WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT CONVENTION — MEET AND NETWORK WITH INSPIRING WOMEN LEADERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

Her Highness Sayyida Basma Al Said is a well-established Mental Health Clinical Counselor and founder of Whispers of Serenity, the first private mental health clinic in Oman. She is also a hypnotherapist and PTSD trainer with over 23 years of experience seeing and treating patients. Sayyida Basma is a pioneer in mental health awareness, renowned for tackling taboo subjects in the Middle East such as abuse and eating disorders. Sayyida Basma is the founder of Not Alone, a mental health awareness campaign. One of its major initiatives was to provide psychological and emotional support during the COVID-19 pandemic through a messaging support line that was available worldwide.

In addition to her work in mental health, Sayyida Basma has been recognized for her contributions to society and culture. As Honorary President of Oman Heritage, she helps to preserve Omani traditions and practices. She has also attended and delivered hundreds of talks, workshops and webinars internationally, and also has received numerous awards and honors from the MENA region and Europe for her work. Sayyida Basma has been named as one of the 50 Omani women who have played a significant role in the country's development.

Zaria is senior global social media manager in Duolingo. She leads social strategy, community management, and creator partnerships across all major social platforms. She spearheaded the development of Duolingo’s TikTok account. As a direct result of Zaria's work on Duolingo's TikTok strategy and execution, the now-famous TikTok channel grew from 50K followers in September 2021 to 6.7M followers today and was recently recognized as one of AdAge’s Top 5 Brand TikTok accounts. The Duolingo TikTok has 143 viral videos (view counts of 1M or higher) due to Zaria’s creativity. What started as a test-and-learn initiative has become Duolingo's most successful social buzz and word of mouth initiative to date – all because of Zaria's insights, instincts, and expertise. More broadly, Zaria is a role model for a new, diverse class of Gen Z social media talent and has proven what's possible when given creative freedom and trust in the work she does. Since her time at Duolingo, Zaria has been named AdAge Social Marketer of the Year 2021, Adweek Creative 100 and Forbes 30 under 30.

Andrea Prazakova is a banking and innovation veteran and a global executive. She currently leads Innovation, ESG & Gaming @Mastercard EEMEA.
She is a Cofounder of Space Uncensored, Podcast with a mission to amplify the voices of women in the space industry and to bridge the gap between the dynamic space economy and other markets. She is also an investor in companies such as Moove, which gives their drivers access to vehicle financing, as well as a range of financial services that were previously inaccessible to them and their families.
With a rich background spanning four continents and a multitude of prestigious institutions including Stanford Design School, Insead Blue Ocean Institute, Harvard Leadership Institute, and MIT's, Andrea is truly a lifelong learner.

Andrea is Crypto, WEB3 & Space futurist, a chef, and a mother of 2.

Dr. Eng. Suaad Al Shamsi is a trailblazer as the first Emirati woman aircraft engineer specialist in landing gear as well as first aviation researcher. Currently, she holds the position of aviation technical advisor for a major aviation project in the UAE, VP of women in aviation organization (shehana) and is also the CEO of L2L consulting company. She has received several accolades, including the Emirate women award from HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, most influential in aviation award, etc. Along with her work in aviation, she is also an accomplished author of novels and a sought-after motivational speaker at various conferences. And an artist participating in many exhibitions in the UK, UAE, Paris, Thailand, etc.

Mila Semeshkina is the CEO & Founder of Lectera.com, a pioneering global learning platform with more than 3 million users from 60 countries. A serial entrepreneur, author, and venture investor, Mila is deeply committed to democratizing education, making learning efficient and accessible.

Mila's efforts to uplift women professionally and personally led her to establish the Women’s Empowerment Council. Mila's innovations have earned her recognition on the British HolonIQ agency's top-100 women in EdTech list and as one of Arabian Business's "100 People You Must Know in Dubai" and “100 Most Inspiring Leaders.” With a vast speaking portfolio, including an interview with Maye Musk and addresses at major global events such as the Women in Tech Global Summit in Paris, Mila's influence in the educational and entrepreneurial sectors is undeniable. She is also a member of the Forbes Business Council and boasts an impressive 5.9 million followers on Instagram.

