Past event summary

AHMED BIN SULAYEM
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN & CEO

DMCC

Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and has driven its growth from a start-up of 28 member companies in 2003 to the world’s leading free zone in 2020 with over 18,000 member companies from 170 countries, employing over 60,000 people.

Tasked with enhancing commodity trade flows through Dubai, DMCC has introduced to market a number of value-added products and services under Mr. Bin Sulayem’s leadership. In 2020, DMCC has been named the ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record sixth consecutive year.

Mr. Bin Sulayem oversaw the exponential growth of the DMCC Free Zone master development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), a 200-hectare business and residential community in Dubai of over 100,000 people living and working across 87 towers. Mr Bin Sulayem also oversees the development of DMCC’s latest real estate project; the much-anticipated Uptown Dubai district.

Mr. Bin Sulayem currently serves as the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX).

The Kimberley Process officially appointed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the first and only Arab country to Chair the Kimberley Process in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy officially appointed Mr. Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the Kimberley Process for 2016. 

OMAR KHAN
DIRECTOR - INTERNATIONAL OFFICES

DUBAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Omar Abdulaziz Khan is Director of International Offices at Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry leading the global development and management of Dubai Chamber International Offices. He currently manages eleven offices across Eurasia, Africa and Latin America.

Prior to his current position, Omar held consecutively successful leading positions at Dubai Chamber as Membership & Documentation Services Department Director representing Dubai Chamber at the ICC World Chambers Federation on trade facilitation issues and as Customer Service Centers Director during which he helped to transform Dubai Chamber from having a customer-centric department to being customer-centric organization.

Omar has led training sessions in Dubai and the GCC to help implement the ATA Carnet system across the region and regularly participates as MC, presenter and speaker for Dubai Chamber.

Before joining Dubai Chamber, Omar worked for HSBC Middle East in the Commercial Banking Sector under the Business Banking Unit as Relationship Manager.

Omar holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology.

DR MANKENDA AMBROISE

SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE MINISTER OF MINERAL RESOURCES, PETROLEUM AND GAS

REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA

PROF. Dr. MANKENDA AMBROISE, known as Prof or Dr. Mankenda is a mining geologist engineer (MSc. in 1973) with a PhD degree major in economic geology (1989), trained in Moscow University during the former Soviet Union. He is a civil servant in the Angola Mining Sector from 1975 being in function and field activities for more than 40 years. From 1976, he was appointed as member of the Board of Director of the Diamond Parastatal Company (Diamang) and appointed also in 1981 as Deputy General Manager of the Diamond State-Owned Enterprise (ENDIAMA) being in charge for Technical Matters. Dr. Mankenda was respectively, from 1986 for many years the National Director of National Directorate of Mines and SADC Sectorial Contact Point, representing the Angolan Mining Sector in this Southern Africa Regional Organization. He is member of many International Professional Associations, namely, Geological African Society, Association of Geoscientists for International Development (AGID), African Academy of Sciences, Prospect & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC).

He is also a member of the Angolan Association of Engineers, Scientific Council of Agostino Neto the State Angolan University and Jean Piaget Private University. Dr. Mankenda attended several international and Regional Conferences, Workshops, Mining Investment Forum in many countries as speaker and participant. Dr. Mankenda has experience in several fields, with reference to the diamond industry, mineral resources development Strategy, project management and evaluation, as well as training. He still working as Consultant and Cathedratic Professor at the Engineering Faculty of the Luanda - Angolan State University Agostino Neto.

Based in Luanda, in 2003, Dr. Mankenda was appointed as Deputy Minister of Geology and Mines being in charge of coordinating the Kimberley Process Diamond Certification System in the country. In 2009, he was appointed as Minister of Geology and Mines. Due to the new Angolan Constitution and Reorganization of the Government, the Ministry of Geology was combined with the Ministry Industry. As result, Dr. Mankenda was appointed in 2010, as State Secretary of Geology and Mines within the new Ministry of Geology, Mines and Industry, up to the election held in Angola in 2012. From this last year, he was retired from the Government. In 2013, Dr. Mankenda was called upon and appointed as General Director of the Geological Institute of Angola in charge for the geological surveys of the Angolan Territory, having developed up to to 2018, as a main Project in progress until now, “The Geological National Plan (PLANAGEO). Due to his long experience in the Mining Sector and international knowledge, Dr. Mankenda as a retired former Minister of Geology and Mines was called upon and appointed from 2018 until now, as Advisor to the Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas.

JOSÉ MANUEL AUGUSTO GANGA JR.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ENDIAMA-E.P.

José Manuel Augusto Ganga Jr has been the President of the Board of Directors of Endiama-E.P. since November 1 2017. With a PhD. In Economy and Management by the Institute of mines of Saint Petersburg – Russia, a Post-Graduation degree in Business Management by Tea Cegus Technical School, Madrid Spain and Training in High Management by Catholic University of Lisbon, José has over 40 years of experience in Angola mining. Jose has also been awarded the “Best Manager in Angola of the Year 2012” by Sirus Premium and Deloitte Consulting.

