Agenda
  • 2013-03-01
    Day One
  • 2013-03-02
    Day Two
08:00 - 09:00
Registration of Participants at Mövenpick Hotel – Beirut
09:00 - 10:00
Opening Ceremony
Speakers:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mrs.  Nadine Abou Zaki</span>
Mrs. Nadine Abou Zaki
NAWF Founder & Executive Chair

Nadine Abou Zaki is the Founder and Executive Chair of the “New Arab Woman Forum (NAWF)” and the Editor-in-Chief of “Al Hasnaa” magazine. She is a lecturer in Philosophy at the American University of Beirut.

Nadine Abou Zaki has PhD in Philosophy from Sorbonne-Paris IV and a BA in Political Sciences from the American University of Beirut. She is the author of several books: L’homme terrible de la ville (L’Harmattan, Paris 2015 & An-Nahar, Beirut 2015) De femme à homme, (L’Harmattan, Paris 2012 & Marsam, Rabat 2014), Le Lieu et le corps / Al Makan Wal Jasad (L’Harmattan Paris 2010) and Introduction aux Épîtres de la Sagesse (L’Harmattan, Paris 2006).

She is also a sculptor. She hold solo sculpture exhibitions and interactive art performances. Her latest interactive performances Please don’t Touch & Please don’t Touch the Trash were performed in BIPOD (Beirut International Platform of Dance) - Al-Madina theatre (2016), Waste pop-up shop, Saifi village (2016), Beirut Art Fair (2015), Agial Gallery and Station, Beirut (2014). In 29009, she was selected by the Lebanese Ministry of Culture as the sculptor ambassador for Beirut World Book Capital 2009.

In 2016, she was awarded “Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes academiques” (Order of the French Academic Palms) by the Ministry of the French National Education, and in 2009, she received the 4th International Secular Award (Prix international de la laïcité) by H.E. Ms. Anne Hidalgo at La Mairie de Paris.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E. Mr.  Patrice  Paoli</span>
H.E. Mr. Patrice Paoli
Ambassador of France to Lebanon

Prior to his current position he was the Director for North Africa and the Middle East at the French MFEA.

He was previously French Ambassador in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi. He also held the position of Second Counsellor at the French United Nations permanent mission in New York.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E. Mrs.  Leila  Solh Hamade</span>
H.E. Mrs. Leila Solh Hamade
Vice president, Al Waleed bin Talal Foundation
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E. Mrs.  Bahiya  Hariri</span>
H.E. Mrs. Bahiya Hariri
Member of the Lebanese Parliament

Mrs. Hariri is Deputy in the Lebanese Parliament and heads the Parliamentarian Committee for Education and Culture. 

She is also President of the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development, National Committee for Public Schools & Saida Heritage and Environment.

She is the founder of the first gathering of Arab Woman Parliament Members & first gathering for Arab Woman Press Members.

Mrs. Hariri previously served as Minister of Education & Higher Education (2008-2009). 

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E Mrs.  Wafaa  Sleiman</span>
H.E Mrs. Wafaa Sleiman
The First Lady of Lebanon
10:00 - 10:15
Networking Break
10:15 - 10:03
Keynote Address

 

Women Entrepreneurs: the New Growth Frontier for the Arab Economy

 
Presented by:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E. Dr.  Jihad  Azour</span>
H.E. Dr. Jihad Azour
Former Minister of Finance, Managing partner, INVENTIS

Jihad Azour is a V.P. - Senior Executive Advisor at Booz & Company, actively involved in consulting governments, public sector organizations, central banks, financial sector and institutions, and large international corporations. Consultancies revolve around strategy and organization, economic policymaking, public finance management, public sector reform and modernization, corporate governance, and overall economic and social development. 

He was recently appointed by the president of the World Bank member of the Independent Panel of Experts to review a broad range of issues around the Doing Business and Global Competitiveness. He also chaired the G8-MENA Ministerial Group for 2006–2008, which regroups ministers of Finance and central bank governors of the G8 and MENA countries.

