Faculty
Between 7-9 guest speakers from the industry join each Mustashar Accelerator program to share their insights and experiences with our participants. Below is a selection of the leaders who have participated as guest speakers during at least one of our previous cohorts, or who have joined us for one of our public events.
Dr. Annas Abedin
Co-Founder, Mustashar Accelerator Former Mckinsey
Main Faculty
Annas is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Navital Global, a global community of management consulting professionals (current and former, full-time and freelance) that aims to be the most effective and impactful career development platform globally for professionals who have a background in management consulting. Prior to co-founding Navital, he co-founded Makeen Advisors (a MENA focused network of independent consulting professionals), the Qimam Fellowship, Namshi, and the Middle East chapter of e-commerce company Rocket Internet. He was also an Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Company.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annasabedin/
Dr. Istvan Majoros
Managing Director, S.T.I.L. Consulting Former McKinsey
Main Faculty
Istvan is the Managing Director at STIL Consulting, offering bespoke consulting services in search, training, interim management, as well as talent strategy and development. His former roles include an Engagement Manager role at McKinsey & Company, a Principal role at global search firm EgonZehnder, a Senior Learning Manager role at McKinsey & Company, in addition to various other leadership roles in human capital development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/istv%C3%A1n-ajtony-majoros-ph-d-106547/
Dr. Cyrille Alheritiere
Independent Consultant, Former McKinsey and UBS
Main Faculty
Cyrille is a former consultant at McKinsey & Company. Subsequent to his consulting role, he held various leadership roles at UBS, incl. Head of Latin America Geneva, and COO of Wealth Management EMMEA. Today, he is an independent consultant and a professor at IFM Business School Geneva.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrille-alheritiere/
Shinez Chalabi
Head of Startups and VCs growth, Google Former McKinsey Consultant
Main Faculty
Shinez is an independent management consultant and trainer. She is a former Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company Middle East and former Head of Startups and VCs Growth at Google Middle East. She holds an MBA from the University of Oxford.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shinezchalabi/?originalSubdomain=ae
Dr. Khalid Alyahya
Chairman, Saudi Management Consultants Association
Guest Speaker
Dr. Khalid is a leading expert in Public Policy, Strategy, and Leadership with over 20 years of experience. He served as Deputy Secretary General for Economic Policies at the Saudi G20 and G20 Sous-Sherpa, and has led projects with various governments and international organizations including the Ministry of Finance, SAMA, SAGIA, Aramco in Saudi Arabia, entities in the UAE, OECD, UN, and World Bank. He is also currently Chairman of the Board at the Saudi Management Consultants Association. Prior to that, he held senior roles such as Managing Director at Accenture Strategy in MENA, MD at KPMG, Director of Public Policy at Dubai's Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, and Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. Dr. Khalid is a thought leader, public speaker, and member of several professional associations, with over 50 published works.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalid-alyahya-ph-d-mba-mpa-6808b1/
Hesham Rowaihy
Managing Partner, Pure Consulting
Guest Speaker
Hesham is a Managing Partner at Pure Consulting, leading the strategy consulting practice. He has 18+ years of experience and is responsible for delivering management consulting projects that require strategy, organizational development, and operational effectiveness. Prior to establishing Pure, Hesham worked for PwC, P&G, SEDCO, and Badir Program for ICT Incubators.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrowaihy/
Eng. AbdulRazzag AlAujan
Founding CEO, EXPRO
Guest Speaker
Eng. Abdulrazzag is the founding CEO of the Government Expenditure & Projects Efficiency Authority | هيئة كفاءة الإنفاق والمشروعات الحكومية (EXPRO ) since 2017. Prior to this, he was a partner at Elixir, one of the leading consulting firms in KSA, and held leadership roles in other organizations prior.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdulrazzagalaujan/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=sa
Abdulmohsen Alsalem
Chief Strategy Officer, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Guest Speaker
Abdulmohsen is the Chief Strategy officer at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, as well as an advisor and board member. Prior to his current role, Abdulmohsen was a Principal at The Boston Consulting Group, where he did strategy & transformational work in public and private sectors. He is also very interested in the intersection of technology and investments. He advises start-ups and VCs and is an angel investor.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdulmohsen-alsalem-a3886a34/
