Ahmed Bin Sulayem

Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and has driven its growth from a start-up of 28 member companies in 2003 to the world’s leading international business district in 2025 with over 26,000 member companies from 180 countries, employing over 90,000 people. 

Tasked with enhancing commodity trade flows through Dubai, DMCC has introduced to the market a number of value-added products and services under Mr Bin Sulayem’s leadership. In 2023, DMCC was named ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record ninth consecutive year.

Mr Bin Sulayem oversaw the exponential growth of the DMCC Free Zone master development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), a 200-hectare business and residential community in Dubai of over 100,000 people living and working in 87 towers. Mr Bin Sulayem also oversees the development of DMCC’s latest real estate project, the Uptown Dubai district.

Mr Bin Sulayem currently serves as the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX).

The Kimberley Process officially appointed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the first and only Arab country to Chair the Kimberley Process (KP) in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the KP for 2016. Mr Bin Sulayem was reappointed as Chair of the KP for a historic second term in 2024, and again in 2025 as Custodian Chair, marking an unprecedented third term.

Andrés O. Hayes

Andrés O. Hayes is an internationally recognized leader in global trade, tourism, and hospitality with more than 35 years of executive experience spanning banking, international business development, and destination promotion. A native of the Republic of Panama, Mr. Hayes serves as President and CEO of Airtifae Group, where he leads initiatives that promote foreign direct investment, international market expansion, and strategic partnerships across multiple regions of the world.

From 2019 to 2022, Mr. Hayes served as Director for International Trade and Commerce for the Government of the District of Columbia, where he played a key role in attracting foreign direct investment to Washington, DC, strengthening international commercial partnerships, and supporting export growth among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). His work helped position Washington, DC as a gateway for global business engagement.

Mr. Hayes built a distinguished corporate career with Visa International, where he spent more than a decade and rose to become one of the company’s youngest Regional Managers. In 1994 he was selected to establish Visa’s operations center for Central Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He later served as Senior Vice President overseeing two major card operations centers, where he led international market development initiatives and coordinated global trade and tourism promotion programs.

A committed community leader, Mr. Hayes has served on the boards of several respected organizations, including the DC Chamber of Commerce, where he founded the International Committee in 2014, the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Advisory Board of the Carlos Rosario International Charter School Culinary Program. He has also supported Covenant House Greater Washington and currently serves on the advisory board of Tabard Corporation, a distinguished hospitality company based in Washington, DC, and Education for Sharing.

Mr. Hayes has earned international recognition through media appearances, global speaking engagements, and leadership initiatives across multiple continents. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, he is widely respected for his ability to connect business leaders, governments, and institutions in pursuit of shared economic growth and development.

As founder of Airtifae Global Services and Airtifae Hospitality Consulting, Mr. Hayes works with governments, chambers of commerce, and international organizations to strengthen trade relations, attract investment, and expand global business opportunities. His work includes the development of international training programs for the hospitality industry and collaborations with organizations such as the International City/County Management Association, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and the International Council for Small Business. 

Mr. Hayes currently serves as World President of Skål International (2026), the world’s largest global network of tourism and hospitality executives. Founded in 1934, Skål International brings together approximately 12,500 members across 275 clubs in more than 75 countries, providing access to a global network of tourism leaders and decision-makers.

Through his leadership in government, industry, and international organizations, Andrés O. Hayes continues to advance global collaboration, promote sustainable tourism development, and support the international expansion of businesses and destinations.

Patricio Poplavsky

Patricio Poplavsky is a lawyer, entrepreneur, international consultant, author, and founder of Poplavsky Group, a multidisciplinary professional group with operations and presence in the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Throughout more than twenty-five years of professional experience, he has developed a multidisciplinary practice combining law, international corporate structuring, wealth planning, compliance, anti-money laundering, new technologies, real estate investment, and the international expansion of businesses. 

He is currently based in Dubai, from where he directs and coordinates the Group’s international activities, advising entrepreneurs, investors, high-net-worth families, technology companies, and organizations seeking to establish, invest, or develop operations in the United Arab Emirates and other strategic jurisdictions.

