West Bank Speakers

Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh

Prime minister of the Palestinian national authority

Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh

Prime minister of the Palestinian national authority

Dr. Ishaq Sider

Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology

Dr. Ishaq Sider

Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology

Dr. Feras Milhem is a PhD. holder of Law from the Vrije Universities Brussel in 2004, he got his master’s degree from Birzeit University in 2000 at Commercial Law. He got his first degree in law from Fez-Morocco.

He has gained in-depth experience in his field; he has served as the team leader of the Rule of Law (Justice and Security) in the International Quartet office for more than seven years, was in charge of the Economic Relationship File on fiscal leakages between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, was in charge of the Palestine Monetary Authority’s Ombudsperson Office for four years, and served for two-time as a member in the PMA’s board before he was appointed as a Governor.

For nearly eighteen years, Dr.Milhem worked as a researcher and consultant on several legislative and judicial projects. Dr.Milhem was a lecturer at Birzeit University Law School from 2004 to 2009, during which time he served as assistant dean of the faculty and was an adviser to the Palestinian Minister of Interior from 2007 to 2009. He has also contributed to several studies related to economic research, including with the MAS Institute.

Mr. Tamer Baransi

Commercial Director at BCI

Mr. Tamer Baransi

Commercial Director at BCI

Tamer graduated from the University of Essex in the UK, and currently he is the Commercial Director at BCI, which is a leading ICT company in Palestine and the region. Tamer has played a main role in the success of BCI in the Palestinian market, and was a main pillar in building BCI well established infrastructure with a main focus to have a state of art service centers network offering a different customer journey and after sales service experience. He is also a former Board Member and the current Chairman of the Palestinian Information Technology Association of Companies (PITA) and Palestine Information and Communications Technology Incubator (PICTI), PITA is the umbrella for all the Palestinian IT and Telecom companies.

Tamer is also a member in a number of national and regional committees

National Economic Development team headed by the prime minister.
The Private Sector Coordination Council (PSCC)
Advisory Council of Education Headed by the Minister of education.
A board member at Arab ICT union.

Mr.Eyad Zeitawi

Executive Director of the Financial Stability Group in PMA

Mr.Eyad Zeitawi

Executive Director of the Financial Stability Group in PMA

He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Birzeit University and holds certificate in enterprise risk management from the institution of risk management (IRM), London, UK, in addition to many academic and professional certificates specialized in the fields of central banking.

He joined the Monetary Authority in 2001, and was involved in several important positions until he got promoted as Executive Director of the Financial Stability Group. He is a chairman and member of many local and international committees in the field of banking. He is also a board member of foundation of orphans fund development and administration, municipal Development and lending fund, and the Palestinian National Economic Empowerment Institution (PNEEI).

Mr. Iyad Qumsieh – CEO

Master's in Computer Engineering

Mr. Iyad Qumsieh – CEO

Master's in Computer Engineering

Iyad Qumsieh holds a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, in addition to several international certificates in IT and Payments. Attended hundreds of IT and Fintech related conferences across SEMEA, Specialized for the past 20+years in Fintech solutions.

He Founder PCNC IT Solutions in 1997 , the leading Palestinian Fintech digital solutions provider for wide range of financial institutions for more than 20 years. PCNC IT Solutions is Visa and Mastercard certified partner and is considered one of the leading Palestinian IT enterprises providing banks, financial Institutions, with Fintech and Digital Payment/ acceptance innovative solutions.

In 2010 Qumsieh Co-Founded Palpay as a joint venture with the Bank of Palestine, the largest Palestinian bank, managed it for 10 successful years , Today Palpay is the leading electronic payment Fintech company in Palestine.

Qumsieh is committed FINTECH innovations by leading PCNC IT solution’s Fintech innovation Lap , dedicated for providing state of the art Fintech solutions through HISABI Suit. Hisabi Suit is the Base for all our successful Fintech Solutions.

Mr. Hani Alami

Telecommunications tycoon

Mr. Hani Alami

Telecommunications tycoon

HANI ALAMI is a Palestinian telecommunications tycoon, born and living in Jerusalem, who established a number of telecommunications companies — first and foremost Coolnet, an Internet service provider (ISP) that operates high-speed Internet services. On 2015 Alami acquired Alvarion jointly with Via
Europa Group that won the IEC Optic fiber tender for $10.5 Million. In the last years he acquired Fusion and SMT two Palestinian operators in Gaza strip to develop the broadband over fiber and microwave infrastructure . In addition in 2020 he Co-founded EziCodes in Egypt with Saudi Partners to answer the Coding development in the Middle East. HANI ALAMI, CEO of COOLNET, has many years of national and regional experience in telecommunications and business development. He is attuned to all aspects of technology and entrepreneurship and supports a wide range of endeavors. Coolnet also operates integration services for wireless communication networks, carries out projects and serves as a project contractor in Africa and the Middle East. Since 2009, with HANI at the helm, COOLNET GROUP has become one of the largest telco companies in Palestine and leading telecom solutions provider in the field of broadband and communication technologies. COOLNET has branched out to several locations in both the developed and developing world. An experienced enthusiast, HANI excels at creating blue oceans and the kind of added value that triggers markets. With multiple acquisitions and mergers in the telecom sector he leverages his experience and network to mentor and support emerging entrepreneurs and promising ideas. A career of successful business exits in the technology sector grants HANI the ability to see the big picture and steer management through difficulties and challenging crises. HANI routinely contributes his time and experience as a philanthropist and mentor to multiple initiatives across the region. Few years ago he established JEST (JERUSALEM ENTREPRENEURS FOR SOCIETY AND TECHNOLOGY), the first entrepreneurship center and hub for startups in EAST JERUSALEM. JEST promotes and supports technology and the culture of innovation, with special emphasis on programs for women and youth.
Creating new echo system in Center of the middle east (Jerusalem) that considered the center of the conflict zone is not an easy mission yet Alami could create the first waves to make the change while the hub is creating a unique convergence point in East Jerusalem where students, graduates, entrepreneurs and innovators can come together to work on their ideas and projects in an open environment that can be leveraged as the start of an ecosystem. Where all the services provided targeted existing and aspiring entrepreneurs, in addition to the wider community. Lectured in Harvard, MIT and California University around the Palestinian entrepreneurs ecosystem and the challenges under the occupation, TEDx speaker in Jerusalem about the drain brain between Palestinians in Jerusalem. Participated as judge in several international competitions between them for Ebay, Google and Microsoft.

Mr. Mohammed Ewaida

CEO – IT expert

Mr. Mohammed Ewaida

CEO – IT expert

Mr. Ewaida is an IT expert. He has more than 28 years experience in IT, software development and management. His education background supports him. He holds a Master of Philosophy (Mphil) degree in computer science (Data Engineering) since 1999, and a master of science M.S.c in 1997 from Keele University U.K. Moreover, Mr. Ewaida has worked as IT lecturer at Birzeit University, IT department from the year 1999 till 2004.

