H.E Mr. Abdelelah Alkhatib, Chairman

Mr. Abdelelah Mohammad Alkhatib held several senior positions in both public and private sectors, He served as the Foreign Minister of Jordan from 1998 to 2002 and from 2005 to 2007. Prior to that he was Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, 1995- 1996, In 2012, he became the Chairman of the Independent Election Commission, while in 2010 he was appointed as the Chairman of the Economic and Social Council, Mr Alkhatib was a member of the Upper House of Parliament (The Senate) for three terms between 2010-2016, where he was elected consecutively to head the Economic and Financial, the Public Freedoms and Citizens Rights and the Arab and International Affairs Committees, Internationally, Mr Alkhatib acted as the Special Envoy to the Secretary General of the United Nations to Libya in 2011, He served as the General Manager of Jordan Cement Company, then as the Company’s Chairman of the Board. He also served as General Manager of Al Daman for Investment, He Joined the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Jordan for two terms, Mr Alkhatib is an active Contributor to the work of civil society. He was elected as the Chairman of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, and he is member of the Board of Trustees of both, the King Hussein Cancer Foundation, and the American Center for Oriental Research, He holds a B.A political Science, from PANTIOS, Athens, M.A in International Communications from the American University in Washington D.C., M.A in International Economics and Development from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins  University in Washington D.C.

H.E Mr. Karim Kawar , Vice Chairman

H.E. Karim Kawar: President of Kawar Group, is a serial entrepreneur, a former diplomat and angel investor.  He served as Jordan’s Ambassador to the US 2002-2007.

Ambassador Kawar is a co-founder and chairman of NatHealth, the largest TPA in the healthcare sector.  He is the Vice Chairman of Optimiza, a regional systems integrator. He is the chairman of IrisGuard, a FinTech company that developed the EyePay® network.  He is the chairman of Kawar Energy, the largest developer of renewable energy projects.

Founder of ten companies in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT).  Co-founder and director of Oasis500, the Arab World's first and largest accelerator and seedcapital fund.  Co-founder of the Jordan Strategy Forum. Founding chairman of EDAMA for energy, water and environment.  Founding chairman of int@j the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan.

Appointed by Royal Decree to the Economic Consultative Council by His Majesty King Abdullah II. Former chairman of the board of trustees of King’s Academy (2010-2015), former trustee of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development, the American University of Madaba, Ahli Bank, JWICO, United Insurance and the Jordan River Foundation, headed by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah.

Ambassador Kawar was the architect of the REACH Initiative and REACH 2025.  A member of the 100 Best Arab Startups Selection Committee, Global Agenda Council; Young Global Leader; Global Leader for Tomorrow of the World Economic Forum; Eisenhower Fellow; Member of the World Presidents’ Organization (YPO/WPO); Cofounder and President of Bridges of Understanding Foundation.

Graduated from Boston College in 1987 with a BSc in Management, Finance and Computer Science.

Mr. Aiman Mazahreh,                                   
                                                                                                                

Aiman Mazahreh graduated with a BS Degree in Electrical Engineering from San Diego State University in 1981 and has been active in the field of Technology ever since.  In 1989, after 8 years working as a Computer Engineer, Aiman co-founded STS, a leading IT Solutions Provider in Jordan and the region, of which he is today the CEO. 

Over the span of his career, Aiman has consistently been a strong advocate of the ICT sector in Jordan and is today recognised as an expert and leading authority on Technology and its critical role in developing the Jordanian Economy and positioning Jordan as an IT Innovation Hub.  This is evidenced by the various positions, listed below, that he has been entrusted with over the years:

·         A member of the Kingdom Economic Policies Council under the direct supervision of HM King Abdullah II and chaired by the Prime Minister

·         A Board Member of the Central Bank of Jordan  

·         Vice Chairman and a founding Board Member of Oasis500, a leading early stage and seed investment company and the first of its kind in Jordan and the MENA region

·         Chairman of the Board of Int@j, the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan

·         A member of the National Committee for Human Resources Development entrusted with developing the Kingdom’s Human Resources strategy

·         A member of the ICT Advocacy Council of the Ministry of ICT

·         A local community representative in the Princess Sumaya Technology Council

More recently, Aiman is focusing on navigating STS’s Digital Transformation Journey where he is driving STS’s strategy to transform how the business operates and delivers value to all stakeholders; proving yet again the importance of solid leadership in delivering change.Aiman Mazahreh graduated with a BS Degree in Electrical Engineering from San Diego State University in 1981 and has been active in the field of Technology ever since.  In 1989, after 8 years working as a Computer Engineer, Aiman co-founded STS, a leading IT Solutions Provider in Jordan and the region, of which he is today the CEO. 

