Meet the mentl awards 2026 judges
THE MENTL AWARDS 2026 · INDEPENDENT JUDGING PANEL
Independent minds.
Different perspectives.
One shared purpose.
Meet the people looking closely at the evidence, and recognising the care, courage and commitment behind it.
48 regional and international judges. Select a card to discover their background.
EXPERIENCE THAT WIDENS THE CONVERSATION
Different worlds.
A common commitment to wellbeing.
Our panel brings together public health leaders, psychiatrists, psychologists, researchers, chief executives, HR and learning specialists, entrepreneurs, communications leaders, educators, athletes and advocates with lived experience.
Their backgrounds span government, healthcare, insurance, education, hospitality, technology, professional services, media and investment. From boardrooms and clinical practice to community support and elite sport, that breadth brings different questions to the same task: understanding the work, examining the evidence and recognising meaningful progress.
HOW THE JUDGING WORKS
Independent judgement.
Consistent criteria. Useful feedback.
Independent assessment
Judges review their assigned entries individually. They score blind to other judges’ assessments: they cannot see one another’s scores while marking. This does not mean an organisation’s identity is hidden within its submission.
Evidence against criteria
Each entry is assessed against the framework for its category. Judges consider each criterion on its own merits, using the submission and supporting evidence, with consistent standards across their assigned entries.
Integrity and transparency
Judges must declare relevant conflicts and cannot assess a category in which they or their organisation have entered. Sponsorship has no influence on judging, shortlisting or results. Scores are aggregated, with the results being audited by Coretax Arabia.
Six mapped criteria for organisations and projects
Organisation and project entries are scored out of 100. Individual award categories use their own four criteria, worth 25 points each. Category-specific guidance supports the judges in applying the framework to the work in front of them.
Mental Health Heroes: individual achievement
Each individual award has four mapped criteria, worth 25 points each, for a total of 100. Judges assess the person’s own contribution and the evidence behind it, recognising the support of colleagues and partners.
Advocate of the Year
Advocacy and Public Awareness · Community Involvement · Personal Commitment · Innovation and Initiative
Empathy in Leadership
Empathy in Leadership · Impact on Team · Psychological Safety · Leadership Strategies
Rise Above
Resilience · Achievement · Inspiration · Challenging Stigma
Mental Health Champion 2026
Reducing stigma · Leadership in Mental Health · Impact on Mental Health · Commitment to Mental Health
For Rise Above, judges consider the response to adversity, achievements and contribution to others. They do not rank the severity of someone’s trauma or reward the disclosure of private medical detail.
Attendance does not determine an award. Winners and highly commended recipients receive their trophy whether or not they attend the Gala Final. Purchasing a ticket has no influence on judging or the result.
Recognition is one part of the process. Every entrant will also receive anonymised feedback mapped to the relevant criteria, helping them understand their strengths, develop their evidence and keep improving. The ambition is to build shared learning and a wider conversation about what better mental health and wellbeing can look like.
MEET YOUR JUDGES
The people behind the process.
Explore each judge’s experience and the perspective they bring. Open “Find out more” for their extended biography and LinkedIn profile.
Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri
Public health expert and coach
Public health, policy and prevention
A public health leader with more than 25 years of experience helping build health systems in the UAE.
Find out more about Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri
Her background connects clinical practice, population health and public policy. She brings experience of national health priorities alongside a coaching perspective on how people and systems change.
Her qualifications include public health study at Johns Hopkins University and fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. That combination of medical, public health and coaching experience gives her a view of prevention at several levels: the individual, the organisation and the wider health system.
Ollie Ollerton
Mental resilience coach, author and former UK Special Forces
Resilience, leadership and performance
Founder of BreakPoint and a familiar face from SAS: Who Dares Wins, Ollie works with people and teams on resilience and performance.
Find out more about Ollie Ollerton
He served with the Royal Marines and Special Boat Service before building a career as a speaker, author and mentor. His work translates experience of pressure and personal change into practical approaches to mindset, purpose and development.
His books include Break Point and Battle Ready, and his speaking work draws on both military service and the challenge of finding purpose afterwards. Through BreakPoint, founded in 2015, he works with individuals and businesses on changing habitual behaviour, setting goals and developing the mental preparation behind performance.
Cathy Cribben-Pearse
Founder & CEO, OakTree Mentoring
Nursing, mentorship, leadership and women’s health
Cathy is a nurse, midwife and executive coach with more than 25 years of experience in healthcare leadership.
