Beirut Institute Summit is designed as a platform for interaction among leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors who have left their mark on the Arab region and expanded its role in the global space.
DOWNLOAD EDITION III AGENDA

AGENDA - EDITION III

SUNDAY OCTOBER 13, 2019

TimeSession
08:00 – 08:45Registration and Networking Reception

09:00 – 09:15Welcome Remarks to Policy Circle Delegates
By invitation only, Off-the-record
Ms. Raghida Dergham
Co-chair of Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Edition III
Founder and Executive Chairman of Beirut Institute

09:30 – 11:30Policy Circles
By invitation only, Off-the-record
Government Officials, Business and Civil Society Leaders

11:30 – 12:00Networking Break

12:00 – 13:30Policy Circles
By invitation only, Off-the-record
Government Officials, Business and Civil Society Leaders

13:30 – 15:00Lunch Break

15:10 – 15:25 Opening of Beirut Institute Summit and Welcome Address
Address, On-the-record webcast live
Master of Ceremony:
Mr. Robert Nakhel
Senior News Anchor at Sky News Arabia

Opening Statements:
HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal
Co-chair of Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Edition III
Chairman of King Faisal Foundation's Center for Research and Islamic Studies
Ms. Raghida Dergham
Co-chair of Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Edition III
Founder and Executive Chairman of Beirut Institute

15:30 – 15:45 Dazzling Decades: Technology & the Age of Disruption
Mr. Samer Abu-Ltaif
President of Microsoft Middle East & Africa

15:50 – 16:35 The Future of the Gulf from Escalation to Maritime Security: Is Transformation Sustainable Amid Volatility?
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
With the Gulf region lingering on the brink, can the ambitious plans for reform be realized? Will visions and conflicts coexist or is another clash inevitable? What is the impact of geopolitical dynamics on the future of the GCC countries?

Co-hosted by Sky News Arabia
Moderated by Ms. Fadila el Soussi, Senior News Anchor at Sky News Arabia

HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal
Co-chair of Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Edition III, Chairman of King Faisal Foundation's Center for Research and Islamic Studies
H.E. Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani
SecretaryGeneral of the Gulf Cooperation Council
Ambassador Robert Blackwill
Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
H.E. Dr. May Chidiac
Lebanese Minister of State for Administrative Development, President and Founder of the May Chidiac Foundation
H.E. Andrei Fedorov
Chairman of the Fund for Political Research and Consulting
Dr. Mahmood Sariolghalam
Professor of International Relations at the National University of Iran

16:40 – 17:00 Address by Host Country
His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan
Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance

17:00 – 17:20 Break

17:25 – 17:35 Women Prepare for the 2020s:Testimonials by Women
Perspectives, On-the-record webcast live
Women leaders from the Arab region and beyond offer their bottom line prescriptions with one-minute messages regarding what specifically is required to prepare the Arab region for the decade of the 2020s.

Ms. Mireille Abi Nasr
Corporate Communication Officer at FFA Private Bank
Ms. Deema Bibi
CEO of Jordanian youth organization,INJAZ
Ms. Patricia Bitar Cherfan
Publisher & Editor in Chief HOME Magazine
Ms. Theresa Fallon
Director at Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies
Ms. Lyndsay Howard
Senior Analyst for Foreign Policy at Bloomberg
Ms. Nora Muller
Executive Director Körber-Stiftung
Ms. Sameera Rajab
Special Envoy for the Royal Court
Ms. Mouna Saliba
Talk Show Host at MTV Lebanon
Ms. Mirna Sleiman
Founder & CEO Fintech Galaxy


17:40 – 18:30 Is America Firmly in the Lead or is it Delegating to Subcontractors?
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
With the Trump Administration's change of course from that of its predecessors, what impact is this American reset having on the Middle East and the Gulf region? Did the inconsistency in American foreign policy change the dynamics of regional conflicts? Is there an American master plan for the Arab region in the next decade? Or does the US want to delegate extensively to subcontractors?

