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The Rt Hon. the Baroness Symons
Chairman at Arab British Chamber of CommerceThe Rt Hon Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean is a senior Labour member of the House of Lords and a business leader. Formerly Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Symons was a Minister in the UK Government from 1997 until stepping down in 2005. Among her government posts she was Minister for the Middle East, Minister for International Trade, Minister for Defence Procurement, and the Prime Minister’s envoy to the Gulf.
A former General Secretary of the First Division Association (FDA), she was also an Equal Opportunities Commissioner and a governor of the London Business School and London School of Economics.
As well as working closely with DLA Piper as Head of Government Relations, Baroness Symons was formerly a non-executive director of British Airways and Manchester Airports Group and was on the advisory boards of several companies including those with strong Middle East links, and a number of not-for-profit organisations including the International Red Cross.
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Mr Bandar Reda
Secretary General & CEO of ABCCMr Bandar Ali Reda joined the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, on 1st March 2019, as Secretary General and CEO, becoming the fourth person to lead the Chamber since its foundation almost five decades ago.
As CEO, Mr Reda contributes his expertise by drawing on his wealth of experience as a diplomat and extensive time spent in the private sector to ensure the Chamber moves to the next level.
Mr Reda has a distinguished professional career of more than a decade in banking and corporate industry at SABB HSBC Saudi Arabia, prior to senior positions in the diplomatic service of his country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he served as Commercial Attaché in the UK & Europe, based in London, and in Italy and as part of the Saudi delegation to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris.
Mr Reda holds a BA in Economics and Business Administration from Orlando, USA. He has been an Executive Member of the Saudi-Italian Business Council, the Council of Saudi Chambers; a Member of the Business Youth Committee, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce; a Member of the Saudi Economy Association; and a Member of the Saudi Arabian legal accountants. Mr Reda has demonstrated his experience and abilities in his roles in both public and private sectors.
Since taking up his post, Mr Reda has successfully steered the Chamber throughout the difficult months of the pandemic and lockdown, a period which presented unprecedented challenges for international trade and the business community. Under Mr Bandar Reda’s guidance and leadership, the Chamber not only continued all its activities uninterrupted but extended its services during this period and has reinforced its reputation as the leading strategic business services organisation in the UK dedicated to strengthening Arab-British trade and building closer business co-operation.
Abdeslam El-Idrissi
Deputy CEO & Secretary General of Arab British Chamber of CommerceMr Abdeslam El-Idrissi is proud to have served the best part of over 36 years with the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, serving both as Director of Trade Services, Acting General Manager and now his present position as Deputy CEO and Secretary General. During this time, he has cultivated strong relationships with British Chambers, Government bodies, educational institutions, NGOs across both the Arab world and the UK regions, as well as the UK-Arab business communities as a whole.
To this end, Mr El-Idrissi is in much demand across the regions as a keynote speaker and as one of the UK’s leading experts on UK-Arab trade relations.
He is also a key member of the Institute of Export where in the past he has held the position of Vice Chair of the Institute of Export, London Branch for a period of 7 years.
Dr. Wareed Alenaini
Founder of Twinn HealthWareed Alenaini is a scientist and entrepreneur working on democratizing longevity using AI and MRI. She advocates for longevity and mentors startups in the healthtech space.
Jon Davies
Founder of LeafyardOver 15 years, Jon has co-founded a series of successful startups with business partner Phil
Simmonds, using his expertise in behavioural science. Jon has achieved success time and time again with a simple understanding: by paying close attention to the way people work, we can react to the latest societal changes. Their latest product, Leafyard, uses behavioural science to motivate people to take control of their mental health; it is now being used by companies across the globe to help improve employee wellbeing.
Nizam Uddin OBE
Chief Strategy Officer at AlgbraNizam is Chief Strategy Officer and part of the Founding Team of Algbra, an ESG-focused and Sharia-compliant FinTech that is headquartered and regulated in the United Kingdom. Algbra offers its full-stack proprietary technology internationally as a B2B Fintech as a Service (‘FaaS’) solution, helping financial institutions build digital banks from scratch, whilst operating a regulated B2C platform in the UK.
Nizam was previously the Senior Head of Mosaic and Community Integration at The Prince’s Trust, where he oversaw the organisation's community cohesion and social integration activities and led Mosaic, an independent Initiative founded by HM King Charles III to engage diverse Muslim communities across the UK. Nizam has a strong interest and background in overcoming the societal and economic challenges that prevent disenfranchised and minority communities from fulfilling their potential. He is a 2019 Greenberg World Fellow at Yale University and a 2019 US State Department International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) participant.
Nizam is currently Vice-Chairman of SOAS, University of London, a Trustee of the Aspen Institute UK and an independent advisor to the Mayor of London. He holds an MA in Public Policy from King’s College London and was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours list for services to social mobility and community integration.
George Vaughan
CEO of The Digital LineGeorge Vaughan has been a leading figure in the field of technology innovation within venues, boasting a 25-year career in the industry. Renowned for his pivotal role in spearheading high-profile initiatives at stadiums and arenas, George’s impact has been felt across iconic venues such as Twickenham Stadium, the revered home of England Rugby, and Ascot Racecourse, a globally acclaimed racing venue synonymous with events like Royal Ascot.
In 2023, he started a new program of wide-ranging technology projects in his capacity as CEO of innovation brand The Digital Line (TDL), targeting people behaviour and operational efficiencies across multiple sectors, including health, education, entertainment, and travel. He is also the co-founder and creator of the Generative AI voice platform audico and works closely with several government departments and universities, exploring the wider societal benefits of artificial intelligence.
George is a regular speaker on the conference circuit, a contributor for Mondo Stadia magazine and is set to co-host the forthcoming Venue Tech podcast show. Furthering his commitment to positive change, he is set to launch a new initiative, The League for Better Living (LBL) later this year, which is dedicated to enhancing quality of life and mental wellbeing.
Andrew Elia
Managing Director of ArishiAndrew is a hard-wired technology expert who has helped hundreds of clients create seamless, trusted applications for the fintech, commercial and advertising sectors.
Understanding the power of agile development and secure, highly performant software, his company, Arishi delivers solutions that are practical, imaginative and robust, with the flexibility to adapt to changing regulatory conditions.
Combining enthusiasm, experience and humour, Andrew is an inspiring speaker on technology. He has written for magazines and spoken at conferences, on how startups should use technology, mobile payments and the sometimes awkward union between technology and business.
Andrew has delivered ground-breaking technology across a variety of areas within financial services and artificial intelligence that others couldn’t, wouldn’t (or just plain didn’t) develop, often years ahead of the competition.
Arishi has become highly regarded in industries across the globe, where split second improvements in performance, usability and visual appeal are becoming increasingly important – government, health, finance, fintech, advertising, and international business, to name a few. Arishi has delivered exceptionally performant digital projects for major clients in the Middle East and has now established an office in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
When he’s not immersed in the virtual world, or pursuing his passion for retro computers, Andrew enjoys spending as much time as possible with his family, who all enjoy exploring the GCC region.