Zyad Khan is a distinguished Chartered Procurement and Sustainability Leader with over 25 years of international experience driving strategic, value-centric, and ESG-driven procurement transformations across aviation, government, corporate, and large-scale events. A Practicing Fellow of CIPS (FCIPS), CPPM-certified and UNITAR-certified in Environmental SDGs, Zyad is recognized among the Top 50 Procurement Leaders in the MENA region and is a leading voice shaping the future of procurement.
His career spans pivotal roles at Emirates Airlines, the Private Office of the Ruler of Dubai, and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), where he serves as Associate Director of Procurement & Contracts. At DWTC, he has transformed procurement from a transactional function into a strategic, value-generating partner, overseeing multi-category portfolios including IT, facilities, FMCG, hospitality and events. He played a key role in landmark initiatives such as Expo 2020 Dubai and COP28, while embedding sustainable procurement roadmaps aligned with Dubai Vision 2030.
Zyad’s leadership combines commercial acumen, governance, supplier relationship excellence, and ESG integration. He is a sought-after speaker, trainer, and mentor, delivering executive programs for ADNOC and DWTC, mentoring postgraduate students at Heriot-Watt University and contributing to CIPS thought leadership. His work spans national priorities, including food security and in-country value initiatives and he has partnered with leading consulting firms such as Kloepfel Consulting and The Procurement Channel.
His achievements have earned accolades including Agile Procurement Champion of the Year, Pioneer in Sustainable Procurement Practices (2025) and regional commendations for transformative impact.
Grounded in authenticity and purpose, Zyad advocates for procurement that balances People, Planet, and Profit, driving innovation, resilience, and measurable long-term value across supply ecosystems.
Dr Christina SS Ooi currently serves as a Board Member of the Regional Board of Malaysia for Chartered Management Institute (CMI), UK's only chartered professional body for manager accreditation. She also serves as a Council Member for the Malaysia Independent Non-Executive Directors Association (MINED), and is an Adjunct Lecturer with Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) in Malaysia. A criminal lawyer by training, this former Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for Asia Pacific (APAC) with diverse industry experience is also an international speaker, mentor, published author, thought leader, 2024 LinkedIn Top Voice for Career Management, People Management, Communications Management, Negotiation, Executive Management, and Leadership.
An acknowledged expert in her field, she brings with her 33 years of corporate senior management experience in key leadership positions across the APAC region, notably in procurement transformation. Her professional experience has been with two global organizations for 22 years, and 11 years in Government-linked companies of Corporate Malaysia. With her expertise in a diverse range of industries under her belt ranging from technology, telecommunications, aviation, agribusiness, to industrial gases, she and her teams won awards, accolades and esteemed recognition from procurement fraternities, both globally and in the APAC region.
Sam is a senior executive with extensive experience across Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa. He has held senior roles for organisations such as Land Securities in the UK, Abu Dhabi Municipality in the Middle East and MTN across Africa. He also holds various non executive board director roles, for entities such as the British Business Group (Dubai).
An active member of the procurement and supply chain fraternity and a LinkedIn© Top Voice, Sam is currently Regional Director of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) for the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pac Region.
He holds a Masters Degree in International Procurement from the University of Glamorgan in the UK, MSc in Facilities Management from the University of Westminster (UK) and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply. He is also an alumnus of the Oxford University Business School.
Sam is a regular speaker at industry events and an advocate for professional standards in supply chain, innovation, strategy and sustainable business practices.
Ahmed Raafat, MRICS, MCIPS is Head of Procurement & Supply Chain at A.R.M. Holding, bringing more than two decades of UAE experience across real estate, development, and infrastructure.
He leads strategic procurement, commercial governance and supply chain transformation across complex development and asset portfolios, with a strong focus on turning procurement from a transactional function into a driver of business value, resilience, and better real estate outcomes.
A Chartered Member of RICS and CIPS, with an MSc in Supply Chain & Logistics, Ahmed is passionate about procurement leadership, market intelligence, supplier strategy, digital transformation, and the future of the profession.
Matteo serves as Chief Procurement Officer in Bulgari, based in Rome.
He has about 20 years of experience in a wide range of industries and functions in Europe, the Middle East, US and Australia.
He started his career in consultancy and afterward he has held leadership role in international companies such as Vodafone, WeBuild, Generali, i-Faber UniCredit, directing international projects to reorganize and transform their Procurement and Supply Chain into best-in-class organizations by applying innovation and digitalization.
Advisor for Harvard Business Review and expert in new technologies, he advocates for holistic and digitally integrated procurement solutions, whilst emphasizing the transformative impact of procurement not only on business efficiency and profitability but also on community development and environmental sustainability.
Matteo holds a master’s degree in engineering from the Polytechnic of Milan and an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid.
Procurement and supply chain professional with extensive experience across higher education, purchasing, vendor management, logistics, sourcing, negotiation, and commercial operations. Currently serving as Procurement Manager at the American University in Cairo (AUC), with a strong background in managing end-to-end procurement activities, competitive sourcing, RFP/RFQ processes, supplier negotiations, purchase orders and contracts, budget control, stakeholder coordination, and procurement compliance. Experienced in SAP and Ariba environments, with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities, resolve complex purchasing issues, and build effective relationships with internal clients and suppliers.
