Please download the Conference Program to read more about the speakers and panels that were featured in the 2007 Boston conference.     Keynote Speakers   Opening Address Mohamed A. El-Erian: President and CEO of Harvard Management Company   Afternoon Keynote Address Ambassador Aziz Mekouar: Ambassador of Morocco to the United States – Washington , DC       Panels and Speakers The conference featured four panels: Panel I: After Iraq : the Shifting Balance of Powers Panel II: The Economic Revitalization of the Middle East Panel III: Social Development Momentum across the Region Panel IV: Case Studies in Change Panel I: After Iraq : the Shifting Balance of Powers As the US reassesses its strategy in Iraq, sweeping changes are occurring throughout the region. The effects of civil strife are felt from Lebanon and Syria to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The panel summarized the latest political developments in Iraq and sketched the consequences of the Iraq invasion regarding: the shifting balance of powers among the main players in the region; sectarian tensions and the changing Sunni-Shia relationship; the rising role of Islam in politics. Speakers: Edward Wong: New York Times Correspondent Dr. Toby Jones:   Assistant Professor, Department of History, Swarthmore College – Swarthmore , PA Dr. Mohsen Milani: Professor of Politics and Chair of the Department of Government and International Affairs, University of South Florida – Tampa , FL   Panel II: The Economic Revitalization of the Middle East Despite political uncertainty, many Middle Eastern economies have experienced unprecedented periods of economic growth, due largely to high oil prices, the repatriation of capital since September 11th, and incentives designed to attract greater foreign investment. This panel assessed the intraregional nature of this growth, including the expansion of Middle Eastern companies, increased trade and capital flows, and visionary economic development initiatives. Speakers: Saeed Al Muntafiq: Chairman, Tatweer and Chairman, Young Arab Leaders – Dubai , UAE Samir N. Hanna: CEO, Bank Audi sal - Audi-Saradar Group Dr. Jean-Francois Seznec: Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University   Panel III: Social Development Momentum across the Region Against a backdrop of political and economic change, the region’s social development agenda has taken center stage. As government leaders seek to reform the delivery of social services such as education and health care, they are looking to quickly prioritize key issues and implement new solutions. This panel was seeking to understand what is top-of-mind for the region’s policymakers and what current reform efforts mean for the next generation. Speakers: Dr. Azza Karim: Senior Policy Research Adviser, United Nations Development Programme - Regional Bureau for Arab States Dr. Mona Mourshed: Partner, McKinsey & Company’s Middle East Office – Dubai , UAE Panel IV: Case Studies in Change Change does not happen by itself; it is often prompted by individual initiative. This panel highlighted individual stories behind the rapidly changing Middle East . Two exemplary initiatives are explored:   Case Study 1 presented by: Mariam Al-Foudery: Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Agility Logistics, Kuwait City, Kuwait   Agility, formerly PWC Logistics, is a global provider of integrated supply chain solutions with more than 20,000 employees, 450 offices in 100 countries around the world and over $4.5 billion in annual revenue. With corporate headquarters in Kuwait , Agility is also an example of rapid private sector growth in the Middle East region. In the last few years, Agility has scaled-up its community involvement commitments, using its expeditionary logistics capabilities to offer pro bono support in humanitarian crisis situations worldwide. In 2006, Agility responded to the Lebanon crisis, the Indonesian earthquake, and the typhoon in the Philippines . Mariam Al-Foudery discusses her role in spearheading Agility’s corporate social responsibility program and the impact such programs can have throughout the region.       Case Study 2 presented by: Michael Hager: President, The Education for Employment Foundation, Washington, DC   The Education for Employment Foundation (EFE), founded in December 2002, partners with employers to create job opportunities for young people through career training in vocational, technical and managerial skills, helping Muslim countries address the growing problem of youth unemployment.  Today, EFE has programs in place in Gaza, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, and Indonesia. Ronald Bruder, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, shares his vision and aspirations for EFE, its achievements to date, and the challenges that it faces in implementing its vision.   Speaker Biographies: Mariam Al-Foudery manages the corporate social responsibility program for Agility, a global provider of integrated supply chain solutions with more than 20,000 employees, 450 offices in 100 countries around the world and over $4.5 billion in annual revenue. Her work involves encouraging employees to act as social as well as business leaders, managing humanitarian partnerships, and leading the Humanitarian and Emergency Logistics Program (HELP), a pro bono initiative that brings Agility’s expeditionary logistics expertise to international disaster response operations around the world.   