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FOODSEC - Middle East Food Security is a Virtual Summit and Expo taking place from 24-25 March 2021.
The event is an inter-regional platform with a B2B & B2G international trade expo and summit presenting developments in Food Security at all spatial levels from local, to global markets and from an interdisciplinary and systemic food systems perspective.
The event will feature participation from C-level executives, thought leaders, government decision makers, focused investors, entrepreneurs, corporates, food executives, researchers, technology experts, innovators, from across the agriculture and food production supply chain, to uncover disruption within the industry and identify the right business models to commercialize and scale the next generation of solutions.

EXPOrience the Future
A new way to experience an Exhibition. A virtual event works very much the same as our in-person events, with many of our physical features transferring across to the digital experience. The Event will run for 48 Hours from 24 March 2021, Gulf Standard Time – 10:00hrs or GMT+4, to make sure global attendance from all time zones. All you need is a desktop, laptop, tablet or phone, and you can digitally attend from the safety and comfort of your office or home.
Transforming food systems is crucial for delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. Middle East FOODSEC is pleased to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Event Features

Exhibition

Summit
Unique Offerings

Product Showcase

Exhibitor Virtual Booth

Generate New Leads

Watch Live

1-2-1 Meetings

Discuss

Webinars & Round Tables

On-Demand
Speakers

H.E. Yerlan Baidaulet
Director General
Islamic Organisation for Food Security


H.E. Yerlan Baidaulet
Director General
Islamic Organisation for Food Security
H.E. Yerlan A. Baidaulet is the Director General of IOFS which is OIC specialized institution, in field of food security and agriculture development, founded in 2013.
H.E. Yerlan A. Baidaulet has a long-term experience in International Relations and in Islamic Finance worked for 28 years and held various corporate and management positions, including IDB Executive Director, Head of JSC Engineering and Technology Transfer Center, Eurasian Development Bank, Chairman of the Association for Islamic Finance Development, The Experts Council by the Security Council of Kazakhstan, and others.
H.E. Yerlan A. Baidaulet has won the CIFA Special Prize 2015 (Leadership Role) for the contribution to the development of the Global Islamic Finance industry (awarded in Bahrain by GIFA UK Committee).
H.E. Yerlan A. Baidaulet holds a Bachelor of History and Political Economy and Ph.D. Degree of Political Economy, MBA in Banking & Finance in KIMEP University and Postgraduate MAPOW program, St.Gallen University, Switzerland.

Maciej Golubiewski
Head of Cabinet Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture
European Commission


Maciej Golubiewski
Head of Cabinet Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture
European Commission
TOPIC : Global sustainable food security and the European Green Deal
Maciej Golubiewski is the Head of Cabinet of Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Janusz Wojciechowski.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Washington and Lee University (1999) and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from the Johns Hopkins University (2005). He also holds an International Baccalaureate Diploma from the United World College of the Atlantic in the UK.
After graduation, he moved to Washington D.C. where he spent three years in business consulting at Charles River Associates International (CRAI) before going on to graduate school. During his studies Mr. Golubiewski interned with the office of Senator Richard Lugar, served as a summer fellow at the Heritage Foundation and was an associate scholar at the Center for European Policy Analysis. For close to five years, he was a teaching assistant and lecturer in political science and international relations at the Johns Hopkins University and spent two semesters as a visiting professor at Mannheim University in Germany.
In 2008, he joined, as an established official, the Directorate General for Development and Relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries at the European Commission in Brussels as a desk responsible for regional political and economic cooperation with the Horn, East and Southern Africa region. During that time he participated in the Economic Partnership Agreement free trade negotiations with the African regional blocks. In 2011, he was transferred to the newly created European External Action Service, where, since 2012, he had been responsible for preparing the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council positions on the developing conflict in Syria. Between 2014 and 2016, Mr. Golubiewski served as the Deputy Chief of Mission and the Head of the Political Section at the EU Delegation to Lebanon in Beirut and between 2017 and 2019 as the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York.
Mr. Golubiewski sits on an advisory board of the Integral Economic Development master programs at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C, and for almost ten years has been associated with the Sobieski Institute in Warsaw as an expert on the EU and foreign policy. He speaks Polish, English and French.