Manuel Guenzel is the CEO of Guenzel Consulting GmbH, headquartered in Munich. Since 2008, he has contributed his expertise in procurement, supplier development, and process management within an international environment. His motivation lies in developing and implementing best‑practice approaches with companies from diverse industries and cultures. Interaction with people is especially important to him — because even in times of globalization and digitalization, the human factor remains the key driver of success in his view.
From 2008 to 2013, Manuel worked for a hidden champion as a project procurement manager, overseeing projects in the renewable energy sector as well as global sourcing markets in the Asia-Pacific and NAFTA regions. He also spent an extended period in China. Since 2013, he has been active as CEO of Günzel Consulting GmbH in the MENA and EU regions.
Hossam is a motivated Business, Strategic Procurement & Supply Chain professional with more than 20 years of experience in international business, strategic procurement activities, product management, business development, strategy, and business planning. He has delivered more than 6,000 hours of professional training. Hossam has a BSc in Telecom Engineering, MBA and Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) from AASTMT. He is currently employed with one of Egypt's telecom integrated service providers as Senior Manager, Vendor Management.
He is an adjunct professor at the American University in Cairo (AUC), School of Continuing Education. He is passionate about sharing his experience in international business, procurement, and the supply chain by serving as an adjunct professor at the AASTMT College of International Transport and Logistics, the International Transport and Logistics Institute, and the College of Management & Technology.
Hossam previously held the capacities of Contracts Manager at e& , Group Strategic Supply Planning Manager, and Procurement Category Manager at VEON.
Hossam is one of the first Egyptians to receive the fellowship status of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).
Hossam is currently a member of Education and Research Practitioner Board (ERPB) and CIPS Direct Associate.
Monther Shams is a seasoned procurement and supply chain professional with extensive experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, negotiation, P2P transformation and e-procurement. His career includes more than a decade with Sanofi and GSK, and experience supporting major manufacturing and procurement transformation initiatives in Saudi Arabia. Now he is the procurement and supply chain head in a semi-governmental Saudi organisation.
Strategic Procurement Leader & Coach with 17 years of experience in Procurement across pharmaceutical, healthcare, FMCG, Construction. Proven expertise in
procurement transformation, Dispute resolution, digital platforms, 8 Digits P/L Value creation, Team Coaching, contract negotiation, supplier relationship
management , risk management and S2P optimization. Skilled in leading global,
regional teams and driving significant business value.
Dr. Mirna Fouad is a Procurement Lead at Servier Egypt and a licensed pharmacist holding of Bachelor of Pharmacy and Biotechnology from the German University in Cairo (GUC). She has built a distinguished career at the intersection of pharmaceutical operations, strategic sourcing, and sustainable business practices.
Throughout her career, she has led cross-functional collaborations, managed strategic supplier relationships, negotiated complex
commercial agreements, and driven procurement transformation
initiatives that enhance efficiency, resilience, and innovation.
Kristina Mutic is a global strategic sourcing and procurement leader with 14+ years of experience transforming procurement into a strategic business partner. She has led complex IT, professional services, cloud, AI, infrastructure, CAPEX and indirect sourcing programs across Fortune 500 and global organizations. Known for translating strategy into practical results, Kristina brings an operator's perspective to procurement transformation, supplier innovation, stakeholder partnership and the responsible adoption of AI.
Procurement wasn't how I started my career. In fact, I started my post-university career as a Technical Support Engineer. After some time, the Head of HR invited me to manage the purchasing for the IT department due to my high performance. This is where my journey started, and I have loved every moment. As a result of this newfound passion, I returned to higher education and completed an MBA in 2010 and MCIPS in 2013 to seek new knowledge and strengthen my position in procurement.
𝐓𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠:
Responsible for over AED 1 billion of spending and over AED 100 million year-on-year savings on TCO, contributing to P&L efficiencies.
Establishing an award-winning SRM model for DHAM.
Acting Head of Procurement (DHAM) optimizing resources and exceeding SLAs and KPIs
Contributing written publications to industry-leading journals and participated in industry conferences
Every day is different in procurement, which is one reason I love my job. Interacting with stakeholders and working to solve their supply challenges drives me. Overcoming barriers and finding solutions to benefit all stakeholders gives a sense of satisfaction.
𝐌𝐲 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲. How is that related to my career? I can achieve this by heading a global procurement function that drives sustainability in the supply chain, cognisant of the environment, and contributes to enriching people's lives, especially among communities in developing countries.
I spent years inside FTSE 100 procurement at Reckitt and Smith+Nephew, negotiating with distributors, manufacturers and contract manufacturing organisations.
I know how suppliers build their pricing, where additional margin hides and what they will concede when challenged with evidence and commercial leverage.
I have also sat in the owner’s chair.
I helped scale a powersports distributor from £2 million to £15 million turnover. I understand what it feels like when every supplier invoice comes directly from money you have worked hard to earn.