He was Minister Finance of Lebanon for three years (2005 - 2008). Spearheaded the economic and financial program of the Lebanese Government, and coordinated the implementation of the various policies and reform initiatives. Led the preparation and the implementation of the Paris III International Conference for Lebanon, gathered more than 45 countries and IFIs, and raised USD 7.6 billion of support. 

 

10:30 - 11:45
Panel I: What is needed to make the Entrepreneurs Ecosystem more helpful to Women?

 

        • How can governments stimulate entrepreneurship among Arab women?
        • Nurturing and enabling environment for innovation.
        • What are the roles of stakeholders in enabling Arab women entrepreneurs?
Moderator:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms.  Cyba  Audi</span>
Ms. Cyba Audi
Managing Director ,Senior Strategic Counsel, Saba

Producer & Presenter- Al- Arabiya News Channel- UAE 

Ms. Cyba Audi, a producer and presenter for Al-Arabiya News Channel in Dubai, holds a BS in business from the American University of Beirut (AUB). Ms. Cyba helped conceptualize and launch "Al-Aswaq Al-Arabiya", which quickly became and remains the highest rated business news show on Arab Television. Ms. Cyba, a Lebanese by nationality, is well known for her insightful coverage and detailed analysis for business events, in addition to her ability and style of interviewing influential personalities and business leaders. She has traveled across the Arab world for live coverage of prominent business events and conferences. Prior to her career in television, Ms. Cyba had worked for 10 years as a financial consultant, most recently with Merill Lynch in London. 

Panelists:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E. Dr.  Jihad  Azour</span>
H.E. Dr. Jihad Azour
Former Minister of Finance, Managing partner, INVENTIS

Jihad Azour is a V.P. - Senior Executive Advisor at Booz & Company, actively involved in consulting governments, public sector organizations, central banks, financial sector and institutions, and large international corporations. Consultancies revolve around strategy and organization, economic policymaking, public finance management, public sector reform and modernization, corporate governance, and overall economic and social development. 

He was recently appointed by the president of the World Bank member of the Independent Panel of Experts to review a broad range of issues around the Doing Business and Global Competitiveness. He also chaired the G8-MENA Ministerial Group for 2006–2008, which regroups ministers of Finance and central bank governors of the G8 and MENA countries.

He was Minister Finance of Lebanon for three years (2005 - 2008). Spearheaded the economic and financial program of the Lebanese Government, and coordinated the implementation of the various policies and reform initiatives. Led the preparation and the implementation of the Paris III International Conference for Lebanon, gathered more than 45 countries and IFIs, and raised USD 7.6 billion of support. 

 

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Dr.  Sherif  Elabdelwahab</span>
Dr. Sherif Elabdelwahab
CEO, National Entrepreneurship Institute
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Nadereh Chamlou</span>
Ms. Nadereh Chamlou
Senior Advisor Office of the Chief Economist for MENA Region, World Bank
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Mike  Al-Mefleh</span>
Mr. Mike Al-Mefleh
Director of Product Management, Middle East, Research In Motion (RIM)
11:45 - 13:00
Panel II: The Making of an Entrepreneur
    • What personal characteristics allow an individual to build a successful business?
    • Are entrepreneurs born or made?
    • Does entrepreneurship education make a difference?
    • How can university students be provided with right entrepreneurial skills and tools?
    • Entrepreneurship training and mentoring.
Moderator:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mrs.  Rana  Ghandour Salhab</span>
Mrs. Rana Ghandour Salhab
Elected member of the board Regional Talent and Communications Partner, Deloitte Middle East

Rana is the regional Talent, and Communications Partner at Deloitte & Touche (M.E.), whose network of offices covers 16 countries and over 22 offices in the Middle East region. The firm is recognized as one of the top 10 employers in the Middle East.

She has over 20 years experience in strategy, human resources management, brand positioning, corporate responsibility, diversity and communications leadership. Her previous roles before joining Deloitte included HR director of the Growing Economies region (Russia, CIS, Central Europe, Balkans & ME), and director in the EMEIA (Europe, Middle East, India & Africa) regional management team at Andersen, based in Switzerland. 