Mariam Al-Foudery joined Agility in 2005 after a career in international development. Her professional experience includes expanding and managing a microfinance program in low-income neighborhoods in Cairo, Egypt for the Association for the Development and Enhancement of Women (ADEW); acting as the lead United Nations Development Program (UNDP) consultant in the reorganization of an income-generating project targeting 15,000 women welfare recipients in Kuwait; and working as a microfinance researcher in rural India for the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Bank. Mariam has also managed a multi-million dollar portfolio of Iraqi political capacity-building projects for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Washington, DC, and worked as a consultant for Care International on post-conflict urban governance issues.   Mariam holds a M.Sc. in Development Management from the Faculty of Economics at the London School of Economics, and a M.A. in Communication and B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University.     Saeed Al Muntafiq is the Chairman of Tatweer and the Chairman of Young Arab Leaders.   Born in Dubai in 1966, Saeed Al Muntafiq graduated from Schiller International University – UK , with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations, and Minor in Psychology. He also attended the Program Management Development at Harvard Business School in USA.   Saeed is the Chairman of Tatweer, launched in June 2005, a member of Dubai Holding, one of the largest and fastest growing conglomerates in the region. Tatweer owns and manages Dubai Healthcare City, the region's hub for world-class quality healthcare services; Dubailand, the upcoming biggest leisure, entertainment and tourism destination in the world; Dubai IndustrialCity, an industrial township to develop Dubai as a leading manufacturing hub; The Tiger Woods Dubai, the first golf course and resort designed by Tiger Woods; Bawadi, the world’s leading hospitality and entertainment project bringing 31 hotels and more than 29,000 hotel rooms; Dubai Energy, investing in regional and global energy opportunities and building a diversified investment portfolio; Dubai Mercantile Exchange, the first commodity futures exchange in the Middle East; Mizin, one of the most advanced infrastructure development companies in the region; Global Village, which brings together 160 different countries showcasing myriad cultures; and Moutamarat, the first Arab initiative organizing research-based conferences and exhibitions.   Saeed is also the Chairman of the Board of the Young Arab Leaders (YAL), the leading action-oriented Arab youth NGO with a network of more than 300 region’s leaders in 11 countries working together to improve the state of the Arab world by creating the necessary environment for potential young leaders to grow and develop across all sectors of Arab society. During his mandate, YAL will develop key initiatives in the areas of education, leadership, youth network, entrepreneurship and dialogue exchange.   Saeed is the Vice Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders which is responsible for facilitating the growth of leading local businesses and encouraging local entrepreneurs.   Saeed began his career with the Emirates Petroleum Products Company (EPPCO) one of the largest oil and gas companies in the region, in which he worked for 11 years. He was seconded to Caltex Malaysia as Assistant Director of Marketing for two years before returning as General Manager of EPPCO Lubricants.   In December 1999, Saeed joined the Dubai Technology, E-Commerce and Media Free Zone as a member of the founding team. In May 2000 he was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Media City. While at DMC, Saeed led the effort in establishing Dubai as a media hub of the region. In August 2001 Saeed was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Ideas Oasis which was the zone’s incubator of ideas and start ups and the first venture capital firm in the region. In March 2002 Saeed was again promoted to the role of Chairman of the Board of Dubai Media City.   He was appointed Director General of the Dubai Development and Investment Authority (DDIA) from April 2002 to May 2006. DDIA was instrumental in advancing the economic development and growth of Dubai and attracting Foreign Direct Investment to the Emirate.     Mohamed A. El-Erian is president and CEO of Harvard Management Company (HMC). El-Erian serves as a member of the faculty of Harvard Business School and as deputy treasurer of the University, providing advice to the president, CFO, and other administrators on Harvard's management of its financial resources. Prior to joining HMC, El-Erian, was a managing director at Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO), the institutional money manager specializing in fixed income management with over $600 billion in assets under management. He is a former managing director of Salomon Smith Barney/Citibank in London, where he oversaw the emerging markets economic research team in London. He spent 15 years, from 1983 to 1997, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), leading policy work on debt and country issues. He has published widely on international economic topics. El-Erian has served on several boards, including the Emerging Markets Traders Association (EMTA) and the International Center for Research on Women. He is also a member of the U.S. Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee and the IMF's Capital Markets Consultative Group. El-Erian earned a B.A. in economics from Cambridge University and doctoral and master's degrees in economics from Oxford University.     Samir N. Hanna started his banking career in Bank Audi sal in January 1963. He moved across several departments of the Bank in Lebanon before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 1975, where he was appointed General Manager of a joint venture bank in which Bank Audi participated. Following the disinvestment of Bank Audi from the said venture, he relocated to Lebanon in 1982 and was appointed General Manager of the Bank in February 1986. Since the mid-1990s, he initiated and managed the expansion and restructuring strategy of the Bank, transforming it into a strong banking powerhouse that offers universal banking products and services. After the diversification of the Bank's business lines, he embarked on the cross border expansion of the Group. He is currently overlooking the bank's regional expansion policy targeting presence in key captive markets in the Middle East and North African region (MENA).   