Find out more about Cathy Cribben-Pearse
Her career spans the NHS, Ireland and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where she led nursing quality, patient safety and accreditation. She founded OakTree Mentoring to strengthen support and connection for nurses and midwives, and her wider work includes menopause education and helping healthcare professionals develop as leaders.
During the pandemic, she offered coaching support to nurses and midwives and identified a wider need for professional connection across borders. Her mentoring work received an EMCC Global award in 2022, and she was a finalist in the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award in 2023. She also holds an MBA and British Menopause Society certification.
Dr Sara Al Dallal
President, Emirates Health Economics Society, Emirates Medical Association
Healthcare, economics and policy
A healthcare leader bringing a health-economics perspective to the relationship between services, resources and outcomes.
Find out more about Dr Sara Al Dallal
Her work spans the medical community and the wider policy conversation about accessible, effective healthcare. She brings experience of healthcare leadership and an interest in how evidence informs decisions about population health and quality of life.
Her professional background also includes study at the London School of Economics and Political Science in international strategy and diplomacy. Health economics adds a useful dimension to wellbeing: examining how resources are used, how priorities are set and how the value of better care can be understood beyond the activity delivered.
Geoff McDonald
Global mental health advocate; former Global VP of HR, Unilever
People leadership and workplace mental health
Geoff works with leaders around the world to make mental health a strategic priority and reduce stigma at work.
Find out more about Geoff McDonald
His 25-year Unilever career spanned human resources, communications, marketing and sustainability across global markets. A co-founder of Minds@Work, he now speaks and advises on wellbeing, organisational purpose and creating workplaces where people feel able to ask for support.
His work addresses the cultural barriers that stop people asking for help, as well as the role of purpose in business performance. His Unilever experience covered Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australasia, Europe and the Americas, giving him a broad understanding of leading people across different organisational and cultural settings.
Dr Nahida Nayaz Ahmed
Chief Medical Officer, Sakina
Psychiatry, clinical leadership and mental health systems
An American Board-certified psychiatrist and healthcare executive working to strengthen mental healthcare in the UAE.
Find out more about Dr Nahida Nayaz Ahmed
Her background includes psychiatry training at Tufts and a consultation-liaison fellowship at Harvard. She has contributed to mental health reform, primary-care training and professional education, connecting clinical expertise with the practical challenge of expanding access to support.
Her professional contributions have included the Abu Dhabi Integrated Mental Health Conference, psychological support for healthcare employees and programmes to help primary-care teams recognise common mental health conditions. She also brings experience of academic teaching and published research, alongside her clinical and executive responsibilities.
Adel BinHdaya AlFalasi
Founder, Lived Experience People Foundation
Lived experience, advocacy and community
A mental health advocate and the 2023 mentl awards Mental Health Hero, Adel brings the perspective of lived experience.
Find out more about Adel BinHdaya AlFalasi
Through the Lived Experience People Foundation, he champions peer-led support, inclusion and the importance of hearing voices that can be overlooked. His contribution connects public awareness with the everyday experience of seeking understanding, belonging and recovery.
His foundation describes its approach as non-clinical, ethically guided and centred on peer support. Adel uses storytelling and public advocacy to make the experience of mental ill health more visible, with attention to inclusion and the value of people participating in conversations that directly affect their lives.
Jen Fisher
Founder & CEO, The Wellbeing Team; former Chief Wellbeing Officer, Deloitte
Global workplace wellbeing and human sustainability
Jen helped pioneer the chief wellbeing officer role and now works with leaders to design healthier ways of working.
Find out more about Jen Fisher
At Deloitte, she built a holistic wellbeing strategy that brought health, work and human connection into the same conversation. She is co-author of Work Better Together and creator and host of the WorkWell podcast, exploring how people can thrive in their working lives.
Jen’s work focuses on the connection between wellbeing, relationships and organisational purpose. As a writer, speaker and podcast host, she explores how leaders can move beyond isolated wellbeing activities and consider the way work itself is experienced. Her work also includes a human sustainability editorial role with Thrive Global.
Dr Muneer Alobeidli
Founder & CEO, Future Wellbeing
Healthcare, caregiver wellbeing and leadership
A physician and wellbeing leader focused on advancing healthier people and organisations.
Find out more about Dr Muneer Alobeidli
His experience includes caregiver wellbeing work at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, designing programmes and engaging colleagues around health and wellness. As founder of Future Wellbeing, he brings a perspective that connects medical knowledge, prevention and the working conditions that support people to flourish.