EUGENIO PEREIRA BRAVO DA ROSA

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SODIAM

Chairman of the Board - Sodiam-EP; CEO - Angloflex Industrial LDA (2015 - 2017); CEO - Petromar LDA (2015 - 2017); CEO - Sonangol Investimentos Industriais (2010 - 2016); General Manager - Angola Polishing Diamonds (2005 - 2010); Chairman - Sodiam Tel Aviv; Oil Trader - Sonangol LTD (1999 - 2003); Head of Department of Oil Market Analysis and Policies - Sonangol U.E.E (1992 - 1999); Assistant Professor - University Agostinho Neto (1991 - 1993); Computer programmer/analyst - Angola Central Bank (1982 - 1990)

University Degree in Economics, Specialty in Planning - University Agostinho Neto (1983 - 1989); Postgraduate Degree in Economic and Social Development - ISCTE Superior Institute, Lisbon (1990 - 1991); Master Degree in International Finance - University of Westminster, London (2000 - 2002)

Released several articles for Revista Energia from, with the publications focusing on oil and gas production (1999 - 2004)

Spoken languages: Portuguese and English

BRAULIO MOHAMMED SANDA MARTINS

PRESIDENT

ANGOLA - UAE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

President of Chamber of Commerce And Industry Angola-UAE; Al Azhar University (Egypt 2001- 2006); University Utanga of Angola - Computer Engineering 2008; University Lusiadas of Angola, Law school (2016) Bacharel; International Tv of Angola (TPA), IT system administrator and digital television system (11 years); Founder of Al-Furqan Angola (N.G.O), President; Board member of the Presidency of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Angola (FCCIA); Member of Angola-South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACIAAS); MBA at Portuguese Angola Business of Economic

Spoken languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English, Arabic and African

DR MARTIN LEAKE
SPECIAL ADVISOR - PRECIOUS STONES

DMCC

Dr Martin Leake is a Special Advisor for Precious Stones at DMCC. Appointed to the position in June 2018, Martin is responsible for expanding and diversifying DMCC’s Precious Stone portfolio and helping to grow Dubai into the number one diamond-trading hub in the world.

As Company Secretary of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), Martin focuses on driving trade to through the Exchange by forging, and strengthening commercial partnerships with stakeholders across the diamond industry, to improve governance, compliance and responsible sourcing. He also chairs the organising committee for DMCC’s flagship diamond event, the Dubai Diamond Conference (DDC).

With over 15 years of experience in marketing both rough and polished diamonds, Martin is an expert on the economics of diamond mining, and an internationally recognised exploration geologist in gold, diamonds, copper, iron ore and coal.

Prior to joining DMCC, Martin worked with BHP Billiton Diamonds Marketing and Grib Diamonds and has extensive experience in marketing, sales and business development. Across his career, Martin has lived and worked in 10 countries spanning Africa, Europe, Australia North and South America, and the Middle East.

Martin is a Board Member of the World Diamond Council, a member of the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

He holds a BSc (Hons) in Geology and a PhD in Exploration Geology from the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom.

MOHAMMED AL FALASI
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE – MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA – FREE ZONE

DMCC

Mohammed Al Falasi is the Regional Representative – Middle East & Africa at DMCC (Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre), appointed to the role in September 2020.

Prior to Current position Mohammed held many senior roles at DMCC such as Manager Government Services & Senior Manager Business Relations.

Serving on DMCC’s corporate Sales & business development team, Mohammed oversees the company’s free zone operations and commercial growth plan as the world’s leading trade and enterprise hub for commodities.

Mohammed drives relations, partnership & collaborations development, and manages the SME & large companies’ profiles. Contribute generating revenue & customer satisfaction levels and creating an optimum business environment for DMCC members to grow their enterprise.

With expertise in the fields of government relations, Corporate Sales, and Operations Management, Mohammed is an integral part of the organization’s successful transformation policy.

Prior to joining DMCC in 2006, Mohammed held senior positions at Dubai Police as chief of telecommunication since 1996. Mohammed earned a Bachelor of Business Administrations & Relations from the American University - School of Business.

SAMER MERHI
SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER - EVENTS

DMCC

Samer Merhi is the Senior Marketing Manager of Events at DMCC, the world’s leading Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise.

Joining DMCC in 2012, Samer is responsible for delivering the organisation’s event programme in line with corporate marketing strategy and business objectives.

Technically knowledgeable and professionally qualified, Samer forges strategic relationships with partners around the world to deliver an ever-growing DMCC calendar of events both physical and virtual.

In a career spanning 15 years, Samer has managed some of the region’s largest and high-profile live events and conferences, as well as diplomatic meetings and industry gatherings.