On the other hand, Mr. Ewaida owns a private IT company, in Palestine called Al-Andalus Software Development co. )ASD). It has been established since 2000 in Ramallah.

Mr. Ewaida has experience and skills in developing, implementing, and managing IT projects specially financial and business solutions. In addition, he has rich experience in business development, managing people, planning, marketing and partnerships, banks, telecom & finance industry, system implementations, and business analysis.

Since he has a company which works in Jordan, Iraq and UAE, he gained a good experience in the region market in IT & other sectors.

Recently, Mr. Ewaida has joined two EU IT research projects, with other universities from UK, Spain, Italy, Jordan, Tunis, and Palestine under Erasums+ initiatives (Program of the European Union)

Mr. Ewaida was Member of the Board of Directors, Palestinian IT Association of Companies (PITA) and Palestinian ICT Incubator (PICTI). At that time, he was a Fintech Group chairman (2019-2021)

Dr. Fadi S. Abdellatif

Economic Growth and Infrastructure Team Leader USAID/ West Bank and Gaza Mission

Dr. Fadi S. Abdellatif

Economic Growth and Infrastructure Team Leader USAID/ West Bank and Gaza Mission

Dr. Fadi Abdellatif is a strategic planner and economic development expert with more than twenty-seven years of experience working in private and public sector entities. He joined USAID in 2005 and worked on designing and managing multi-million dollar economic development programs in the West Bank and Gaza and in Jordan. Dr. Abdellatif currently leads the Economic Growth and Infrastructure (EGI) team at the USAID/ West Bank and Gaza Mission. EGI portfolio covers economic growth, water and sanitation, energy, climate change, community development, and infrastructure activities.

In 2010, Dr. Abdellatif worked in the United States for President Barak Obama’s Global Engagement Initiative by developing programs that would advance entrepreneurship in Muslim Majority Countries. In addition, he actively participated in preparing for the 2010 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship that was led by the President of the United States. As a result of this work, he received a letter of appreciation from President Obama.

Dr. Abdellatif was seconded by USAID as Special Advisor to the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy for four years (2014-2018). During that time, he advised senior Palestinian Authority leadership on economic development, energy, Gaza reconstruction, and policy reform matters.

Prior to joining USAID, Dr. Abdellatif managed private businesses in the West Bank and Gaza, Israel, Jordan, and Turkey. His work covered regional and international trade, manufacturing, agribusiness, hospitality services, and marketing.

Dr. Abdellatif’s areas of expertise include institutional capacity building, political economy, public financial management, economic policy, trade facilitation, investment promotion, private sector development, inclusive financial sector development, livelihood recovery, post-conflict recovery and reconstruction, water and energy security, infrastructure development, and academic research.

Dr. Abdellatif holds a PhD in Social Sciences and International Studies (Palestine Studies) from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Haifa, and a BSc in Food Engineering from the Middle East Technical University in Turkey. As part of his PhD studies, he did a research on the effect of the energy crisis in Gaza on de-development and unviability.

Leontine Specker

Regional Director Middle East and Turkey – Spark.

Leontine Specker

Regional Director Middle East and Turkey – Spark.

Leontine Specker Turhal has joined SPARK in June 2020 as the Regional Programme Director for the Middle East and Turkey and is based in Istanbul. Before joining SPARK Leontine served for UNDP for 10 years focusing on crisis response and recovery, including her last position as Senior Resilience Advisor in UNDP Turkey. Overall, Leontine has more than 18 years of experience in jobs and entrepreneurship in crisis recovery settings in various capacities, including senior management, inter-agency coordination, partnerships, resource mobilization and programme management and served in multiple countries. Before joining the UN, Leontine worked as research fellow with the Conflict Research Unit of Clingendael- the Netherlands Institute for International Relations- focusing on policy-oriented research for the Stabilization Unit of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She holds two master’s degrees, an LLM on Public International Law from Leiden University (Netherlands) and a Master of Professional Studies in International Relations and Human Rights from Auckland University (New Zealand).

Eng. Bassam Al-Sarhan

CEO – The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission

Eng. Bassam Al-Sarhan

CEO – The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission

Subsequent to the decision undertaken by the Council of Minister in November 2021, H.E Eng. Bassam Fadel Al-Sarhan was appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of TRC.

Eng. Al-Sarhan has long experience in the Telecommunications and Information Technology field, which he held many prominent positions and memberships as a General Manager for many international telecommunications companies.

Throughout his professional career, Eng. AL- Sarhan assigned and entrusted for managing a number of important positions in telecommunication and information technology, he was the Chief of Projects and Technical Division for His Majesty’s Royal Communications in the period of 1987-1997, he was selected a member of the Jordan’s delegation and heading the communication services during the negotiations of the delegation through the peace process Negotiations in the Middle East , in addition he held many prominent memberships in the Board of Directors at international companies for Telecommunications and Business Developments.

Eng. Al-Sarhan holds a Master’s degree of Engineering Administration and management of information systems from George Washington University (Washington D.C), a Bachelor’s degree of Science (Electrical/ Telecommunications) from George Washington University (Washington D.C).

Mr. Nassim Nour

Team Leader – Tasdeer Programme

Mr. Nassim Nour

Team Leader – Tasdeer Programme

A seasoned private sector development professional, entrepreneur and impact investment specialist with over 30 years of diverse experience with international, private, and public sector organizations across Africa, Australia, and Palestine.

Nassim Nour is currently the Team Leader for the UK-funded Trade Facilitation and Customs Support Programme (Tasdeer). Before that, he was the Executive Director of Sharakat Co – a subsidiary of the Palestine Investment Fund and its platform for investment in agriculture, health, technology, and education. Prior to his work with Sharakat, he was seconded by the UK government as advisor to Quartet Representative Tony Blair to lead on tourism and light manufacturing portfolio within the Initiative for the Palestinian Economy. He also held several senior positions with the UK Department for International Development (now FCDO) for over ten years, including as policy lead for its multilateral support and as head of private sector development division. Earlier in his career, Mr Nour held several senior leadership positions during his tenure with World Vision International in Mauritania, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Australia.

Mr. Nour served on a number of executive boards, including: the Palestine Ijara Islamic Leasing Company, Al-Rabyeh Animal Feed Plant, Istishari Arab Hospital, Souktel Incorporation and the Palestine Trade Center (Paltrade). He is also the founder of Transcend business process outsourcing company and a former member of the National Team for Local Economic Development.

Born and raised in Bethlehem, Palestine, Mr. Nour is a Fulbright scholar with an MBA from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Bethlehem University.

Dr. Durgham Maraee

CEO of Ooredoo Palestine

Dr. Durgham Maraee

CEO of Ooredoo Palestine

Dr. Durgham Maraee is the CEO of Ooredoo Palestine. He has extensive experience in the telecom industry as well as in business management and investment management. Under his leadership, Ooredoo Palestine delivered strong growth in market share, subscriber base, revenue, EBITDA and net profit year after year. Dr. Maraee also oversaw the successful launch of the company’s commercial services in the Gaza Strip, as well as its highly successful launch of 3G services in the West Bank.

