Bassant Helmy is the Founder and Managing Director of the Berlin-based non-profit association Global Project Partners (GPP), started in 2001 and which has grown over the years implementing a wide range of projects specifically geared towards supporting Arab businesswomen, vocational and educational training in developing countries, and knowledge transfer in the field of renewable energies. In 2017, she founded her company MENA Business GmbH and co-initiated the initiative Digital Arabia Network (DAN) for connecting the digital community in the Arab world. She is currently also the Co-chair of DAN and the CEO of GPP.

Dr. Yomna El Sheridy, Founder and CEO of Special Food Industries, SFI, a leading manufacturer and exporter of table olives, pickled vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes. She has over 20 years of experience in food processing and exporting. With her expertise, she contributed to the growth of major global brands in the Middle East, including Procter & Gamble, Mead Johnson, Bristol Myers, and Gerber Baby Food. Moreover, she is President of Business Women of Egypt 21, an Egyptian NGO dedicated to the empowerment of women and enhancing her contribution to the Egyptian economy. She launched the Women for Success Annual International Conference, and founded the Arab Business Women’s Council in the Arab League in March of 1999. Dr. Sheridy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Alexandria, as well as a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Socio-Economics from the University of Iowa in the United States of America. In addition to her academic background and years of experience, she had received many honorary titles and prestigious award, including the Award of Acknowledgement for success as International Business Women from German Chamber of Commerce; the Long Standing Achievement From American Chamber of Commerce; Women who can move Mountains Award from United Success International; and the Women of Achievement by Cairo Governerate. She has also received the Outstanding Achievement award by the Egyptian Association for Mother and Child Survival, and has been labeled as one of Africa’s most influential women in business and government.

Basma Shams is a Corporate Affairs and Communications professional with more than 18 years of experience in the PR & Communications field who is currently the General Manager of the leading Public Relations agency in Egypt, POD Egypt. Shams holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication, from the University of Ottawa, Canada, with a double major in Organizational Behavior and Journalism. In addition, she holds a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Laurentian University, Canada, and a Certificate in Corporate Communication Leadership from Arizona State University. Prior to joining POD Egypt, Shams worked Head of Corporate Affairs at Danone Egypt and North East Africa, before that, Shams used to be Manager of External Communications at Philip Morris International, and before that, she worked in Dubai as Head of Brand & Integrated Marketing Communications for Philips Middle East. In 2005, Shams headed the Public Communications Division for the office of the Minister of Communications. Where she was responsible for the setup of the international media press center as well as developing content and leading a specialized team during the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Ghada Hammouda has 30-plus years of experience in market development, strategic planning, sustainable development and reputation management, as she worked with the (NCCM), and (El-Qalaa Holdings), she also served as a senior executive and strategic consultant to top New York and European blue chip and start-up firms, he served also as Co-Chair of the African Venture Capital Association’s Advocacy Committee, the Women in Business Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, and was a board member for Sunhawk.com Corporation. She is also interested in gender equality, youth empowerment and community development. Most recently, she was named among Egypt’s Top 50 most influential women in business.

HR Director of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.  With 20+ years of diversified experience across different industries, functions, and roles, Heba is highly accomplished as a transformational HR leader who has passion for People Development, Culture Transformation, Change Management, Inclusion & Women Empowerment.
She has partnered with the business leaders to position AstraZeneca as the fastest growing multinational pharmaceutical over the past years, & the first company ever to be recognized in Egypt as Best Place to Work for Women & Best Place to Work for Millennials in 2021 & 2022, with rank #1 amongst Best Employers in Egypt in 2020.

Nadine Abdel Ghaffar is an Egyptian curator, art consultant and cultural ambassador. In 2016, she established Art D’Égypte. Art D’Égypte’s mission is twofold: to advance the international profile of modern and contemporary Egyptian art, and to help preserve and promote Egypt’s rich culture and heritage. To date, Nadine has curated many highly successful exhibitions for Art D'Égypte showcasing the works of over 50 Egyptian artists: Forever is Now (2022), Eternal Light (2017); Nothing Vanishes, Everything Transforms (2018); and Reimagined Narratives. In recognition of her dedication, Nadine was awarded the title Chevalier de l’ordre des arts des lettres in 2021 by the French government in recognition for her efforts to enrich the art world and was named one of Egypt’s Top 50 Women, an award given annually to honour female figures with a positive influence on society.

