One Marylebone, London
10 June 2026
9:00AM - 12:00PM
.gif?width=600&height=337&name=Discover%20The%20Future%20of%20Trade%20Report%202024%20-%20DMCC%20Authority%20(1080p).gif "Discover The Future of Trade Report 2024 - DMCC Authority (1080p)")
Explore the key forces shaping global trade – including the collapse of rules-based multilateralism, the rise of trade blocs, and the new geography of supply chains
Understand how South-South trade, middle powers, and shifting corridors are creating new winners, and why the UAE continues to scale among the world's top trade and investment destinations
Assess how AI has moved from experimentation to operational scale and what the widening gap between early movers and laggards means for competitive positioning
Examine the future of trade finance, digital infrastructure, and cross-border settlement as stablecoins, tokenisation and CBDCs reshape the landscape
Gain perspectives from senior government and industry stakeholders
Senior decision-makers
Policymakers
Business leaders
Investors
Trade professionals
Industry stakeholders
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Ahmed Bin Sulayem
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
DMCC
Speaker Profile
Ahmed Bin Sulayem
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,DMCC
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 80,000 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 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 officially appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the KP for 2016. Mr Bin Sulayem was reappointed Chair of the KP for a historic second time in 2024, and has continued his leadership role with the position of Custodian Chair in 2025.
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Feryal Ahmadi
Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer,
DMCC
Speaker Profile
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.
Michael Lawrence
Chief Executive,
Asia House
Speaker Profile
Michael Lawrence
Chief Executive,Asia House
Michael Lawrence leads the Asia House team in delivering business and market intelligence to some of the world’s biggest companies and governments in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Michael was appointed Chief Executive in September 2012 after a distinguished career as a journalist, editor and executive in international media. He has developed Asia House into the premier UK-based institution on Asia and the Middle East, chairing high-level dialogues between senior political figures and multinational businesses.
Michael is in regular conversations with global leaders in foreign affairs, finance, trade, technology and national development, and can offer valuable perspectives on how to navigate the intersection between economic, security and political issues.
Prior to joining Asia House, Michael spent 18 years at Reuters (later Thomson Reuters), the international news and financial information organisation, where he held several senior positions including Global Editor (2006-2012). In his roles at Reuters, Michael was on the frontline of all major international news events as they evolved over more than 30 years.
Michael was awarded an OBE in the King’s 2023 New Year Honours list for his services to international relations between the UK and Asia.