor to international media on a variety of international affairs issues.
Eli Bar-On
Israel
Chief Executive Officer and Head of the Executive Committee
Israel
Eli Bar-On is the CEO and Head of the Executive Committee of MENA2050. He served in various senior legal positions in the Israeli government. He was also a professor at the Israel National Defense College, with a focus on matters of national security, strategy, and international relations.
Eli has provided expert presentations to high-level delegations throughout the world. He also led strategic international dialogues and lectured at preeminent academic institutions around the world.
Upon his retirement as a civil servant, Eli co-founded and was the CEO of a start-up company dealing with wireless optical communication.
Eli has a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree and an Executive Master of Business Administration (E.M.B.A.) degree (cum laude) from Tel Aviv University and a Master’s degree in Political Science (M.A.) (cum laude) from Haifa University.
Dr. Lee Recht, Head of the Food Systems Committee
Israel
Israel
Lee Recht, Head of the Food Systems Committee, Ph.D Vice President of Sustainability, Aleph Farms Lee’s main passion and dedication lies between climate, sustainability and innovation with a personal devotion to promote resilience in the global food systems. Dr. Recht is Currently VP Sustainability at Aleph Farms, an Israeli-based food company and a global leader in developing cultivated beef steaks with 3D tissue engineering. Her recent positions include working with the Global 1000 companies, leading NGOs and high level government officials from around the world, building tailor made ways to help identify and implement innovative and sustainable solutions according to their strategies and efforts. Lee established and directed The Builders R&D Innovation and led the Israeli ETA hub (External Technology Acquisition) by The Coca-Cola Company, delivering a continuous stream of original and ground-breaking technologies that contributed to fulfilling short and long-term goals of Coca-Cola’s Global R&D. Dr. Recht played a role also as a Scientific Advisor for the Energy and Clean-tech Sector at the Office of the Chief Scientist, Ministry of Economy (today: Israel Innovation Authority, IIA), where she promoted the Clean-tech sector within the government by initiating and establishing IIA programs and advocated Israeli innovation as part of the solution towards the Paris Agreement to tackle climate change. Lee holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the Ben Gurion University, a B.Sc. in Food technology from the Hebrew University and an MBA specializing in Strategy and International Management.
Rahat Mohammad
UAE
UAE
Rahat Mohammad is a project finance professional specializing in renewable energy and climate mitigation. As the Founder and CEO of INNOX Financial Institutions, COFIRM, and Nasrin Group, he drives sustainable investments across global markets, including the MENA region.
He is also the Co-founder of Sponsor, an AI-driven climate fintech platform designed to accelerate investments in climate projects. His work focuses on innovative financial solutions, sustainable growth, and fostering cross-border partnerships.
Laith Alajlouni
Jordan
Jordan
Laith Alajlouni is a policy research consultant. He specialises in macroeconomic policy, geo-economics and regional integration in the Middle East. Laith has worked as an economist and social research consultant at various institutions, including the World Bank and the Jordan Strategy Forum. He has also published several articles on the socio-economic situation in Jordan (in English and Arabic). Laith has written for various international institutions, including the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, the Institute for International Political Studies – ISPI, the Atlantic Council and the LSE Middle East Centre. He has also worked as an independent consultant for various institutions in Jordan and elsewhere. Laith received his master’s degree in political science from the Central European University, Vienna in 2021, and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Jordan in 2018.