His caregiver wellbeing experience has included assessing needs, developing programmes and working with stakeholders to keep support relevant. He also brings medical training and leadership development to the task, with an interest in connecting wellbeing with how organisations support the people responsible for caring for others.
Leah Cotterill
CEO, Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa, outside KSA
Insurance, healthcare access and executive leadership
Leah leads Cigna Healthcare across key regional markets, bringing more than 25 years of health-insurance experience.
Find out more about Leah Cotterill
Her career spans the Middle East, United States and United Kingdom, including leadership in operations, distribution and client management. She became the first woman to lead an international health insurance company in the UAE and champions whole-person health and inclusive leadership.
Before becoming CEO, Leah held senior distribution and operating roles at Cigna Healthcare, including responsibility for regional growth and individual medical insurance. She also led client management work in North America. She holds an MBA from Hult International Business School and supports initiatives around gender equity and women’s professional development.
Paul Firth
Founder & Managing Director, Lyra Wellbeing MENA
Employee assistance and corporate mental health
Paul has more than 30 years of corporate health and management experience, with a long-standing focus on employee assistance.
Find out more about Paul Firth
He established the business now known as Lyra MENA in 2010, following a career at AXA. His experience spans medical insurance, occupational health, clinical and operational management, and helping employers make confidential mental health support available to their people.
His career has covered the commercial and operational responsibilities of building a regional support service, as well as the development of employee assistance programmes. That experience includes adapting international approaches to local needs and working with employers to make mental health part of their ongoing people strategy.
Noof Aljneibi
Programme and policy design expert; founder, iMatter
Positive psychology, wellbeing policy and research
Noof connects positive psychology research with the design of policies and programmes that improve quality of life.
Find out more about Noof Aljneibi
A University of Pennsylvania applied positive psychology graduate, she previously directed the Emirates Centre for Happiness Research at UAE University. She was named an International Positive Psychology Association Fellow in 2021 and has worked on evidence-informed wellbeing initiatives and partnerships.
Her research and policy work has involved partnerships between local leaders and international researchers. At UAE University, she contributed to a wellbeing framework and a wellbeing officer initiative involving faculty and staff. Her work illustrates how positive psychology can move from an academic discipline into institutional practice and community programmes.
Mark Colbourne MBE
Paralympic cycling champion and speaker
Elite sport, resilience and coaching
A London 2012 Paralympic gold medallist, Mark brings first-hand experience of rebuilding, perseverance and performance.
Find out more about Mark Colbourne MBE
After a serious paragliding accident in 2009, he went on to break world records on the cycling track. He now shares that experience through speaking and coaching, working with individuals and executives on confidence, sustained performance and responding to change.
Mark’s current work includes executive and life coaching, keynote speaking, cycling coaching and corporate team development. His story connects elite sporting achievement with the sustained routines and personal values behind it. He was appointed an MBE for his contribution to sport following his London 2012 success.
Erika Blazeviciute Doyle
Founder & CEO, Drink Dry
Entrepreneurship, consumer behaviour and inclusive hospitality
Erika built Drink Dry around the belief that people choosing alcohol-free drinks deserve better options and a place in the celebration.
Find out more about Erika Blazeviciute Doyle
Her background includes politics and international experience before entering the drinks industry. She brings the perspective of a founder building a new consumer category, developing partnerships and turning an unmet need into a business serving customers and hospitality venues.
Drink Dry’s development has involved building distribution, retail and hospitality partnerships in a category that was still emerging in the region. Erika’s experience also includes creating a business community around customer choice, and she has spoken publicly about practical health initiatives for her own colleagues.
Arsalan Al Hashimi
Founder & CEO, Ascension
Human transformation, coaching and performance
Arsalan is a performance coach and mentor working with ambitious leaders and athletes on how they live, lead and perform.
Find out more about Arsalan Al Hashimi
His earlier career included government and corporate work in aviation and transport, spanning communications, project management and strategy. Alongside a competitive sporting background, this informs his work on purposeful leadership, habits and sustainable personal development.
He has competed in squash and volleyball and trained for Ironman events, bringing an athlete’s experience alongside his corporate background. His coaching focuses on helping high achievers examine the habits, priorities and assumptions behind success, with attention to fulfilment and wellbeing as well as external achievement.
