Arab Business Leaders

Ahmad Humeid CEO of SYNTAX and Co-Founder of TootCorp

Ahmad started his first design studio in 1991 while still studying architecture at the University of Jordan. Since then he has been involved in various pioneering publishing, design and technology ventures in the Middle East, where he assumed leading positions in design, branding, user experience, information technology and internet consulting.

Between 1994 and 1998 he was Creative Director for Arabian Communications and Publishing, where he directed the design and production of several magazines, most notably BYTE Middle East and the Arabic edition of Popular Science. In 1996, he was part of the founding team of Arabia.com, the Arab region’s first internet-based portal.

His Amman-based company, SYNTAX, works with companies as well as governmental, non-governmental and international organizations to create innovative brands, designs and user experiences.

In late 2005, Ahmad co-founded TootCorp, a web venture focusing on the potential of self-publishing and user-created media. In November 2006, TootCorp launched Ikbis.com, the first Arab photo and video sharing site, which was described by Newsweek magazine as the ‘Arab YouTube’.

Ahmad has spoken at a number of regional and international conferences on the subjects of design, architecture, media and the internet. He is a regular contributing writer in the regional press on issues of design and technology. His writings can be found at www.360east.com where he maintains a blog. In his podcast ‘Mixup Arabia’, which was the first podcast produced from the Arab region, he talks about media, technology and culture.

Ahmad is also a digital video and audio enthusiast and has produced a number of short videos both for commercial and non-commercial purposes. Following up on his interest in architecture, he became member of Jordan’s Diwan Al Mimar, an architectural forum that convenes in Amman.



Mohamed Al Fayed Business Entrepreneur and owner of Harrods brand

Mohamed was born in 1933 in Alexandria, Egypt. His entrepreneurial gift was evident even while at school – his homemade lemonade was always a big seller with his friends. But his first real opportunity came after the Second World War. He set up a shipping company, which became known as Genavco (The General Navigation Company) which owned roll-on, roll-off ferries operating in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

Despite its success, Mohamed’s dream to continue working in Egypt was not to be. When President Gamal Abdul Nasser “nationalised” all substantial private companies in the late 1950s, control of the corporation was wrestled from him. Mohamed took the decision to leave his homeland, along with his brothers and business partners Saleh and Ali, moving the company’s headquarters to Genoa in Italy.

In the mid 1960s, Mohamed met the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid al Makhtoum, and the pair became firm friends. Using his experience in business management, Mohamed carried out a number of monumental developments including Port Rashid, the sprawling port complex at Jebal Ali and the massive dry dock, the building of the first general hospital, the construction of the World Trade Centre and the Hilton Hotel development, and the building of the international airport. It was in Dubai that Mohamed also founded IMS (International Marine Services) which carried out salvage, towing and servicing work for the fleets of oil tankers trading in those waters.

In November 1984, the Fayed brothers bought 30 percent of the shareholding of the House of Fraser department store group, which included the flagship store Harrods. A name that had once been synonymous with quality and luxury, the store had fallen into a time warp and it needed a vast overhaul. As Executive Chairman, Mohamed invested more than £400 million in creating a Harrods that matched his vision. The store has seen huge financial growth since Mohamed took leadership, and even now he says he doesn’t like to be away from the store for more than a few days at a time.

In addition to all of these incredible ventures, Mohamed has also taken on projects such as the restoration of L’Hotel Ritz in France and the last home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in England. He even bought Fulham Football Club in 1997!

The story continues today as Mohamed devotes much of his time to countless philanthropic organizations the world over.


Dolly Choucair Head of Aviation Practice Group, Alem & Associates

Dolly is one of the founding members of the Lebanese League for Women in Business. She also manages the aviation practice group—one of the key practice groups—of Alem & Associates, a full service, independent legal firm offering solutions to clients throughout the Middle East and Gulf Region.

On behalf of local, Middle Eastern and international companies, Dolly is the key resource in negotiating high-profile legal aviation cases. In her current role, she specializes in the sale, purchase and lease of aircraft. Dolly also drafts a wide range of agreements related to aviation law. Her and her team council clients on taxation issues related to any operation through Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, and can do so for any other airport in the region.

Dolly also conducts registration of aircrafts in Lebanon and abroad while dealing with safety-regulatory issues and air carriers' liabilities. Dolly's aviation experience includes having worked in the financing of aircraft and aircraft litigation in the Middle East and Europe.

As an English, French and Arabic speaker, she has been able to study the complexities of international law at a number of renowned international institutions. She holds a LL.B degree in Law from Saint Joseph University, a DEA in Comparative Law from La Sagesse University, and an Executive MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in North Carolina, USA. She joined the Beirut Bar in 2001.


George Awad CEO of ‘Global Consumer Group – Europe, Middle East & Africa’, Citigroup Inc.

George Awad has been Chief Executive Officer of Global Consumer Group for Europe, Middle East & Africa of Citigroup Inc. since August 2006. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate Travelers Group on April 7, 1998. Mr. Awad joined ten years after that merger, and just months before the company was rescued in a massive bailout by the U.S. government. In his career, Mr. Awad has worked in a number of international positions throughout the globe, excelling in markets from London to Singapore.

Mr. Awad joined Citigroup after an 18-year career at General Electric Company, one of the five largest companies in the world. At GE, Mr. Awad served as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing of GE Money; a personal and small business finance arm of the GE network. He also served as Vice President of Global Marketing for GE Consumer Finance since April 2000.

During his time as VP of Global Marketing, Mr. Awad managed an expansion effort that led to the addition of more than 2,000 branches, and oversaw the introduction of hundreds of new products to the markets in which he worked. He was also the architect for the launch of the GE Money brand in 36 countries.

In the 1990s, Mr. Awad spent much of his time travelling the globe on behalf of the GE Corporation. In 1994, Mr. Awad served as Manager of Business Development China, for GE Consumer & Industrial. After his time there, he served as Manager of Business Development of Auto Financial Services while based in Singapore. Choosing to travel out of Asia, Mr. Awad became Managing Director of Auto Financial Services in Europe in the late 1990s.

Mr. Awad holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, graduating in 1987, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the American University of Beirut in 1982.