MELTINGPot2020, UAE - INNOVATION SUMMIT

Ghanim Al Falasi was appointed in 2011 as the Senior Vice-President of Corporate Services of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA). Ghanim brings with him extensive knowledge and know-how in the ICT sector through his previous role as Vice-President of the ICT Unit at Dubai Airports where he provided executive, technological and enterprise administrative leadership employment.
In his new role at DSOA, Al Falasi is mandated to drive strategic planning across the departments of Information Communication Technology, People Management, as well as Logistics.
In his earlier association with the department of Dubai Airports, Ghanim successfully established an ICT directorate for DCA based on a study conducted to identify the infrastructure and services required for the delivery of outstanding performance. Al Falasi also worked for several governmental organizations including the UAE Ministry of Defence, UAE Armed Forces, and the Central Military Command.
Ghanim holds a BS degree in Computer Science from California State University of Hayward, USA.

Prior to becoming the President of Rochester Institute of Technology- Dubai in 2013, Dr. Al-Assaf was the Dean of the College of Engineering (CEN) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) since 2005. Dr. Al-Assaf joined AUS in 1998 and was one of the founding members of the electrical engineering and computer engineering programs and served as the Associate Dean of CEN and Interim Dean prior to assuming the Deanship of the College of Engineering. Dr. Al-Assaf was one of the founding members and chair of the Industrial Engineering Department at University of Jordan and worked as the outreach manager at University of Jordan.
During his tenure at RIT Dubai, he played a major role making the university play a major role in the ecosystem of Dubai Silicon Oasis. The university is introducing new programs in Smart City Sciences, Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering, Energy concentration among other current programs in Engineering, Business and Management, Computing Security and Networking, and leadership. Two research centers in Energy and Sustainability, and Mechatronics were opened in collaboration with industries in UAE.
During his tenure as Dean of College of Engineering at AUS, it became the largest college at the American University of Sharjah were about 50% of AUS student joined that college. He led the establishment of Master programs in chemical, civil, computer, electrical and mechanical as well as a BS in industrial engineering at AUS. He led the accreditation of all CEN BS programs by ABET and the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR) as well as the accreditation of the MS programs by MHESR.
Dr. Al-Assaf's research focuses on using soft computing to model and control various industrial and medical systems. Applications include materials modeling and classification, prostheses control, industrial quality control and optimization. Dr. Al-Assaf's industrial experiences are in the areas of adaptive and predictive control, soft computing and industrial instrumentation and control He designed and developed various automated control systems for various industries including fertilizer, textile and sheet-cutting establishments.

Pelin Gönül Sahin is the Chief Operating Officer at Startupbootcamp Smart City Dubai. Prior to joining Startupbootcamp Smart City Dubai, Pelin worked as the COO of Startupbootcamp Istanbul and StartersHub, seed stage investment fund. She started her career as project manager in European Commission FP7 and Horizon 2020 projects in CIDOB, Barcelona. She was the organizer of TEDxBarcelonaChange and TEDxIstanbul along with StartupGrind Istanbul and contributed to startup ecosystems in 3 different continents. She worked in launching of Turkish Entrepreneurship Foundation .She holds BA in Political Science and International Relations, Bosphorus University and MA in International Relations, IBEI Barcelona.

Prof. Christopher Abraham is a permanent resident of Canada with three Post Graduate qualifications in HRM, Business Administration (Marketing), and Labor & Administrative Law and is a PhD scholar in Positive Psychology. He is a Certified Design Thinker from IDEO/Stanford and has thirty two years’ experience in management consulting, marketing, and management education in India, Canada, Singapore and the UAE.
Currently he is the CEO & Head - Dubai campus and Sr. Vice President (Institutional Development) at the S P Jain School of Global Management, a Forbes Top 10, Economist & FT Top 100 ranked Business School, with campuses in Dubai, Singapore, Mumbai and Sydney
Prof. Abraham has been a visiting Professor at many leading universities in Australia, USA, Canada, Singapore and UK. Earlier in Dubai, he headed the Executive MBA Program of XLRI, Jamshedpur.
His areas of competence are Strategy, Technology & the Future of Education, Innovation, Neuroscience of Decision Making, Positive Organizational Behavior, Science of Happiness and Design Thinking, Trends & Futures. A much sought after TEDx and keynote speaker, he has successfully presented in numerous global forums and has also conducted many consulting and executive development assignments for global organizations, including The World Bank, The Executive Council (Gov’t. of Dubai), Emirates Airlines, DHL, AW Rostamani, P&G etc.