Dr Shereen Sharaan
Head of Psychology Research, University of Birmingham Dubai
Psychology, neurodiversity and inclusion
A psychology researcher whose work explores neurodiversity, inclusion, learning and accessibility.
Find out more about Dr Shereen Sharaan
Her research interests include autism, bilingualism and play. At the University of Birmingham Dubai, she brings an academic perspective that combines curiosity about human behaviour with a focus on research skills and involving communities in the questions that affect them.
Her work includes research developed with autistic communities in the UAE and questions about making digital environments more accessible. She has also spoken about the importance of approaching behaviour with compassion and curiosity. This combines subject expertise with attention to how research is designed and whose experience informs it.
Mazen Nahawi
Founder & CEO, CARMA and RAIYN
Media intelligence, communications and measurement
Mazen is an entrepreneur and communications-intelligence leader with more than three decades of experience.
Find out more about Mazen Nahawi
He has built businesses spanning media analytics, digital engagement and strategic communications, including CARMA and SOCIALEYEZ. His career began in journalism, and his work has consistently focused on using information and measurement to inform decisions and demonstrate meaningful results.
Mazen has contributed to professional debate through industry bodies, conferences and the Middle East PR Measurement Summit, which he launched in 2007. His experience spans journalism, public relations, technology and business leadership, with a sustained emphasis on moving from information gathering to insight that informs action.
Jessica Smith OAM PLY
Global inclusion campaigner and Paralympian
Disability inclusion, sport and representation
A former Australian Paralympic swimmer, Jessica works to change how disability is understood and represented.
Find out more about Jessica Smith OAM PLY
She co-founded TOUCH, an inclusive talent agency and disability-inclusion consultancy, and has written the Just Jessica children’s books. Her speaking and consultancy work connects personal experience with practical conversations about equality, accessibility and creating environments where more people can participate.
Jessica has spoken to schools, universities, companies and community organisations, including at the United Nations. Her books introduce children to disability and acceptance, while her corporate work addresses awareness, representation and inclusive practice. Across those settings, she connects the visibility of disability with the opportunity to participate on equal terms.
Dr Ali Elhaj
CEO, IVI Holding Healthcare Sector; Vice Chairman, MENASA Group USA
Healthcare governance, leadership and access
A healthcare executive bringing experience of governance, health policy and managing complex care organisations.
Find out more about Dr Ali Elhaj
His leadership career has included senior hospital and healthcare roles in the region. Through his work with MENASA Group, he also contributes to clinical research inclusion, workforce development and international partnerships, connecting strategic leadership with access and health equity.
His experience includes leading healthcare institutions and working with boards on their direction and development. At MENASA, his responsibilities connect governance with clinical research participation, education and international collaboration. He brings a view of wellbeing that includes patient experience, the healthcare workforce and the systems within which care is delivered.
Rahaf Kobeissi
Founder, Rays Your Mental Health; author
Mental health advocacy, coaching and emotional wellbeing
Rahaf is a bilingual wellbeing trainer, speaker and author working to make mental health conversations more open and practical.
Find out more about Rahaf Kobeissi
Her work includes community awareness initiatives and a particular commitment to men’s mental health. Through Rays Your Mental Health, she supports individuals and teams to develop self-awareness, healthier habits and the confidence to speak about what they are experiencing.
Her published work includes RAW: Rising Above Wounds, and her programmes connect emotional awareness with everyday action. She has organised community activities around men’s mental health and spoken about communication, boundaries and healthier responses to pressure, aiming to make support approachable for people who may hesitate to seek it.
Prof Justin Thomas
Research Lead, Sync by Ithra
Psychology, public health and digital wellbeing
Justin brings an academic and research perspective to mental health, public health and our relationship with technology.
Find out more about Prof Justin Thomas
His background spans research, teaching, strategy and policy development. At Sync, an initiative of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Saudi Arabia, his work contributes to understanding digital wellbeing and the ways technology affects people’s lives.
His research interests bring together psychology and the wider conditions affecting health, including technology use and cultural context. That background is relevant to understanding both the intended benefits and the unintended effects of wellbeing initiatives, and to asking how research findings translate into decisions about programmes and policy.
Sara Boueri
Group Human Resources Director, Scope Investment
People strategy, culture and executive leadership
Sara is a senior HR leader and board adviser whose career spans consulting, tourism, construction, mobility and investment.
Find out more about Sara Boueri
With a background in psychology, she has worked with CEOs and boards on people, culture and organisational change. Her experience connects leadership decisions with the behaviours and working environments that shape how employees experience their organisation.