During her career, she provided consulting services in the areas of strategy and human capital management to a variety of multinational, regional and leading local companies in the Middle East. 

Rana is an active champion of women advancement, corporate responsibility, and youth skills building initiatives in the MENA region.

In 2006, Rana launched and has been leading the the Deloitte Middle East women initiative, DRAW (Deloitte Retention and Advancement of Women) which works at identifying the issues and challenges facing women and implementing solutions, programs, networks and processes to effectively overcome these challenges.

Panelists:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms.  Tuba  Ozlem Terekli</span>
Ms. Tuba Ozlem Terekli
CO-Founder& CEO, Qotuf

Tuba Terekli has worked in various levels of employment throughout the Kingdom’s finest institutions in key roles such as Aramco, P&G and NCB. A career track that has led her to become a notable expert and entrepreneur, she founded the first female managed healthcare consultancy in the region which had been awarded by NUSACC (National Arab US Chamber of Commerce) as one of the most promising projects in the region.  

She went on to become the first Saudi female Marketing Director and then later Hospitality Director followed by a Chief of Strategy position in healthcare development. During her tenure as hospitality director she had retained a 68% female workforce for the hospitality department in international Medical Center in all levels of management. 

However, noticing the challenges in entrepreneurship in KSA she had dropped all her self-interests to focus keenly on supporting Saudi entrepreneurs by becoming a key sponsor and advisor of the Saudi Fast Growth 100 and later the Arabia 500, initiatives that highlighted the most successful innovative, high-impact businesses throughout the region.

Her expertise in developing business plans, financial model and innovative strategies were noted at Harvard by Professor Michael Porter and she became an iconic supporter known as the “Entrepreneur of the Entrepreneurship Support Movement in KSA.”

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Eng.  Taha  Khalifa</span>
Eng. Taha Khalifa
Regional General Manager, Middle East and North Africa, Intel

Engineer Taha Khalifa is the Regional General Manager for Intel in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). He is managing six offices across the region from Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Eng. Khalifa is leading Intel’s business operations across the region, working closely with governments, NGOs, and industry -leaders to develop the region’s ICT capabilities and drive Intel’s corporate social responsibility initiatives. 

He joined Intel’s US operations 17 years ago and has since held a variety of senior engineering, marketing, and management positions. 

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Nicolas  Rouhana</span>
Mr. Nicolas Rouhana
Executive Director, Berytech Technological Pole

Nicolas is the Executive Director of Berytech Technological Pole, a Business Innovation & Incubation Center in Lebanon. He joined Berytech since its inception in 2002, counseling and mentoring Lebanese entrepreneurs in their startup ventures. He is part of the management team and technical advisor to Berytech Fund, a 6-Million US$ seed/VC-fund investing in Lebanese technology start-ups. 

Nicolas is also Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of University Saint-Joseph in Beirut (USJ) where he teaches computer networking and entrepreneurship courses to undergraduate engineers. 

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Dr.  Leila  Aboud</span>
Dr. Leila Aboud
Managing Partner, E-Bump

Dr. Abboud is the Managing Partner of E-Bump which is a business university matching portal that serves & provides potential entrepreneurs with the requirements of investment.

She is also an EPE Specialist at UNSECO where she is responsible of preparing entrepreneurship Education modules and training of teachers in the Arab Region.

Prior to that Dr. Abboud was the Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Beirut Arab University.

She holds PhD. In Economics from Bircham University & PhD. in Philosophy from California University.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Riadh  Bouzaouache</span>
Mr. Riadh Bouzaouache
Co-Founder and President, Sherbrooke International Summer School for Young Entrepreneurs IN Maghreb (ÉÉJIE)

Riadh BOUZAOUACHE is a Senior Expert in Entrepreneurship Education. He teaches Entrepreneurship at HEC-University of Sousse-Tunisia. Currently he is a Project Director of FICRA Entrepreneurship Education Program of PNB-NAPEO-Tunisia, (Partners for New Beginning – North African Partnership for Economic Opportunity). He is also President and founder of the International School of young entrepreneurs in Maghreb. He has developed, coordinated and evaluated various programs in entrepreneurship, nationally and internationally. He has conducted various studies initiated by international agencies (World Bank, ILO, GTZ, CIDA, AUF) related to the development of Entrepreneurship in education and employment of university graduates. 