Khaled Alhinti
CEO, Center for Governance
Guest Speaker
Khaled is a seasoned corporate executive. His previous roles include CEO of fitness chain 9-Round KSA, CEO of Aqtab International, and Director of Strategy, Decision Support and Corporate Governance at Saudi Entertainment Ventures. Prior to this, he spent several years as a consultant at McKinsey & Company KSA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-alhinti/
Razan Alayed
Advisor, Ministry of Culture
Guest Speaker
Razan is an Advisor at the Ministry of Culture and she previously served as a General Manager for Projects and Delivery. Prior to this, she was Director of Policy and Delivery at the Secretariat of the Education and Human Resources Council in the UAE. She started her career in management consulting where she held multiple roles with McKinsey & Company as Engagement Manager and with Booz & Company (now Strategy&) as Consultant.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/razan-alayed-6a399634/
Ali Alballaa
CEO, Saudi Azm
Guest Speaker
Ali Alballaa is co-founder and CEO of Saudi Azm, one of the leading consulting firms in KSA. Founded more than five years ago, Saudi Azm counts many leading public and private sector organizations as its clients, incl. NEOM, Misk, Riyad Bank, AlRajhi Bank, and many Ministries in KSA. Saudi Azm’s service portfolio includes IT Consulting, Executive Consulting, Human Resources, as well as development and operation of Fintech applications.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-alballaa-4875a4147/
Ageel Alshaibani
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Tourism
Guest Speaker
Ageel has been Chief Strategy Officer of the Misk Foundation in KSA since 2020. Prior to taking on this role, he was an Associate Partner with McKinsey & Company in Riyadh, and held additional prior consulting roles with Elixir and Charles River Associates. In addition to his current role leading strategy at Misk, he also served as an Advisor at the Ministry of Health. He has extensive experience in strategy, transformation, and youth empowerment.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ageel-alshaibani-92048911/
Philipp Marquardt
Director, AlixPartners
Guest Speaker
Philip is a Partner at AlixPartners, leading the M&A and value creation projects for corporates and investors across various sectors in the Middle East. He has 16+ years of professional experience, and has developed a strong expertise in M&A (portfolio review, due diligence, pre/post-merger integration, carve-out/exit/sale) and Value Creation (EBITDA improvement, SG&A/COGS reduction, corporate transformation, operating models, shared services).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippmarquardt/
Seif Sammakieh
Partner & Riyadh Office Leader, Oliver Wyman
Guest Speaker
Seif has been a Partner at Oliver Wyman KSA since 2020. He began his career in investment banking, spending about 10 years in the industry. Seeking a more meaningful career, Seif embarked on a journey to find work with a broader purpose and a lasting social impact.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seif-sammakieh-99a94019/?originalSubdomain=sa
Kris Wadia
Former Managing Director, Accenture
Guest Speaker
Kris Wadia is a global senior executive and board director with over 30 years of experience and a proven track record of successful business launches, rapid growth, and operational transformation at speed and scale across 73 countries and multiple industries. Prior to that, Kris served as Partner over a 16 year career with Accenture, leading multi-cultural teams across multi-industry projects.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriswadia/?originalSubdomain=ae
Tom O’Brien
Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Guest Speaker
Thomas has been a managing director at FTI consulting since 2019. He has almost 35 years of experience throughout different leadership roles in construction claims, project management and project controls across various sectors such as: power, oil & gas infrastructure, petro-chemical industries, and commercial construction.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-o-brien-00658653/
Ryan Alnesayan
Partner, Arthur D. Little
Guest Speaker
Ryan is a Partner with Arthur D. Little Middle-East and a member of the Global Strategy & Organization Practice. He leads Arthur D. Little’s Riyadh office and their Public Sector Practice in Saudi Arabia. Ryan has 14+ years of consulting experience in the MESEA region based out of Riyadh, Dubai, and Singapore. He advises clients across multiple industries with a focus on strategic planning, governance, organization restructuring, performance management, and large-scale transformation programs.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanalnesayan/
Khalid Shakhshir
Managing Partner, Pure Consulting
Guest Speaker
Khalid is a Managing Partner overseeing Pure Consulting operations, ensuring the delivery of high value consulting services to clients. He has 20+ years of experience with proven track record in marketing, communication, and business sustainability. Prior to establishing Pure, Khalid worked for Unilever and Saudi ARAMCO.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalidshak/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=sa
