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 2019 with over 17,500 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 2019, DMCC was named the ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record fifth 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 68 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.

CARLOS COSTA

DIRECTOR OF COMMODITIES

ED&F MAN

20 years of experience in risk management in the commodities market, leading businesses initiatives in Brazilian and Latin American markets.

MARCO BELLINATO
HEAD OF COFFEE

DMCC

Marco Bellinato is Head of Coffee at DMCC and was appointed to the role in December 2018.

Marco is responsible for growing DMCC’s coffee-related business and leads the operational management and commercial teams at the DMCC Coffee Centre.

With a wealth of experience in the coffee industry, Marco plays a pivotal role in shaping the world-class services on offer through the DMCC Coffee Centre and engaging with its growing number of local, regional and international members.

Marco’s expertise in coffee roasting, quality control, production and manufacturing are critical to the expansion plans of the DMCC Coffee Centre, and its wider vision to help transform Dubai into a new global hub for coffee.

Prior to joining DMCC, Marco was based in London and worked with one of the world’s largest coffee companies. He also successfully managed his own coffee business in his native Italy.

Marco is a qualified Q-Grader and holds a Coffee Diploma from the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA). He also has an educational background in surveying.

MARIA PAVANI

FOUNDER & OWNER

TRES MARIAS COFFEE

Maria Pavani is a Coffee Professional living in Dubai for 8 years. Founder & Owner of Tres Marias Coffee and presentative of Ally Coffee in the Middle East, Maria runs a DMCC trading company based out of the DMCC Coffee Centre, importing and exporting Roasted and Green Speciality Coffee Across the Middle East, together with training programs certified by the Coffee Quality Institute & Speciality Coffee Association to educate other coffee professionals in the region.

KHALED ALZIR

QUALITY MANAGER

WEJAR COFFEE

Khaled Alzir holds a BA in Economics and International Development from Damascus University and is Quality Manager of Wejar Coffee, specialized in supplying green coffee to MENA markets. Mr Alzir has been sourcing coffee directly with farmers and traders in Brazil during field trips to Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo States.

MOHAMMED MOHAMMED

SENIOR MANAGER - CORPORATE SALES

DMCC

Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed is a Senior Manager of Corporate Sales at DMCC, the world’s leading Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise.

Joining DMCC in 2014, Mohammed is responsible for promoting the benefits of doing business in Dubai and establishing a presence in DMCC.

Building strategic relationships is a key focus for Mohammed, and so too is engaging with local and international business communities at key industry events throughout the year.

With over 16 years of business development and corporate sales experience, Mohammed has worked alongside a number of senior figures in both the public and private sector of the United Arab Emirates.

Mohammed earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the American University in Emirates.