DMCC Nordic
Executive Luncheon

H.E. Anders Bjørn Hansen

Ambassador of Denmark to the UAE and Qatar

H.E. Mr. Anders Bjørn Hansen has been the Ambassador of Denmark to the UAE and Qatar as well as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) since September 1st, 2022.

Ambassador Hansen served as Director, Department of Security and Real Estate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark prior to his current position. He has previously served as Deputy Head of Mission, Royal Danish Embassy in Iran (2004-2006), Royal Danish Embassy in Israel (2011-2014). He has held several positions at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs including Director, Office of Controller; Deputy Head of Department, Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA), Deputy Head of Department, Africa. Ambassador Hansen served as a Special Advisor, Foreign Affairs (2006-2009) at the Danish Prime Minister’s Office.

H.M. Queen Margrethe II awarded H.E. Anders Bjørn Hansen the Knight of the Order of Dannebrog.
Ambassador Hansen holds a Master’s degree in History from the University of Copenhagen. He is married and has two children.

H.E. Tuula Yrjölä

Ambassador of Finland to the UAE and Bahrain

• Current position Ambassador of Finland to the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Bahrain, since October 2023.
• Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre, Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat
• Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe OSCE (2020 - autumn 2023)
• Ambassador for Democratic and Effective Societies and Education
• Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Helsinki (2018-2020)
  Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
• Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (2016-2018)
• Ambassador of Finland to Egypt and Sudan with accreditation to the League of Arab States (2013-
  2016)
• Roving Ambassador of Finland to Central Asia
• Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, with direct accreditation from Helsinki to Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (2010-2013)
• Director, Unit for Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, Central Asia
  Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Helsinki (2007-2010)
• Deputy Director, Unit for Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, Central Asia
  Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Helsinki (2004-2007)
• Counsellor, EU Enlargement
  Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Helsinki (2001-2003)
• Deputy Consul General, Press and Cultural officer
• Consulate General of Finland in New York (1998-2001)
• Deputy Head of Mission
  Embassy of Finland in Ukraine (1995 - 1998)
  Prior postings in junior positions at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
  Diplomatic career since 1995.

H.E. Olav Myklebust

Ambassador of Norway to the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait

• Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates - August 2023
• Ambassador to the State of Qatar - January 2024
• Ambassador to the State of Kuwait - January 2025
  
  Education
  Candidatus Juris (Master of Law) 1993, University of Bergen, Norway
  
  Positions in the Norwegian Foreign Service
• 2023 - Ambassador of Norway to the UAE
• 2020 - 2023 - Senior Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Oslo
• 2018 - 2020 - Norway's Ambassador to Poland, Warsaw
• 2014 - 2018 - Minister Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative to the OECD and UNESCO, Paris
• 2011 - 2014 - Minister Counsellor, Deputy Head of Mission, Norway's Embassy to the United Kingdom, London
• 2010 - 2011 - Deputy Director General, Legal Department, MFA, Oslo Acting Director General, Legal Department, M A , Oslo
• 2005 - 2009 - Director, Section for Environmental Law, Treaty Law and Law of the Sea, MFA, Oslo
• 2002- 2005 - Deputy Director, Section for Public International Law, MFA, Oslo
• 2001 - 2002 - Adviser, Section for International Law, MFA, Oslo
• 1998 - 2001- 1st Secretary of Embassy, Norway's Permanent Delegation to NATO, Brussels
• 1995 - 1998 - Secretary of Embassy, Norway's Embassy to Iceland, Reykjavik
• 1993 - 1995 - Diplomatic Trainee, MFA, Oslo

