Overview
Having witnessed and covered the remarkable growth and transformation across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries over the past decade, The Business Year was proud to host, alongside Msheireb Properties, the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference: Investing in the Future.
With an ever-transforming global economy, connectivity and collaboration are becoming increasingly crucial. The GCC’s strategic geographical position has established the region as a key hub of opportunity across various industries. Countries in the region, including Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, aim to continue their growth as investment destinations, utilizing their special economic zones (SEZs) and other strategic initiatives.
The conference gathered key decision-makers, stakeholders, and industry leaders from across the GCC to engage in enriching discussions about the future of innovation and investment within the region. The event explored how regional cooperation and new technologies can enhance economic growth, boost sustainability, and foster a future-ready business environment.
The first of two panels delved into the future landscape of free zones in the GCC, emphasizing the pivotal role of innovation and collaboration. Discussions covered the impact of public-private partnerships and regional cooperation on fostering innovation. Panelists shared success stories of collaborative projects, provided predictions on emerging trends, and identified new sectors and opportunities for investment. The session also explored how free zones can adapt to global economic changes and technological advancements, offering a visionary outlook on the evolution of free zones and their crucial role in the regional economy.
In a second panel discussion, industry leaders examined the crucial role of connectivity infrastructure in fostering regional integration, sustainable development, and innovation. Topics included how enhanced connectivity supports resilient economies, facilitates efficient trade, and strengthens ties across the GCC. Panelists discussed trends in infrastructure development, highlighted successful public-private partnerships, and emphasized connectivity as a strategic enabler of economic growth. This session aimed to inspire stakeholders to prioritize infrastructure as a foundation for long-term growth and economic progress in the region.
Speakers
Ali Al Kuwari
CEO, Msheireb Properties
Ali Al Kuwari
CEO, Msheireb Properties
As CEO of Msheireb Properties, Ali Al Kuwari leads the management teams at Msheireb Properties’ main entities and other subsidiaries, including Msheireb Downtown Doha and Zulal Wellness Resort. His tenure at Msheireb Properties included oversight of Msheireb Downtown Doha’s design and construction, as well as seamless delivery of major host duties around the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Prior to his involvement with Qatar Foundation and Msheireb Properties, Al Kuwari held senior management positions at Technip in Paris and Qatar Petroleum. He holds a bachelor of science in industrial engineering from the University of Miami and an Executive MBA from HEC Paris in Qatar.
HE Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh
CEO, Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah)
HE Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh
CEO, Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah)
Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh is the CEO of the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), the investment promotion office operating under the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), where he led Invest in Sharjah in its role as MENA’s Regional Director for WAIPA from 2019 to 2021. Prior to joining Shurooq in 2012, Al Musharrkh served for seven years at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), where he held various positions in the International Affairs Department. He holds positions as a board member for the Sharjah Investors Services Center (SAEED), a member of the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Alumni CEO Club and serves on the board of trustees at Pantheon-Assas University Paris II. Al Musharrkh holds a master’s degree in international business management from the Australian University of Wollongong in Dubai and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the American University in Sharjah.
Hamad Al Nasr
Director of Trade Development and Investment Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Hamad Al Nasr
Director of Trade Development and Investment Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
As the Director of Trade and Investment Promotion at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Hamad Al Nasr is responsible for leading efforts to implement policies that foster foreign investment in Qatar's economic activities. His key responsibilities include facilitating investment in various sectors and proposing development policies to enhance promotional methods for investment opportunities. He oversees initiatives to encourage and simplify procedures for investors by collaborating with relevant entities. His role involves coordinating participation in forums, exhibitions, conferences, and seminars to showcase Qatar's investment policies and opportunities. Additionally, he manages the creation of comprehensive databases and informational guides for international investors, addressing their inquiries, and collaborating with government entities to remove obstacles faced by investors. Further duties include proposing policies to support joint ventures between Qatari and non-Qatari investors, conducting feasibility studies to identify investment opportunities, and promoting sustainable economic development in coordination with relevant authorities. Under Hamad Al Nasr's leadership, the Trade and Investment Promotion Department plays a crucial role in enhancing Qatar's investment landscape and supporting the country's economic growth.