Anas Safi
Managing Partner, Pure Consulting
Guest Speaker
Anas is a Managing Partner leading the marketing and communication consulting practice at Pure Consulting. He has +16 years of experience in marketing, branding, communication with track record of leading strategic projects for both private and public sector organizations. Prior to establishing Pure, Anas worked for Unilever and AlSafiDanone.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anas-al-safi-8aa1a16/?originalSubdomain=sa
Abdulaziz Thahen
Partner and General Manager, Kearney KSA
Guest Speaker
Abdulaziz is a Partner and Country Manager at Kearney. He leads the firm’s first major office in the capital, Riyadh, and is designing new offerings for its growing economy. He has also served as the Executive Director of the Strategy Sector at Saudi Arabia’s center of government, one of the key central planning entities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdulaziz-r-thahen-a4513145/
Saad Hammam
Managing Director, Horváth & Partners
Guest Speaker
Saad is a Managing Director at Horváth & Partners specializing in strategic growth and business development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saad-hamam-41678627/?trk=public_post_main-feed-card_reshare-text&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=ae
Abdullah Taha
Managing Partner, TAM
Guest Speaker
Abdullah has been a Managing Partner at TAM since 2019. Prior to that, he had more than 10 years of experience working as a Senior Partner and Vice President at Elixir and Mckinsey & Company. He also held different leadership roles across different ministries in KSA.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ataha?originalSubdomain=sa
Jordan Belt
Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition - Consulting, PwC
Guest Speaker
Jordan is the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at PwC Middle East. He is responsible for designing and delivering PwC’s talent acquisition strategy, from campus hires to senior hires across the region. He is an HR professional with over 10 years of experience, including 6 years of international experience in the US, MENA, and APAC regions.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanotho/
Elizabeth Williamson
Director Recruiting, Bain & Company
Guest Speaker
Elizabeth is the Director of Recruiting at Bain & Company Middle East. She has had a long career in talent acquisition for many leading organizations, not only in the Middle East but also in various other parts of the world.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethwilliamson1/
Ahmed Alawaji
Vice President, PIF
Guest Speaker
Ahmed is a Vice President at the Public Investment Fund in KSA, focusing on MENA Direct Investments. Prior to joining PIF, he was a Director at the Human Capability Development Program, where he led SAR 100Bn national program design & development with 80+ projects in the education sector. He was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company for two years, and held additional roles at SAP and Oracle.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alawaji/
Qasim Khan
Talent Acquisition Senior Professional, Alix Partners
Guest Speaker
Qasim Khan is a seasoned Talent Acquisition Senior Professional at AlixPartners, a global firm renowned for its swift and decisive response to critical business challenges. With expertise in urgent performance improvement, transformation, and risk mitigation, Qasim excels in navigating complex situations with an action-oriented approach.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/qasim-khan-1717b816b/?originalSubdomain=ae
Lars Mattis
Managing Consultant, Horváth & Partners
Guest Speaker
Lars is a senior strategy and management consultant at Horváth & Partners with multiple years of experience in managing and delivering successful and value creating projects across Europe and the Middle East, supporting clients in developing and implementing strategies, post-merger integrations, transformation and digitization programs, as well as anchoring ESG and sustainability within organizations.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lars-mattis/?originalSubdomain=ae
Adrian Castillero
Independent Consultant, Former BCG
Guest Speaker
Adrian is a highly regarded Strategy and Digital Advisor with extensive experience in data analysis, trend analysis, and timely recommendations. His consulting experience includes more than 10 years in various roles at The Boston Consulting Group and Accenture. Adrian has proven expertise in problem-solving, communication, and driving transformations for success. Additionally, he serves as an Associate Professor at IE Business School, specializing in Digital and Business Transformation, Innovation Management, RPA, Customer Experience, Cloud, Agile Business Transformation, Change Management, Business Continuity, Enterprise Security, and Cryptography. Adrian has been based in the Middle East since 2010.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancastillero/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=ae
Ismail Alani
Partner, KPMG KSA
Guest Speaker