Rachid Serraj
Delivery Manager
Regional Initiative on Small-Scale Family Farming
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)


Rachid Serraj
Delivery Manager
Regional Initiative on Small-Scale Family Farming
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
TOPIC : Agri-food systems Innovation for smallholders in the MENA region: challenges and prospects
Rachid is the Delivery Manager of the Regional Initiative on Small-Scale Family Farming at the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, and Coordinator of the RNE’s initiative on agrifood system innovation. Served previously as the Director of the Diversification and Sustainable Intensification at ICARDA, Senior Officer with the Science Council of the CGIAR; the leader of rice drought frontiers at IRRI, and as principal scientist at ICRISAT. Technical expertise and management leadership in international agricultural development, with more than 30 years’ experience in agriculture and crop production systems, and in particular problems of adaptation to climate change, resilience of dryland farming systems, resources interactions within farming systems. Lead role at the CGIAR Science Council secretariat in coordinating strategic foresight and research evaluation; competencies in R&D management, with emphasis on the technical, socioeconomic, institutional and regulatory aspects relating to agricultural and rural development.

Andre Laperriere
Executive Director
Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN)


Andre Laperriere
Executive Director
Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN)
Mr. André Laperrière joined the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) initiative as its first Executive Director, in September 2015. During his career, Mr. Laperrière has led/managed numerous projects on behalf of large Private Corporations and subsequently, within the United Nations and the World Bank. In this context he played a senior role in the design and the implementation of major reforms within a number of agencies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. He has extensive work experience in the Americas, Caribbean, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, in particular in developing countries and in conflict/post conflict environments.
Before joining GODAN, Mr. Laperrière was Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Washington DC. Among other positions, he has also been the first Executive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Director of the Administration and Finance Division in the World Health Organization (WHO), and Coordinator for reconstruction and rehabilitation activities under the responsibility of UNICEF in Iraq.
Prior to his career in the UN, Mr. Laperrière was Director in the International Services of Price Waterhouse. In this position, he led multiple large scale business evaluations, privatizations, mergers and structural reform projects in Europe, Africa, the Americas and Caribbean. Mr. Laperrière was born in Canada, where he completed post graduate studies in Administration and in Industrial Relations. Mr. Laperrière is an expert in international development.

Dawood Suleiman Al-Yahyai
Acting Director General of Fisheries Research
Ministry of Agriculture Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources
Sultanate of Oman


Dawood Suleiman Al-Yahyai
Acting Director General of Fisheries Research
Ministry of Agriculture Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources
Sultanate of Oman
TOPIC : Sustainable development of Aquaculture in Oman
Dawood Al-Yahyai Director General of Fisheries Research at Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries Wealth and Water Resources in Oman. He has more than 25 years' experience in fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Oman. He served in different leadership position including Aquaculture and Fisheries research centers, in addition to extension and training and education departments. He has participated in preparation of different plans for aquaculture development and also in different scientific and practical aquaculture researches.

Philippos Papageorgiou
Director of Aquaculture
National Fisheries Development Program
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia


Philippos Papageorgiou
Director of Aquaculture
National Fisheries Development Program
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
TOPIC : Prospects and challenges for the further development of aquaculture in the ME region, at the aftermath of COVID-19
A passionate aquaculture and seafood industry professional, with 25+ years of experience in both the private and the public sectors, from specialized consulting and aquaculture producing companies to government organizations, associations and NGO’s.
Philippos has participated and managed numerous projects and studies, many of which in collaboration with international organizations and bodies such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, FAO/GFCM, the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP), the Spanish Aquaculture Observatory Foundation (FOESA), as well as various national aquaculture Producer Organizations and Associations (Greece, Spain, Saudi Arabia).
From February 2016 till July 2019 he held the post of the Technical Consultant to the Saudi Aquaculture Society (SAS) and to the Aquaculture Department of the Ministry of Environment Water & Agriculture (ADMEWA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Under this capacity he developed the ‘Saudi Arabian Code for Responsible Aquaculture Practices’, which currently serves as the standard setting document for the Saudi Mark of Aquaculture Quality (SAMAQ).
Since August 2019 he holds the position of Director of Aquaculture for the National Fisheries Development Program (NFDP) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He holds a BSc(Jt.Hons) degree in Marine Biology/ Oceanography and an MSc degree on Aquaculture and Fisheries from the University of Wales (UK) as well as an MBA on General Management and Marketing from the University of Leicester (UK).
Philippos strongly believes that the time has come for the aquaculture industry to redefine its role, not solely as a contributor to food security, but as an active driver for positive total societal impact.