Gopinathan C.P (Gopi) is a co-founder of 361 Degree Minds - a group of thinkers, passionate dreamers and very energetic doers. 361DM team believes that improving the world of adult and higher education demands brave action and more.
Educationist, Teacher, and Entrepreneur C.P. Gopinathan, or Gopi has in the last 20 years, been a mentor-trainer for students, teachers, scientists (from varied Govt/Semi Govt Organizations) entrepreneurs, college graduates, fresh entrants to jobs, and senior managers, right up to CXOs.
Gopi uses unconventional wisdom and technology to deliver high quality, engaging, outcome based learning and development solutions that are highly scalable. Gopi understands adult learning science in a deep and insightful manner. This has led him to create a niche online organization that offers engaging, result oriented and highly scalable learning solutions to colleges, universities, corporates and government organizations. Our solutions and courses all lead to creating or enhancing liquid digital skills that enhance career pathways and growth for learners.
Gopi loves to blend advanced technology and learning insights into programmes and courses for learners, even while maintaining academic and process rigor. Right now, his work on skill and competence building for young people is looking at making how to upskill the millennial generation to meet the new demands of an increasingly complex but digital world.
Besides having personally worked with corporate executives from over 100 organizations, across 20 nationalities and in 5 countries, Gopi also plays the role of a strategic advisor to corporates in visioning, goal setting, and execution interventions. He is very often invited as keynote speaker by business conclaves, corporate and research institutions.

A Sales & Marketing professional with more than 23 years of rich and varied experience in pharmaceuticals across regulated, semi-regulated and unregulated markets over three continents. Of these over 15 years at a General Manager or above position for global multi-billion dollar companies / groups. Have the distinction of being one of the youngest General Managers in the history of Ranbaxy (8th largest generic company worldwide).
Diverse and hard core hands on experience - living and working in the region of responsibility e.g. Africa (Abidjan – 5years), Europe (London & Paris – 4 years), Middle-east (8 years) and India (based in Delhi handling CIS & Africa – 4 years). Able to lead and work with people from different nationalities and cultures while achieving key corporate goals. Can speak multiple foreign languages.
Have started off countries/areas from scratch i.e. product selection, appointment of distributors, key people, departments, establishment of processes and systems with finally handing over the baton once the company is fully operational, independent & profitable.
Diverse experience including participation in a major acquisition (France), developing start off companies and growing mature companies in highly complex market types.
MBA from India's finest College - Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore specializing in Marketing and International Business.

Prof Bryn Jones is Deputy Vice Principal (Dubai) at Heriot-Watt University and is based at the Heriot-Watt’s campus in Dubai. This is arguably the largest and most successful international university in the whole of the UAE, having been established in 2005 and having around 3500 students. Prior to joining Heriot-Watt University in September 2016, Bryn was Dean of Postgraduate Studies in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering at Newcastle University. Bryn held this role for 10 years but, in 2013-2014, he took a secondment and spent a year as the first Head of Academic Operations at Newcastle’s campus in Singapore. Bryn’s experience of offering transnational education in Dubai and Singapore has involved partnership working in both locations, although the nature and rationale for the partnerships was very different. Bryn is a geochemist by background and his university experience has revolved around learning and teaching, working with postgraduate students (both taught and research), and working with international students.

Sanjeev is a Global Human Resources Business leader and Strategic Human Capital Management professional with 21+ years of comprehensive & hands on Human resource experience with proven track record of achieving Business results through effective management of People processes like Staffing, Compensation & Benefits Management, Performance Management, Organization capability building, Employee Relations & Management, Employee Engagement & Communication, Merger & Integration, Talent acquisition & Management, Employee Relations, Innovation, Change Management & Organization development.
He is a seasoned Business professional with hands-on experience in collaborating with internal customers and Business Managers in driving Business HR agenda to further support Business goals. Worked in Green & Brown field environment.
He has led the execution of Business transformation & turnaround Strategy across different business sectors & work environment including Alcohol Beverage, Manufacturing, Project Management, FMCG & Engineering, Indian MNC, Fortune 500 companies including PepsiCo, Philips, Hindalco, PT Indorama Synthetics Tbk, Alstom, Allied Blenders & Distillers and The Himalaya Drug Company.
Besides his current role of Heading HR for Pharma & Personal Care MNC The Himalaya Drug Company for Europe, Russia, Middle-East & Africa also had experience as an Expat, responsible for Global HR for business operations in 10 countries for PT Indorama Synthetics based out of Jakarta.
He has led Business People Strategy & Excellence in Europe, US, Middle East, Africa & South Asia on account of job responsibilities.
He has a proven track record of adopting and adapting quickly to the Organization culture and impacting the Business goals sustainability through strengthening the planning & execution of Business HR strategy