Jared Cooney Horvath (PhD, MEd) is a neuroscientist, educator, and author of the best-selling book Stop Talking, Start Influencing: 12 Insights from Brain Science to Make Your Message Stick. He has conducted research and lectured at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, the University of Melbourne, and over 750 schools internationally. Jared has published 6 books, over 50 research articles, and his work has been featured in numerous popular publications, including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Economist, and ABC’s Catalyst. He currently serves as Director of LME Global: a team dedicated to bringing the latest brain and behavioral research to teachers, students, and parents alike.

Saba began her career at Ernst & Young before venturing into disruptive biotechnology investments. She continues to head the production of her R&D patents for blue-chip companies and governments to fight climate change and increase the health equity of humans. Her passion for innovation is driving change in water treatment, solar, infection prevention and decarbonisation. As a TedX speaker, she encourages founders to disrupt their industries to gain first mover advantage in the field and has begun investing in founders in a range of fields.

Nelson founded Minerva in 2011 with the aim of nurturing critical wisdom through evidence-based learning. He successfully elevated Minerva University to become the most innovative institution globally and initiated the Minerva Project to expand the university's distinctive teaching approach through partnerships with higher education institutions. Prior to Minerva, Nelson dedicated over 10 years to Snapfish, playing a crucial role in developing the company from a startup to the world's largest personal publishing service. Under his leadership, Snapfish's accomplishments culminated in a $300 million acquisition by Hewlett Packard. Additionally, Nelson served as President and CEO of Community Ventures, a network of locally branded portals for American communities.

Sara embarked on her entrepreneurial journey at the young age of 15, and her success and passion have since inspired women to embrace self-confidence and achieve business success. She has since served as a board member at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and at the UAE SME Council in the Ministry of Economy in Dubai. Sara holds an honorary PhD in Business and Women Leadership. She is a respected public speaker, and has delivered over 200 keynote speeches. Sara believes in the power of community involvement, and she actively shares her knowledge and experiences, particularly with the younger generation. To Sara, women are already born strong - hence they don’t need to be empowered, they need to be inspired.

Mirna Arif is the first woman to serve as Microsoft Egypt's General Manager. With over 20 years of international working experience across from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, she is spearheading Egypt's digital transformation with a focus on empathy-based management and youth training. Arif is expanding Microsoft's digital footprint in both public and private organizations to drive the growth of the country's tech industry. Prior to joining Microsoft, she held leadership positions at Schlumberger, GE Oil & Gas, Emerson Automation Solutions, where she led digital transformation efforts in North Africa and Turkey. In addition to her role at Microsoft, Arif contributes to the boards of Banque Misr and Rameda, the Egypt Chamber of Information Technology, and serves on advisory boards for Al Nas Hospital and UNICEF Gen-U Egypt.

With a focus on educational activities, Irina has established herself as one of the top ten business speakers in Russia. She leads personal coaching sessions and delivers impactful masterclasses on achieving success while maintaining personal freedom and effective leadership.

In 2004, Irina Khakamada made history as the second woman to run for the Russian Presidency, garnering approximately 4 mln votes in the election. Subsequently, she founded the "Our Choice" party. In May 2008, she announced her decision to step away from political activities.

Irina is also an accomplished author, having written numerous books including a best-selling book "Dao of Life: Masterclass from a Convinced Individualist.

Head of Public Affairs for Emerging Markets at Google, Dona works across Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

She previously held a range of positions in the public and third sectors. She started her career at the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation. Then she moved to ELNET, which builds strategic partnerships between Israel and Europe. Following her time as press attaché at the French Embassy in Israel, Dona held the position of VP International Business Development at a solar energy company. Just before Google, Dona was spokeswoman and parliamentary adviser.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Management as well as a Master’s degree in Government, both with honors. Married and a proud mother of three.