Nora Abou El Seoud is an educator and a youth empowerment professional. She is currently the CEO of Education For Employment-Egypt (EFE-Egypt), a nonprofit empowering youth through employability and entrepreneurship skills. Nora has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of education, training, and social development in multinational institutions and NGOs. Under her leadership, EFE-Egypt grew to over twice its size and extended its impact to cover all of Egypt in multiple sectors, impacting more youth and including more women and people with disabilities. Nora holds a BA in Economics and Business Administration and MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from AUC. She is a business skills mentor, certified corporate director and a Women’s Rights Expert registered with the Afro-Asian Union.

Dr. Marianne A. Azer. Dr. Azer was appointed  member of the Egyptian Parliament in 2016. She was also appointed as a board member of the Financial Regulatory Authority by H. E the prime minister in 2022. Dr  Azer was  the advisor  to the Minister of Communications and IT for strategic initiatives. She held many political, managerial, academic and consultation positions in Egypt and on the international level. She has more than 95 international publications.  Dr. Azer received many awards and recognitions in Egypt and Worldwide. She contributed to many legislation clauses regarding women’s rights in the Egyptian community, promotion of family well being and criminalization of cyber crimes. She is a member of Scientific research and Foreign Affairs Committees in the National Council for Women.

Rasha Samir graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry. Together with her practice as a dentist, she also pursued her passion for writing. She is a renowned author who published 10 literary works. Her novels have been on the bestsellers' list. Over the past 17 years, she wrote for several newspapers and magazines like (Sabah El Kheir magazine), (Nahdet Misr newspaper) and (Sot El Oma newspaper). She also writes a weekly column for Elfagr newspaper. Dr. Rasha is a member of the Egyptian Writer’s Society, member of Farouk Hosny Foundation for Culture and Arts. She is also the Head of Ihsan Abd Elkodous Cultural Salon. She participated as a spokesman in cultural events and book fairs held in London, Abou Dhabi, Sharjah, Tunisia, Jordan, and Morocco.

Reem Kassem is a Cultural Manager and Researcher, Founder of AGORA for Arts and Culture. Reem is the previous head of performing arts programming at the Library of Alexandria. She studied arts management at DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center. She is a Chevening scholar, an international CLORE Cultural Leadership Fellow, a Global ISPA Fellow and a Robert Bosch Foundation Alumni. Reem works as a performing arts programmer at the Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi, Department of Culture and Tourism, and is doing her PHD at the University of West Scotland focusing on the role of Culture in countering violent extremism, as the first female Arab researcher tackling this topic. In 2011, she established AGORA for Arts and Culture, which integrates arts practice and informal education with social and economic development, while integrating disadvantaged communities.

Rasha Maurice Yacoubis a highly skilled attorney with over 10 years of specialized experience in labor and employment law. Specializing in advising top-tier clients, she excels in negotiating complex agreements, drafting employment contracts, and managing labor-related challenges during business transitions. Rasha's crisis management skills have been instrumental in resolving conflicts and ensuring workplace stability for her clients. Rasha excels in employment and labor law, handling administrative investigations, dismissals, and executive contracts. Her skills also extend to corporate secretarial services, and conducting regular company health checks to ensure compliance and good standing before authorities. Rasha excels in government relations, liaising with authorities and banks on payroll, work permits, taxes, and labor issues. She successfully negotiates lay-offs, obtains expatriate work permits, and resolves outstanding dues with entities like the Social Insurance Authority. Rasha is a Partner at Shahid Law Firm, where she has provided strategic legal counsel and direction to clients since October 2007. Prior to this, she served as an Office Manager at Community & Institutional Development and gained valuable experience as an Executive Assistant & HR Officer at Manapharma. Rasha has published in The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Employment & Labour Law 2017 and 2018. She holds an LL.B. from Ain Shams University, a Postgraduate Diploma in HR Management from AUC, and a Bachelor's in English Language and Translation from Faculty of Alsun, Ain Shams University. Rasha attended HR and labor training in London and Egypt (2010-2016) and led workshops on employment and social insurance at institutions like the German Chamber of Commerce and the British University in Egypt.