Sara has studied psychology at the American University of Beirut and the University of Sydney and is a certified MBTI practitioner. Her cross-sector career gives her experience of different organisational pressures, while her work with senior leaders focuses on turning people priorities into decisions, behaviours and practical change.
John Martin St.Valery OBE
Founder, MSV.estates; foreign investment specialist
Entrepreneurship, governance and business leadership
John is an experienced business founder and adviser with a long-standing role in the UAE’s international business community.
Find out more about John Martin St.Valery OBE
He founded Links Group in 2002 and has supported companies entering and growing in the region. A former chair of the British Business Group Dubai, he was awarded an OBE for services to British businesses in the UAE and brings a perspective on leadership, enterprise and responsible growth.
His experience includes company formation, restructuring, stakeholder relationships and supporting SMEs. He has also contributed through board and advisory roles and mentoring initiatives. His work across public and private-sector organisations gives him a view of how governance, leadership and the business environment affect the people working within them.
Dr Vedrana Mladina
Vice President, Middle East Psychological Association
Clinical psychology, trauma and education
Vedrana is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than two decades of international experience.
Find out more about Dr Vedrana Mladina
Before working in higher education in Abu Dhabi, she supported victims and witnesses of war crimes in the international criminal justice system in The Hague. Her background brings together clinical practice, teaching and cross-cultural understanding of the support people need in difficult circumstances.
Her clinical background includes cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and schema therapy. She has taught in international higher education settings and supported people from varied cultural backgrounds. This experience connects individual psychological support with the wider responsibilities of institutions, communities and professional practice.
Justin Kerr-Stevens
Chair, MEPRA; Chief Executive, Northbourne Advisory
Strategic communications, reputation and leadership
Justin advises leaders navigating complex decisions, high-pressure environments and reputational risk.
Find out more about Justin Kerr-Stevens
His international career spans the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia and Australia. After leading BLJ Worldwide, he established Northbourne Advisory in Doha. He also chairs the Middle East Public Relations Association, contributing to professional standards and leadership across the communications industry.
Northbourne’s work focuses on insight, risk and communication, helping leaders understand complex situations before deciding how to respond. Justin’s professional association responsibilities also put him close to questions about standards, development and trust across the communications industry, alongside the day-to-day demands of advising organisations.
Dr Emma Gibson
Behavioural Scientist, Healthy Living
Health psychology, population health and evaluation
Emma is a behavioural scientist specialising in population health strategy and the factors that shape everyday health decisions.
Find out more about Dr Emma Gibson
Her background combines health psychology, research and practical work in the region. She brings an interest in how programmes are designed around real behaviour, how people are supported to make lasting changes, and how evidence can demonstrate whether an approach is working.
Health psychology considers the relationship between behaviour, health and quality of life, including the factors that make change easier or harder. Emma’s experience across the region connects that discipline with research and evaluation, bringing attention to programme design, the intended audience and whether an intervention can support changes that last.
Mark Rix
CEO, Wellbeing at Work World
Workplace wellbeing, media and business leadership
Mark leads a global platform bringing employers, practitioners and business leaders together around healthier work.
Find out more about Mark Rix
His background includes senior media leadership in the UAE and experience building professional communities. At Wellbeing at Work World, he helps connect people, ideas and practical knowledge across markets, bringing a broad view of the challenges facing employers and their teams.
The Wellbeing at Work platform combines events, professional connections and shared resources for employers and practitioners. Mark’s media and business background adds experience of audience engagement and community building, alongside a focus on helping senior leaders exchange practical ideas about work, health and organisational culture.
Rebecca McGuane
Head of Corporate Wellbeing, Lockton
Corporate wellbeing, employee benefits and prevention
Rebecca leads corporate wellbeing at Lockton, helping employers build support that responds to people’s real lives.
Find out more about Rebecca McGuane
Her approach brings together prevention, employee benefits and the human experience of work. She has built a multidisciplinary wellbeing team and speaks about making support proactive and practical, with attention to trust, accessibility and the needs that sit behind organisational data.
Her team includes people from nursing, mental health advocacy and fitness backgrounds, reflecting an approach that looks beyond insurance alone. Rebecca has spoken about the importance of following through after a wellbeing session, matching policies with benefits and recognising that valuable changes in someone’s life may not be fully captured by a dashboard.