Dr. Khalid Bin Klefeekh Al Hajri
Board Member, Qatar Chamber
Dr. Khalid Bin Klefeekh Al Hajri
Board Member, Qatar Chamber
Dr. Khalid Bin Klefeekh Al Hajri is a seasoned executive with over 40 years of diverse leadership experience across oil and gas, LNG, renewable energy, and the private sector. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Egypt, a master’s degree in business administration from Brunel University in England, and a PhD from Robert Gordon University in Scotland. Dr. Al Hajri currently serves as a Board Member of Qatar Chamber, where he is also the Chairperson of the Arbitration Committee and Vice President of ICC Qatar. He represents Qatar Chamber in the Committee of Business Sector Obstacles at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and serves as a Board Member of the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund under the Ministry of Labour. Additionally, he represents Qatar Chamber in the Arab French Chamber meetings in Paris and the Arab German Chamber meetings in Berlin.
Hamed Ahli
Head, Meydan Free Zone
Hamed Ahli
Head, Meydan Free Zone
Hamed Ahli is an experienced manager with a demonstrated history of working in the logistics and supply chain industry. He is skilled in negotiation, business planning, internal audit, retail, and customer relationship management (CRM). Ahli is also a strong real estate professional with a Master's degree focused in international business from the University of Wollongong.
Sami Zaitoon
Managing Partner, Moore Qatar
Sami Zaitoon
Managing Partner, Moore Qatar
Sami Zaitoon is a Managing Partner with 20 years of local and multinational experience as a dynamic strategy professional building on extensive experience in various Business Fields. He has professional qualifications from CFC in Canada and Harvard Business School. Some of Sami’s principal areas of practice include business and strategy planning, business process modeling, and development of effective business strategies.
Irene Vidal
CEO, FMM
Irene Vidal has more than 20 years of experience managing ventures, projects, teams, clients and challenges. With an engineering background, she has worked in leading construction projects for half of her career, and spent her other half as a matter expert in facilities management. She has worked in Finland, France, Spain, UAE, Peru, and, finally, Qatar for the last eight years. Vidal believes that improvement and innovation are the key enablers for bringing motivation and success.
Fahad Al-Sharekh
Vice Chairman, Kamco Invest
Fahad Al-Sharekh
Vice Chairman, Kamco Invest
Fahad Al-Sharekh is well versed in the technology and finance ecosystems in both MENA and the US, having previously served as group managing director of Sakhr Software. He is currently General Partner of the JEDI Fund and Vice Chairman of Kamco Invest - Saudi. He joined the investment banking team at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York at the start of the tech boom. He founded TechInvest in 2015, an advisory firm that provides opportunities for Middle East investors, including established sovereign wealth funds and several notable asset allocators.
Alex Krunic
Senior Advisor to the Chairman, Commercial Bank of Kuwait
Alex Krunic
Senior Advisor to the Chairman, Commercial Bank of Kuwait
Alex Krunic holds over 23 years experience working in banking/financial services industry as well as extensive experience across the securities services in clearing, sub-custody, global custody, collateral management, risk, and settlement. He has covered financial institutions, banks, brokers, AMs, and corporates in various senior sales and RM roles, leading commercial teams and managing a P&L. Krunic is a strong entrepreneurship professional with a master's degree in business finance from Brunel University London. He has held a number of non-executive board positions.