Over the span of his career, Aiman has consistently been a strong advocate of the ICT sector in Jordan and is today recognised as an expert and leading authority on Technology and its critical role in developing the Jordanian Economy and positioning Jordan as an IT Innovation Hub.  This is evidenced by the various positions, listed below, that he has been entrusted with over the years:

·         A member of the Kingdom Economic Policies Council under the direct supervision of HM King Abdullah II and chaired by the Prime Minister

·         A Board Member of the Central Bank of Jordan  

·         Vice Chairman and a founding Board Member of Oasis500, a leading early stage and seed investment company and the first of its kind in Jordan and the MENA region

·         Chairman of the Board of Int@j, the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan

·         A member of the National Committee for Human Resources Development entrusted with developing the Kingdom’s Human Resources strategy

·         A member of the ICT Advocacy Council of the Ministry of ICT

·         A local community representative in the Princess Sumaya Technology Council

More recently, Aiman is focusing on navigating STS’s Digital Transformation Journey where he is driving STS’s strategy to transform how the business operates and delivers value to all stakeholders; proving yet again the importance of solid leadership in delivering change. 

Nadim Kayyali is the Regional Head of the Corporate Commercial Practice (CCPG)

in the Middle East and is a Partner based in Sanad Law Group in association with Eversheds Sutherland in Amman Jordan. Nadim has corporate transactional experience focusing on mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment and corporate finance. Nadim has over 15 years of legal experience in the MENA region, working with Local and International clients to assist them achieve there commercial objective.

Ghassan Elia Nuqul

Ghassan E. Nuqul, is the Chairman of Fine Hygienic Holding; one of the major investors and biggest industrial groups in the Middle East.

Born on July 3, 1963, Mr. Nuqul holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Purdue University, U.S.A.

He is Chairman of the Boards of, Delta Insurance Co., Universal Modern Industries Co., Nuqul Automotive, Integrated Automotive, Nuqul Engineering & Contracting Co., Quality Printing Press Co., Packaging Industries Co. and US Global Ventures. 

Mr. Nuqul is a member of several governmental councils and committees, and is personally involved in several local and international business associations and not-for-profit organizations and initiatives. Among these are the Board of Central Bank of Jordan, the National Council for Competitiveness and Innovation, the Advisory Board on Partnership between Private and Public Sector, the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (Ex. Board Member), the Jordan Strategy Forum, and the Jordan Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO).

Mr. Nuqul also served on the Economic Consultative Council to HM King Abdullah II and participated in developing the National Agenda as Chairman of the Employment Support and Vocational Training Theme.

Mr. Ghassan Nuqul has been recently appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Crown Prince Foundation.

Bisher M. Jardaneh

Executive Managing Director of the Arabtech Jardaneh Group Jordan, AJ group has businesses spanning several engineering sectors and covering a large part of the Middle East.  The company holds the King Abdullah II Award, Jordan’s most prestigious award for excellence. ; AJ is also an EFQM 3-Star Recognized for Excellence Company. AJ is annually ranked in ENR Magazine’s list of the Top 200 International Design Firms.

As of 2008 Bisher was appointed as the nonexecutive Chairman of Invest Bank Jordan, a publically traded (among the largest 20 companies in the ASE) corporate and high end consumer local bank, a position he still holds.

Currently services on:

§  Board member of Trustee of Princess Sumaya University for Technology.

§  Board member of Orange.

§  Chair of Trustees of Taawon Association (Geneva), and chairs the strategy and governance committee.

§  Chair of Arab Cultural Society, Al Raed AlArabi School.

§  Vice Chair of Zaha Foundation for Children.

Previously served on:

§  The Royal Commission of Kuluna Al Urdun (a twenty-five-member committee chaired by HM King Abdullah II).