Martina Fuchs is an international TV anchor, business journalist, event moderator, expert on China and the Middle East, and speaks 9 languages.
She currently works as a European business correspondent for China's news agency Xinhua, international media ambassador and board member for the Montreux Jazz Festival China, and as an advisor for the St. Gallen Symposium, the IMD business school, and the Lang Lang International Music Foundation.
Based in London and Zurich, Martina is also a consultant for Syngenta Group and the brand ambassador for Switzerland's premium chocolate retailer Läderach.
Previously, she was a CNNMoney Switzerland TV anchor and CGTN senior business reporter in Beijing, and worked as a Reuters economy correspondent for the Gulf Arab region in Dubai and Reuters Financial TV producer in London.

Rumaitha Al Busaidi is an Omani scientist and environmental advocate working on sustainable solutions to climate change. Her 2021 TED talk examining women as the key to our climate future has garnered more than a million views. Rumaitha currently serves as Business Development Manager at Hydrom, the orchestrator of green hydrogen development in Oman. She is also an executive board director of the only environmental NGO in the country, Environment Society of Oman, and actively works with the Omani government on sustainable diversification and energy transition strategies. Internationally, she has advised the Biden administration on developing a climate resilience standard for US foreign aid, and the Arab League on empowering Arab youth in climate change negotiations spaces. Her work in climate change has been recongnized among the ‘Top 25 Women in Climate Chang’e by Reuters

Hailing from Muscat, Rumaitha is a member of the first-ever Arab Youth Council on Climate Change. She is also the co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Davos Lab, where she co-authored the youth recovery plan featuring policy recommendations from over 2 million young people across the globe. Rumaitha holds degrees from Harvard and Oxford, and is coined as the first female soccer analyst in the Arab World and the youngest Omani to step foot on the South Pole.

Nayla’s latest film, The Shadow (currently screening on Netflix), caught the attention of noted producers for development into her first debut feature film titled "Three".

Looking forward, Nayla is scheduled to Direct a Fantasy/Drama film titled "BAAB", where two times Oscar Winner AR Rahman has been attached for the entire musical score.

Her knowledge of Gulf dialects and five international languages provides her with a unique advantage when facilitating complex and sensitive projects both regionally and globally.

With extensive global experience, Dr. Giovanna has led independent projects worldwide, assisting corporations and brands, including RedBull, Finnair, Fortum, Adidas, Diesel, DKNY, DVF, Coach, D-Cave, Dundas, JPMorgan, Walmart, and more in their tech transformation journey.

Dr. Giovanna G. Casimiro, an XR specialist and brand strategist since 2010, boasts over a decade of marketing and production experience in the innovation landscape. From 2021 to 2023, Dr. Giovanna served as a Lead Metaverse Producer at Decentraland Foundation, where she headed the Metaverse Fashion Week, seamlessly blending fashion with the metaverse. Her active roles include consulting, mentoring. In 2022 she co-founded the educational and consulting initiative, Metaverse Fashion Talks, leading to several innovative projects and a podcast called Tech Fusion.

She holds a PhD from the University of Sao Paulo's Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, focusing on Open Source Heritage, digital memory, and open-source tools for the future of culture and arts. She has been taking part in educational global projects such as MIT's Hacking Arts (2016-2018), Farfetch Dream Assembly (2022-2023), and Harvard HealthLab (2023-). Recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Crypto by CryptoNewsZ, 2023 Innovators List art BishBaz, 100 Female Innovators list of Epoca Magazine, MENA Innovators list 2023, Threedium Top 50 XR Award recipient, featured at Vogue Greece's Change Makers 2022, Brytehall’s Bryte Fashion Forces 2022 Top 100 member.