Before joining Ooredoo, Dr. Maraee served as the Chief Investment Officer of the Palestine Investment Fund (“PIF”), the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Palestine. At PIF, Dr. Maraee managed an 800 million USD investment portfolio and supervised the development of many new investment initiatives that aimed at promoting economic growth in Palestine in various economic sectors such as telecom, energy, housing, finance, and manufacturing. Prior to that, Dr. Maraee worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in New York City, where he provided strategic advice to leading American and international companies in various economic sectors.

Dr. Maraee holds a master’s and doctorate degrees in International Law from Harvard University.

Mr. Omar Al-Sahili

CEO of Business Alliance

Mr. Omar Al-Sahili

CEO of Business Alliance

Omar Al-Sahili is the CEO of Business Alliance, BA, (www.BusinessAlliance.me), a management consulting and business support services company with offices in Palestine and Jordan.

Business Alliance (BA) provides unique services in the wider domains of Job Creation & Self-employment, GIG Economy & ICT Sector Development, IT Consulting, and Recruitment.

Omar has over 27 years of extensive experience in the private, governmental, telecom, and educational sectors, as well as proven experience and skills in project management, institutional development, and partnership development. Omar’s professional and life mission is to work with IDEAS, PEOPLE, and ORGANIZATIONS to develop and move forward.

Mr. Karolis Žemaitis

Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania

Mr. Karolis Žemaitis

Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania

Mr. Karolis Žemaitis is the Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania. K.Žemaitis has been working as an advisor to the Minister of the Economy and Innovation since the beginning of the current government term. Prior to joining EIMIN, he worked as Head of Business Unit at Go Vilnius, Project Manager at Kaunas University of Technology, and at the Invest Lithuania Agency. During his career, K. Žemaitis has accumulated valuable knowledge in the areas of investment attraction, economic competitiveness, business development and international cooperation. K. Žemaitis has a master degree in Marketing and Management and a bachelor degree in Economics and Politics and from ISM University.

Dr.Khaled Rajab

Strategic Advisor of Enabel in Palestine and Jordan.

Dr.Khaled Rajab

Strategic Advisor of Enabel in Palestine and Jordan.

Dr. Khaled Rajab is the Strategic Advisor of Enabel in Palestine and Jordan. He is the leading the EU group of Team Europe Initiative on digital transformation. Dr. Rajab is a senior development expert with 20+ years of experience in project management, strategic development, investment planning, designing, formulating and implementing Monitoring & Evaluation procedures for multi-million programs and projects in the MENA region.

Before joining ENABEL, Khaled worked as a Senior Development Officer at the Representative Office of Canada in Ramallah. Khaled Rajab has a PhD in Governance and Policy Analysis from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, a MA in Environmental Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in the USA, and BS in Civil Engineering from Birzeit University.

Ms. Ieva Žilionienė

GovTech Policy Expert

Ms. Ieva Žilionienė

GovTech Policy Expert

Ms. Ieva Žilionienė is an established government digitalization policy and strategy expert with deep expertise in national and global GovTech trends, initiatives, programs and use cases. Ms. Žilionienė has more than 20 years of experience in high-level positions at the national governmental institutions of Lithuania, as well as in the implementation of many intersectoral reforms and projects aimed at the digitalization of Lithuania and development of digital Government, including the application of GovTech solutions. Apart from her current role as the Consulting Business Lead at the NRD Companies, a global ICT development and digital transformation firm, Ieva also acts as the GovTech Policy Lead at INFOBALT, the national DigiTech Sector Association of Lithuania.

Ieva Žilionienė spent 15 years working for the Lithuanian Government at the Information Society Development Committee in the roles of the Head of Strategies and Programmes and the Deputy Director General. Furthermore, as the Director of the Strategy and later – the Deputy Director General at the Communications Regulation Authority of Lithuania, she was responsible for regulating electronic communications, postal services, rail transport sectors, and supervision of digital trust services, such as e-signature. Ieva has substantial experience supporting developing countries in their national digitalization processes, both through the implementation of the EU Twinning projects in the EU neighborhood countries and by currently leading several international consultancy projects that support the development of digital governments in the Caribbean region.

Mr. Julius Zubė

Digital Development

Mr. Julius Zubė

Digital Development

Mr. Julius Zubė is an international development cooperation expert with more than ten years of experience working in the field of development cooperation, particularly in terms of supporting the development of international partnerships between the European Union and developing countries. During his career, Julius has implemented international projects focused on digitalization and/or sustainable development initiatives in Iraq, Ghana, South Africa, Somalia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Guyana, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Sint Maarten. Apart from supporting the implementation of these projects, he was responsible for setting up effective partnerships with local partners and government institutions in these countries.

Currently, Julius acts as the International Development Consultant at NRD Companies, a global ICT development and digital transformation firm based in Lithuania, supporting international partnerships with experts and organizations for projects in the areas of e-Governance, digital transformation, and/or institutional capacity building. Alongside this role, Julius also acts as the Development Cooperation Lead at INFOBALT, the national DigiTech Sector Association of Lithuania, in which he supports the development of partnerships and exchanges between Lithuania’s ICT sector and partner institutions and organizations in developing countries.

Eng. Mohammed Tamimi

Chief Operations Officer – BCI Group

Eng. Mohammed Tamimi

Chief Operations Officer – BCI Group

Eng. Mohammed Tamimi: Chief Operations Officer – BCI Group. Mr. Tamimi holds BSc in computer engineering. Joined BCI Group in 2016 as the Operations Director; managing all the activities at BCI Solutions, providing Solutions, telecommunications, and system integration to the public sector, private sector, banking, academic, energy, water authority, and utility services.

Served 22 years in the public sector, held the position of General Director of IT at the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, and a member of the Team Core of the EGovernment, National Cyber Security Team.

Mr. Ala Alaeddin

Founder and CEO – Intertech

Mr. Ala Alaeddin

Founder and CEO – Intertech

Mr. Ala Alaeddin holds a Master Degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor Degree in Computer Engineering from the College of Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He has over 25 years of experience in IT Management and Leadership, Consultation, Training, Web Development, Strategic Planning, Business Development, Technology Innovation, and Management Information Systems. Mr. Alaeddin is the executive director and founder of InterTech Company for Web, Mobile and Innovative Technologies Development, which was founded 1999. Since 2004, Alaeddin founded and chaired many startup companies including Nmotion for Multimedia and Animation, giftstopalestine.com (an e-commerce platform) and Digital Plus, which produces “Aliqtisadi” (an economic media portal).

Mr. Alaeddin is currently a vice chairperson and one of the main founders of the Palestine India Technopark (PITP), a national science and technology park established in 2016. He also helped in establishing Palestine IT Associations (PITA) in 1999, The Palestinian National Naming Authority (PNINA) in 2003 and Palestine ICT Incubator (PICTI) in 2004. From 2007 until 2011, Mr. Alaeddin severed as the Chairman of the Board for PITA and the Palestine ICT Incubator (PICTI) for 4 years. He also served as a board member at many national organizations like PNINA, Palestine Investment Promotion Agency (PIPA), Palestine Private Sector Coordination Council (PPSC), and the QIF Project and the Scientific Research Counsel at the Ministry of Higher Education and Palestine Education Initiative (PEI).