H.E Fredrik Floren

Ambassador of Sweden to the UAE

• 2023 - Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
• 2022 - Ambassador, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Department of Europe, and North America
• 2019 - 2022 Ambassador, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Department of Consular Affairs
• 2014 - 2019 Ambassador to Tunisia, also to Libya
• 2015 - 2016 Ambassador, in charge of an independent review of Sweden’s policy related to Western Sahara
• 2013 - 2014 Deputy Director, Head of Gulf Section, Department for North Africa and Middle East, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Stockholm
• 2008 - 2013 Deputy Director, Head of North Africa and Levant Section, Department for North Africa and Middle East, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Stockholm
• 2005 - 2005 First Secretary, Department for North Africa and Middle East, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Stockholm
• 2001 - 2005 First Secretary, Embassy of Sweden, Havana
• 1998 - 2001 Second Secretary, Delegation of Sweden to the OSCE, Vienna

Education and Training Programmes

• 2022 Instituto Cervantes, Diploma de español como lengua extranjera, DELE C1
• 2019 Institut français de Tunis, Diplôme approfondi de la langue française, DALF C 2
• 2010 Government Offices, Management Programme
• 2008 Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Management Programme
• 1997 Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Training Programme
• 1997 European Commission DG External Affairs (Balkans), Stagiaire
• 1996 International Trade Center UNCTAD/WTO, Stagiaire
• 1996 University of Lund, Master of European Affairs
• 1995 Universidad de Salamanca, Diploma de Estudios Hispánicos
• 1994 University of Lund, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science

Languages

• Swedish (mother tongue), English, French, Spanish

Ahmed Bin Sulayem

Executive Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer,
DMCC

Feryal Ahmadi

Deputy CEO and
Chief Operating Officer,
DMCC

Feryal Ahmadi serves as the Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of DMCC, playing a pivotal role in cementing its status as the world’s leading authority on international commodities trade and enterprise.

With two decades’ experience, Feryal oversees DMCC’s long-term strategic growth, driving corporate governance excellence and fostering initiatives that amplify global trade flows through Dubai. She has been instrumental in shaping and managing the development of DMCC’s flagship Uptown Dubai and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) business districts, as well as spearheading the innovative DMCC Smart and Sustainable District Strategy.

As an official DMCC spokesperson, Feryal represents DMCC on global platforms, engaging with local and international media to elevate the organisation’s profile and champion Dubai’s thought leadership credentials on the world stage. Her influence has earned her repeated recognition in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen, and she was named one of Arabian Business’s Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in 2025.

As a vocal advocate for sustainability, inclusivity, and women in leadership, Feryal is a member of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) committee, established by UN Global Compact and UN Women. She leads DMCC’s comprehensive sustainability programmes and actively contributes to a number of semi-governmental boards across the UAE.

Feryal holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the American University of Sharjah and an Executive MBA from Harvard University.

Rupert Young

Senior Partner – Head,
Brunswick Gulf

Rupert leads Brunswick’s business in the Arabian Gulf, advising clients across the GCC. He works with the senior management of government-related entities, private and listed companies and multi-nationals looking to support their communications objectives in the region.

He specializes in corporate positioning, media relations, listed-company reporting, investor relations, financial transactions and the communications management of major issues.

Rupert has been a communications consultant with Brunswick for 27 years, initially in London and then moving to the Gulf to launch the business in 2007. Today Brunswick has established offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh.

Rupert has advised a wide range of clients over his career including several of the region’s largest companies such as Aldar, DEWA, Dubai Holding, DMCC and Saudi Aramco on retainer and project work.

He started his professional life in the British Army, training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, after which he went on to serve a Short Service Commission. Rupert has a BA Honors from the University of East Anglia, in the UK. 

Belal Jassoma

Senior Director - Tech Ecosystems,
DMCC

Belal Jassoma is Senior Director - Tech Ecosystems at DMCC, the world’s leading business district and authority on international commodities trade and enterprise.

Belal joined DMCC in 2011 and has been instrumental in scaling up DMCC’s ecosystems and commercial offering, including new products, services and member engagement programmes. In his current capacity as Director for Ecosystems, Belal is responsible for developing key strategic relationships, partnerships and product functions as well as overseeing ecosystem development across several of DMCC’s industry verticals such as crypto, gaming, AI, energy and financial services.

Belal holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the American University of Sharjah and brings over 18 years of experience in real estate, investment, and government administration.