Raghda Abdelmaksoud, with over 25 years of expertise, specializes in agribusiness management and global procurement. She excels in developing strategies for enhanced performance, leveraging inter-industry connections in agriculture. Her responsibilities span personal care, cosmetics, agriculture, and packaging industries, encompassing sourcing, sales, and ensuring compliance with global regulations. Raghda has led successful global agricultural projects, particularly in herbs, spices, fruits, and vegetables sectors, across Albania, Egypt, Turkey, and the USA. Her expertise extends from guiding companies through feasibility studies to completing turnkey projects in Southeastern Europe, Southwestern Asia, and the MENA regions, including significant contributions to market expansion and 3PL services in North America. Raghda is a distinguished guest speaker and educator, actively participating in global and local events such as the Beyond Aromatics Conference and the first Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Festival in Farouk, Egypt. She shares expertise in traditional medicine and serves as a guest lecturer at Beni Suef University's Research Institute of Herbs and Spices. Additionally, Raghda holds certifications in Project Management, Supply Chain, and is recognized as an FSMA Preventive Control Auditor. She is also a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist and serves as the International Director at NAHA, USA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the Cairo University.

Nada El Gazzar is Quality & Excellence Advisor, Certified Professional Coach (Neuro-linguistic Programming) & Trainer. She is the founder and CEO of UpskillX Advisory & Coaching, a firm that provides advisory & coaching services in 4 pillars: Corporates, Women, Youth Empowerment & development programs and inclusive Community building in UAE and over the world Nada has more than 15 years experience in quality & excellence. She has started her journey in 2013 as certified Quality & Excellence Assessor for 10 awards in UAE. She worked with many government entities as Excellence Advisor in UAE and Egypt in diverse sectors including oil and gas, transportation, water and electricity, shipping, and education. She has used her vast experience in Excellence and Coaching to work on developing and facilitating many executive empowerment programs, facilitated more than 60 courses for organizations and individuals and frequently called for international conferences and media as keynote speaker to share her experience and story. Nada has received numerous national and international awards in leadership. She was named Top 100 Women Power Leaders in Asia.

Dr. Shaymaa Tayseer is an influential leader in global education with over 25 years of experience across the U.S., UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar. As Chief Education Advisor at CIRA Education and Education Advisor to the PUE President at Qatar Foundation, she spearheads large-scale educational reforms. She developed the Strategic Education Provision 2040 for Qatar Foundation and oversees projects spanning 100 schools. Her collaborations with Oracle Academy, Microsoft, and FranklinCovey have introduced 21st-century skills, AI-driven teaching, and CTE standards to prepare students for a connected, evolving world. As Vice President of Education at GEMS, the world's largest K-12 provider, Dr. Shaymaa launched the Prime International Language Schools (PILS) Model in Egypt, aligning national education with international and CTE standards. The model, endorsed by Egypt's Prime Minister and achieving Cognia candidacy in its first year, has expanded to 300 schools. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) from Stellenbosch University. She pursued a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida (UCF) and an MBA from Cairo University. Most recently, she finalized her DBA in Crisis and Risk Management. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, where she teaches students Marketing Management, critical thinking, resilience, and ethical leadership. Dr. Shaymaa's work with Egypt's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and the UNDP's youth employability projects highlights her commitment to merging global best practices with local needs to develop industry skills in the Arab world. Passionate about the 2030 mission to elevate Egypt and the Arab region in educational excellence, she believes deeply in the power of nation-building, exemplifying the pivotal role of Egyptian women in shaping the future. She has recently been honored with the Education 2.0 Conference Excellence In Education Award in Dubai, recognizing her profound contributions to educational advancement and her visionary impact in preparing students for tomorrow's world.

With over seven years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Menna Shahin is a passionate and driven founder of TeKeya, a social enterprise dedicated to reducing food waste and empowering women in Egypt. Tekeya is a platform that aims to reduce food waste, allowing caterers to offer their surplus untouched food through direct sale to the consumer at a 50% discount, or to donate it to charities. It operates in Egypt, UAE and aims to start in Saudi Arabia by the end of 2024. Through the app, food providers upload information about their excess food products to sell at a reduced price. It also helps consumers across various sectors of society to enjoy meals at reasonable prices. Charitable organizations also benefits from the app, as it gives the opportunity for food providers to donate food, at no cost, to charitable organizations. To date, Tekeya reached milestone of saving 250000 food items, and is nominated for The Earthshot Award. Menna Shahin received several awards in 2021, including EgyptStart First Place and “Outstanding Leadership “ Award Food 2.0 conference - Dubai. In 2022, she received the “Global Startup Awards Africa” for “Women in Tech”. Holding a position as a regional executive at GSK, she contributes to the portfolio optimization strategy for emerging markets, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and affordable medicines to millions of patients. Menna Shahin actively promotes gender equity and diversity through GSK's women's leadership initiative. Engaging with partners in the US and EU, she is driven by a mission to create positive social and environmental impact through innovation and collaboration, bringing diverse perspectives to the team. Menna Shahin is also the founder of She-Travels, an initiative that empowers women through traveling.