Julien Hawari
CEO, Million and Sirius Lab
Julien Hawari
CEO, Million and Sirius Lab
Julien Hawari is the CEO of Million, a next-gen social media platform empowering creators to monetize content through pay-per-view, subscriptions, and e-commerce while maintaining control over their data. He also leads Special Edition, a content creation company managing prestigious brands across the GCC, and serves on the boards of Memob+, NeoTech Global, and Wemind. With a background in economics from Northwestern University, Julien co-founded Mediaquest in 1997, launching brands like TRENDS and Saneou al Hadath. He has played a key role in regional events such as the Arab Luxury World conference and TOP CEO Awards, and is passionate about digital media, social innovation, and Arab youth issues.
Aysha Al-Mudakha
Program Director of Innovation Programs, QRDI Council
Aysha Al-Mudakha
Program Director of Innovation Programs, QRDI Council
Aysha Al Mudahka is a dynamic leader known for fostering innovation and strategic partnerships in Qatar. As Program Director at Qatar Research Development Innovation Council (QRDIC), she focuses on building innovation capabilities and developing RDI talent. Her leadership roles include director of strategic initiatives at Qatar Foundation (QF), where she bridged QF's mission with Qatar's public and private sectors. Previously, as CEO of Qatar Business Incubation Center (QBIC), she advanced entrepreneurship in the MENA region. Recognized among the Top 100 Most Powerful Arab Women and as a leading Qatari influencer, she actively supports youth and female entrepreneurship through organizations like INJAZ Qatar. With a bachelor's in business administration, executive education, and an EMBA from Qatar University, Wharton, and HEC Paris, she continues to shape Qatar's innovation ecosystem.
Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj
Associate Professor in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Diversity, HEC Paris in Qatar
Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj
Associate Professor in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Diversity, HEC Paris in Qatar
Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj is a globally recognized expert in diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), women’s leadership, and innovation, celebrated as one of INC Media’s Trailblazing Women for Change in 2024. She has influenced gender leadership policies for the UK Government, EU, and Commonwealth Heads of Government and leads Women in Leadership programs at HEC Paris in Qatar, empowering nearly 200 women across Europe and the Middle East. With a PhD in Family Business Management and executive education from Harvard and Manchester, she serves on the advisory board of the Qatar Women’s Engineering Association and chairs the Women’s Council for the French Chamber of Commerce in Qatar. A Forbes contributor and author of Take the Lead (2024) and Futureproof Your Career (2021), she inspires organizations to embrace innovation, sustainability, and purpose-driven leadership.
Dr. Seungah Sarah Lee
Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Organizations, HEC Paris in Qatar
Dr. Seungah Sarah Lee
Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Organizations, HEC Paris in Qatar
Dr. Seungah Sarah Lee is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Organizations at HEC Paris in Qatar, with a PhD in organization studies and international comparative education from Stanford University. Previously a visiting senior lecturer at NYU Abu Dhabi, her research examines how organizations adapt global narratives and models to foster sustainable development, social entrepreneurship, and innovation in local contexts. Before academia, she led organizational strategy, program design, and impact evaluation for educational nonprofits in the Middle East and the US, contributing to policy research and advisory efforts that shaped impactful initiatives.
Ioana Krempanszky Popa
Chief Commercial Officer, The Business Year
Ioana Krempanszky Popa
Chief Commercial Officer, The Business Year
Ioana Krempanszky Popa is Chief Commercial Officer for The Business Year, where she has been working for the past 6 years. She has successfully created partnerships with the worlds' largest entities in highly competitive markets, and lead teams to complete successful projects in several countries, such as the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Jamaica, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Nigeria. She graduated from the University of Vienna, Austria, with a Master's Degree in Cognitive Science, majoring in behavioral economics.
Silvia Lambiase
Business Development Manager, The Business Year
Silvia Lambiase
Business Development Manager, The Business Year
Silvia Lambiase is Senior Country Editor at The Business Year. She has wide-ranging experience working in economic analysis, media, business development, and marketing in various countries, including the UK, Nigeria, the UAE, Oman, and Kazakhstan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international economic relations from La Sapienza University of Rome and an MSc in economics and finance from the University of Liverpool.
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