Alex Malouf
Communications leader, Narrative Shapers
Strategic communications, reputation and public discourse
Alex is a regional communications leader with more than two decades of experience across the Middle East and beyond.
Find out more about Alex Malouf
His career includes senior corporate communications roles and advisory work with leaders in government and business. He works on reputation, storytelling and communications capability, bringing an understanding of both regional culture and the demands of international audiences.
Alex has held senior communications positions in Saudi Arabia and worked across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. His advisory and training work includes helping executives communicate internationally while remaining grounded in local knowledge. He also contributes to professional conversations about education, trust and the future of communications.
Sophie Smith
Founder & CEO, Nabta Health
Women’s health, technology and entrepreneurship
Sophie is a health-technology entrepreneur working to make healthcare more accessible and responsive to women’s needs.
Find out more about Sophie Smith
She founded Nabta Health after a career in technology consulting and building impact enterprises. Her work combines digital tools with healthcare delivery, and she also supports female founders through mentoring and investment networks across the region.
Before Nabta Health, Sophie worked in technology consulting at Accenture and founded impact ventures, including a doctor-finding platform in Pakistan. She studied at the University of Cambridge and completed an MBA. Her work also includes mentoring female entrepreneurs and encouraging broader participation in early-stage investment.
Dr Naim Maadad
Chief Executive & Founder, Gates Hospitality
Hospitality, mentorship and business leadership
Naim has spent more than 30 years in hospitality across Australia, Asia and the Middle East.
Find out more about Dr Naim Maadad
Before founding Gates Hospitality, he held leadership positions with Six Senses and Minor Hotels. His work includes mentoring emerging hospitality leaders and contributing to industry bodies, bringing a practical understanding of people, service, commercial pressures and sustainable leadership.
His career has covered operational and commercial leadership, building hospitality concepts and working with owners and partners. Alongside Gates Hospitality, he has held industry and business-community roles, including chairing the Australian Business Council Dubai. His mentoring work supports the skills, confidence and direction of emerging hospitality professionals.
Katy Keenan
CEO, British Chamber of Commerce Dubai
International trade, business communities and leadership
Katy leads the British Chamber of Commerce Dubai, connecting businesses and supporting the UK-UAE trade relationship.
Find out more about Katy Keenan
She led the organisation’s transition from the British Business Group in 2024. Her work spans companies of different sizes, government and professional networks, alongside advisory roles and community initiatives. She brings experience of leadership, collaboration and the challenges facing employers across industries.
Her work draws on relationships with financial institutions, government, multinational businesses and SMEs. She also contributes to advisory and community initiatives, including links with higher education and the UK-UAE business relationship. That mix brings experience of convening different interests and helping professional communities develop through collaboration.
Alasdair Hall-Jones
GCC Director, The Marketing Society
Marketing leadership and professional communities
Alasdair develops a community of marketing leaders across the GCC, helping people learn, connect and lead with confidence.
Find out more about Alasdair Hall-Jones
His work with The Marketing Society has included international expansion and building networks across several global markets. He brings experience of professional development, mentoring and creating spaces where leaders can share challenges and ideas openly.
He joined The Marketing Society after graduating from Kingston University London and helped develop its international hubs before relocating to Dubai in 2018. His work includes supporting professional networks and leadership development. A keen sportsman, he also values the contribution that participation in sport can make to communities.
Jen Blandos
Founder & CEO, Female Fusion Network and Zari Health
Entrepreneurship, women’s leadership and community
Jen is an entrepreneur and community builder with more than 25 years of international business experience.
Find out more about Jen Blandos
Her career began in communications before she built businesses across multiple markets. Through Female Fusion, she helps women start, grow and scale companies. Her speaking and mentoring work spans leadership, resilience, business development and the practical realities of supporting founders.
She has built communications and training businesses in London, Brussels, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In 2020, she developed Female Fusion from a community group into a membership business supporting women entrepreneurs. Her work combines practical business guidance with professional connections and discussion of the personal demands of running a company.
John Rynehart
Managing Director Middle East, Kekst CNC; PRCA MENA Mental Health Committee Chair
Communications, employee engagement and mental health advocacy
John is a journalist and communications professional with more than 20 years of regional and international experience.
Find out more about John Rynehart
He has worked across Australia, the UK and the Middle East, advising organisations in government, aviation, technology, energy, education and hospitality. Alongside communications leadership, his industry role brings a focus on mental health and the working conditions that support agency teams.
