Executive Director of the Mohamed Bin Rashed School for Communication, American University in Dubai

Following her graduation with a Bachelor degree in Directing for TV and Film at the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts in Lebanon, in 1997, Sophie directed several TV shows for Future TV, Lebanon and Dubai TV, UAE. She also directed promotional videos and TV ads for high-end brands.

In 2003, Sophie began her career as a music video director with Julia Boutros’ hit “La B’ahlamak” and for 9 years she directed A-list Arab singers like Rashid El Majid, Nancy Ajram, Abdul Majid Abdallah, and Nawal Kuweitye among others.

In 2013, Sophie started a new project. She co-wrote and directed her first feature film Mahbas (Solitaire); the award-winning film, was produced in summer 2015, premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival in 2016 and was released in Lebanon, Syria, UAE, Jordan, Palestine, Kuwait and Sweden in 2017. Making waves of success, Mahbas was viewed by more than 130,000 viewers and toured the world in festivals.

Her latest work as a director is a 12-episode Shahid Original drama series titled “Al Ghareeb” aka. “The Stranger”, a hit show that ranked amongst the Top 10 series across the world on the leading streaming platform.

Sophie had a major role in creating the Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at AUD, where she has been working for 13 years, inspiring and creating a great rapport with students.

She enjoys movies, traveling and being around family and friends.

Dean of the School of Business, American University in Dubai

Dr. Assaad Farah joined AUD in 2010, and before assuming the role of Dean of the School of Business, he served as the school's Associate Dean and Director of Accreditation.

In addition to his academic responsibilities, Dr. Farah is an executive trainer and consultant, mainly for the United Arab Emirates public sector. His roles also extend to being a Board member of the UNDRR ARISE, a member of the (AACSB) Initial Accreditation Committee, and the Chair of the AACSB International Middle East & North Africa Advisory Council.

Before moving to Dubai, Dr. Farah worked in Canada's aeronautical and mobile industry. Dr. Farah's research focuses on knowledge management, strategic human resource management, airline management, and artificial intelligence.

AI Business Manager, Middle East & North Africa – SLB

Modhar (مضر) is the Artificial Intelligence Business Manager for SLB in the Middle East and North Africa, where he leads the strategy and execution for using and adopting AI technology in the Energy Sector to enhance performance across exploration, field development, and production. In this role, he oversees SLB teams across the region, working closely with customers to unlock new efficiencies and operational improvements. His career spans North America, the Middle East, and Asia, where he has held various leadership roles in field operations, management, business development, technology, and corporate functions. Modhar holds a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master's in Business from NYU - Stern School of Business, with a specialization in AI, Data, and Analytics Strategy.

Director of Future Foresight, Dubai Future Foundation

Faisal Kazim is Director of Future Foresight at Dubai Future Foundation, where he dedicates his work toward realizing Dubai's goal of becoming a leading city of the future and leads research on industries of the future and their impact on Dubai's economy, society, and environment. Faisal is also Head of Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, which is Dubai’s strategic initiative to grow the games industry. His other notable initiatives include Dubai Financial Market’s Voluntary Carbon Credit Market, and the Dubai Future Readiness Index.