Camille Louise Merré is the Co-Founder and Creative Innovation Director of Camille Louise Jewellery (CLJ), a pioneering Swiss impact-tech jewellery brand (GIA, certified gemologist) and Gem XR, an emerging tech consulting agency.
Alongside CEO & Co-Founder Aline d’Ambricourt, the mother-daughter dynamic duo has been recognized as Top 100 Innovators by IoDF, Top 100 Women @Davos and Top 100 women of the future Global Vol.I “Web3 & Metaverse” among others.

CLJ's «phygital» creations, authenticated via blockchain, are compatible with Apple Vision Pro. Celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Chelsea Clinton have viewed and worn CLJ’s pieces. Dedicated to championing women’s leadership, CLJ integrates ethics, eco-responsibility and circularity models, reducing their carbon footprint, contributing to SDGs 5,9,12,13 & 17, while reshaping the future of jewellery.

At WEF Davos 23’, Merré was the youngest invitee speaker. She, alongside d’Ambricourt has shared insights at prestigious institutions, including Swiss Center for Luxury Research.

Previously at Cartier as International Innovation Manager HQ for Web3 & Blockchain, Camille Merré's expertise lies at the intersection of luxury and innovation. She was selected among an elite of 66 futurists for the inaugural Metaverse Delphi Study. Her academic background includes a Clinton Foundation University Fellow Impact-Maker title, Chartered Manager accreditation, and MA in Management and Marketing from Regents University, London.

Manizha (Sanghin) is a Russian musician of Tajik origin, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador in Russia, and co-founder of the SILSILA foundation. Fleeing the Tajik civil war in the 90’s, she settled in Moscow as a refugee. She gained recognition for her "Instagram album," 'Manuscript,' and her experimental album 'ЯIAM' ('ya-I-am'). Manizha's music videos and advocacy against domestic violence led to the SILSILA foundation. In 2021, she represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest with "Russian Woman." In 2022, Manizha became the face of the Spotify EQUALS international project of the music strimming platform on women's rights in the music industry. Big screens with her image appeared at Times Square in New York. She faced backlash for not supporting military actions against Ukraine, leading to concert cancellations in Russia. Manizha consistently integrates her national identity and life experiences into her art, striving to resonate with those who are different and in need of support.

Carol is a passionate Personal and Business Finance Coach and the proud owner of Conscious Finance Coaching.

Carol is dedicated to empowering her clients by helping them understand and embrace their finances and money, paving the way to true financial freedom. Through personalized coaching, digital courses and engaging workshops, she removes financial fears, worry and stress, enabling clients to enjoy their money and align it with their values.

With credentials as a Fellow of the Irish Institute of Chartered Accountants and a trained coach (ICF), Carol combines financial expertise with coaching acumen.

Before starting her own business, Carol spent two decades in corporate roles, including auditing investment banks at PwC Ireland and serving major Abu Dhabi government entities at Ernst & Young. In Dubai, she held senior leadership positions at AIG Insurance and Control Risks, managing teams across 42 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Carol's unique blend of financial and life coaching provides a practical yet emotionally intelligent approach to money management. With Carol Glynn, you'll gain clarity, confidence and a path to financial empowerment.

Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum is a prominent member of the Emirati society. She belongs to one of the significant UAE’s ruling family, which is Al Maktoum family, to which the rulers of Dubai belong and led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the United Arab Emirates Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai.

Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum achievements are just as impressive as her family lineage. The youngest in her class at the Oxford Aviation, she was only 17 when she was admitted. She obtained her commercial pilot licence first and then later joined the Dubai Police Airwing as First Lieutenant Pilot, recently being promoted to Captain Pilot, becoming the first woman in the UAE and the Gulf Region, and the first member of the Royal Family in aviation.

Her ambitions are only matched by her determination to create a legacy of her own, opening doors and enabling other women to enter a career in aviation. With this mission in mind, she set in motion the establishment of “Shehana”, the Women in Aviation Association, with the sole purpose to create opportunities and a framework for increasing the number of women joining the aviation sector. Her motto is: “Reach altitude with the right attitude”.