Samir N. Hanna is today the Chief Executive Officer of Bank Audi sal - Audi Saradar Group which fully owns the following subsidiaries: Two other specialized Banks in Lebanon, one in France, Switzerland, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Currently looking for opportunities in UAE, Yemen, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.     Michael Hager is President of Education for Employment Foundation (EFE), which seeks to create job opportunities for young people through career training in vocational, technical and managerial skills, helping Muslim countries address the growing problem of youth unemployment. Prior to joining EFE, Michael Hager served for three years as Executive Director of Conflict Management Group. In 1983 he co-founded the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), based in Rome, Italy, where he served as Director General until stepping down in 2000. During his career with the US Agency for International Development, Mr. Hager served as Regional Legal Advisor in Pakistan, India and Egypt.   Toby Jones is Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor in the History Department at Swarthmore College . Jones has lived and worked extensively in the Middle East, including several years in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain. His main research interests focus on the history of state-building, politics, and Shia-Sunni relations in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Jones teaches courses on the history of the modern Middle East, Iran and Iraq in the 20th century, the history of oil, and Islam and politics.   Before joining the History Department at Swarthmore, Jones worked as the Persian Gulf Analyst for the International Crisis Group from 2004-2006 where he wrote about reform and sectarianism in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He has published in the International Journal of Middle East Studies, Middle East Report, Foreign Affairs, the Arab Reform Bulletin, and elsewhere. He is currently revising a book manuscript on state-building and sectarianism in Saudi Arabia.     Ambassador Aziz Mekouar became ambassador of Morocco to the United States on June 19, 2002.   Before his current assignment, Ambassador Mekouar served as ambassador to Italy (1999-2002). He was elected Independent Chairman of the Council of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in November 2001 and re-elected in 2003. He had previously been appointed ambassador to Portugal (1993-1999) and to Angola (1986-1993). Ambassador Mekouar has also served as minister plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Morocco (1985-1986), permanent representative of Morocco to the International Bureau for Information Technology (1978-1985), and first counselor and deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Morocco in Rome (1977-1985). He attended the French High School Charles Lepierre in Lisbon, Portugal, and obtained a graduate degree from the Higher School of Commerce (HEC) in Paris, France, in 1974.   Ambassador Mekouar is fluent in Arabic, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. He is married with one child.     Dr. Mohsen M. Milani is Professor of Politics and Chair of the Department of Government and International Affairs at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Professor Milani has written extensively about the Persian Gulf, the Iranian Revolution, and Iran's foreign and security policies. He served as a research fellow at Harvard University, Oxford University's St. Antony's College in England, and the Foscari University in Venice, Italy. Dr. Milani is a frequent speaker at international and national conferences on Iran and the Persian Gulf. He is currently working on a book project about Iran's regional policies.     Dr. Mona Mourshed is a partner with McKinsey & Company, a leading management consultancy. She is a founding member of McKinsey's Middle East Office, where she leads the public sector practice in the arenas of education and healthcare. Dr. Mourshed initially joined McKinsey's New Jersey office and has served clients in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the United States. Mona has a B.A. in development studies from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in economic development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Mona holds Egyptian and American citizenship.     Dr. Jean-Francois Seznec has been an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University for four years. He also teaches at Columbia University. His research centers on the influence of the Arab-Persian Gulf political and social variables on the financial and oil markets in the region. He is Senior Advisor to PFC Energy in Washington, DC. He holds a MIA from Columbia University [1963], a MA and his Ph.D. from Yale University [1994]. He has published and lectured extensively and is interviewed regularly on national TV, radio and newspapers, as well as by the foreign media.     Edward Wong has been a correspondent in the Baghdad bureau of The New York Times since 2003. He joined The Times in 1999. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley with dual Master's degrees in Journalism and International Studies, and from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in English. He won a Livingston Award for his coverage of the Iraq war.