Patricio is the founder of Poplavsky Group, an international organization specializing in corporate advisory, international tax planning, business structuring, real estate investment, and business expansion strategies. The Group has developed operations in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Argentina, providing tailored solutions to investors, exporters, entrepreneurs, athletes, professionals, and high-profile clients. 

Vanina Molina

Vanina Molina is a lawyer, international legal consultant, entrepreneur, and Chief 
Executive Officer of Poplavsky, with extensive experience in private international law, corporate structuring, regulatory compliance, emerging technologies, real estate investment, and international 
business development.

She is currently based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she leads Poplavsky’s global expansion, develops strategic alliances, and supervises the legal and operational quality of the corporate, investment, and wealth-planning structures offered by the Group.

Her professional practice combines legal analysis, regulatory compliance, business strategy, technological innovation, asset protection, and international investment advisory. She works with entrepreneurs, investors, technology companies, high-net-worth individuals, and international families seeking to establish businesses, invest, relocate, or structure their assets in the United Arab Emirates and other strategic jurisdictions. 

Adria Mir de Simon

Adria Mir de Simon is an executive and entrepreneur working at the intersection of sports, gaming, Web3, XR/VR, and emerging technologies.

He currently serves as Vice President of Business Development at wowinX, where he supports the operations and growth of a diversified holding group comprising more than 35 companies and over 150 employees. His focus is firmly on execution, including business development, strategic partnerships, regional expansion, and the creation of structures that enable companies to scale efficiently.

He is also Co-CEO of IMM3RSIVE and VirtualSports, companies through which he is driving the transformation of physical sports into gamified VR experiences by combining real-world movement, digital competition, and community engagement.

Before moving into executive roles, Adria built his career in the esports, gaming, blockchain, and business development sectors. He held several leadership positions at Games for a Living, where he worked on partnerships, esports, in-game economies, and Web3 gaming strategy.
His background also includes professional sports, having competed as a professional goalkeeper. This experience has strongly shaped his leadership style, which is defined by discipline under pressure, teamwork, competitiveness, and high performance standards.
Today, Adria is focused on scaling businesses and driving innovation by connecting technology, strategy, and execution to transform emerging ideas into companies and experiences with tangible, real-world impact.

Mohammed Mohammed

Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed is a Senior Manager of Corporate Sales at DMCC, the world’s leading Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise.

Joining DMCC in 2014, Mohammed is responsible for promoting the benefits of doing business in Dubai and establishing a presence in DMCC. Building strategic relationships is a key focus for Mohammed, and so too is engaging with local and international business communities at key industry events throughout the year.

With over 16 years of business development and corporate sales experience, Mohammed has worked alongside a number of senior figures in both the public and private sectors of the United Arab Emirates. Mohammed earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the American University in Emirates.

Zaher El Orm

Zaher El Orm is the Crypto Centre Manager at DMCC, where he leads the growth and development of the Web3 ecosystem. In this role, Zaher drives strategic initiatives that promote blockchain technology's adoption and practical application, ensuring that DMCC remains at the forefront of the industry. By partnering with top-tier industry players, he provides end-to-end solutions and support to entrepreneurs and companies looking to scale their crypto operations within a dynamic and rapidly evolving market.

Zaher holds an MBA from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, where he specialised in the intersection of blockchain technology and supply chain management. His academic and professional background, combined with his forward-thinking approach, positions him as a key influencer in the ongoing evolution of the blockchain landscape.

Salman Amiri

Salman Amiri serves as the Manager at DMCC’s AI Centre, the region’s leading hub for pragmatic Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation.

Salman leads strategic operations at DMCC's AI and robotics innovation hub, where he drives the development of specialized services, programs, and partnerships that foster ecosystem growth. His work focuses on building strategic relationships with government stakeholders and industry leaders while championing AI adoption initiatives across the organization.

Before joining DMCC in October 2024, Salman was an Autonomous Robotics Researcher at the Technology Innovation Institute, where he specialized in guidance, navigation, and control systems. His background combines technical expertise in AI and robotics with operational leadership experience.

Salman holds a Master's degree in Intelligent Robotic Systems from the Universitat de Girona and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University. As an Emirati national, he is committed to advancing the UAE's position as a global hub for technological innovation.