Mr. Thaer Hamayel

Chief Retail Officer – Bank of Palestine

Mr. Thaer Hamayel

Chief Retail Officer – Bank of Palestine

He is the head of 73 branch and office in Bank of Palestine with more than 1000 employees, responsible for all the banking operations within Bank of Palestine, for all segments (Retail, Corporate, SMES, and small business. Leading 4 departments that are responsible of retail market share increase and development: Head of Marketing Department, Head of Direct Sales Department for individual and small business, Head of Retail Relations Department (premier and diaspora relations), and Head of Business Development Department. He has BA in Business Administration and MBA.

Mr. Husam Awwad

Head of Product Management Department – Bank of Palestine.

Mr. Husam Awwad

Head of Product Management Department – Bank of Palestine.

Husam Awwad joined Bank of Palestine (BOP) in 2008. He is currently the Head of the Product Management Department at the Bank of Palestine with a focus on retail credit, cards, small businesses, and Digital products. Prior to this position, Husam held various roles in the bank’s departments, like business digital banking, business development and financial inclusion, and in BOP’s subsidiary company that specializes in e-payment solutions, PalPay (Palestine Payments). His expertise in this industry was earned by occupying both sales and business development roles in the field of payments and products, in addition to his worldwide exposure to forums and dealing with the industry giants.

H.E. Dr. Mohammad Mustafa

Senior Economic Advisor to the President, Member of the PLO Executive Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestine Investment Fund PIF – on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas.

H.E. Dr. Mohammad Mustafa

Senior Economic Advisor to the President, Member of the PLO Executive Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestine Investment Fund PIF – on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF). At PIF, Dr. Mustafa is focused on impact and innovation – two themes that have defined his career. He has launched a number of start-ups and companies, including PalTel, Wataniya Mobile, and Massader for Natural Resources and Infrastructure, as well as investment funds, such as the Rasmalah Palestine Equity Fund and the Sharakat Fund for SMEs. He facilitated the IPOs and exits of Saudi Telecom, Orange Jordan, PalTel, Sanad, and Wataniya, and was instrumental in building the Palestinian Islamic banking sector. Dr. Mustafa has extensive experience with government, global institutions, and academia. He served as Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs in 2013 and as Deputy PM and Minister of National Economy from 2013-2014. On the international front, he held senior positions across a variety of sectors at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. for a period of 15 years.

Mr. Walid Nassar

CEO of Ajyal Radio Network

Mr. Walid Nassar

CEO of Ajyal Radio Network

Mr. Walid is the CEO and editor in chief – AJYAL RADIO NETWORK. He is also new media and journalism lecturer in many Palestinian universities, and a participant in several international programs for the exchange of international experience in journalism such as (BBC -France 24 – DW Germany- Fojo Sweden – NIPPON TV Japan – ARIJ Jordan- Radio of Cairo) and others.

With more than 20 years’ experience in media and journalism field, and was enrolled in an Austrian Ph.D. program of management (EASA). Holds M.A degree of democracy and human rights – Birzeit University – Palestine, and B.A degree of radio and TV – Birzeit University – Palestine.

Dr. Amjed Ghanem

Secretary General – Council of Ministers

Dr. Amjed Ghanem

Secretary General – Council of Ministers

D. Industrial Engineering and Artificial Intelligence – NMSU, USA, 1995.
Founder & Head of the Industrial Engineering Dep / An-Najah National Univ.
Faculty Member, European EFQM, Licensed Advisor and Consultant
Member of the Global Innovation Institute (GInI) – USA
Expert in Strategy and Policy Development, Institutional Development, Innovation/Excellence and Performance Management.
25-year experience in many Arab countries, the USA, UK, and Canada.

Born in 1965 in Deir El Ghusun, Amjed is an established engineering management expert and academic in the field of artificial intelligence, policy making, strategic planning, institutional development, performance management, and innovation and excellence, with more than 25- year experience designing and delivering effective solutions to governments & companies seeking business excellence. He has extensive experience in government and private sectors locally, regionally, and internationally.

Joined An-Najah National University in 1996, where he established the first Industrial Engineering (IE) program in Palestine and chaired the department for several years, after which he worked for many years as a professor of Management Engineering. He also managed to establish other BIS program in the IT Faculty in 2005, and an MS program in Management Engineering in 2007.

Resigned from academia in 2007, and continued to deliver mission through a network of business offices in Ramallah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Amman, where he designed and supervised hundreds of projects in strategy and policy development, restructuring, risk management, innovation, and quality/excellence.

Worked in Palestine, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, and UK, and with many international organizations such as World Bank, Dubai Quality Group, WHO, CHF International, JICA, GIZ, and the European EFQM as a licensed advisor to deliver Excellence consulting services. Long experience in the Palestinian Government and Laws through previous assignments at the Office of the President, Ministry of National Economy, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Civil Police, Judicial Council, Ministry of Transport, Statistics Bureau, and State Audit Bureau.

Education

D. Industrial Engineering, Statistical and Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Management – New Mexico State University (NMSU), USA, 1995.
MS Computer and Electrical Engineering, NSMU, 1993.
MS Quality Engineering, The Univ. of Jordan – Amman, 1990.
BS Electrical Engineering, The Univ. of Jordan – Amman, 988.

H.E Mr. Khalid Osaily

Minister of National Economy

H.E Mr. Khalid Osaily

Minister of National Economy

Mr. Khalid Osaily assumed his responsibilities as a Minister of National Economy in April 2019. In this capacity, he also chairs the Palestinian Investment Promotion Agency (PIPA), Palestine Industrial Estates and the Free Zones Authority (PIEFZA), and the Palestine Standards Institute (PSI).

Mr. Osaily who is holding a degree in Business Administration obtained in 1970,

is a pioneer businessman and a private sector leader and well-known for his visionary thinking and successful initiatives. He served on the Board of Directors of a number of companies including the Gaza Power Generating Company (GPGC). He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Arab Palestinian Investment Company (APIC) that represents a diversified portfolio of investment companies. Moreover, he was the Chairman of Osaily General Trading and Contracting Company as well as of the National Aluminum and Profile Company (NAPCO). Mr. Khaled Osaily is a member of the Board at many Public Sector authorities.

As a socially responsible leader and supporter of the Public Good, Osaily held a number of public positions. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Monetary Authority from 2002 to 2005. Back in 1976, Osaily was elected as the youngest member of Hebron’s Municipal Council. He then served as Deputy Mayor till 2003.

In April 2007, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, placed his trust in Khaled Osaily by appointing him as Mayor of Hebron, attesting to his skills and ability to lead the largest city in the West Bank. Since then, as a dedicated leader, Osaily has been a driver for change in Hebron Municipality till October 2012.