At Mavenbridge Consulting, I help product-based SME owners, including manufacturers, distributors and importers, recover that margin without employing a full-time procurement team.
My work combines:
• Spend analysis
• Strategic sourcing
• Supplier and price negotiation
• Contract review
• Break clause and renewal controls
Across my career, I have identified or delivered more than £10 million in cost reductions.
The aim is not simply to negotiate a temporary discount. It is to build commercial control so the savings continue after the engagement ends.
If I review your supplier contracts and spend data but find nothing worth acting on, you do not pay.
Message me or book a 30-minute supplier review using the link at the top of my profile.
You have already earned the revenue. Let’s stop unnecessary supplier costs taking the margin.
Agentic AI is moving organisations beyond tools that simply assist, to systems that can plan, act and make decisions with increasing autonomy. This creates new commercial and governance risks that traditional technology contracts were not designed to manage. This session will explore what procurement leaders need to consider before buying agentic AI, including authority, accountability, data access, supplier dependency, human oversight, prompt injection, model change and exit. The focus will be practical: how to embrace the opportunity without losing control. About The Speaker Bola Soko is a senior commercial and procurement leader with over 24 years’ experience across government, healthcare, financial services, transport and major transformation programmes. She specialises in digital procurement, AI adoption and AI governance, with a particular focus on the commercial risks created by agentic AI. Bola is MCIPS qualified, holds an LLB and an MSc in Data Analytics and Operations Management, and has completed the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme. She is also a regular speaker on AI, procurement and responsible technology adoption.
I am a Procurement Manager with over 10 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supplier development, and supply chain operations across the UAE and KSA.
• Managed procurement for high-value retail fit-out brands and construction projects.
• Led supplier onboarding, category management, commercial negotiations, and contract
management.
• Delivered cost optimization and procurement process improvement initiatives.
• Passionate about Artificial Intelligence and its application in procurement and supply chain
management.
• Actively explore AI for supplier evaluation, spend analysis, process automation, risk
management, and decision-making.
• Believe AI should augment procurement professionals, enabling faster, smarter, and data-
driven decisions.
Why I Want to Speak
I would like to speak because I believe procurement is entering a new era where AI will
fundamentally change the way we work. My goal is to share practical experiences and demonstrate how procurement professionals can start leveraging AI today.
• Show practical AI use cases that procurement teams can implement immediately.
• Bridge the gap between traditional procurement and digital transformation.
• Inspire professionals to embrace AI as a productivity enabler rather than a replacement.
What I Would Like to Talk About
• How AI is transforming procurement and supply chain management.
• AI-powered supplier sourcing and evaluation.
• Automating RFQs, contract reviews, and procurement documentation.
• Using AI for spend analytics, risk management, and strategic decision-making. • Preparing procurement teams for the future of work.
''Ahmed Abdellatif is a Procurement and Supply Chain professional with 12+ years of experience across multinational organizations, major projects, and complex MENA environments. He has led strategic procurement, sourcing, supplier management, tendering, and procurement transformation initiatives across industries including construction, EPC/EPCI, IT and digital procurement, MRO, chemicals, and major infrastructure projects.
Ahmed has managed high-value procurement portfolios and delivered measurable results through strategic sourcing, negotiation, cost optimization, supplier relationship management, and process improvement. His experience includes supporting major projects such as NEOM and ZOHR, managing procurement packages exceeding SAR 400 million, and delivering significant savings through strategic sourcing and negotiations.
He holds an MBA in Global Management, PMP certification, and a CIPS Diploma, and is experienced with leading procurement and digital platforms including Oracle, SAP, Ariba, GEP, and Sirion. He also works as a procurement and supply chain instructor and independent consultant, bringing a practical, results-driven perspective to procurement transformation, supplier management, and supply chain performance''
Experienced in strategic procurement and sourcing with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry; seasoned professional with 20+ years of commercial procurement and contract management experience in various sectors (Construction, Facility Management, Retail, Food and Beverage, Administration, IT, FF&E, and Marketing).
I have a verifiable history of contributing directly to company success throughout my career. As such, I have consistently exceeded cost and performance goals, and I am adept at achieving maximum operational output with minimal resource expenditure.
I liaise with senior leadership, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to ensure the organization’s procurement support structure is driving the business forward with minimal expenditures.
More than 20 years of experience as a procurement & operations director (MISR ITALIA Properties & TALAAT MOUSRAFA group ) with enormous exposure to all disciplines, such as :
procurement commercial management
ERP system (SAP/MM)_business owner
Supplier Relationship Management
financial reporting & control
warehouse management
contract management
Business Strategy
Team Leadership
market research
A CEO and Business Architect with 20+ years of experience leading companies across Egypt, KSA, and the UK. Specializes in aligning technology, people, and management practices to drive digital transformation, operational excellence, and scalable business growth.
Holds a DBA from the German University in Cairo and an MBA from the University of Cumbria, UK, alongside international certifications in enterprise architecture, project management, IT governance, and Agile methodologies.
Passionate about simplifying complex technology and understanding how human behavior shapes organizational performance.
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