Riadh is a member of various advisory Boards, including the WEF-AG-MENA (World Economic Forum - MENA Advisory Group for Entrepreneurship Education) and PNB-NAPEO Tunisia.  

13:00 - 13:30
Networking Break
13:30 - 14:00
Keynote Address

The Role of Large Companies in Supporting Women's Initiatives and Projects of Development and Social Nature

 
 
Moderator:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E. Mrs.  Dona  Turk</span>
H.E. Mrs. Dona Turk
Ambassador and Executive and Team Leadership Coach, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mrs. Turk was the former Councilor of the Economic Department in the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was also the Councilor of Economic Affairs at the Lebanese Embassy in France. H.E. handled the position of first Secretary of Consular Affairs at the Lebanese Embassy in Belgium.

Presented by:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Carlos  Ghosn</span>
Mr. Carlos Ghosn
Chairman& CEO, Renault-Nissan Alliance
14:00 - 15:00
Panel III: The challenge of Funding Startups and SMEs
      • How can angel and venture capital investors expand in innovative ways to create a complete support system for women microfinance and entrepreneurship opportunities?
      • What should be done by governments to promote more bank loans and micro-credits to SMEs, particularly those owned and managed by women?
      • Assessing micro-financing initiatives for women in rural areas in the Arab world: Is there enough awareness on microfinance among rural women? What still needs to be done?

 

Moderator:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Najib  Choucair</span>
Mr. Najib Choucair
Executive Director and Head of Banking Department, Banque du Liban

Mr. Najib Choucair is the director of the banking department at Banque du Liban for the past 20 years.  He is a member of the Open Market Committee and Basel committee for its implementation in Lebanon. 

He established the out of court resolution circular and he initiated the Financial Statement center for clients. He is an acting member of a committee that instigated a new Law on Secured transactions for Lebanon and a registry for movable assets.

Panelists:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Dr.  Sahar  Nasr</span>
Dr. Sahar Nasr
Lead Economist, World Bank’s Finance and Private Sector Development Department of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), World Bank

Dr. Sahar Nasr is the Lead Economist in the World Bank’s Finance and Private Sector Development Department of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). 

She is also the Regional Program Manager for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Facility in MENA. Additionally, she is leading key operations in the Arab World on promoting financial inclusion, including improving access of MSMEs' and startups to financial services, and low-income households to affordable housing. Furthermore, she is a regional leader on issues of financial sector development, and access to finance. Throughout her 25 years of experience in economic development, she has contributed to the design and implementation of major structural and regulatory reforms in developing economies, focusing on financial development and economic growth, the role of the financial sector in job creation, state-owned banks restructuring, public sector asset management, the soundness of financial sectors, and gender mainstreaming. she has numerous publications and articles in leading journals, including the economic security of Arab women, and women’s economic empowerment and political participation.

In parallel, Dr. Nasr is a Professor in Economics at the American University in Cairo.

 

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Benoit  Eid</span>
Mr. Benoit Eid
Head Of Small Business Credit Department , BLC Bank

Benoit started his banking career in 1996 in Toronto – Canada with TD Canada Trust soon after finishing his Bachelor degree in Economics, he decided to return back to Lebanon in 2004 and joined BLC Bank in 2005 and has over 20 years of banking experience both in Lebanon and Canada. 

In 2004, he led several economical projects funded by the EU and USAID. In addition, he has extensive entrepreneurial experience used to own and operate a retail SME company in Toronto Canada. He currently leads the SE within BLC bank since 5 years which witness constant growth despite difficult economic situation.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms.  May  Habib</span>
Ms. May Habib
Founder & CEO, Qordoba Translation
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms.  Yolla  Sarieddine</span>
Ms. Yolla Sarieddine
Head of Credit Department, Kafalat
15:00 - 16:00
Lunch hosted by Hariri Foundation at Mövenpick Hotel – Beirut
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Eng. Sara Akbar</span>
Eng. Sara Akbar
CEO, Kuwait Energy
09:30 - 10:45
Panel IV: Success stories: Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs Share Their Experiences

A number of successful women share their experience of getting to the top and what it entailed; the hard work and determination, the honing of skills and experience, the ability to meet challenges and put up with reversals, and perhaps the lucky break.