As a well-known person in the private sector on the National level Mr. Osaily was elected as a member of the board of trustees at Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) in 2015.

For his contributions in supporting the high education system Mr. Osaily is a Board of Trustees’ member at the Middle East University in Jordan since 2012 and a Board of Trustees’ Member of Al Quds University in Jerusalem.

Mr. Abdel Majeed Melhem

Chief Executive Officer of Paltel Group

Mr. Abdel Majeed Melhem

Chief Executive Officer of Paltel Group

Mr. Abdel Majeed Melhem is the Chief Executive Officer of Paltel Group.

Melhem started his career with “Jawwal” in 1999, where he held several senior positions, including Sales Director and Customer Care Director.

In 2010, he was promoted by the Board of Directors to the position of General Manager for the sister company Palestine Telecommunications Company “Paltel”. Over the next four years Melhem and his team strengthened investment in the network infrastructure, upgrading it with the latest technologies, increasing the spread of Internet services and doubling Internet speeds over Palestine. In addition, during his journey in Paltel, he was able to make the first direct connection to the Palestinian network via the international submarine cable, a critical development that put Paltel on equal footing with other major telecommunications companies operating in the region.

In 2014 Melhem moved back from Paltel to his second family, Jawwal where he held the position of the General Manager from October 2014 until early 2022. In this period as a General Manger of Jawwal, Melhem and his team were successfully launched 3G services across the country, thus enabling a quantum leap in the levels of speed and data transmission in Palestine’s telecommunication infrastructure- a feat now recognized as a national achievement due to the digital transformation undergone in Palestine since.

Following this achievement, Melham went forward still, launching The National Electronic Payment Company “Jawwal Pay” in 2020; an integrated and smart electronic wallet able to facilitate commercial services in digital form. This was another first for the company (and country) obtaining a license from the Palestinian Monetary Authority to create such a system and maintain Palestine’s telecommunication development alongside the most developed nations in the world. Indeed, this innovative service can be considered as a breakthrough step enabling the consumer to complete all daily financial movements quickly and safely.

In recognition of his groundbreaking achievements for both Paltel and Jawwal, and for telecommunication advances in Palestine more generally, alongside his dynamic and forward-thinking management skills, Melhem was promoted to CEO Of Jawwal in February 2022 by the board of Directors.

Currently, Mr. Melhem sits as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for “Jawwal Pay”, is a member of the Board of Trustees of Hebron University, is a part of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of PADICO Industrial and sits on the Board of Directors of Arkan Real Estate Company. In addition to these important business positions, he is also a member of the Executive Office of the Palestinian Olympic Committee.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Financial Sciences from Hebron University, and has attained several specialized certificates in the field of management, financial sciences and marketing from globally recognized international institutions.

Prof. Dr. Marwan Awartani

Minister of Education

Prof. Dr. Marwan Awartani

Minister of Education

Minister of Education
President, Palestine Academy for Science & Technology
President, Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie
Chairman, Palestinian European Academic Cooperation Council
Acting President, Al-Quds University
Chairman, Board of Directors of the Arab Foundations Forum
President, Alpha International for Research, Polling & Informatics
President, the Palestinian Society for Mathematical Sciences
Co-founder, the Network of Palestinian Scientists and Technologists Abroad
Director, National Team for Scientific Research Policies
Director, Science and Technology Planning Unit at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation
Secretary General, Foundation Global Education
Founder, Elham Palestine
Chairman, the selection committee for the WISE Prize
Member of the High Council for Innovation and Excellence
Adviser to the World Bank, UNESCO, ESCWA, the European Union, and other international organizations in Education & Innovation, Science & Technology and Development.
Member of the Supreme Council on Technical and Vocational Education.

Dr. Ashok Sarkar

Program Leader for Infrastructure & Senior Energy Specialist – World Bank

Dr. Ashok Sarkar

Program Leader for Infrastructure & Senior Energy Specialist – World Bank

Dr. Ashok Sarkar

Program Leader -Infrastructure & Senior Energy Specialist, MENA Infrastructure Practice Group, The World Bank (West Bank and Gaza Office), Jerusalem.

Dr. Ashok Sarkar is a Program Leader for Infrastructure and Senior Energy Specialist in the World Bank’s MENA Infrastructure Practice Group (Energy, Digital and Transport), and is based in the West Bank and Gaza Office in Jerusalem.

During his professional career in international development spanning 30+ years, including earlier in the ADB, USAID, RMA (USA), and BHEL (India) Ashok has worked in 40+ countries, developing clean energy projects valued cumulatively at $2.5 billion+. He started his career as a power engineer designing thermal power plants in mid-1980s. He is currently working on projects in solar PV, electric mobility, energy efficiency, DSM/demand response, sustainable cooling, and clean energy and jobs in MENA, South Asia, and Africa regions, specifically through financing and/or technical advisory operations in the West Bank and Gaza, Egypt, Yemen, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Sao Tome and Principe and South Africa.

Ashok has presented and published widely in different aspects of clean energy development and decarbonization. Until 2018, he had been a regular visiting faculty for sustainable energy at the University of Oslo’s summer program for over 15 years. While working in ADB and the World Bank, he had also served as an international technical expert member of the UNFCCC’s CDM Methodologies Panel and as chair of the UNEP’s Global LED Lighting Taskforce. An engineer from Delhi College of Engineering, India, Ashok holds a Masters in Energy Planning & Policy from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. He received his Ph.D. in 1997 from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, which also conferred upon him a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2022.

H.E. Mr. Osama Al Saadawi

Minister of Entrepreneurship and Empowerment

H.E. Mr. Osama Al Saadawi

Minister of Entrepreneurship and Empowerment

Usama Sadawi is the Palestinian State Minster of the newly established Ministry of
Entrepreneurship and Empowerment.
He is in charge of setting the fundamentals and building the Palestinian
entrepreneurial ecosystem with relevant stakeholders including public and nongovernmental institutions, private sector and entrepreneurs, with specific mandate
and focus on youth and women.
His ultimate goal is to build the Palestinian ecosystem, to enhance
entrepreneurship and innovation up to the global standards and best practices
taking into consideration the Palestinian identity.
In the institutional building process, the Minister lead a participatory planning
approach with all stakeholders and actors to identify the main characteristics of the
Palestinian ecosystem that resulted in the first strategic plan framework and then
developed as the first sectorial strategic plan for the entrepreneurship and
empowerment in Palestine.
He believes in Palestinian youth, provides them with the opportunity to become
vital partners in the decision-making process and empowers them in shaping their
future.

Mr. Bashar Masri

Vice Chairman of Paltel Group

Mr. Bashar Masri

Vice Chairman of Paltel Group

Bashar Masri is chairman of Massar International, a company he founded in 1995 to promote private sector development and economic growth in Palestine. Under his leadership, Massar has grown to include more than 30 subsidiaries in the fields of financial services, real estate, media and communications, logistics, retail, agribusiness, and information technology. Massar’s group of enterprises employs thousands of Palestinians and has brought technology, know-how, and industry best practices to Palestine.

Masri is the visionary behind Rawabi, the first Palestinian planned city, a massive undertaking that has garnered world attention. With thousands of housing units built to serve families from multiple demographics, ultramodern infrastructure, and emerging commercial and tech hubs, the city has already had profound economic and social impacts on Palestinians.

In 2021, Masri launched an ambitious new project in East Jerusalem, Lana, to serve the Palestinian community. The new mixed-use residential neighborhood will include eight residential towers, a shopping center, a commercial hub, a school, and green space for outdoor recreation.

Masri serves as board chair of the Palestine Development and Investment Company (PEX: PADICO) which helps drive the Palestinian economy with investments in vital industrial sectors including real estate, telecommunications, tourism, industry, agriculture, environment, and energy. He is also the vice chair of Palestine Telecommunication Company (PEX: Paltel) the main telecommunication operator in Palestine.

Named by the World Economic Forum as a Global Leader of Tomorrow and ranked among the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders in 2018 by Fortune magazine, Masri was featured in a full-length segment on CBS’s 60 Minutes: “Rawabi: One Man’s Vision for a Palestinian Future” (December 2019). He dedicates significant time to public service and board membership, serving on the Development Advisory Council of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the Board of Trustees of An-Najah National University, the Deans’ Council at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and the Board of the Palestine Olympic Committee. He is also board chair of the Palestine Chess Federation.

Masri holds a B.S degree in Chemical Engineering. from Virginia Polytechnic University.

Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh

Prime minister of the Palestinian national authority

Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh

Prime minister of the Palestinian national authority

Dr. Ishaq Sider

Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology

Dr. Ishaq Sider

Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology

Mr. Ammar Aker

CEO of PALTEL Group

Mr. Ammar Aker

CEO of PALTEL Group

Mr. Ammar Aker is the Palestine Telecom Group CEO and a member of Paltel Group’s Board of Directors. Notably, Paltel Group is the second largest employer in Palestine (after the Government).

Prior to assuming his current position as Group CEO, he was the CEO of the Palestine Cellular Communications Co. Ltd., Jawwal, the first leading cellular operator in Palestine.

Mr. Aker is currently the chairman of the board of directors of VTEL Middle East and Africa (MEA). He is a member of the board for the Palestine Development and Investment Company (PADICO Holding), the largest investment holding company in the country, in addition to his representation on the board of directors of its subsidiaries. He is also currently a member on the board of trustees for An-Najah National University.

Mr. Aker is an active board member in a number of international, regional and local initiatives such as; Palestine for a New Beginning (PNB); The Palestine International Award for Excellence and Creativity; Mahmoud Darwish Foundation; in addition to the Amideast Advisory Board in Palestine. He is also an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) Palestine Branch and the Palestinian Businessmen Association (PBA).

Mr. Aker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and an MSc degree in Accounting from Kent State University, Ohio.

Dr. Amjed Ghanim

Secretary General of the Palestinian Council of Ministers.

Dr. Amjed Ghanim

Secretary General of the Palestinian Council of Ministers.

Ph.D. Industrial Engineering and Artificial Intelligence – NMSU, USA, 1995.
Founder & Head of the Industrial Engineering Dep / AnNajah National Univ.
Faculty Member, European EFQM, Licensed Advisor and Consultant
Member of the Global Innovation Institute (GInI) – USA
Expert in Strategy and Policy Development, Institutional Development, Innovation/Excellence and Performance Management.
25-year experience in many Arab countries, the USA, UK, and Canada.

Dr. Feras Milhem

Governor and Chairman of PMA

Dr. Feras Milhem

Governor and Chairman of PMA

Mr. Mohammad Khabesa

Editor-in-chief of the Al-Iqtisadi.

Mr. Mohammad Khabesa

Editor-in-chief of the Al-Iqtisadi.

Mohammad Khabisa is the editor-in-chief of the Al-Iqtisadi website in Palestine, the economics official in the Arab disk of the Turkish Anadolu Agency, and previously worked as the media and public relations officer in the Association of Banks in Palestine.

Mohammad is a master’s student in Digital Media and Communication at Al-Quds University.

Mr. Muawiah Qawasmi

CEO of Pal Pay

Mr. Muawiah Qawasmi

CEO of Pal Pay

Muawiya Al-Qawasmi – General Manager of PalPay

A PhD researcher in Islamic economic law, he holds a master’s degree in business administration from Birzeit University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Jordan. He worked as a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Finance and Administration at Hebron University in 2005, and between 2005-2010 he managed Bank of Palestine branch in Hebron, and between 2010-2015 he held the position of director of Bank of Palestine branches in the Southern region with its branches and affiliated offices, including evaluating all Operations related to credit, such as direct and indirect facilities, marketing follow-up, and participation in many committees emanating from the public administration, such as the Bank’s Public Relations Committee, the Committee for Developing Risk Management mechanisms, and the official of the Committee on Non-Banking Distinguished Services for Major Clients.

Al-Qawasmi worked as director of the representative office of Bank of Palestine in the Dubai International Financial Center between 2015-2018, where he took charge of planning, supervising and making decisions that achieve the bank’s vision in accordance with the strategy and follow-up of marketing for the bank’s services, communication and networking with banks and international financial institutions, and the management of investment portfolios.

After that, he moved to work as Deputy Director General of the Arab Islamic Bank in Palestine between 2018-2020, where he participated in achieving the bank’s strategic vision by strengthening collective management and developing general executive plans and mechanisms that cover aspects of the bank, supervision and follow-up with the branch management and direct sales departments to achieve the bank’s goals In addition to formulating the general and interim objectives of the affiliated departments, in line with the bank’s strategic plan.

Al-Qawasmi had held the position of Deputy Director General of the Department of International Relations and Development Projects in the Ministry of Finance between 2004-2005, and Assistant Director General of Customs and Value Added Tax in the Ministry between 1998-2004. Finally, he held the position of General Manager of PalPay since the beginning of 2021.

On the professional level, he contributed as a key advisor in building the Palestinian customs law, and was a key member of the negotiation team for Palestine’s accession to the World Trade Organization and the World Customs Organization, and represented the Ministry of Finance in the European Partnership Agreement for the Mediterranean Countries. Al-Qawasmi also heads the Tax Advisors Syndicate in Palestine and the Palestinian Judo Federation, in addition to membership in the Palestinian Youth Pioneers Forum’s management board, membership in the Executive Office of the Olympic Committee, and holds the position of Secretary of the Palestinian Businessmen Association.

Mr.Eyad Zeitawi

Executive Director of the Financial Stability Group in PMA

Mr.Eyad Zeitawi

Executive Director of the Financial Stability Group in PMA

Mr. Musa Hadid

Mayor of Ramallah

Mr. Musa Hadid

Mayor of Ramallah

Mr.Musa Hadid (1965 – 55 years) is a Palestinian Politician of the Fatah party who has been serving as Mayor of Ramallah since 2012. Musa is also the President of the Association of the Palestinian Local Authorities for the second consecutive session.