Fatema AlMulla
Senior Research Analyst
UAE Food and Water Security Office


Fatema AlMulla
Senior Research Analyst
UAE Food and Water Security Office
TOPIC : Food Security in the UAE
Fatema AlMulla joined the Food and Water Security Office in July 2019. She leads the Office’s efforts in enhancing Research & Development, including the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies towards achieving the National Food Security Strategy 2051. In addition, Fatema also manages the relationship between the UAE and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.
Prior to joining the FSO, Fatema worked with Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s Renewable Energy company. She was part of the Marketing and Corporate Communications team that helps deliver Masdar’s special projects locally and internationally including Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the region’s largest annual event on sustainability.
Fatema has a Masters of Environmental Management, Sustainable Development from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a Bachelor’s in Business Marketing from the American University of Sharjah. She is passionate about community development and raising awareness on challenges our planet faces and the path needed to transition towards a more sustainable future.

Salvatore Lavallo
Acting Head of FDI
Abu Dhabi Investment Office


Salvatore Lavallo
Acting Head of FDI
Abu Dhabi Investment Office
Salvatore Lavallo is the Acting Head of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).
Prior to joining ADIO, Salvatore has held roles across an eclectic range of industries and organisations. Salvatore started his career with Invest in Bavaria before founding Trail of Seeds – an NGO promoting culturally inclusive development around the world. He has also held positions at McKinsey and Company, Akemi Venture Partners and, most recently, acted as an advisor for the Tony Blair Institute.
Salvatore also holds the distinct honour of having travelled to every country of the world – one of the youngest ever to do so – as part of his “193Journeys” project where he shared images and stories with over 100k social media followers. The project was featured in Conde Nast, CNN, the New York Post and more.
Salvatore holds an International Baccalaureate from the United World College as well as a B.A. in Culturally Inclusive Development from New York University where he was the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar for Devotion to Service and President’s Service Award.

Lina Abdelfattah
Senior Research Assistant
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)


Lina Abdelfattah
Senior Research Assistant
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Lina Abdelfattah is a Senior Research Assistant. She is working on research related to food, water and agricultural land in the region, and is also acting as the office's communication liaison. Before joining IFPRI, Lina held several research positions in the government and international organizations as well as research and teaching positions at the American University in Cairo (AUC). She holds MSc in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Bristol, UK, MA in Economics from the American University in Cairo (AUC) and BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo (AUC). Her research interests include applied economic development, international trade, labor economics, and macroeconometric modelling and forecasting.

Professor Chris Elliott
Professor of Food Safety at Queen's University Belfast and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security
Queens University Belfast


Professor Chris Elliott
Professor of Food Safety at Queen's University Belfast and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security
Queens University Belfast
TOPIC : Creating a food system which will help drive the knowledge economy and improve human health
Chris is currently Professor of Food Safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast. He served as Pro Vice Chancellor responsible for the Medical and Life Sciences Faculty between 2015 and 2018.
He has published more than 460 peer review articles, many of them relating to the detection and control of agriculture, food and environmental related contaminants. His main research interests are in the development of innovative techniques to provide early warning of toxin threats across complex food supply systems. Protecting the integrity of the food supply chain from fraud is also a key research topic and Chris led the independent review of Britain’s food system following the 2013 horsemeat scandal. He currently co-ordinates a flagship Horizon2020 project involving 16 European and 17 Chinese partners on food safety and also co-ordinates a European Institute of Innovation and Technology flagship research project.
Over the years Chris has developed a high level network of collaborators across Europe, the United States , the Middle East and Asia. He is a visiting Professor at the China Agriculture University in Beijing and the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Thammasat University in Thailand. He is a recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal Society of Biology. Chris has received numerous prizes and awards for his work. In 2017 he was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Theophilus Redwood Prize and was also awarded an OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2020.

Dr. Shamal Mohammed
Chief Technical Officer
Agri-EPI centre- UK


Dr. Shamal Mohammed
Chief Technical Officer
Agri-EPI centre- UK
TOPIC : How digital innovations enable food security
Dr Shamal Mohammed is one of the UK’s leading experts in digital agriculture. He is Chief Technical Officer at Agri-EPI Centre, one of the UK’s four Centres of Agri-Tech Innovation. In this role, he drives agri-tech innovation through engagement with farmers and technology providers to develop, market and upscale digital products and services to improve food production systems and environmental sustainability. Shamal has strong expertise in technologies including smart sensors, earth observation, drones, and robotics and automation and their application in UK and international settings, including on Agri-EPI-led Smart Farms in China and Paraguay.