Speaker profiles
Topic: A question of talent

 

Muna Awwadova, Partner, CTPartners
	Muna Awwadova is a Partner with CTPartners, a premier executive search firm committed to performance, quality and results. Drawing on a multicultural background and career, Muna quickly recruits talent to fill positions requiring superior business leadership and cultural adeptness. Muna’s understanding of the cultural challenges clients face in the Middle East, helps CTPartners create a strategic approach that impacts businesses across the region. A member of the firm’s Industrial Practice, Muna serves clients across oil and gas, power, manufacturing, construction, capital projects, aviation, technology and pharmaceuticals. She has successfully recruited executives to fill senior management positions in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey. Among these are CEO, CFO, Chief Development Officer, Technical Director, Vice Presidents of facilities, Supply Chain and other significant functions. She has also worked with governments across the Middle East Region to identify specific talent. Having lived in the Middle East majority of her career Muna evaluates senior executives with an eye not only to their technical expertise, but also to the executives’ leadership capabilities and cultural awareness. Previously, Muna was with KMPG Lower Gulf Executive Search Services. During her seven-year tenure in Dubai, she held a series of roles of increasing responsibility. Her last role with the firm, was the Head of Executive Search Services and Associate Director of People & Change Advisory Services, Business Performance Services Practice. Muna began her recruitment career with TPDG/Talents Technology Recruitment in 1998. Based in Prague, she was a Senior Consultant and eRecruit.cz Project Manager. Muna graduated from the Technical University of Liberec in the Czech Republic. She is fluent in English and Arabic and is conversant in French. Muna is based in the firm’s Dubai office.
Ebrahim Ali Hashem, Senior Advisor, ADCO
	Ebrahim Hashem is a Senior Advisor (Business Strategy/Corporate Governance) at Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO). He has held a number of advisory positions during his career and the most prominent was at OPEC, Vienna where he advised on China’s future energy strategy and its implications for OPEC countries. He is a member on HCT Program Advisory Committee (PAC), which aims to enhance coordination between industry and academia. He received Future Business Leaders in the Middle East Award from Spain. He received Abu Dhabi Industry Award and Sheikh Rashid Award for academic excellence. He holds two masters degrees, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration, from the UK and Spain. He is a regular columnist for The National newspaper and a speaker on Energy Business Strategy and Corporate Governance. He speaks Arabic, English and Spanish.
NADIA M. ALHASANI, Ph.D., Dean, Women in Science and Engineering Program, The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi
	Dr. Nadia M. Alhasani, is Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and founding Dean of the Women in Science and Engineering Program (WISE) at the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi. She completed her bachelor degree from the College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, and graduate degrees from MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Alhasani held the position of assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at the American University of Sharjah 2003-6, as well as teaching positions at the University of Pennsylvania, Miami of Florida, Notre Dame of Indiana, and Michigan. Recipient of the 2006-7 Research Fellow at the Aga Khan Program at MIT, 1990-91 Willard A. Oberdick Fellowship in the Building Sciences from the University of Michigan, 1992 Graham Foundation Grant, Chicago, and 1994 National ACSA Faculty Teaching Award, Washington DC. Lectured and published in the field of building production, technology and culture, higher education and women in STEM in the Middle East.
Nader Haffar, Partner, Head of Management Consulting, KPMG Saudi Arabia
	Nader Haffar is a Partner, Head of Management Consulting KPMG Saudi Arabia and Gulf Holding. He has more than 21 years of international experience in Management Consulting Services with Big 4 Firms. Nader started his professional and consulting career in the United State and has been in the region for over 12 years during which he led consulting practices and large engagement for large consulting firms and clients in the region. Nader Led the Public Sector Finance Transformation Practice and was responsible for the successful implementation of several large Finance Transformation Projects in the Gulf / ME region. Nader also served as the lead partner for the Oil & Gas Industry Practice during which he led many large Transformation, HR , Finance, Supply Chain and Operations engagement for National Oil Companies in the region. In his role Nader was the Lead Client Service Partner for Key Clients across different industries, such as Financial Service, Public Sector and Energy. Nader started his consulting career working with Deloitte in US in 1995, and later relocated to region be the Principal in charge of the Oil & Gas and eProcurement practice for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Middle East, from 2000 -2003. Then rejoined Deloitte as Leader of Management Consulting for Kuwait office till 2012 when he joined KPMG to as the Head of Management Consulting in the KSA and Gulf Holding. Nader has led several strategic business initiatives and functional teams for several strategy development and implementations engagements and process improvement, primarily in large business integration projects for State Owned Oil Companies in the Middle East. He has also led the establishment of the eProcurement Strategy from concept to full business operations, including developing the business plan, designing the operations strategy, and implementation of process and technology capabilities for large National Oil Companies.