Egyptian Marketer Haya Elsherif Appointed Marketing Director at UK’s Stirling Centre Egyptian marketer Haya Elsherif has been named the new Marketing Director at the Stirling Centre for Strategic Learning & Innovation in the UK, a role that marks a major milestone in her career and highlights the growing global presence of young Egyptian women in leadership. With more than 10 years of experience, Elsherif has built a rare depth across public, private, and tech spheres. She founded her own advertising agency in 2018, and in 2020 joined the Egyptian Space Agency as Marketing & Media Lead, where she helped launch two national awareness initiatives, “Egy Asteroid” and “Spaceak,” in 2021. She also became the first Arab woman at her university to earn an international master’s degree in International Marketing Management from IU of Applied Sciences. Now based in Riyadh, Elsherif has partnered with more than 20 Saudi companies and managed over ten major expos and events. Most recently, she launched “Tasweeq,” a platform to share practical marketing insights. Her appointment at the Stirling Centre signals both her own international rise and the Centre’s outward-looking strategy. Based at the University of Stirling Innovation Park, the Centre advances lifelong learning and innovation with a practical, cross-sector approach. Its ecosystem includes partnerships with Lisbon Business and Government School, Cambridge Innovation System (a Cambridge University spin-off), iVolution AI, and Forth Valley College, alongside memberships in Scotland’s International Development Alliance, Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the British Quality Foundation.

Mai El-Darawy is an Egyptian entrepreneur with a background in agriculture, industry, and international trade. As the Founder and CEO of Lavender Life Group, she was the first Egyptian woman to introduce locally made lavender products to the European and Gulf markets. Through persistence and innovation, she has helped build a growing industry around lavender with a distinctly Egyptian identity. Mai’s work goes beyond traditional uses like perfumes and oils. She has incorporated lavender into food, drinks, jewelry, car air filters, and scented leather accessories. She also successfully cultivated Spanish, French, and Italian lavender varieties in Egypt, demonstrating the country’s ability to grow what she describes as the new “Purple Gold.” Today, her products are gaining recognition in the Egyptian market for their quality, design, and distinctive lavender-inspired fragrance and color. Alongside her role at Lavender Life Group, Mai is active in several industry organizations, including the Leather Industry Chamber, the Export Council for Leather and Footwear Industries, and the Businesswomen of Egypt 21 Association. May holds a master's and PhD degrees in clinical pharmacy, specializing in stem cells. Her research on lavender proved that the variety grown in her farms can be used in developing medications to treat epilepsy and excessive electrical activity in the brain.

Sally ElGindy is a professional in education and a senior Operations and Human Resources leader with a proven track record in transforming international schools across Egypt, Qatar, and the MENA region. She currently serves as the Operations & HR Director at the American International School in Egypt, where she oversees a community of more than 2,060 students and 550 employees. In this role, she leads operational strategy, human capital management, accreditation readiness, and budget oversight across 10 cross-functional departments.

 A key milestone in Sally’s career is administratively leading the construction and launch of a new school campus, successfully executing a complex transformation from planning to full operational readiness. Her leadership is characterized by strategic planning, policy development, organizational restructuring, and building efficient systems that elevate school performance.

Earlier in her career at the International School of London – Qatar, Sally led a major restructuring initiative to improve operational efficiency. When resistance emerged from stakeholders, she introduced an initiative and a collaborative engagement model that aligned faculty, staff, and parents around shared goals. This experience shaped her leadership philosophy: sustainable change happens when communication is transparent and people feel ownership in the process.

Sally holds a Master’s degree in Governance, strengthening her expertise in ethical leadership, strategy, and organizational accountability. She also holds certifications in HR management, board governance, cognitive coaching, and positive discipline. She has represented her work at international platforms such as WISE – World Innovation Summit for Education and How Women Work.

Focused on creating people-centered, high-performing organizations, Sally leads with clarity, integrity, and a commitment to educational excellence.