Co-hosted by Al Arabiya
Moderated by Mr. Sohaib Charair, Senior News Presenter at Al Arabiya

H.E. Dr. Hanan Ashrawi
Member of the PLO Executive Committee
Ms. Raghida Dergham
Co-chair of Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Edition III, Founder and Executive Chairman of Beirut Institute
General David Petraeus
Former Director Central Intelligence Agency, Chairman of the KKR Global Institute
Sir John Scarlett
Former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service
H.E. Hoshyar Zebari
Former Finance and Foreign Minister of Iraq
Dr. Irina Zvyagelskaya
Head of the Center Institute of World Economy and International Relations

18:35 – 19:15 Positioning the Arab Region in the Next Decade: Is There a Roadmap?
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
Who leads shaping the 2020s agenda for the Arab region? In light of fundamental challenges, what priorities should top the 2020s agenda? Are the geopolitical agents shaping the roadmap for the next decade, or is there a new tapestry of local and global forces evolving?

Co-hosted by Sky News Arabia
Moderated by Mr. Robert Nakhel, Senior News Anchor SNA

Mr. Andrey Bystritsky
Chairman of the Board of the Valdai Discussion Club
H.E. Ghassan Hasbani
Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon
H.E. Yang Honglin
Former Chinese Ambassador to Bahrain/Iraq/Saudi Arabia
H.E. Brett McGurk
Payne Distinguished Lecturer Stanford University
H.E. Hossam Zaki
Deputy Secretary-General of Arab League

19:15 – 20:30 Break

20:30 – 23:30Beirut Institute Summit Gala Dinner
Honoring Exceptional Excellence

By invitation only, Dinner

H.E. Dr. Zaki Nusseibeh
Minister of State of UAE
Ms. Nadine Labaki
Lebanese Oscar Nominated Director and Actor
Mr. Khaled Mouzanar
Lebanese Music Composer and Producer
Ms. Emtithal Mahmoud
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
Ms. Fatima Alkaabi
Youngest Emirati Inventor

MONDAY OCTOBER 14, 2019

TimeSession
08:00 – 09:00 Summit Registration

9:00 – 9:55 The Innovation We Expect and How to Harness Data Responsibly
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
What are the latest innovations that will disrupt the transition into the new decade of the 2020s? What breakthroughs can we expect in Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and other high-tech fields? What ethical considerations need to be taken into account as the pace of technological change is gaining momentum in the Arab region?

Moderated by Mr. Fadi Ghandour
Executive Chairman of Wamda Group

Mr. Samer Abu-Ltaif
President of Microsoft Middle East & Africa
Ms. Malak Akiely
CEO of Golden Wheat Grain Trading Co.
Mr. Sumit S. Jamuar
Chairman & CEO Global Gene Corp
Ms. Cassandra Kelly
International Advisor and Speaker
Mr. Andre Loesekrug Pietri
Speaker of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative, Founder of ACapital

10:00 – 10:40 The Economics of Geopolitics in the Middle East
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
Where are the investment opportunities for China, Russia, EU and the US in the Arab region in the 2020s? How will they marry geopolitics with reconstruction in post-conflict countries like Syria, Yemen, and Iraq in the next decade as well as countries in transition such as Libya?

Co-hosted by Al Arabiya
Moderated by Ms. Mayssoun Noueihed, Senior Anchor at Al Arabiya

H.E. Nabil Fahmy
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Founding Dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the American University in Cairo
Ambassador Robert Ford
Professor at Yale University
Dr. Qiang Liu
Director of Energy Economics Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
General David Petraeus
Former Director Central Intelligence Agency, Chairman of the KKR Global Institute
Mr. Hani Shennib
Founding President & CEO National Council on US Libya Relations

10:45 – 11:05 A Conversation with Wisdom
Conversation, On-the-record webcast live
An intergenerational discussion between three former Secretary- Generals of the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council with two young leaders for tomorrow.

