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 free zone in 2022 with over 23,000 member companies from 180 countries, employing over 65,000 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 2022, DMCC was named the ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record eight consecutive years.

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 much-anticipated 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 in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy officially appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the Kimberley Process for 2016.

Mark Jaffe

Mark Jaffe was born and raised in Westchester County. He attended college at SUNY Albany, business school at the University of Utah and later graduated from Cardozo Law School in NYC.

After business school, Mark started a fundraising and consulting company for nonprofits throughout the United States. Mark’s understanding of economic development, local governments and entrepreneurship led to close working relationships with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the NYS Empire Development Corporation and the NYC Dept of Business Services. In 1994 Mark was selected to serve on the Mayor’s Small Business Advisory Board for the City of NY where he helped spearhead the rebuilding of downtown Brooklyn. Later that year Mark became the executive director of the Greater Chamber of Commerce and subsequently served as Legal Counsel for the Business & Labor Coalition of NY.

In 2002 Mark was appointed to be the treasurer of the Manhattan Boro Development Corporation (where he was put in charge of monitoring the success of post 9/11 recovery efforts) and was also promoted to be the President and CEO of the Greater NY Chamber. As the CEO of the Chamber, Mark has built a strong coalition of over 30,000 business and civic leaders throughout the Metro NY Area. In 2021, Mark was selected as one of the top economic and development leaders in NY by City and State Magazine.

Mark is actively politically and serves as the treasurer of the NY Chamber PAC. He is an elected district leader in Westchester County and recently qualified to run for the House of Representatives in NY’s 16th Congressional sixteenth district. The Chamber also runs a Foundation where Mark serves as trustee and a Legal Center where Mark serves as lead counsel.

Cara Nazari

Born and raised in the USA, Cara has called Dubai home for 30 years. As the current Chief Executive Office leading AmCham Dubai, she is an accomplished business leader with a reputation as a key advocate for US business in the UAE and broader MENA region. She is a dedicated professional with a passion for excellence around collaboration for key impact, with a proven ability to raise awareness of challenges and deliver wins for all with mutually beneficial solutions. Her vast network of top business leaders and government officials is a key component of her ability to help deliver solid economic impact and to eliminate trade barriers. Engaging the correct people in the conversation, communicating in a clear and concise manner and finding solutions enable her to deliver on leading transformational change.

Cara is a dedicated professional committed to flawless execution when she leads a project, and she understands that resources need to be deployed skillfully to optimize outcomes. Cara’s passion for people led her to serve in the private and non-profit sectors providing some unparalleled opportunities. Prior to devoting herself to her business full-time, she worked, planned, and defined concepts for brands we all know and love. Cara has led key visits to the UAE for 3 US Presidents.

Cara is an active member of the community and believes in giving back through mentoring and volunteering, sharing her knowledge to build best practices, her skill at business development and revenue generation as well as creating standards of excellence and raising the bar of professionalism.

In her spare time, Cara is a mother to three amazing children. They enjoy their time together when they can be together as a family when lucky enough to have everyone on the same continent.

Feryal Ahmadi

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.