Moderator:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mrs. Rima Karaki</span>
Mrs. Rima Karaki
Journalist
Panelists:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Eng. Meisa Betayneh</span>
Eng. Meisa Betayneh
Founder and Principal Architect, Maisam Architects and Engineers

Meisa Batayneh is founder and principal architect at Maisam Architects and Engineers. She is experienced in multiple facets of design including architecture, planning, urban design and place branding. Over her long and distinguished career, Meisa has led multi-disciplinary teams on large-scale international and regional projects in USA, Pakistan, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and UAE. She has created regional landmarks and master plans for projects such as the Rift Bay Project at the Dead Sea in Jordan, New Ravi City in Lahore, Pakistan and the Umm Yafenah Islands in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She has also acted as a consultant on projects for members of the Royal Family in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. 

She is actively involved in reform processes through numerous national and international commissions and boards. She is a member of the advisory committee for the Ministry of Environment that aims to establish Jordan as the regional hub for pioneering environmental solutions and planning. As a member of the Amman Commission she was actively involved as an advisor to the Mayors of Amman. She is also the Founder of Design Jordan, president of Business & Professional Women – Jordan and has received numerous awards including awards from World Architecture Festival, Arabian Property Awards and Arabia 500. 

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Ambareen Musa</span>
Ms. Ambareen Musa
CEO, Souqalmal.com
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Ferda Pasha</span>
Ms. Ferda Pasha
Co-General Manager, Reza Eden Company and President of Kurdish Association of Busi-nesswomen

As president of the Kurdish association for businesswomen in Kurdistan, established in 2011, Farda Jameel Pasha strives to “represent Kurdistan’s businesswoman and encourage women in general to have their own economic projects without the intervention of any man and to manage her own business without the interference of anyone in her affairs.”

She is founder and president of prominent associations including the ASAM- Association for Solidarity with Asylum-Seekers and Migrants, KA-DER – Association for Supporting and Training Women Candidates, KDV- Association for Solidarity with Women. 

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mrs. Carine Baroudi Barakat</span>
Mrs. Carine Baroudi Barakat
Shareholder and Managing Director, Entotox Public Health

Carine Baroudi Barakat is shareholder and managing director of Entotox Public health a pest management and Public Health Company. She was a pillar in establishing Entotox Public Health and has contributed together with her husband to the growth and expansion of Entotox in Lebanon, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In parallel to her wide knowledge and experience in Pest Management and Public Health she has experience in Quality management Internal Audit, in profit Improvement, crisis Management and reinvestment of family assets and in the Agricultural business, nurseries and landscaping.  

She was awarded in November 2012 the BLC bank award “Woman Entrepreneur of the year”.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Rasha Khouri</span>
Ms. Rasha Khouri
Founder and CEO, DIA-style.com

Rasha Khouri is an online fashion entrepreneur of Lebanese origin who has set up two flourishing e-commerce businesses in English and Arabic.

Most recently she launched DIA-style.com a social commerce site for the Middle East region.  It is the first site to sell on-trend and on-season global luxury brands in Arabic as well as English. .

Her first online business DIA-BOUTIQUE.COM was established in 2010 and sells independent designers from around the world, including many from the Middle East.

Khouri was educated at Brown University in the US and INSEAD in Paris.  She began her career as an investment banker at JP Morgan and merged her interest in fashion and finance as a luxury goods analyst with Merrill Lynch and UBS. 

