David Lock has had a varied career in international higher education and university leadership. He is currently Education Director of Gulf Conferences, Chair of Gulf Education Conferences and is Secretary General of the Magna Charta Observatory.

As Vice President for the Middle East and Africa at Ellucian, Hanny Alshazly works to improve the quality of education globally & meet the dynamic needs of the universal learner by empowering executives to build unified digital campuses.

Alaa Garad is regarded by many as a leading authority in Quality Management and Organizational Learning. Alaa led higher education institutions in the Middle East and developed PG-level qualifications such as MBA, PhD and DBA. Some of his previous assignments included the University of Wollongong in Dubai, Middlesex University Dubai and Abu Dhabi University.

Dr. Maryam Sani, a distinguished Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and a Chartered Chemist, has a remarkable three-decade career in education, leadership, and research in the UK and Saudi Arabia. Her academic journey includes a PGCE from Leicester University, an MSc in Analytical Chemistry, and a PhD in STEM Education and Careers from Staffordshire University.

Dr. Ghazal is passionate about advancing the fields of AI, and emerging digital technology, in a balanced manner and helping states/countries formulate high-level policies and strategies to leverage their implementation benefits in all aspects.

The adoption and use of technology within education have expanded significantly over the last three years.  With a move towards evidence-informed use of technology as well as new technologies becoming present, Al will talk through best practise, and rubrics for evaluating and selecting the right technology and looking at ways to evidence to impact so that we can build confidence in the role of technology within education.

Mike is a seasoned expert in the field of educational technology, bringing over 28 years of diverse experience to the Middle East Thought Leadership Forum. He is deeply committed to bridging the $8.5 trillion global skills gap through innovative educational solutions

Salah Al-Majeed is a Professor of Systems Engineering and Dean of Science and Engineering at AUI. He is the Lead Academic Organisation Cooperation Consultant for the UK and Europe at Huawei. Also, Salah has led the IEEE UK and Ireland section for STEM and Education for the last couple of years. 

Dr. Raed Mohammed BenShams is a distinguished leader and expert in public administration and management. He has devoted his 39-year career to advancing Bahrain's development goals through various fields, such as capacity building, youth empowerment, policy making, and public innovation. He has led many successful projects at local, regional, and international levels.