Leadership Speakers in UAE

Aditya Ghosh, Co-founder of AkasaAir is a remarkable leader known for driving hyper-growth across various organizations. With experience in managing a workforce of over 25,000 employees, Aditya has a Midas touch in transforming people-driven organizations globally. Aditya serves on the Board of Directors of Fabindia - India’s largest retail platform; and OYO, one of the world’s leading hospitality chains, contributing his expertise to diverse sectors. Aditya started his career in 1996 as a corporate law executive, providing legal counsel to notable entities like InterGlobe, GSK Beecham, PepsiCo, and the World Bank. His leadership journey includes serving as the former President and Board Member of IndiGo, propelling the airline to success, and later transitioning to the unicorn OYO. A compelling speaker, Harvard Business school graduate Aditya shares insights and experiences from his leadership roles at various corporate events and conferences, captivating audiences with his blend of professional and personal skills.

Shiv Shivakumar, an accomplished leader and bestselling author, currently serves as an Operating Partner at Advent International, a leading private equity firm, where he applies his vast expertise to drive business growth and investment strategies. His customer-centric and motivational leadership style has been instrumental in leading organizations to success. Previously, as Chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo Holdings India, Shiv spearheaded growth initiatives and managed iconic brands like Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, and Peter England. In his role as Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy at Aditya Birla Group, Shiv played a key role in expanding the company’s global presence across 36 countries. Recognized as one of India’s top five marketers by the Economic Times, he also serves as the President of the CII committee on Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, further solidifying his influence in the industry.

Richard Rekhy is the former CEO of KPMG, India, and a current Board Member of KPMG Dubai. As CEO, he was a member of KPMG's Global Board and the Council of KPMG International. He set the foundation for strengthening KPMG India’s capabilities across advisory and tax solutions for the GCC channel. With over thirty-six years under his belt in Consulting and Professional Services, Richard has worked at Arthur Andersen, Ernst & Young, and KPMG, spearheading the firms in various capacities. Richard is affiliated with leading business enterprises, domestic and worldwide, and is also an active member of diverse industry associations and trade bodies. He was a member of the advisory group for the HSBC Skills for Life Programme and the CII National Council member. An eloquent and powerful orator, Richard is a respected voice on a range of social and economic issues and focuses on customer centricity.

Michael is a dynamic professional who navigates the ever-changing business landscape by equipping leaders with invaluable tools and strategies, enabling them to embrace and thrive in transformational times. With an impressive tenure as the Head of Innovation Design + Validation at Walmart Canada, Michael successfully led a multidisciplinary team of researchers, creators, strategists, and developers, consistently challenging conventional norms and fostering an environment of innovation. Distinguished as the youngest store manager in Canada for the world"s largest retailer, Michael spearheaded projects focused on enhancing customer experience, resulting in a remarkable $250 million in business value generated within a three-year span. Michael"s notable contributions to the industry have garnered recognition, including being honored as part of The Peaks" esteemed Emerging Leaders Class of 2022, a distinguished group selected by peers and accomplished co-chairs.

Mimi Nicklin is an internationally bestselling author and the multi-award-winning Founder of the world’s widest-reaching organisational empathy training & engagement platform, Empathy Everywhere. A top 5-rated podcast host of her show, ‘MiMi YouYou’, she is omnipresent in the media, and on event stages, globally. Mimi specialises in Listening-Led Leadership, Psychological Safety and D&I. She is an experienced organisational coach, and a well-known thought leader advocating for the global movement to balance humanism and capitalism in our workplaces & well being. She has 60,000 followers with an organic reach of over 55,000 weekly and has trained 12,500+ professionals in Fortune 500 organisations globally, focusing on the future of multi-generational leadership. A truly global leader, she has recently been awarded Malaysian Female Leader 2024 and Top 45 Sri Lankan Leader awards. She is as charismatic as she is passionate and she is set on reconnecting the corporate world, one organisation, and one audience, at a time.

Frederik Bisbjerg is a distinguished international business developer with a focus on digital transformation and business model innovation. As a senior advisor, he specializes in digital-first corporate strategies and C-level consulting, leveraging “the art of the possible” to drive business and digital transformation. Formerly Head of MENA and Digital Transformation specialist at the Digital Insurer, the world's largest digital insurance knowledge base, Frederik has extensive expertise in Strategy and Transformation, Big Data, and Best Practice Tech Architectures. He lectures actively on these subjects, sharing valuable insights into industry value generation through AI and big data. Frederik’s approach to implementing AI in businesses emphasizes maximizing financial outcomes and ensuring strategic alignment, making him a highly sought-after expert in the finance and digital transformation sectors.