His experience includes strategic counsel, reputation management, employee engagement and leading communications teams. He has a Master of Professional Communications from Deakin University and further study in digital marketing. This gives him a view of both the substance of an organisation’s actions and how clearly those actions are explained to others.
Dr Louise Lambert
Head of Happiness Policy, Programming and Research, Happiness Matters
Positive psychology, research and wellbeing measurement
Louise is a psychologist and researcher translating the science of wellbeing into practical programmes and policy.
Find out more about Dr Louise Lambert
Her experience spans clinical challenges, education, healthcare and organisational consulting. With more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, she brings a focus on the psychological capabilities that support wellbeing, the evidence behind interventions and the importance of measuring meaningful outcomes.
Her research has examined predictors of happiness in the UAE, the relationship between wellbeing and health, and how interventions work in different contexts. She is also associated with the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology. Her approach connects practical programme development with a close examination of measurement, limitations and what can be learned.
Scott Cairns
Founder & Managing Director, Creation Business Consultants
Business advisory, finance and organisational leadership
Scott is an international business adviser helping companies establish, structure and grow their operations in the Middle East.
Find out more about Scott Cairns
His accounting and finance background includes experience with Deloitte and work in complex international environments. At Creation Business Consultants, he brings a founder’s and adviser’s perspective on governance, organisational decision-making and the practical demands of building sustainable businesses.
He studied accounting and finance at Monash Business School, then built international consulting experience, including work in Afghanistan with Deloitte. Those environments added experience of risk, responsibility and operating under pressure. His subsequent business leadership connects professional advisory expertise with the practical task of building and developing an organisation.
Kate Midttun
Founder & CEO, Acorn Strategy
Marketing, communications and agency leadership
Kate leads Acorn Strategy, bringing more than two decades of marketing and communications experience across international markets.
Find out more about Kate Midttun
Her work spans government, real estate, leisure and hospitality, combining strategy with delivery and measurable business outcomes. She has also contributed to professional industry bodies and leadership initiatives, bringing a perspective on team development, communications standards and organisational culture.
Her international experience includes Australia, the UAE and the UK, with work for major brands and public-sector organisations. Alongside building Acorn Strategy, she has contributed to MEPRA and the wider communications profession. Her work combines commercial strategy, communications practice and the responsibility of leading a growing team.
Andrew Stotter-Brooks
Global Head of Learning & Development, TGI Fridays
Learning, talent development and organisational performance
Andrew is a senior learning and HR leader with more than three decades of experience across retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation.
Find out more about Andrew Stotter-Brooks
His career has included leading learning at Alshaya and Etihad Aviation Group, supporting large and diverse workforces. He brings experience of turning business priorities into development programmes and building cultures where people can learn, contribute and grow.
At Alshaya, he supported learning for a large workforce across multiple countries, before moving into aviation and later global hospitality learning. His professional interests include using data and technology to support development without losing sight of human capability, and aligning learning with the needs of people and the business.
Sarah Christensen
CEO, Christensen Consultancy; Chartered Psychologist
Occupational psychology, inclusion and culture
Sarah combines occupational psychology with practical experience helping organisations build more inclusive ways of working.
Find out more about Sarah Christensen
Her consultancy, learning and coaching work spans talent development, organisational change, leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion. She is a published academic author and has lectured on the Edinburgh Business School MBA, connecting behavioural insight with practical workplace change.
Her qualifications include a psychology degree, an MSc in Occupational Psychology and Chartered Psychologist status. Her work covers executive, maternity and career-transition coaching alongside organisational consultancy. Across these areas, she connects inclusion with leadership habits, talent practices and the conditions that allow people to contribute and develop.
Andy Fieldhouse
Founder, The Team Space; author
Teamwork, leadership and collaboration
Andy works with people and organisations to build stronger, more cohesive teams.
Find out more about Andy Fieldhouse
The author of Getting Teamwork Right, he brings experience from wine, recruitment, sports marketing and events before specialising in team development. His work explores the behaviours, relationships and shared understanding that help groups work well together and sustain performance.
After an early career across several industries in London, Andy moved into work focused on the dynamics of teams. He helps groups examine how they relate, communicate and work towards shared goals. His approach recognises the practical and human cost of poor teamwork, as well as the benefits of a cohesive team.
Bobbi Hartshorne
Founder & CEO, WellWise
Workforce risk, organisational health and culture
Bobbi is a social scientist and organisational adviser focused on how workplace conditions affect people and business performance.
