Dr. Luc Verburgh
Chief Academic Officer | Higher Colleges of Technology UAE
Dr. Verburgh is our Guest Of Honour, he holds a PhD from the Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information (NICI) at Radboud University, Netherlands, an MSc in Applied Psychology from the University of Wales, and an M.Phil. from Radboud University. Dr. Verburgh has broad management experience as a board member of the Association of Universities of Applied Science in the Netherlands and other academic, vocational, and industry entities.
Mr. Faisal Ameer Malik
Chief Technical Officer | Huawei Enterprise Business Group, Middle East
With more than 22 years of experience in the ICT sector and working for various organizations, from satellite communication, broadband operators, and technology vendors. Faisal holds very hands on knowledge and experience in multiple technology domains and their implementation across different industry verticals.
Faisal has led numerous digital transformation projects of enterprise and national scale across the Middle East, ranging from smart cities, network transformation, and cloud & data centers. As Chief Technology Officer, Faisal is responsible for the alignment and implementation of Huawei’s Middle East business strategy and technology vision and translating it to business success. In his 17 years at Huawei, Faisal has been part of both the carrier business and the enterprise division and has always been recognized as one of the top achievers in the organization.
Dr. Saeed Al Dhaheri
UNESCO co-Chair | AI Ethicist | Thought leader | Author | Certified Data Ethics Facilitator | LinkedIn Top Voice | Public Speaker
First Emirati to participate in an International space program that was conducted by the International Space University (ISU) and took place at MIT in the summer of 1988. Have founded and led the Emirates Identity Authority from 2005 - 2007 and was responsible for developing the UAE national smart ID card project (EID). Was responsible for implementing the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Global WAN Project, connecting all of the UAE missions abroad through a globally secure and encrypted network. He has advised several federal and local government entities in their digital transformation initiatives. Consulted by leading luxury fashion boutiques about the future of luxury fashion and disrupting technology in the fashion industry. He has been invited to speak at top universities and international platforms including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, University College London, King's College London, the United Nations, World Economic Forum (WEF), Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) and the Organization of the Oil Producing Countries (OPEC).
With an impressive track record of public speaking, Dr. Saeed has demonstrated an exceptional ability to inspire and influence. He delivered hundreds of lectures, seminars, and webinars on both local and international platforms, reaching a global audience. His eloquent speeches and insightful presentations have not only educated but also profoundly impacted the lives of many people around the world. Dr. Saeed is a ‘Top Voice’ on LinkedIn recognized as one of the experts around the world publishing valued and quality content on LinkedIn. He was interviewed by many local TV channels and international magazines such as Times Higher Education (THE), Human Futures Magazine of the World Futures Studies Federation, AI 2030 SHOW by Fintech4Good 2030, and Corporate Investment Times.
He co-authored the book Digital Nation: How the UAE is Building a Future Based on Tech Innovation and has written several articles and reports that were published in Harvard Business Review Arabia, MIT Technology Review Arabia, and Dubai Policy Review-Journal. He participated in judging Prestigious awards including the GCC e-government award, the UAE Drones for Good award, the UAE AI & Robotics Award, and being a lead assessor for the Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP).
Prof. Dr. Veljko Milutinovic
University of Indiana in Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Prof. Veljko Milutinovic (1951) received PhD from the University of Belgrade in Serbia, has been in faculty positions in the USA (more recently at Purdue University and Indiana University), in Europe (more recently at Technical University of Vienna and Technical University of Graz), and is credited for the DARPAs first GaAs (Gallium Arsendie) microprocessor at 200MHz (about a decade before mainstream) and the DARPAs first GaAs Systolic Array with 4096 CPUs, plus for various innovations in the domain of the dataflow paradigm (arithmetic operations and graph mappings).
His current academic research and industrial development interests are in dataflow acceleration of complex mathematical algorithms needing low power and high speed, for math-intensive applications in computational physics and geo-sciences. He has over 6000 Google Scholar citations and h=40. This presentation has been delivered before, as a one-hour talk or a full-semester course, at a relatively large number of leading universities of the USA (MIT, NEU, UMass, Harvard, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana, NYU, Columbia, FIU, FAU, etc...).
Semih is a futurist and an eminent figure in the realm of AI-driven leadership, innovation, and digital transformation, boasting over 14 years of 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 some various other business functions. Semih’s contributions have not only been recognized with international and top management awards but also have positioned him as a thought leader in artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
As a visionary leader, Semih has spearheaded groundbreaking projects, such as launching the first AI program in the Middle East and founding the Singularity University Dubai Chapter. 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. His achievements highlight his dedication to advancing AI and digital transformation globally.
Currently leading AI and digital business transformation programs for clients in the Middle East at PwC, Semih is also a prolific speaker and advisor. His efforts focus on preparing businesses for the future, bridging skills gaps, and fostering innovation. Through his leadership, Semih continues to inspire change and drive the adoption of AI across industries, making him a highly sought-after keynote speaker for conferences and corporate events worldwide.