I, started career with ICICI, India’s premier Development Bank, in the year 1973. In the beginning of 1975, joined Bukhatir Investment Group, one of the largest local business house in Sharjah, U.A.E. In the year 1978, assumed the responsibility of CEO of the Group, which has well diversified business activities ranging from Real Estate Development, Construction, Banking, Insurance, IT, Manufacturing etc. Group employed over 6000 people, and has establishments globally. After working there for 14 years, ventured out on my own and set up consultancy practice in India.
My father was in service with Government of India and I grew in upper-middle class background with high moral value.
In the year 1997 associated with Delhi Public School (DPS), India’s premier educational institution, operating over 120 schools in and outside India. In collaboration with DPS, started the first school in Jodhpur, Rajasthan as “not for profit” institution. The school is promoted under the banner of family Charitable Trust, Shugan Chandra Kothari Trust being set up in the memory of my grandfather. My grandfather started his life in Jodhpur, post his graduation from government college, Lahore, as a teacher. Hence, the school in Jodhpur is dedicated to the memory of Late Grandfather. The School has over 4000 students and for last many years rated as the best Science School of Rajasthan. I am the Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Trust. The School also runs from time to time adult education program for women from neighboring villages.
Having spent considerable time in U.A.E., I recognized the need for quality education at affordable cost. To bridge this gap, set up two schools to serve Indian Community in U.A.E. The two schools were operated together under the banner of DPS with more than 9000 students in U.A.E. In order to meet the social commitment, we have adopted villages in India under the banner of light a brilliant light to provide solar lamps. We have adopted deserving students of economically weaker section in India who are supported by our U.A.E. Schools.

Dr. U. Chandrasekhar is the Pro Vice Chancellor of Vel Tech University, India. He has about 32 years of research experience in the fields of experimental stress analysis, harsh environment sensors, engineering design and gas turbines. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers and a Chartered Engineer.
Academic and professional details
After his early education in Mechanical Engineering at National Institute of Technology – Suratkal he carried out his post-graduation at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He received his PhD for his work on the application of 3D printing for gas turbine engine development.
During 1986 to 2013, he worked as a scientist at GTRE, a research laboratory of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Between 2013 and 2015, he worked as the Director General of the Institution of Engineers (India), the largest professional body of engineers in the world. Since 2015, he has been working as the pro Vice Chancellor of Vel Tech University, Chennai. In his current role he contributed to fostering of research and innovation culture among the faculty and students through systematic mentoring and guidance that led to several sponsored research projects in multiple disciplines in domains of engineering design, unmanned aerial vehicles and additive manufacturing.
Research Interests
He carried out several projects in the fields of gas turbine engineering, sensor development and additive manufacturing with the funding of department of science & technology and aeronautical research board. For his works he received a Gold Medal from Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India and Commendation Medal from DRDO, the Government of India. In 2011, he led a large group of scientists in flight testing of a turbojet engine at the Central Institute of Aviation Motors, Moscow. Currently he is carrying out two international projects – (1) An Indo Canada project on structural health monitoring of railway bridges using unmanned aerial vehicles and spectral sensors (2) An Indo Korea project for smart monitoring of water quality from inaccessible water bodies. He also mentors couple of start-up units involved in 3D printing and e-learning.
Professional Recognitions He serves as a member of academic committee of National Board of Accreditation and he serves on the task group of Karnataka Knowledge Commission on machine learning. He has delivered invited lectures in several countries including UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada on additive manufacturing, smart sensors and systems.

Mashal Waqar is the co-founder and COO of The Tempest, the world’s fastest growing online media company for women. Mashal is passionate about accessibility, diversity, and the mechanics of digital and viral content. She was awarded the Young Leader of the Year award at the 19th Global WIL Economic Forum and was listed in the 2018 edition of 40 Women to Watch list. She has played a pivotal role in expanding The Tempest to the Middle East and growing the audience to millions of monthly readers, while heading the online accessibility pivot in the company. She co-manages The Tempest’s 100 remotely-based team members from Dubai.
Waqar strongly believes in empowering women and bringing their voices to the forefront; her previous work experience comes from transitioning in roles in cyber security and digital marketing, while working for various startups. Mashal has given a TED talk on the power of social media, and is a startup mentor at Techstars Startup Weekend, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), and StartAD.