Find out more about Bobbi Hartshorne
Through WellWise, she works with leadership teams to identify workforce risks and turn evidence into organisational improvements. Her work examines leadership, culture and structures, bringing a systems perspective to employee resilience, engagement and sustainable performance.
Her advisory work includes the WellWise People Risk Diagnostic, designed to make hidden workforce risks more visible to leaders. She examines how organisational structures and cultural environments influence the way people function. The emphasis is on translating findings into changes in the working environment, rather than treating wellbeing as a separate activity.
Sam Browning
Senior HR Business Partner, Alef Education
Human resources, recruitment and employee wellbeing
Sam brings experience across talent acquisition, HR and employee wellbeing in the UAE.
Find out more about Sam Browning
His earlier work at Mediclinic Middle East connected recruitment operations with employee support and access to mental health services. He advocates considering wellbeing from the first interaction with an employer, including recruitment, onboarding and the everyday employee experience.
Sam has spoken about lowering barriers to wellbeing and considering mental health within recruitment and onboarding. His experience combines the practical demands of HR and hiring with employee support in a healthcare setting. This gives him a view of wellbeing across several stages of a person’s relationship with an employer.
Emma Davies
People and culture leader; founder, EvolveHub
People strategy, culture and business operations
Emma is a people and culture leader with more than 25 years of experience, including senior HR roles in the region.
Find out more about Emma Davies
Formerly Chief Culture and People Excellence Officer at Masafi, Emma has worked across consulting, professional networks and business operations. Her experience connects culture transformation and employee experience with the practical challenges of developing people and operating across markets.
Her work has included supporting international businesses operating in the Middle East and helping leaders connect people practices with local organisational needs. Through consulting and professional community activity, she has focused on culture, leadership and the employee experience, linking strategic ambitions to how people work together in practice.
Tersia Corbitt
Mental Wellbeing Programme Director
Learning, organisational development and mental wellbeing
Tersia is a learning and organisational development leader with more than 20 years of experience.
Find out more about Tersia Corbitt
Her background includes management and talent development at Emirates Global Aluminium. She brings experience of developing people in a large industrial organisation and connecting learning, leadership capability and mental wellbeing with the needs of employees and teams.
Her experience spans learning, talent and organisational development, including work in the industrial sector. Those disciplines involve understanding development needs, supporting managers and helping people apply learning in their roles. Her wellbeing work adds a focus on how organisations can support mental health alongside capability and performance.
Sara Hedger
International Safeguarding Consultant
Education, safeguarding and child protection
Sara works with education organisations to build safe cultures that put children’s rights and wellbeing at their centre.
Find out more about Sara Hedger
She has more than 25 years of safeguarding and child-protection experience, including international work across diverse cultural contexts. Her approach focuses on practical systems, leadership and the responsibility to recognise concerns, respond well and support the people delivering care.
She has worked internationally across different educational and cultural contexts, combining safeguarding advice with training and strategic leadership. Her ‘cultures of CARE’ approach is child-centred and focuses on advocacy, response and education. She emphasises that safeguarding depends on the culture and everyday actions of an organisation as well as its formal procedures.
Lucy Chow
Investor, author and Senior Senator to the UAE, WBAF
Investment, innovation and entrepreneurship
Lucy is an investor and author supporting entrepreneurship, innovation and underrepresented founders.
Find out more about Lucy Chow
Her work spans the UAE startup community and international investment networks. The author of Changing the Game, she explores the opportunities emerging through digital industries and the future of work, bringing a perspective on access, enterprise and the people shaping new markets.
Her book Changing the Game explores digital industries as a source of investment, skills and future careers. She has also supported founders through mentoring and angel-investment networks. Her work connects new economic opportunities with the question of who has the support, access and confidence to take part in them.
Lester Posner
Strategic Communications & Behaviour Change Adviser; GamCare Trustee
Public service, behavioural science and strategic communications
Lester brings more than 20 years of experience in communications, public service and behaviour change.
Find out more about Lester Posner
A former Communications Director at Britain’s Health and Safety Executive, his career connects journalism, workplace safety and strategic communication. He also serves as a Trustee and Committee Chair at GamCare, bringing a perspective on protecting people, reducing harm and communicating in ways that support meaningful action.
His background includes behavioural science study at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His career has examined how communication helps people make decisions that improve and protect lives. That includes public understanding, workplace safety and the challenge of reducing stigma around gambling harms and access to support.