Uprising and educational attainment

Musa Hadid was born in 1965 in the city of Ramallah. In 1993, he graduated from Birzeit University with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.

Working life

Hadid’s political life began when he enrolled in the student movement during his school years at Birzeit University. He was arrested by the Israeli Forces at the outbreak of the first Palestinian intifada. Although he ran his own civil engineer office for 20 years he always maintained his political activity. In 2012 he ran as head of his list a campaign for Ramallah Municipal elections, where he became the mayor of Ramallah for two consecutive turns until present time.

Other Activities

In addition to his current position as Mayor of Ramallah, he is also:

• President of the Palestinian Federation of Local Authorities

• Chairman of the Jerusalem Governorate Water Authority Board

• Co-chair of UCLG-MEWA

• Member of the Supreme Presidential Committee to Follow Church Affairs in Palestine

• Member of the Municipal Development and Lending Fund

• Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Independence Park

• Administrative Board Member of the Yasser Arafat Museum

• Board Member of the Mahmoud Darwish Museum

• Member of the Special Committee for National Planning regional development

• Member of the Presidential Committee for Civil Peace.

AWARDS:

In 2020, Hadid was the subject of an award-winning film called “Mayor”, directed by filmmaker David Osit, which follows Musa Hadid’s day-to-day life as mayor.

Mrs. Samia Jubran Totah

Co-Founder and CEO of Bisan Systems LTD.

Mrs. Samia Jubran Totah

Co-Founder and CEO of Bisan Systems LTD.

Samia Jubran Totah – Born and raised in Ramallah, Palestine. Samia completed a BA degree in Industrial Design from San Francisco State University in 1987 and worked for three years in California, USA. Samia received an Executive MBA degree from Northwestern University’s International Kellogg-Recanati program in 2013.

She is a co-founder and CEO of Bisan Systems Ltd, a software house established in Ramallah – Palestine in 1988, specializing in ERP Cloud Solutions serving the private, governmental, non-profit and microfinance sectors. Bisan Systems serves various countries and sectors with 40% of its sales outside Palestine.

She is a founding member of the Business Women Forum-Palestine established in 2006 and currently an active member. Samia is the first woman from the Palestinian private sector to serve on the Board of Directors of the Palestine Monetary Authority from 2016 until 2019. Samia is a member of Birzeit University Board of Trustees since 2017, and a member of Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) Board of Trustees since March 2021. She is the mother of two girls.

Mr. Tamer Baransi

Commercial Director at BCI

Mr. Tamer Baransi

Commercial Director at BCI

Tamer is also a member in a number of national and regional committees

National Economic Development team headed by the prime minister.
The Private Sector Coordination Council (PSCC)
Advisory Council of Education Headed by the Minister of education.
A board member at Arab ICT union.

Mr. Salah Hidmi

CEO of Quds Bank.

Mr. Salah Hidmi

CEO of Quds Bank.

Mr. Salah Hidmi is a Palestinian business man and a banker with over 26 years of
experience in the banking sector. He successfully attained his Bachelor’s degree in
Banking & Finance from Al-Ahliyya Amman University – 1995.
During his working years he was able to earn several certificates that are related to the
banking industry which includes: PMP, ACI Dealing, ICDL, and Transition to General
Management from INSEAD Business School.
He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Quds Bank. In addition, he is the Chairman
of Sadara Company, the Chairman of MEPS Palestine, and an active board member in
several regional and local institutions such as: Birzeit University Friends Association,
Association of Banks in Palestine, and AMAN (Cash & Valuables Transporations). In
addition, he was the president of East Jerusalem Rotary Club for the years 2017, and 2018.
Throughout his career path, he has held several senior positions at the Arab Bank as he
was the head of the Corporate and Institutional Banking after being Head of Treasury
Department for 9 years.
He successfully implemented many workshops and training sessions in the banking sector
especially in Treasury Field.
He lives in East Jerusalem, He is married to his better half Roleen Qadamani, together
they have three children (a girl and 2 boys), and also he has a loving pair of parents.

Dr. Durgham Maraee

CEO of Ooredoo Palestine

Dr. Durgham Maraee

CEO of Ooredoo Palestine

Dr. Maraee holds a master’s and doctorate degrees in International Law from Harvard University.

Prof. Hossam Haick

Head of LNBD Labs at Technion – IITT

Prof. Hossam Haick

Head of LNBD Labs at Technion – IITT

Hossam Haick is a Full Professor in the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and an expert in the field of nanotechnology and non-invasive disease diagnosis. He earned his doctorate from the Technion in 2002. After graduation, he did two, two-year postdoctoral fellowships – first at the Weizmann Institute of Science, then at California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He returned to the Technion at the end of 2006 as an assistant professor, becoming a full professor in 2011. Prof. Haick has published more than 220 publications in top-level journals in the field of nanotechnology, advanced/applied materials/chemistry, and medicine; more than ten five book chapters. Additionally, the technologies developed by Prof. Haick and his team have led to the production of more than 42 patents and patent applications – many of which have been licensed to six international companies. Prof. Haick is the cofounder of FeelIT Ltd. and NanoVation-S.G. Ltd. – startup companies aiming to commercialize innovative non-invasive technology for monitoring vital signs in health.

Mr. Jehad Shakhshir

Head for the e-Governance Programme in Palestine and MENA region (INDIGO) of (GIZ)

Mr. Jehad Shakhshir

Head for the e-Governance Programme in Palestine and MENA region (INDIGO) of (GIZ)

Jehad Shakhshir works as Head for the e-Governance Programme in Palestine and MENA region (INDIGO) of (GIZ). Mr. Shakhshir has 12 years of experience working for GIZ on local government development issues, decentralization, fiscal and legal reforms, democratic transformation, and inclusive and participatory planning. Mr. Shakhshir, also, worked for GIZ in the sectors of technical education (TVET) and water for more than 9 years. Mr. Shakhshir holds a BA in English Literature from University of Tishreen / Syria, Diploma of Translation from Birzeit University / Palestine and MA in Historical Studies from Freie Universität / Berlin – Germany.

Mr. Ibrahim Khammash

CEO of Jawwal Pay

Mr. Ibrahim Khammash

CEO of Jawwal Pay

14 years of extensive practical experience in managing several leadership and strategic positions in the Palestinian Telecommunications Company – Jawwal. A graduate of An-Najah National University majoring in Information Technology, he is currently the CEO of Jawwal Pay.