Navid is a globally recognized expert in executive transitions, helping senior leaders and their teams excel in new roles. He is the author of the international bestseller Mastering Executive Transitions – The Definitive Guide. With over two decades of HR experience across six sectors and five countries, Navid has worked with some of the world's most respected organizations, bringing a wealth of cross-cultural and industry insights to his practice.

His thought leadership has earned him accolades such as HR’s Most Influential Practitioner by HR Magazine, #1 Coach of the Year by CEO Today, and recognition among the 100 Most Iconic Coaching Leaders by CHRO Asia. He has also received the Outstanding Leadership Award from Education 2.0. A sought-after keynote speaker, Navid shares his expertise at global conferences and leadership events, empowering executives to navigate change, drive impact, and succeed in complex business environments.

 

Goran specializes in leadership, employee development, employee motivation and company culture building. Throughout his career, Goran held several executive roles ranging from business development and entrepreneurship in general to instructional design and consulting. Currently, he is a Managing Director at Leoron Professional Development Institute, looking over the consulting services. Coming from such a corporate experience, Goran works to support individuals, deepen their self-awareness, and create new approaches to meet their goals and find more fulfillment. Goran’s mission is to help make meaning in people’s work by focusing on who they are and what they do and connecting primarily with their core values and strengths. Goran is a mentor, facilitator/trainer and coach. He is a certified ICF PCC coach (International Coaching Federation) and ICF Member; Goran is CPC (Certified Professional Coach) & Certified Group Coach facilitator from ICA (International Coach Academy).

Fatima brings over 8 years of dedicated experience in the pharmaceutical realm, primarily within AbbVie, where she navigated diverse product portfolios across various markets, excelling notably in Immunology.

Her career progression witnessed substantial growth in technical expertise, analytical prowess, leadership, and adept communication and negotiation skills, culminating in her current role as a sales supervisor and people's manager. Spearheading efforts with Humira, a top-selling pharmaceutical, Fatima gained invaluable insights collaborating across functions and with the Brand Team.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Fatima is characterized by a passionate nature, relishing diversity both personally and professionally. Her interests span from devouring books and continuous learning to exploring new cultures through travel.

A dynamic Speaker, Consultant, facilitator, and executive coach, Ibrahim holds a master’s degree in business, a bachelor’s in engineering management from U.S.A., a senior certified professional from SHRM, and a professional certified coach from ICF.

 

Ibrahim has a 30-year experience in human resources, developing and growing all levels of employees. Ibrahim started in education and worked for Coca-Cola in Cyprus, L’AZURDE in Riyadh, Arab Insurance Group in Bahrain, Department of Civil Aviation in Dubai, Mannai Corporation in Qatar, Pepsi-Cola in Jeddah, and Royal Group in Abu Dhabi. He was instrumental in creating cultural change programs where he facilitated the development of top organizational-level strategies and tactics to implement the newly found cultures. Ibrahim coached and counseled many senior executives.

 

with Meirc, he excels in human resources management, training and development, leadership, and cultural change, self-development, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal skills.

Ibrahim is driven to promote ethical and conscious practices professionally.

Yogen is not an average Supply Chain Professional. He is a critical thinker, problem solver and relationship champion. He is a competent supply chain professional with over 30 years on experince in Energy Industry, spearheading team of talented individuals placed at multiple locations. His job involves building the team, inspiring the team and completing projects within Budget, successfully securing major contracts by providing optimum material cost. Yogen has aproven track record in complete procurement cycle right from concept to commissioning of the multi billion USD projects. Proven acumen in managing post and pre-award contract management with focus on pre-qualification and bid evaluation, request for quotations, shortlisting of bidders, negotiating, drafting and placement of contract award. He has successfully led the procurement and contract review of major projects worth US$ 15 billion Rich experience in managing the entire procurement lifecycle. Right from identifying the goods and services to procure, vendor development, PO, payments till supplier performance Proven skills in delivering end-to-end EPC projects service including engineering, construction, erection, testing and commissioning,.

Deepu has spent over 20 years in the Software Industry working in the areas of Sales Management, Account Management, Business Development, Customer Relationship Management, and Partner Management across various organizations and regions. Growing up in the African continent where Deepu's parents were serving in the Nigerian Government as a doctor and teacher, Deepu was exposed to a multi-cultural environment from a very young age. This exposure has helped Deepu in bringing the cultural and traditional values of his country India and positive attitude of the people of Africa.

Arjun is an MBA from Bond University, Australia. He commenced his career as a banker - worked with the ANZ Grindlays Bank and ING Bank for a few years. Arjun started his own business in 1998 - Coaching, Training, and Consulting. He is based in Dubai and provides customized Behavioral & Soft Skills Training, Leadership & Life Coaching to corporates and individuals. Arjun services clients across the globe. He is also a motivational speaker - and has spoken to audiences in South East Asia, India, South Africa, and the UAE. His passion is one on one Life Coaching, and that's where he uses his greatest asset - Intuition. Arjun is an 'Energy Alchemist' of sorts and has helped scores of people transform their thinking - and thus their life. Today, Arjun's company adds value to corporates through programs like Customer Service, Teambuilding, Leadership, Communication Skills, Time & Stress Management, Selling Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Work-Life Balance, etc.

Dr. Corrie Block has 20+ years of experience in 100+ companies across 30+ countries and carries 30,000 hours of education. He is a Professor of Strategic Management, holds Masters degrees in Business and Leadership, a UKPhD, a Swiss DBA, and certification in Artificial Intelligence from MIT. He"s a Certified Executive Coach, Wellness Coach, NLP Level 2 Business Practitioner, and Advanced Financial Statement Analyst. Plus, he's a naturally engaging storyteller and an impact-focused instructor.

Ali's fervor lies in people exploration, breaking away from traditional management norms, pursuing breakthroughs, knowledge sharing, and instinctual learning. This passion has propelled his career as a seasonal trainer, coach, and OD consultant. A change-driven professional, he holds more than 12 years of experience in people management and development. Ali has successfully trained and guided over a thousand professionals, from senior executives to college students worldwide, helping them achieve their goals. He offers strategic guidance, individual coaching, and professional certification program training for high-profile companies such as Citrix-US, RTA, AAA, twofour54, KPMG, Ericson, Coca Cola, Emirates NBD, Emirates, EY, HULT International Business School, and governmental officials in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for programs like UAECA, ACCA, CIA, CPA-US. Serving as a business growth and strategic advisor, Ali assists companies and startups in the UAE, USA, and Pakistan. Furthermore, he is the author of the book "Smart Manager," published in Dubai-UAE.

James Michael Lafferty is the Chief Executive Officer of Fine Hygienic Holding, and has often been described as one of the most unique and diversified CEOs in the world today. With a marketing and general management career that spans over 30 years, he is among the leading global experts on business-building, marketing and branding particularly in emerging markets. He has had a long and successful career building businesses and organizations across five continents for some of the world"s leading fast-moving consumer goods companies, including CEO roles within Procter and Gamble, Coca-Cola.

Ashish Thapliyal is currently working as the Sous Chef at Etihad Airways. He is a progressive culinary professional with 12 years of experience in establishments that include five-star hotels and restaurants and comes with a unique blend of creative flair and passion for food, and strong business sense. Ashish is highly skilled at performing financial analysis, troubleshooting operations, and recommending effective cost controls. During his tenure at The Leela, Grand Hyatt Mumbai, the Els Club Dubai, and Al Raha Beach Hotel, he catered to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as team member chef for the joint team of Els Club, Dubai sports city and Sheikh Palace Hospitality Dubai. Ashish has also catered to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and several media TV shows. He was also a part of the team that created the Limca Book Record of Asia’s Longest Table, along with celebrity Master Chef Adam Sylva.

Mette Johansson (MBA, CSP, PCC) is an highly awarded author, speaker and consultant. She worked in leadership roles for multinational corporations for 15 years before founding MetaMind, a training consultancy providing consulting and learning programmes in the people side of leadership skills. Mette supports clients via workshops, trainings, and keynote speaking sessions around Authentic, Inspirational, Motivational and Inclusive Leadership. Her clients include Citibank, Airbnb, Microsoft, UPS, Pfizer, CapitaLand, and many more. She is the author of three Amazon bestsellers; "How to Make Yourself Promotable", "7 Skills to Help You Climb the Career Ladder", "MyVoice", as well as the co-author and ideator of “Unleash Your Voice", "Powerful Public Speaking for Every Woman”. She is regularly featured in media in Singapore, from Harper's Bazaar to Straits Times.

Dr. Somdutta Singh, a dynamic leader and first-generation serial entrepreneur, exemplifies transformative leadership in innovation and business. An MIT and Harvard Business School alumna, she has achieved multi-million dollar exits by 26 and led over 50 global startup investments. As the Founder and CEO of Assiduus Global Inc., a trailblazer in cross-border E-commerce, she drives the company toward its goal of achieving billion-dollar revenue by 2025, aspiring to be the first Asian woman to IPO globally.

Ranked 8th in the 2022 Deloitte India Technology Fast 50, Dr. Singh's vision has earned her 40+ prestigious awards, including Fortune India's 50 Most Powerful Business Women. As the youngest Vice-Chairperson of the NASSCOM Product Council, she championed the Women Entrepreneurship Platform, inspiring future leaders. Beyond her entrepreneurial success, she dedicates herself to social development, youth education, and thought leadership, making her an influential voice in global business and innovation.

 

John Buchanan, an Australian cricket strategist, left an indelible mark on the sport. As the coach of the Australian cricket team from 1999 to 2007, his tenure witnessed unparalleled success, securing multiple Ashes victories and consecutive Cricket World Cup wins. Known for innovative tactics, he introduced sports psychology and unconventional team structures, reshaping cricket coaching methodologies. Despite initial skepticism, Buchanan's leadership revolutionized team dynamics, emphasizing collaboration and mental resilience. Post his coaching career, he contributed to various cricket leagues globally and authored insightful books on leadership and coaching. His pioneering strategies continue to influence modern cricket coaching and team management.

Aman Gupta, the visionary behind boAt, has pioneered a remarkable transformation in India’s Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) market, driving boAt to become a household name. With his sharp business acumen, Aman identified and disrupted an untapped segment, fueling India's growth in the audio and wearables categories. Under his leadership, boAt achieved an extraordinary milestone in FY23, manufacturing around 15 million products in India, solidifying its dominance in the hyper-growth wearables market. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Aman’s influence extends beyond business; he was also selected to accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a historic visit to France. As a judge on Sony TV's Shark Tank India, Aman continues to shape the entrepreneurial landscape, offering invaluable leadership insights and driving customer satisfaction with his compelling storytelling and expertise.

Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda, renowned for his pivotal roles, served as the Army Commander during the Chumar and Demchok face-off with China in September 2014 and led the surgical strikes against Pakistan in September 2016. With a remarkable forty-year career in the Indian Army, he navigated strategic challenges on the borders of China and Pakistan, stationed in Jammu and Kashmir as a Corps commander and later as the Northern Army Commander. Beyond his military achievements, General Hooda is a sought-after speaker, emphasizing resilience, teamwork, and team motivation for common objectives. His insightful talks draw from extensive experience, providing valuable lessons on leadership and collaboration in challenging situations.

Ayoub Fathi, a renowned cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur. He was awarded Global Top CISO in 2022 and is currently the VP of Information Security and CISO at Noon. With a background in software, his transition from hacking and security engineering roles to CISO leading InfoSec for a group of companies demonstrates his dedication to safeguarding digital realms. In his earlier years, Ayoub was highly active in the bug bounty space, successfully identifying tens of vulnerabilities on Facebook. He was also active in HackerOne, where he was ranked in the TOP100 and participated in several live hacking events. When he is not wearing his CISO hat or working on security engineering projects, he is still switching his hacker hat on and off to contribute to the cybersecurity space; most recently, he has uncovered multiple account takeover vulnerabilities in ChatGPT.

Semih is a futurist and an eminent figure in AI-driven leadership, future of work, innovation, and digital transformation, boasting multinational experience in telecommunications, FMCG, consultancy, and training. His expertise spans a unique blend of business acumen and data analytics, achieving significant results in AI, business transformation, strategy execution, innovation, project management, and other business functions. 

As a visionary leader, Semih has spearheaded groundbreaking projects, such as launching the first AI program in the Middle East. His accolades include being named a Top50 Thought Leader and Influencer in Artificial Intelligence by Thinkers360, receiving the Global AI Ambassador title from SwissCognitive, and earning the Instructor of The Year award twice. 

Currently leading AI and digital programs at PwC, Semih is also a prolific speaker and advisor. Through his leadership, Semih continues to inspire change and drive the adoption of AI across industries, making him a highly sought-after keynote speaker.

James Taylor is an award-winning speaker and internationally recognized leader in creativity and innovation. For over 20 years, he has been teaching entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders, writers and rockstars how to build innovative organizations and design the creative life they desire. After advising some of the world’s most creative individuals and companies, ranging from Grammy-award winning music artists and best-selling authors to Silicon Valley startups and innovative multi-nationals, James designed a framework for creativity that helps individuals and organizations achieve exponential growth. His mission is to help individuals and organizations break the barriers to innovation and embrace change with resilience and creativity. His approach to motivational speaking is not just about uplifting spirits but also about imparting practical wisdom that audiences can apply in their personal and professional lives.

 

After nearly taking her own life at the age of 18, Hayley realised how mental health issues are increasingly affecting millennials and she was passionate to do something about it. Hayley's experience and insight makes her a credible voice for leadership, diversity and inclusion as well as mental health and well-being. Hayley's story has graced some of the world's biggest stages from Wembley Arena to Oslo Spektrum. From helping leaders bridge the gap with millennials and Gen Zs to creating a safe space and mentoring hundreds of young people from diverse and lower socioeconomic backgrounds Hayley really is passionate to make a change. Hayley sits on the board of Wagamama as well as consulting their CEO to help reach young people from more diverse backgrounds.

Amanda Johnstone is the CEO of Transhuman and is one of Australia’s most globally recognised AI technologists and specialist communicators in emerging technologies. Her contributions have been celebrated by TIME as a Next Generation Leader and by The CEO Magazine with the Start-up Executive of the Year award, underscoring her significant impact in social impact technology. In 2023, LinkedIn awarded her as a Top Voice in Artificial Intelligence, one of only 1500 top voices globally of nearly 1 billion users. Recognised as a subject matter expert in both emerging technology and modern leadership, Amanda lends her insights to esteemed organisations including Commonwealth Bank, The Australian Property Institute, YPO, Zoom, The Australian Digital Health Agency, Allianz, Leap, Kellogg’s, Universal, Stanford, Women Making Waves, The Education Department, Schmidt Futures, Optus, ADMA and Google Cloud, among others. 

As an executive and leadership coach, Jennifer has dedicated her career to helping individuals increase self-awareness, align intent with impact, and drive organizational value and effectiveness. Her global footprint spans coaching across diverse leadership tiers in the Middle East, North Africa, India, the U.S., and Europe. Jennifer has more than two decades of leadership experience across various industries for globally-recognized brands such as Mars Incorporated, LBrands/Victoria's Secret, The Federal Reserve Bank, Hult Executive Education, Nawah/ Emirates Nuclear Energy Company, and Chalhoub Group, where Jennifer last held the role of Director of Leadership Development overseeing leadership programs, talent programs, executive development, and coaching services, along with oversight of +70 internal coaches.

 She has taught coaching masterclasses, communities of practice, and leader-as-coach training to embed coaching skills organizationally and elevate organizational performance. She earned her M.Sc. in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from Kansas State University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA. 

Mustafa El Rafey is the Founder & Managing Director of TransformHCM, an HR advisory practice focused on elevating Human Capital Management effectiveness and impact.  Mustafa has over 33 years of experience in Sales, Marketing and General Management, Strategic and Operational HR, and Organization Transformation gained in regional and global leadership roles with world-class Consumer Goods, Retail, and E-commerce companies (Mars, Starbucks, QVC, Majid Al Futtaim). He has collaborated with Boards and senior executives to develop and deploy business strategies, organization transformations, and Human capital solutions that maximize workforce engagement and business performance.

Dr. Dina, the founder of Creativity & Beyond Consulting (UAE), is a distinguished expert in executive education, innovation, creativity, leadership, cognitive behaviour, coaching, mentoring, and human skill development. With over 25 years of experience, she has partnered with global corporations, government authorities, educational institutions, and humantarian organizations across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Armed with a doctorate in education, Dina seamlessly blends academic knowledge with practical expertise; she has collaborated with over 200 organizations and empowered more than 9000 professionals through her work. Her thought leadership is evident in her published articles, co-authored book chapters, and appearances as a guest speaker on various media platforms and regional events. Today, Dina is a passionate advocate for social responsibility, dedicating her time to mentoring youth and women through organizations like Challenge to Change. Outside of her professional endeavours, Dina finds solace in nature, often trekking through remote mountains.