Meryem Uzerli is an actress who received numerous awards worldwide for her performances in projects like „magnificent century“ ( a show about the Ottoman Empire which was sold into more than 90 countries ), the Movie „my mothers wound“ which portraits a Serbian woman who kills herself after finding out that her husband was a rapist during war times as a soldier and for the movie „keeping the bees“ on netflix she was awarded as best main actress by the Chelsea Filmfestival New York. Her upcoming project is an eight episode show for a streaming platform which will be released in 2024.

Beside her movie and theater career she’s involved in charity work which focuses on the support of children in need and women empowerment. She was a speaker at the Forbes Middle East women Panel and also is participating in a Book Project where the income goes directly to young girls who can’t afford education. During the Asian world Filmfestival, which takes place in Los Angeles every year, she was the youngest president of the jury and is a board member ever since.

She’s a mother of two daughters, and the daughter of a German mom and Turkish dad, based in Berlin, Germany.

Stephenie is on a mission to impact a billion lives by 2025 and democratise safety in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In 2018, she founded WanderSafe.com, and developed an ecosystem that empowers women, remote workers, and vulnerable people to go anywhere better and safer. In addition to being a tech founder in the AI sector, and a resilience expert, she is also an advocate for inclusivity and innovation as a bilateral bionic amputee, the Global Ambassador for Rotary International's Finish-the-fight.org and working with The Global Fund as an Ambassador to raise funds and awareness to eradicate humanity's greatest biological killer, Malaria. Stephenie is currently competing as Australia's first female Parafencer in Sabre in the qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Dr. Louise Lambert, PhD. has lived in the UAE since 2003 developing and implementing scientifically based positive psychology wellbeing programs in organizations, as well as teaching and conducting research in the field of wellbeing and other areas of psychology (Social, Positive, Environmental, & Organizational). Recently, she has focused on sustainable wellbeing, the notion that while happiness is a human right, it should not cost the planet at the same time. She has several peer-reviewed empirical publications in positive psychology applications and designs her programs based on science. She is the Head of Happiness Programming & Policy Design with www.HappinessMatters.org. Her work includes the positive education programs at Dubai College and Kuwait’s Al Nowair Foundation, with previous employee and management training with clients across the UAE and GCC region (i.e., Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, KAUST (KSA), Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Portugal). She is the Editor of the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to regional wellbeing.

A leading figure in green innovation in the Middle East, an award-winning climate change strategist, Farah has two decades of experience in the built environment in the US, UK, Southeast Asia, and the UAE. Sustainability and energy strategies are synonymous with her work in Dubai, contributing to landmark projects such as the Museum of the Future, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Bee'ah HQ in Sharjah, and the Expo 2020 TERRA Sustainability Pavilion. In the UK, Farah won the Sustainable Buildings Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects for her role in designing the energy strategy for the country's first zero-energy building.

Farah is a verified research expert for the Dubai Future Foundation, chartered engineer and fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, LEED and WELL accredited professional, and is a passionate advocate for STEM education. She is the co-author of the first book about Net Zero City in the MENA. At COP28, she will present her latest children’s book Mission Zero.

Katja founded Prestel & Partner, a conference boutique, driven by her passion for people, bringing them together and creating a trusted community. Over the years, the venture has evolved into the global leader in Family Office Forum Conferences. Prestel & Partner has earned a distinguished reputation for cultivating trust and understanding the needs of its audience — comprising international private single family offices, private wealth owners, and their next generation.

Katja's commitment to creating a trusted community is especially beneficial for UHNWI investors and Family Offices who attend her nine events around the world. These gatherings provide a safe solution for peers to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another, making Prestel & Partner a cornerstone in the world of Family Office Forum Conferences. Moreover, Katja brings women into a male-dominated industry so they can make lasting environmental and social contributions to our society.