H.E. Abdullah Bishara
Former Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council
H.E. Nabil Elaraby
Former Secretary-General of the Arab League
H.E. Amr Moussa
Former Secretary-General of Arab League
Mr. Chaker Khazaal
Best-selling Author and Journalist
Mr. Shady Qubaty
Founder and President of the Yale MENA Students Association

11:08 – 11:15 I’m so Excited and Here’s Why:Testimonials by the Youth
Perspectives, On-the-record webcast live
Young leaders from the Arab region and beyond offer their perspectives with one-minute messages regarding what they look forward to in the decade of the 2020s.

Ms. Malak Akiely
CEO of Golden Wheat Grain Trading
Ms. Wafa Ben Hassine
Policy Counsel at Access Now
Ms. Donna Maria Feghaly
Art Curator / Architectural Design Retrieving Beirut
Mr. Chaker Khazaal
Best -selling Author and Journalist
Ms. Emtithal Mahmoud
Poet and Activist, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
H.E. Ediola Pashollari
Secretary General World Assembly of Youth in Malaysia
Mr. Shady Qubaty
Founder and President of the Yale MENA Students Association

11:15 – 11:35 Networking Break

11:40 – 12:20 Dealing with Conflicts: the Importance of the Human Infrastructure
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
When dealing with conflicts and in the aftermath of conflicts, the human infrastructure is often forgotten or dismissed. Who are the stakeholders responsible for rebuilding the human infrastructure? What roadmap is needed to address this important matter in the Arab region for the next decade?

Co-hosted by MTV Lebanon
Moderated by Ms. Mouna Saliba, Talk Show Host MTV Lebanon

Ms. Wafa Ben Hassine
Policy Counsel at Access Now
Ambassador Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy
Ambassador,Former Assistant Secretary General of the UN and Deputy Special Envoy for Syria
Ambassador Robert Ford
Professor at Yale University
H.E. Jan Kubis
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon
Mr. Peter Maurer
President International Committee of the Red Cross

12:25 – 12:40 PwC Presentation - Fit for the Future: Creating a Digitally-advanced Citizen-centric Society
Presentation, On-the-record webcast live
Change breeds innovation; how can the region reduce lost economic opportunities by building a more inclusive, sustainable and digitally upskilled society that is fit for the future?

Mr. Hani Ashkar
PwC Middle East Senior Partner
Mr. Rob McCargow
Director of Artificial Intelligence, PwC

12:45 – 13:25 The Look of the Next Decade: Transitioning to a Circular Economy and Positioning the Arab Region in the Global Industry of Fashion, Design, and Architecture
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
How can the fashion industry transition into a system built on sustainability? How do we manage the lifecycle of luxury products through circular business models? How do we position the Arab region to stand as a strong force in global design? How can policy makers support local designers and elevate the Arab region as a hub for creative talent?

Moderated by Ms. Thalia Dergham, Senior Strategist at Wednesday

Presentation:
Ms. Nada Debs
Founder and Creative Director East & East
Ms. Natasha Franck
Founder & CEO of EON Group
Ms. Celine Semaan
CEO of Slow Factory

Panelists:
Mr. Ahmed Khyeli
Founder of Khyeli
Mr. Michel Abboud
Founding Principal of SOMA Architect

13:40 – 14:30 Lunch Break

14:35 – 15:20 Will Europe Wither or Will it Weather the Gathering Storms?
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
The European Union has become more fragmented and the transatlantic relations have turned volatile. What is needed to reinstate confidence in Europe? Will political shifts restore Europe’s status or will it diminish its influence in the Middle East?

Co-hosted by Al Roeya Newspaper
Moderated by Mr. Nik Gowing, International broadcaster.
Founder and Director, Thinking the Unthinkable

The Rt Hon Alistair Burt
Former Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
H.E. Michel Duclos
French diplomat, Senior Fellow at Institut Montaigne
H.E. Philip Gordon
Former White House Coordinator for the Middle East
Sir John Scarlett
Former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service
H.E. Dr. Danilo Turk
Former President of Slovenia

15:25 – 16:05 The Security Discourse: Towards a Decade of Peace or a Decade of Wars
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
Is there a new regional security order on the horizon in the Arab region? What does it take to widen the security discourse beyond the military dimension? How do we adapt the existing foreign policy framework to keep up with the unprecedented technological changes such as cybersecurity interventions? Is the Arab region equipped to handle the wave of change to come?

