Meet the Speakers

the State of Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation. She is also the vice-chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Fund for Development. Prior, she was the Minister of Social Development and Family. Her Excellency is a member of several key committees within Qatar including the Childhood Committee of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and the Advisory Board of the College of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

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The Republic of Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. With over four decades of experience in foreign service, His Excellency brings extensive expertise across diverse diplomatic agendas. His previous roles include Vice Minister from 2017 to 2019.  Most recently, he held the position of Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2019 to 2022. Minister Cho also served as Ambassador to India from 2015 to 2017 and as Ambassador to Austria and the IAEA from 2011 to 2014.

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The executive director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He is a distinguished scholar and practitioner specializing in political communication and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) affairs. Al Jaber has held prominent leadership positions, including Director of Al-Sharq Studies & Research Center and Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula, Qatar’s leading English-language daily newspaper. He also served as an Assistant Professor of Political Communication in the Gulf Studies Program at Qatar University.

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The president of the Jeju Peace Institute, and the executive chairman of the Jeju Forum for Peace & Prosperity. Throughout his career as a diplomat, he served as the minister-counselor at the Korean Embassy in Australia, director-general for South Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consul-general at the Korean Consulate in Honolulu, and representative of the Korean mission in Taipei. In 2014, he was part of the high-level National Security Program at the Korea Defense University.​​​

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Previously, he was the Humanitarian Aid manager at Qatar Fund for Development where he lead the Fund's global strategic humanitarian interventions. He also served as the director of External Affairs at Qatar Charity, where he led the organization's strategic partnerships, international cooperation efforts, and global advocacy initiatives.

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The ambassador of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine to South Korea and Japan. A seasoned Palestinian diplomat, he brings decades of experience in international diplomacy and foreign affairs. Throughout his distinguished career, Siam has represented Palestine in various international forums.

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H.E. Woong-Yeob Song was a visiting professor at the Global Humanities College of Chosun University. He has filled various government posts such as director-general for African and Middle Eastern Affairs at the Republic of Korea’s Foreign Ministry, advisor to the Speaker of National Assembly for Foreign Affairs, ambassador to Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. He also served as vice president of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).​​​

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An associate professor at Qatar University’s College of Business and Economics. Previously, he  chaired the Finance and Economics Department at Qatar University. He earned his PhD in Banking from the University of Wales - Bangor. His master’s degree was in Economics from Claremont Graduate University - California. He has been selected as a participant in current and future leadership programs by Qatar Leadership Center.

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A senior researcher at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies’ Institute for Middle Eastern Studies. He is also a cooperative professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy and an advisory committee member of the National Intelligence Service. Previously, he was an assistant researcher at the Department of European and African Studies at the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Institute of Foreign Affairs & National Security Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Seoul, Korea.​​

A nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He has experience in the defense industry and geopolitical risk advisory. His research interests include small-state security, defense industry development, regional stability, and strategic affairs. He has participated in regional and global discussions, sharing perspectives on security and defense policy. Previously, Al-Mohanadi worked in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) sector, holding multiple roles across several departments.

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A senior research fellow and Head of the Middle East and Africa team at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy’s (KIEP). Previously, he was a policy advisor to the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an adjunct professor at Hankuk University. His research interests include the economies of Middle Eastern countries with a focus on industrial and energy policy as well as economic cooperation between Korea and the Middle East.​

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The director of External Relations and Business Development at Autonomous A2Z, Korea’s leading autonomous driving startup. He plays a key role in driving industry collaboration and public-private partnerships in the autonomous mobility sector. Since 2012, he has built deep expertise in transportation and urban mobility through diverse experiences—as a researcher, public official, and external relations lead for both domestic and global mobility companies.

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Dr. Mohammed Al-Jefairi is a senior advisor at Qatar Media Corporation. He brings over two decades of expertise in digital transformation, emerging tech innovation, and project management. His career is marked by transformative roles, including founder and CEO of Qatar IT where he expanded operations to over 50 countries. At Huawei’s Qatar branch, he enhanced technological efficiency and fostered significant 5G partnerships. His early work at Qatar Telecom established the nation’s Information Security Department.

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A professor of International Relations and an associate dean for Student Affairs at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. He previously served as an associate dean and head of department at Qatar University. His research primarily focuses on US foreign policy towards the Gulf region, energy geopolitics, and the international relations and political economy of the GCC states. He has also held research fellowships at the London School of Economics, Exeter University, and the University of Durham.​​

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Mr. Khalid Al Kubaisi serves as the CEO at malomatia, bringing extensive experience in IT industry and cybersecurity. Since joining malomatia in 2020, he has led the company’s cybersecurity efforts, emphasizing the alignment of security with local business objectives for successful outcomes. His extensive leadership experience has enabled malomatia to establish its cybersecurity leadership across the region. Al-Kubaisi has previously worked with several entities in the IT and cybersecurity sectors across the country.

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MENA director of Nota AI, where he focuses on market expansion and client engagement in both public and private sectors. He is a recognized expert in AI and ITS, delivering cutting-edge solutions for government and enterprises to address traffic management and smart city challenges. Previously, he served as head of Strategy & Global Business Director at Autocrypt which pioneered C-ITS projects and was the founder and CEO of Oh Good Project, an e-commerce platform.

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A professor of Middle East Economics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and a research associate at Marburg University’s Center for Institutional Economics. The focus of his research is understanding how institutions influence individual and societal-level economic, political, and social choices, particularly in the Middle East. Gouda has authored various publications on the Middle East. He received a PhD from Philipps-Universität Marburg.

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The founder and CEO of Strategy Hub, a Qatar-based consultancy dedicated to driving sustainable change through policy and strategic recommendations, with a strong focus on environmental sustainability and public policy. Her interests include international relations, environmental sustainability, economic policy and education. Amna holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Qatar, and a master’s degree in international security from Sciences Po.

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The founder and CEO of DillyDilly Cosmetics, a vibrant K-beauty brand bringing innovative Korean beauty technology tailored for the Middle East and global markets. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), State University of New York, Haemin combines a global perspective with over 15 years of experience in various business sectors across the Middle East. She is dedicated to bridging Korean innovation with the Middle East’s fast-growing beauty landscape.

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the co-founder and CEO of Torba, a project dedicated to reconnecting people with the land and their food. She also heads the Qatar-Africa Business Forum. Fatma was inspired by the farmers' markets of the UK. She set out to cultivate organic, fresh produce on her family farm, while also establishing a local market to bring people closer to their food sources. Through her work at Torba, Fatma has focused on sustainability, local agriculture, and fostering a deeper appreciation for food and its origins.​

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A full-time researcher at the Institute of Middle East Studies at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS). She has also served as a visiting professor at HUFS and Myongji University. Previously, she was a visiting fellow at Seoul National University’s Asia Center. Her research focuses on migration and refugees in the post–Arab Spring Middle East, Lebanese studies, and education policy in the region.  She holds a PhD in Sociology from the Lebanese University.

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The director of the Foreign Policy program and senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He was previously a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program and a fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, where he was also acting director of research. Abdel Ghafar is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He specializes in foreign policy and the political economy of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

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