Past event summary

Agenda

Speakers

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.

H.E. AMBASSADOR MESGANU ARGA MOACH
STATE MINISTER

MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY OF ETHIOPIA

Upon graduation, H.E. Amb. Moach served as Desk Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, covering bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Somalia, Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti. He was then promoted to the International Organizations Department as Head of International Non-Governmental and Inter-Governmental Organizations.

Following this he was appointed as Deputy Mayor and Head of Addis Ababa City Government Information and Culture Bureau, Member of the City Cabinet. He was subsequently appointed as Director General for the Political Affairs Directorate and served as Head of Mission to the United Arab Emirates, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Special Envoy to the United Arab Emirates and to the State of Qatar.

Upon his return to Ethiopia, he served as Chief of Staff for the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and State Minister for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

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.

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.