Ismail leads the Government and Public Sector practice in KPMG in Saudi Arabia. With around 20 years of experience in program management, management consulting and transformation, he is a trusted advisor to senior government officials. He successfully participated in designing and leading several influential projects within the framework of Vision 2030 and its realization programs. Before rejoining KPMG in 2014, Ismail held various management positions in leading organizations including Microsoft and Accenture - and also ran his own digital marketing agency. From consulting to blue-chip execution on the industry side across the region, Ismail’s experience is broad and diverse.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ismail-alani-74b6223/
Mario Zeidan
Senior Vice President, Alix Partners
Guest Speaker
Mario has been a Vice President at Alix Partner since 2020. Prior to that, he had several years of experience working as an Engineer in the Oil & Gas industry before switching his career to consulting.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariozeidan/?originalSubdomain=ae
Anwar Janbi
Founder, Anwar Janbi Consultancy
Guest Speaker
Anwar Janbi is the founder of Anwar Janbi Consultancy. He is a dynamic professional with a passion for innovation and strategic leadership. With extensive experience in business development, project management, and team leadership, Anwar excels in driving growth and delivering results. Anwar's expertise lies in fostering strong client relationships and implementing effective strategies for success.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anwarjanbi/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=sa
Marwan Aljahani
CEO, Transform
Guest Speaker
Marwan Aljahani is the CEO of Transform, a local consulting firm aimed at supporting organizations in transformational growth journeys. Marwan's previous roles include Managing Partner - KSA at ShiftIN, Partner at Sia Partners, Board Member at Entrepreneurs' Organization, Riyadh Chapter, and Change Management & Learning Manager at SABIC. Marwan has also served as the Co-Active Leadership Program Leader at the Co-Active Training Institute, and as an Affiliate, Facilitator, and Executive Coach at McKinsey & Company. Additionally, Marwan has worked as Leadership Faculty and Executive Coach at the Center for Creative Leadership.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marwan-aljahani-0b82591a/?originalSubdomain=sa
Dr. Akram Awad
Partner, BCG
Guest Speaker
Akram Awad is a core member of BCG's Public Sector and Technology Advantage practices with over ten years of experience in consulting, telecommunications, and technology. He is an expert on artificial intelligence, big data and analytics, digital transformation, and innovation management; and has worked with clients from around the world, primarily in the public sector and technology, media, and telecommunications industries. Akram has advised public sector leaders in the Middle East on unlocking the value of national data through AI to advance economies and societies. He has led the development and activation of national data and AI agendas and tech-focused innovation strategies, and championed a number of global initiatives focusing on human-centric AI.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/akramawad?originalSubdomain=sa
Jawad Abdulsamad
Chief Strategy Officer, Misk Foundation
Guest Speaker
Jawad is the Chief Strategy Officer at Misk Foundation, focusing on strategy and delivery management for the foundation and its subsidiaries. Prior to this, he was a Partner at Bain Middle East, affiliated with the Advanced Manufacturing, Sustainability and Digital practices. He has a special interest in sustainable cities, investment attraction, human capital development and advanced industries.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jawad-abdulsamad-125b38b/
Saad Abujubara
CEO & Managing Partner, Impact Partners
Guest Speaker
Saad is the CEO & Managing Partner at Impact Partners, a leading local consulting firm. He is an expert in management, strategic planning, initiative implementation, operational excellence, spending efficiency, and change management. He has worked on numerous projects in various fields within both the public and private sectors. He started his career in management consulting with McKinsey & Company as an Engagement Manager and with Elixir as a Consultant.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saadsa/
Syham Touahria
Talent Acquisition Leader, Arthur D. Little
Guest Speaker
Syham is the Talent Acquisition Leader for Arthur D Little in the MENA region. Prior to joining ADL, she was a Recruiting Manager at McKinsey & Company and The Boston Consulting Group.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/syham-touahria-725365118/
Michael Mamish
Senior Client Partner, Korn Ferry
Guest Speaker