Dr. Safa Nassereldin

Presidential Secretary-General of Al-Quds University

Dr. Safa Nassereldin

Presidential Secretary-General of Al-Quds University

Dr. Safa Nassereldin is a well-recognised Palestinian community and entrepreneur leader as well as a highly energetic engineering educator, who is engaged in multiple roles and initiatives through the Palestinian and Regional engineering and technology scenes. With more than 20 years of intuitive management and experience in tackling challenges in leadership, project management and engineering practices, she is well known for seeking to inspire and empower female engineers and project managers, girls and youth in general. She also holds a strong vision for the Palestinian community through education and learning.
She the Presidential Secretary-General and
Ass. Prof. at Faculty of Engineeringis currently at Al-Quds University. She was the Vice President for Jerusalem Affairs at Al-Quds University, from 2014 -2021. Prior to the current portfolio, she was the Minister at the Ministry of Telecom & Information and Technology, who has successfully introduced positive changes by enabling a competitive environment for telecommunication industry in Palestine. She was the first female minister this field in Palestine. She was awarded the Chevalier (Knight) of the National Order of the Legion of Honour from the Republic of France Nov. 2017 as well as Arab Women Achievers in March 2019 and Academician who Mostly Served Jerusalem in June 2019.
She is an active board member in the Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence, Palestinian Incubator for Energy, the Innovation Fund, Palestine Education for Employment EFE, the Arab Islamic Bank, the Internet Service Provider Mada among others.
She holds a Doctorate in Electronic Engineering from ENSEIRB, Bordeaux I University in France, 2003.

Dr. Eng. Safa Nassereldin
Presidential Secretary-General – Presidency office
Ass. Prof. at Faculty of Engineering
Al-Quds University
0523928417
0599780150
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Mr. Zaid Jerab

VP Head pf Strategy and Digital Transformation Division at Quds Bank.

Mr. Zaid Jerab

VP Head pf Strategy and Digital Transformation Division at Quds Bank.

Mr. Zaid Jerab, 28, is the Head of Strategic Planning department at Quds Bank and Vice chairman of Experts Turnkey Solutions, an IT company that specializes in software development and professional IT services.

He Graduated from McGill University in Montreal, Canada in 2013 with a bachelors degree in Finance and Economics. He Moved to Toronto after graduation to work in Royal Bank of Canada as an Enterprise Business Intelligence design and optimization Analyst. During his work in Royal Bank of Canada, Zaid got exposed to the world of Information Management, Big Data and Advanced Analytics.

In 2015, Zaid moved back to Ramallah to work at Quds Bank. Since Joining Quds Bank, Zaid has put forward his vision towards modern banking and has strongly adopted and supported the mission of digital transformation and automation.

During his working years, Zaid has completed the 3 levels of the CFA professional certificate exams and became a Certified Financial Analyst and a member of CFA global institute and CFA society Jordan. He has also completed the 2 parts of the Financial Risk Management professional certificate exams and became a Certified Financial Risk Manager and a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

Mr. Adham Ghazali

Co-Founder of Imagry

Mr. Adham Ghazali

Co-Founder of Imagry

Adham Ghazali is the Co-Founder of Imagry. He spent the last 10 years working on various machine learning problems including large-scale computer vision, Brain-computer interfacing, and Bio-Inspired facial recognition. He is interested in the intersection between biology and computer science. Prior to co-founding Imagry, Adham was a brain researcher focusing on the study of the visual system in infants.

Eng. Michael Younan

CEO and President of Good Shepherd Engineering.

Eng. Michael Younan

CEO and President of Good Shepherd Engineering.

Eng Michael Younan MSc. Graduated 1975 from Salford University GB and Finished his Master’s Degree in Jerusalem Studies at Al Quds University. He is a practicing Civil Engineer in Palestine.

Eng. Michael realized since the late 1980’s that IT is the next revolution of the Global World and ever since has entered as an independent Scholar within the IT revolution using the applied CAD for Engineering and introducing AutoCAD in the early 1990s to the Engineers of Palestine to automate all engineering works within the IT and produce Computer-Aided Design and drafting in the Palestine Engineering Office.

He 1993 introduce GIS and remote sensing as a Tool to the Palestinian Institutions to start a new IT Locational Geodatabase revolution within Palestine. The GIS Palestine journey started then to automate and digitize Palestine digitally from hardcopy and paper maps to fully digital.

Eng. Michael is the CEO and president of Good Shepherd Engineering, GSE based in Beit Jala, Palestine, who supported the Locational and Geo Structure in Palestine and introduced many aspects within this IT revolution.

GSE lead by Eng Michael has introduced the commercial Maps of Palestine created and produced by Palestinians for Palestine and are Worldwide distributed as Palestinian Products via PalMap Palestine Mapping Center

Eng. Michael part of the IT revolution in Palestine introduce automation in the Applied Engineering Palestine World and within its Institutions and is a leader in Palestine Mapping, GIS and Remote Sensing, Aerial mapping, Photogrammetry, and atomization based on Geolocation.

Mr. Luay Amin Al-Qattow

CEO of Al-Ameen Tech

Mr. Luay Amin Al-Qattow

CEO of Al-Ameen Tech

Innovative professional with 38+ years of progressive management expertise in Information and Communication Technology, Administration and Operation.

Mrs. Linda Njoom

Marketing and Communications Manager/ Call U Telecom.

Mrs. Linda Njoom

Marketing and Communications Manager/ Call U Telecom.

She holds a master’s degree in business administration from Birzeit University, in addition to many certificates in digital marketing and social media marketing.

She has more than 12 years of experience in the field of marketing, communications and digital marketing.

Mr. Saeed Zeidan

CEO of Ultimit Advanced Turnkey Solutions

Mr. Saeed Zeidan

CEO of Ultimit Advanced Turnkey Solutions

Saeed Zeidan, 44 years old, is the founder and CEO of ULTIMIT Advanced Turnkey Solution that he established back in 2008 after 17 years of vast experience in software development, systems analysis, project management, and large scale projects for public and private sector in the region.

Zeidan has a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Zeidan worked as part time faculty member at different universities in the region in addition to work as a freelancer to help universities to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Zeidan is a key note speaker in multiple local, regional, and international conferences such as GEPS, GEFT, BETT, BITEX, GESS, and GITEX.

Mr. Talaat Alawi

Chief Editors of Al-Raqeeb Economic Media Network

Mr. Talaat Alawi

Chief Editors of Al-Raqeeb Economic Media Network

Founder of Al Safeer Economic Newspaper & Chief editor of Al Raqeeb Economic Media Network

Record Holder: The Longest Marathon Hosting a Radio Talk Show in the World

Title Holder: “The Best Arab Economic Reporter in 2020”

Moderator, motivational speaker, trainer, investigatore, presented 3000 radio & TV interviews

Board member of many local & international organizations.

Mr. Ashraf Bader

INCUBE Palestine Director

Mr. Ashraf Bader

INCUBE Palestine Director

Holding a bachelor’s in Computer Science, with extensive experience for more than 15 years in distribution and product management, Ashraf is internationally recognized as Microsoft Distribution Specialist and used to hold the position of Microsoft Product Manager in Qatar.

Mr. Mohammad Tamimi

COO of BCI

Mr. Mohammad Tamimi

COO of BCI

Mr. Mohammad Tamimi graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Hebron polytechnic university

Tamimi held several positions during his 22 years of experience in the public sector, ending this journey as the Head of IT at the ministry of interior