Co-hosted by The National
Moderated by Mr. Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor-in-Chief at The National

H.E. Rolf Ekeus
Associate Fellow with the SIPRI Disarmament
Admiral Robert Harward
Chief Executive for Lockheed Martin Middle East
Ms. Danielle Pletka
Senior Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy American Enterprise Institute
Mr. Michael Singh
Managing Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Dr. Irina Zvyagelskaya
Head of the Center Institute of World Economy and International Relations

16:10 – 17:00 American-Russian Relations: Clash or Collaboration in the Middle East?
Panel Discussion, On-the-record webcast live
Is the Middle East still a contested sphere in the new American-Russian agendas? Do the US and Russia have polarizing views on the regional balance of power between the Arab countries, Iran, Israel, and Turkey? Or is the region altogether secondary to both powers?

Co-hosted by Sky News Arabia
Moderated by Mr. Robert Nakhel, Senior News Anchor SNA

Ambassador Robert Blackwill
Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Mr. Andrey Bystritsky
Chairman of the Board of the Valdai Discussion Club
H.E. Nabil Elaraby
Former Secretary-General of the Arab League
H.E. Andrei Fedorov
Chairman of the Fund for Political Research and Consulting
Mr. Prem Kumar
Principal Albright Stonebridge Group
Ms. Sameera Rajab
Special Envoy for the Royal Court of Bahrain

17:00 – 17:20 Networking Break

17:20 – 19:20 2020 Hindsight. 2020s Foresight A Town-Hall Conversation
On-the-record webcast live
At this interactive two hour session, all delegates to the summit engage in a Town-Hall conversation with a semi-circle of 20 delegates on stage and other delegates in the audience completing the circle. Raghida Dergham will kick-off the session with questions to delegates on stage and then engage others in this constructive, forward looking, action-oriented conversation. The session culminates with the 2019 Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Declaration.

Moderated by Raghida Dergham, Co-chair of Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Edition III, Founder and Executive Chairman of Beirut Institute

Ms. Mireille Abi Nasr
Corporate Communication Officer at FFA Private Bank
H.E. Mohammed al-Dairi
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Libya
Maitre Mohamed Alem
Founder and Senior Partner Alem & Associates
Dr. John Duke Anthony
Founding President and Chief Executive Officer National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations
Dr. Oleg Barabanov
Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club
H.E. Abdullah Bishara
Former Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council
Ambassador Robert Blackwill
Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Mr. Christopher Dickey
World News Editor, The Daily Beast
Mr. Ahmed el-Gaili
Managing Partner, Dubai Office Vinson &Elkins
H.E. Andrei Fedorov
Chairman of the Fund for Political Research and Consulting
H.E. Philip Gordon
Former White House Coordinator for the Middle East
Mr. Nik Gowing
International broadcaster. Founder and Director, Thinking the Unthinkable
Mr. Hussein Ibish
Senior Resident Scholar, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
H.E. Dr. Srgjan Kerim
Macedonian Diplomat, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia
Mr. Chaker Khazaal
Best-selling Author and Journalist
Mr. Firas Maksad
Adjunct Professor, George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs
H.E. Brett McGurk
Payne Distinguished Lecturer Stanford University
Mr. Badih Moukarzel
International lawyer and Board Member of Beirut Institute
H.E. Amr Moussa
Former Secretary-General of Arab League
General David Petraeus
Former Director Central Intelligence Agency, Chairman of the KKR Global Institute
Dr. Mahmood Sariolghalam
Professor of International Relations at the National University of Iran
Mr. Salman Sheikh
Founder and CEO The Shaikh Group

19:20 – 19:50 The Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi Declaration
On-the-record, webcast live