Michael is a Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry. He has been providing Management Consulting, HR consulting , change management and communication support for 27 years in North America, Western Europe, MENA, and Asia Pacific. He brings a deep functional expertise in organization and business operating model design, large-scale business transformation, human capital management, HR strategy, corporate culture and transition management. His expertise in healthcare is built on providing practical solutions to healthcare delivery management problems across the value chain for healthcare delivery. In addition Michael has delivered and lead projects in other sectors including government and public services, the finance and banking, defense and aerospace, and automotive.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmamish/?originalSubdomain=sa
Hanan Alowain
Partner, KPMG
Guest Speaker
Hanan is the Vice Chair Woman of the Board at the Saudi Management Consultants Association and a founding member. She is a Global Lead Partner at KPMG and is based in Riyadh. She is an accomplished business leader with demonstrated successes driving organizational growth and leading transformation projects through strategic planning, innovation, concept design and project management.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanan-alowain?originalSubdomain=sa
Hashem Daghestani
Senior Director, PwC
Guest Speaker
Hashem is a Senior Director at PwC Middle East, based in Riyadh. Prior to joining PwC, Hashem held various leadership roles, including Vice President at Mahd Academy, Deputy Director General and Board Member at the Leadership Institute of the Ministry of Sports, and Director and General Manager at Monshaat.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hashem-daghestani/?originalSubdomain=sa
Gawel Adamek
Director, Alix Partners
Guest Speaker
Gawel is a Director at Alix Partners. He is passionate about supporting growth and improving performance across retail and consumer products, with over 12 years of track record. Gawel’s expertise covers the areas of growth strategies, transformation, restructuring, operating model design and investment strategies, with experience across Europe and the MENA Region.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaweladamekb9a93a3b/
Joy Sharma
Founder & CEO, EZ Works
Guest Speaker
Joy Sharma, is the founder of EZ, a full-service capability center serving 200+ client organizations across the world. With a background in management consulting, Joy brings deep industry expertise in streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity. A passionate builder, innovator, and engineer by education, he has led EZ to build and integrate AI into every aspect of the business. This proprietary technology can now be harnessed by all EZ clients under ai.EZ. His journey from consulting to entrepreneurship reflects a bold vision of empowering businesses with smarter, faster, and more effective solutions.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-sharma-165309197/?originalSubdomain=ae
Abdulelah Albarrak
Partner, Oliver Wyman
Guest Speaker
Abdulelah is a partner at Oliver Wyman's Government and Public Institutions Practice and the leader of the Riyadh office. Prior to joining Oliver Wyman, Abdulelah was the managing director and partner for a consulting firm in Saudi Arabia. He finds great satisfaction in contributing to the transformation agenda of Saudi Arabia through his work in strategy consulting. During his student years, Abdulelah played a pivotal role in founding and managing a startup that specialized in short-term and seasonal recruitment services. He has also successfully orchestrated several fundraising rounds for non-profit technology and educational initiatives.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/albarrak/?originalSubdomain=sa
Ghinwa Jaafar
Senior Recruiting Manager, Bain & Company
Guest Speaker
Ghinwa is Senior Recruiting Manager at Bain & Company Middle East. She also has over 15 years of experience in talent acquisition for many leading organizations across various industries, including healthcare, retail, and telecommunications. She holds an MBA and is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghinwa-jaafar-phr-mba-06b53923?originalSubdomain=ae
Jasdeep Batra
Senior Vice President, AlixPartners
Guest Speaker
Jasdeep is a Senior Vice President at Alix partners working as a strategy & transformation expert with over 12 years of TMT experience. Jasdeep’s expertise covers the areas of strategic marketing, strategic partnerships and business development, business transformation, delivering complex 'CXO agenda' projects, and building successful teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasdeepbatra?originalSubdomain=ae
Lian Alyamani
Senior Consultant, Oliver Wyman
Guest Speaker
Lian is a Senior Consultant at Oliver Wyman's Riyadh office, bringing a strong analytical mindset and a passion for solving complex challenges. She has worked across multiple industries, supporting public and private sector clients in developing transformative strategies and driving sustainable growth.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lian-alyamani-4928aa1a4/?originalSubdomain=sa
Rhea Karaki
Senior Recruiting Coordinator, Oliver Wyman
Guest Speaker
Rhea is a Senior Recruiting Coordinator at Oliver Wyman, playing a key role in attracting and securing top talent for the firm.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rheakaraki/?originalSubdomain=ae
Sarah Alkhaldi
Senior Recruiter, Mckinsey
Guest Speaker