§  The Royal Commission on Jordan’s Water Strategy (a seven-member committee chaired by HRH Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein).

§  The Executive Committee of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers [FIDIC], Geneva.

§  Chairman of The National Resources Investment & Development Corporation.

§  Member of The National Building Council.

§  The Social Security Investment Fund, one of nine board members appointed by the Council of. Ministers. The fund, the largest in the country was established to manage the investments of Social Security Corporation (SSC).

§  Greater Amman Municipality, Council Member, and Head of Finance Committee.

§  The Jordan Investment Board, the agency entrusted with promoting foreign direct investments into Jordan.

§  Jordan Strategy Forum Vice Chair a socioeconomic think tank.

§  Architects and Engineers Business Council [AEBC] Jordan- Chair.

§  The Infrastructure Committee for Jordan’s National Agenda.

§  Nuqul Group Board, a privately held leader in the region that runs different investments and industries spanning several continents.

§  Vice Chairman Abdali Investment & Development Psc.

§  Chairman of Abdali Boulevard Company Psc.

§  Chairman of Daman Development Psc.

§  Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation Board [JEDCO], The Jordan Enterprise Development. Corporation is mandated to support the establishment and development of enterprises to become globally competitive.

§  Board of the Arab Orphans Committee.

Bisher is a member of the World Presidents Organization (YPO/WPO), Jordan Engineers Association [JEA], Jordan Businessmen, Jordanian –American and Jordanian – European Business Associations.Bisher holds a

B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana – Champaign, and a M.Sc. in Construction Management from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mr. Ayman Abdel Kareem Basher Hatahit

Chairman at Jordan Exporters Association, Chairman & General Manager at Jordan Carbonate Co. and President at Jordan Chamber of Industry.

He is on the Board of Directors at The Islamic Insurance Co., Central Bank of Jordan, King Hussein Cancer Center, Tkiyet Um Ali, Amman Chamber of Commerce, Amman Chamber of Industry and Jordan Enterprise Development Corp. Mr. Hatahit was previously employed as Chairman by International Silica Industries and Chairman by Travertine Co. Ltd.

He also served on the board at The Islamic Insurance Co. and Jordan Islamic Bank.

Samar Obaid (Partner, MENA Markets and Government & Public Sector Leader – Strategy & Transactions)

Leveraging more than 24  years of advisory experience, Samar Obaid currently serves as EY’s MENA Strategy & Transactions Services Markets as well as Government & Public Sector Leader. Furthermore, she leads EY's MENA Corporate Finance solutions.

Over the course of her career, Obaid garnered her in-depth knowledge working with local and regional clients within the Government, Financial Services, and Lifesciences sectors, among others. As a Corporate Finance expert, Obaid’s expertise is often called upon for the purpose of corporate planning, capital allocation, portfolio management, financial reporting, purchase or sale of assets or businesses, and investment strategy and restructuring.

Obaid also assists companies and investors in developing business plans, carrying out business case analysis, evaluating project investment alternatives, and building financial models for complex decision support analysis, such as mergers and acquisitions, capital investments, budgeting, operational research, and measuring economic impact.

Obaid earned her bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration and holds a Master’s of Science degree in Finance from Concordia University, Montreal.

Mr. Mohammad Amawi

-          A B.Sc. graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Kuwait University in 1990 and a Master in the same specialty from Jordan University in 1994

-          Worked in several banking, industrial and manufacturing organizations in Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia since 1991 until 2010

-          Has over 29 years extensive experience in instituting change within government institutions with the aim of enhancing the business environment to enhance the competitiveness of the private sector, using different approaches and tools in the areas of regulatory reform, institutional development, capacity building, and public policy advocacy. His work includes in addition to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait, Djibouti, Turkey & Sudan

-          Mr. Amawi is currently the managing partner of ATA which specializes in regulatory and policy reform and policy advocacy.

-          A certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Project Management Office Cerified (PMOC) with proven track record in managing technical assistance projects for public and private sector organizations aiming at improving their competitiveness and performance.

-          A member in:

o   Institute of Management Consultants (IMC)

o   Project Management Institute (PMI)

o   Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA)