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.
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.
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.
Debu is a Leadership Development Professional and Innovation Consultant with over three decades of experience. He is a Partner at True Search. He helps boards and investors find, develop and retain high-calibre leaders combining executive search and related advisory offerings. He was previously a Partner with Deloitte and has also worked at KornFerry Hay Group, Hewitt Associates, Arthur Andersen and PwC, advising clients in India, Southeast Asia, Middle East and USA. He is passionate about Coffee, Cocktails and Career Conversations.
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 a seasoned Human Capital Management Advisor with over 30 years of global experience in HR, talent management, and organizational transformation. A former CHRO and strategic change agent, Mustafa has held leadership roles at renowned organizations like Mars, Starbucks, QVC, Majid Al Futtaim, and more, delivering impactful human capital strategies that drive business growth and workforce engagement. As the Founder and Managing Director of Transform HCM, Mustafa helps organizations and leaders elevate their HR effectiveness and impact. His expertise spans human capital strategy, talent management, organizational design, leadership development, and employee engagement. Mustafa’s collaborative approach with boards and senior executives has earned him recognition as a transformational leader in the industry.
An accomplished speaker and advisor, Mustafa inspires audiences with his insights on change management, HR innovation, and workforce optimization, making him a thought leader in human capital excellence
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.
Dr. Yasser Bahaa is a seasoned corporate trainer and executive coach, specializing in management, leadership, personal development, and soft skills. With certifications from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Marshall Goldsmith, he has worked with top organizations across the UAE and beyond, including ADEO, DEWA, RTA, and ADNOC. Dr. Yasser is dedicated to providing transformative coaching and training experiences that empower individuals and teams to unlock their full potential. With a strong background in delivering impactful courses on leadership, public speaking, and coaching, he blends theory with practical application, ensuring measurable growth and performance improvements. His commitment to professional development and passion for driving change has earned him a reputation as a trusted partner for executives and organizations seeking lasting impact.
Saahil is a global citizen and serial entrepreneur with businesses spanning three continents. An author, keynote speaker, peak performance coach, and passionate mountaineer, he effortlessly balances multiple roles. Saahil’s leadership philosophy inspires ambitious individuals to achieve holistic success by integrating career, health, and relationships. Drawing from his mountaineering experiences, he equips leaders with proven tools and rituals to reach their personal and professional summits faster, ensuring a zero-regret life. Inducted into the prestigious MG 100 coaches community by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Saahil is redefining conscious leadership through his unique approach, empowering leaders to thrive in all aspects of their lives.
Toufik Chadli is a seasoned Global Leadership & Executive Coach with a strong focus on team dynamics and emotional intelligence. With 23 years of executive experience, including over a decade at the board level in multinational companies like Mondelez, Unilever, and Danone, he has led diverse teams across the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, and Asia. His expertise lies in fostering collaborative cultures, driving innovation, and implementing change management strategies.
Toufik’s coaching emphasizes self-mastery, emotional intelligence, and high-performance leadership. He helps senior executives build mental clarity, communicate with impact, and navigate career transitions with confidence. Holding an Advanced Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching from the Academy of Executive Coaching in London, he is dedicated to facilitating transformative growth. By enhancing cognitive agility and resilience, Toufik empowers leaders to embrace challenges as opportunities, strengthening both individual and team effectiveness in today’s complex business environment.
Neetu Choudhary is a Keynote Speaker, Author, Corporate Trainer, Executive Coach, and Idea Presentation Advisor, recognized as UAE’s Top Professional Development Coach. With 22 years of experience, she has worked with over 150 companies across 30 countries, including Fortune 500 firms.
She’s won numerous awards, including Best Public Speaker 2022 and Life Coach of the Year 2021. Neetu is a certified organizational coach, NLP practitioner, emotional intelligence coach, and hypnotherapist. Her qualifications include a Master’s in Computer Applications, Six Sigma Black Belt, and EFQM Certified Assessor.
Neetu has spoken globally at events like ISACA USA and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, inspiring audiences with her work on neuroscience, behavioral science, NLP, and emotional intelligence to achieve excellence in leadership and organizational performance.
There are so many enticing Leadership speakers just waiting to speak at your next event. Bringing a top speaker or expert to your event can be a game changer. Whether it is inspiring, engaging life stories or driving change within your organisation or institution. Connect with Best Leadership speakers & leaders through UAE Speaker Bureau; a platform where leading organisations partner for their business conferences and events – via keynote presentations, cross-industry interactions, inspirational and leadership sessions.
