Middle East & North Africa Club at LBS

Calling all LBS Alumni based in Egypt! Join us for an insightful panel discussion on navigating Egypt’s emerging market, followed by a mixer with Alumni from T20 Egypt and 90 LBS MBA students visiting on an MBA trek. Speakers include Alaa Hashim (Executive Partner at Transcendium), Francesco Bosi (Partner at Boston Consulting Group), Omar Shawki (Managing Partner at Forviz Mazar), Mohamed El Sayed Okasha (Managing Partner at Disruptech Ventures) and will be moderated by our very own Mark Toma .

The Lebanese crisis has led to the emergence of some of the most remarkable and resilient founders I've encountered. This is evident in the significant growth of the private sector since hitting its lowest point in 2020/21. I call on the Lebanese expatriate community to become more involved and support this vibrant community. Thank you London Business School & The Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference at LBS for having me. Below is it full link for those who are interested: https://lnkd.in/dZkxrd5R #Resiliance #Growth #Lebanon #Leadership #LBS #Startups #VC

I had the honor of leading a delegation from The Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference at LBS, including my colleagues: Hamad AlShehab, Muayad Badahdah, Suhail Shami, Mark Toma to meet with Her Excellency Kholoud Al Saqqaf, Minister of Investment in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Ministry of Investment - Jordan), and His Excellency Manar Dabbas, the Ambassador of Jordan to the United Kingdom (Embassy of Jordan in London) This engagement was part of a broader effort to enrich The Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference at LBS with insights and investment opportunities from leaders in the MENA region. It aimed to highlight the region's economic development and bridge opportunities with the rest of the world. In our conference this year, we attracted ministers from Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Egypt, and Bahrain, who all provided a comprehensive overview of the region’s investment landscape. Watch the sessions on our Youtube Channel: https://lnkd.in/d5uTKnqj

Before we pass the month of May, I wanna reflect on one of the most inspiring sessions I attended at the London Business School during The Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference at LBS in London. As part of the "Entrepreneurship Pillar", where I had the privilege to hear from some of the ecosystem leaders and key players who shared interesting topics like: • Fireside chat by HE Dr. Yacine Oualid moderated by Cina Bahri, MBA • Keynote & Fireside Chat with HE Eng Ahmed Alsuwaiyan - أحمد الصويان moderated by Hamad AlShehab • Keynote by Bandr Alhomaly, CFA • Panel discussion on Innovation in the F&B Sector: Basil Alsalem and Nawal AlKhalawi moderated by Sarah Alkhedheiri • Panel discussion on Financing & Fintech in MENA: Hani Al Afaliq, Osama AlRaee, and Abdulmohsen Al Babtain moderated by Nayef K. A. • Panel discussion on Women Empowerment: Leila Serhan, Shaikha Al Nowais, Yalda Aoukar, and Hassa AlSaab-MBA moderated by Melissa Madenjian. The session I liked the most, was a panel discussion on the MENA VC Ecosystem hosted Rabih I. Khoury, Nabil Alnoor Borhanu, and Ramzi Farah moderated by Farhan Lalji: where my takeaway about this session was: ✨ Interesting how MENA region leaders are willing to innovate in the VC space, building a deeply rooted MENA region culture as Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP). ✨ I really like how the VC entities are focusing on localizing their impact where I proudly could copy what they said when they mentioned Lebanon's startup ecosystem: "Don't invest in Lebanon, but invest in Lebanese talents" this is what the panelists said when they talked about the current financial crises in Lebanon (the same situation is framing almost all the MENA region countries rather than the GCC), which I consider as an adaptive-strategical vision that will lead to an enormous impact in the long term. Thanks to The Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference at LBS for organizing this event, and looking for the next one.

Listen to Abdulmohsen Al Babtain share the story of founding Tamara, a Saudi unicorn, while studying at London Business School!

Listen to Leila Serhan, General Manager North Africa, Levant and Pakistan at Visa talk about the size of transactions in the MENA region in 2023.

H.E. Yacine Oualid highlights the algerian government support to entrepreneurs over the last two decades.

الأستاذ هاني العفالق , رئيس مجلس إدارة تمويل الأولى يسلط الضوء على مساهمة الشركة في دعم الاقتصاد المحلي وتوفير السيولة لقطاع الأعمال في المملكة Listen to hani Alafaliq, Chairman of Tamweel Aloula - تمويل الأولى discussing the impact of the company on local economy in Saudi Arabia

استمع لمشاركة المهندس حسين المير عن استثمارات شركة مصدر في قطاع الطاقة المتجددة حول العالم Listen to Husain Al Meer CMgr, CEng MIEM,MIAM, discuss the global investments of Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) in his interview with CNBC Arabiaز

A highly rewarding experience at the Annual MENA Conference organized by the London Business School on May 4, 2024. The program provided a thorough examination of the Middle East and North Africa region, emphasizing its dynamic culture, potential for tourism, changing economic environment, and entrepreneurial initiatives. The conference featured distinguished attendees such as Governor of Aseer, Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, Ahmed Issa, and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Jordan to the United Kingdom, Manar Dabbas and many more distinguished guests. It offered valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges in the region. Meaningful connections and sharing of ideas were fostered through engaging talks with special guests and fellow attendees during breaks and lunch, which further improved the experience. London Business School