10:45 - 12:00
Panel V: Learning from Regional and International Experiences: Initiatives and Programs to Support Women Entrepreneurs
  • Assessing leading initiatives to develop and support women entrepreneurs.
  • The key ingredients of successful national policies to help women entrepreneurs.
  • Role of private sector in supporting the developments of women entrepreneurs.
  • Overview of some international experiences in developing policies and programs for promoting entrepreneurship in advanced economies and their applicability in the Arab world.
  • How effective are incubators in helping women entrepreneurs realize their potential?
Moderator:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Najib  Choucair</span>
Mr. Najib Choucair
Executive Director and Head of Banking Department, Banque du Liban

Mr. Najib Choucair is the director of the banking department at Banque du Liban for the past 20 years.  He is a member of the Open Market Committee and Basel committee for its implementation in Lebanon. 

He established the out of court resolution circular and he initiated the Financial Statement center for clients. He is an acting member of a committee that instigated a new Law on Secured transactions for Lebanon and a registry for movable assets.

Panelists:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>H.E. Mrs. Angelina Eichhorst</span>
H.E. Mrs. Angelina Eichhorst
Ambassador, Head of EU Delegation in Lebanon
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Dr. Iman Bibars</span>
Dr. Iman Bibars
Regional Director, Ashoka Arab World
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Maya Margie Younes</span>
Ms. Maya Margie Younes
Head of Marketing Group, BLC Bank

Maya Younes holds a degree in Business Administration from the Lebanese American University; she joined BLC Bank in 2002 and has over 15 years of banking experience. Maya Younes, in her visioning of a marketing strategy, was a member of a senior management team that was entrusted with the reorganization and restructuring of the Bank and was able to deliver successful results, repositioning BLC Bank as one of the leaders in Lebanon. She also played a pivotal role and is a core member of the team responsible for the implementation of the Women's Market Initiative.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Zuhal Mansfield</span>
Ms. Zuhal Mansfield
Chairperson, TMG Mining and MANSFIELD Mining and Construction Co. and Founder of KAGIDER
12:00 - 12:30
Book Signing & Coffee Break
  • Dr. Elham Mansour’s book: Rahalat Wālidati wa Baqiyat Umi "My Mother is Gone, My Mom is Left"
  • Ms. Hyam Yared’s book: Taht El Arishi "Sous la tonnelle"/ "Under the arbor"
  • Dr. Faten El Murr’s book: Miftah li-Najwa "A Key for Najwa"
12:30 - 12:50
WOW Awards Ceremony

In the presence of H.E Mrs. Bahiya Hariri and H.E. Mrs. Angelina Eichhorst

 
 
12:50 - 13:50
Panel VI: Social Entrepreneurship: Innovation, the Road to Social Change Making
      • Social entrepreneur, a mindset and an ecosystem
      • Public and Private Partnership as an enable for social entrepreneurship
      • Social entrepreneurship, learning by doing

 

Moderator:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr. Fadi El Halabi</span>
Mr. Fadi El Halabi
Psychotherapist and TV Talk Show Host

Mr. EL Halabi is a Psychotherapist/counselor for couples and adults, and an experienced practitioner in neuro-linguistic programming and transactional analysis.

He is also a T.V. talk show host, a frequent guest speaker and a facilitator with an extensive experience in human relations and personal development.

He is mostly passionate about social entrepreneurship and is heavily involved in civil society initiatives. He is the co-founder and executive director of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN).

Speakers:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Zeina Daccache</span>
Ms. Zeina Daccache
Executive Director, Catharsis - LCDT
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Nadine Okla</span>
Ms. Nadine Okla
Program Manager, Tomorrow’s Youth Organization

Nadine Okla is Program Manager at Tomorrow’s Youth organization managing Women entrepreneurship and empowerment programs in Lebanon. She has been working in development initiatives both in the Middle East and United States for the last 7 years. 

She served as Program Manager for an interactive, on-line English Language Program at New Horizons Learning Center, in Beirut. From there, she moved to the United Nations in New York, eventually finding her way back to Beirut in 2007 and has since worked with a variety of non-governmental organizations, serving as Program Manager at the YMCA of Lebanon and as the Development Officer of Skoun Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Center in Beirut.  

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr. Fateh Azzam</span>
Mr. Fateh Azzam
Chairman, Arab Human Rights Fund

FATEH S. AZZAM is Chairman of the Board of the Arab Human Rights Fund. Throughout his career he has held key positions in the human rights arena including the post of Regional Representative for the Middle East, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Director of the Forced Migration and Refugee Studies Program at the American University in Cairo and Program Officer for Human Rights at the Ford Foundation’s Offices in Lagos and Cairo.

He led the process of establishing the Arab Human Rights Fund, currently serving as Chairman of its Board of Directors; He has served on the Boards of several Palestinian, Arab and international human rights organizations, and participated in several missions and projects by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch in Syria, Algeria, Morocco and elsewhere.  He has authored many articles on human rights, which appeared in Human Rights Quarterly, Nordic Journal of International Law, Arab Journal for Human Rights and Sur International Journal on Human Rights. Fateh Azzam is also the author of two plays, Ansar, and Baggage.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Dr. Iman Bibars</span>
Dr. Iman Bibars
Regional Director, Ashoka Arab World
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Ms. Najah Jaroush Abdouni</span>
Ms. Najah Jaroush Abdouni
Founder, Tassamim Landscape & Irrigation

Najah Abdouni is Founder of Tassamim, an enterprise for landscape & irrigation which is currently compiling successful dreams in more than 200 residential garden projects. Another successful joint venture is C-Green which is now growing yearly by a 25% increment since it was established in 2003.

She is also Coordinator of the Landscape Department at EduDMG- Beirut for continuous learning for adults. 

She joined the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB), in 2007, and took intensive training and workshops with MEET & MEPI, which ultimately injected a fresh thought of expanding more. In 2009, triggered by the women's campaign for empowerment, a new joint venture saw the light as she opened a shop for selling gift articles. 

13:50 - 14:00
NAWF Women Entrepreneurs Competition in partnership with Blackberry
14:00 - 14:30
Wrap-Up Session by moderators
Speakers:
<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mrs.  Rana  Ghandour Salhab</span>
Mrs. Rana Ghandour Salhab
Elected member of the board Regional Talent and Communications Partner, Deloitte Middle East

Rana is the regional Talent, and Communications Partner at Deloitte & Touche (M.E.), whose network of offices covers 16 countries and over 22 offices in the Middle East region. The firm is recognized as one of the top 10 employers in the Middle East.

She has over 20 years experience in strategy, human resources management, brand positioning, corporate responsibility, diversity and communications leadership. Her previous roles before joining Deloitte included HR director of the Growing Economies region (Russia, CIS, Central Europe, Balkans & ME), and director in the EMEIA (Europe, Middle East, India & Africa) regional management team at Andersen, based in Switzerland. 

During her career, she provided consulting services in the areas of strategy and human capital management to a variety of multinational, regional and leading local companies in the Middle East. 

Rana is an active champion of women advancement, corporate responsibility, and youth skills building initiatives in the MENA region.

In 2006, Rana launched and has been leading the the Deloitte Middle East women initiative, DRAW (Deloitte Retention and Advancement of Women) which works at identifying the issues and challenges facing women and implementing solutions, programs, networks and processes to effectively overcome these challenges.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr.  Najib  Choucair</span>
Mr. Najib Choucair
Executive Director and Head of Banking Department, Banque du Liban

Mr. Najib Choucair is the director of the banking department at Banque du Liban for the past 20 years.  He is a member of the Open Market Committee and Basel committee for its implementation in Lebanon. 

He established the out of court resolution circular and he initiated the Financial Statement center for clients. He is an acting member of a committee that instigated a new Law on Secured transactions for Lebanon and a registry for movable assets.

<span class='agenda-slot-speaker-name'>Mr. Fadi El Halabi</span>
Mr. Fadi El Halabi
Psychotherapist and TV Talk Show Host

Mr. EL Halabi is a Psychotherapist/counselor for couples and adults, and an experienced practitioner in neuro-linguistic programming and transactional analysis.

He is also a T.V. talk show host, a frequent guest speaker and a facilitator with an extensive experience in human relations and personal development.

He is mostly passionate about social entrepreneurship and is heavily involved in civil society initiatives. He is the co-founder and executive director of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN).