Speakers
Get to know the distinguished speakers of the RAK Energy Summit 2026.
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HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi
UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah
HE Eng. Esmaeel Hasan Al Blooshi
Director General , Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Transport Authority
HE Eng. Esmaeel Hasan Al Blooshi serves as the Director General of the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Transport Authority, where he has significantly contributed to the advancement of the emirate's transportation infrastructure. Under his visionary leadership, the RAK Transport Authority has launched several groundbreaking projects, establishing a model for modern and efficient transport systems in the region.
As a distinguished member of the UITP Board Policy and a board member of RAK International Airport, Eng. Al Blooshi plays a pivotal role in shaping transportation policies and strategic initiatives. His expertise is further leveraged as a member of numerous strategic committees and companies within Ras Al Khaimah, where he provides invaluable insights and guidance.
Throughout his tenure, Eng. Al Blooshi has spearheaded various innovative projects that have transformed RAK’s transportation landscape. Notable among these is the establishment of the public bus project in RAK, which has greatly enhanced public mobility. He has also championed the integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and smart solutions for buses, along with the implementation of AI and smart cameras in taxis, reflecting his commitment to leveraging technology for improved service delivery.
A staunch advocate for green mobility, Eng. Al Blooshi has been instrumental in developing comprehensive plans for Green mobility strategy for RAK. It includes many initiatives such as; the distribution of electric vehicles (EVs) and the adoption of other green technologies. His efforts have led to the successful establishment of EV taxis in RAK, marking a significant step towards sustainable transportation solutions. These initiatives underscore his dedication to environmental sustainability and his vision for a greener future.
Eng. Al Blooshi’s academic credentials are a testament to his commitment to excellence and continuous learning. He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of Wollongong, a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the American University of Sharjah, and a Higher Diploma in Sport Management from Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi. His educational background is complemented by a plethora of professional certificates, underscoring his dedication to staying at the forefront of industry developments.
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HE Francesco La Camera
Director General, IRENA
Francesco La Camera is the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He took office on 4 April 2019 and brings more than thirty years of experience in the fields of climate, sustainability, and international cooperation
In his role, Mr. La Camera is responsible for leading the delivery of IRENA’s work programme and strategy in cooperation with the Agency’s Membership. At a critical time for climate change and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, Mr. La Camera is tasked with redefining the structure and operations of the Agency in response to the urgent needs of its members.
Under his leadership the Agency has forged a series of new strategic partnerships with UN organisations including UNDP, UNFCCC and Green Climate Fund among others and Financial Institutions. A key priority of his tenure is to implement a more action-oriented approach to the Agency’s work.
Previously, Mr. La Camera served as Director-General of Sustainable Development, Environmental Damage, EU and International Affairs at the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land & Sea since 2014. In this capacity, he developed cooperation and partnership agreements with a wide range of countries. As the national coordinator for climate, environment, resource efficiency and circular economy, he led the Italian delegation to UNFCCC’s COP 21 to 24 and the EU Presidency at COP 20. He was also responsible for the preparation and organisation of Italy’s G7 Environment Presidency in 2017.
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HE Lucie Berger
Ambassador of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates
HE Lucie Berger, took on the role of European Union Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates in September 2023. Born on January 17, 1983, in Prague, Ms Berger is fluent in Czech, English, and French, with proficiency in Arabic, German, and Spanish. Ms Berger holds a Master's degree in European Integration from the University of Economics in Prague, with expertise in European law, policies, and economics. Her thesis examined workers’ mobility following the 2004 enlargement of the European Union. Her academic journey included political science, diplomacy, and international relations. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in International Trade.
Ms Berger’s career in international diplomacy spans over a decade and is marked by notable achievements.
Since 12 March 2026, she is a Member of the Bureau of EU Ambassadors for the term 2026 – 2028.
From 2022 to 2023, she served as the Policy Coordinator in European Commission’s DG Climate Action (Brussels, Belgium). In this role, she oversaw trade negotiations and climate measures within trade policy, negotiated free trade agreements, and coordinated trade and sustainable development matters.
From 2018 to 2022, Ms. Berger held the position of EU Representative in International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva, Switzerland. During this tenure, she represented the EU and its Member States in these organizations, developed a digital diplomacy strategy, and led negotiations.
Between 2015 and 2018, she served as the Head of Trade and Economic Affairs in the Gulf at the Delegation of the European Union in Riyadh. She focused on formulating trade and economic cooperation policies between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as its six members, including the UAE. In this role, she launched for example the EU-GCC Trade and Investment Dialogue and initiated the EU-GCC Dialogue on Economic Diversification project.
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HE Munther Mohammed bin Shekar AlZaabi
Director General, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality
His Excellency Munther Mohammed bin Shekar is the Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality since 2014. Under his leadership, the Municipality has undergone an important transformation towards digitisation and smart services, has achieved higher integration of its departments and has expanded its scope into the field of energy sustainability. In order to ensure the most advanced municipal services to residents and businesses, Munther made significant steps towards strengthening and developing cooperation avenues with other leading entities in the government and the private sector.
Before joining the Municipality, Munther took senior management positions at Etisalat, Emirates Post and in the Office of the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. His areas of responsibility in those positions included customer service, logistic operations and corporate communications respectively.
Munther is a graduate from the College of Literature, and believes in the principles of teamwork, creativity and continuous improvement
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HE Yousif Al Ali
CEO, Etihad Water & Electricity
Eng. Yousif Al Ali is the CEO of Etihad Water & Electricity, who is contributing to the continued growth and success of the energy and utility sector in the UAE by initiating integrated strategies and bringing diverse leadership perspectives into the sector’s policies and initiatives, as well as coordinating efforts to achieve the UAE’s 2050 energy vision.
With a career spanning over 20 years in the energy and petrochemical industries, Yousif Al Ali is also a the Chairman of Naqaa Desalination Plant. He has extensive and distinguished practical experience in the areas of investment, engineering, planning, and strategic project management.
Prior to joining EtihadWE, Yousif Al Ali took up leadership positions across several entities in the energy sector, including as the Assistant Undersecretary for Electricity, Water & Future Energy Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and as the Executive Director of Masdar Clean Energy Unit, where he led several departments including investment, asset management and operations for local and global large-scale renewable energy projects.
Yousif Al Ali holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from IE Business School in Madrid, a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from UAE University, in addition to being a Certified Professional in Project Management.
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Abdallah Massaad
Group CEO , RAK Ceramics PJSC
Mr. Abdallah Massaad is the Group CEO of RAK Ceramics PJSC and a member of the Board of Directors of several subsidiaries and other international organizations.
With over 25 years of experience in ceramics, industrial manufacturing, and global markets, he has been pivotal in driving supply chain integration and business growth. He joined RAK Ceramics in 2004 as a Marketing Consultant, tasked with elevating the company’s brand and positioning for its ambitious expansion.
Mr. Massaad joined RAK Ceramics in 2006 as Deputy CEO, overseeing operations, strategy, and global expansion. He supported the Chairman and CEO with strategic planning and expansion initiatives enabling the company to reach the milestone of 1 billion square meters of global sales since it began. He implemented corporate governance reforms, refocused the business portfolio, and has served as Group CEO since June 2012.
Award-winning CEO Mr. Abdallah Massaad has earned widespread recognition for his visionary leadership, with accolades spanning nearly a decade. Highlights include the International Business Stevie® Award for Executive of the Year (Manufacturing) and Industry CEO of the Year in 2015, as well as being named among the Top 100 CEOs in the GCC and Top 100 Smartest People in the UAE in subsequent years. He has also been honored for sustainability leadership, manufacturing vision, and game-changing impact by leading global organizations. Recent achievements include the ACIMAC Special Jury Award (2022), recognition among the Top 10 CEOs in the Logistics and Industrials sector (2022), CEO Middle East Top 10 (2023), and in 2024, the Stevie Gold Award for Thought Leader of the Year and GCC Gov CEO of the Year – Private Sector.
Mr. Massaad holds postgraduate qualifications in Management ‘DEA in Business Administration’ (1998) and an undergraduate degree “Maitrise in Business Administration – Marketing” from USEK (Université SaintEsprit de Kaslik), Lebanon. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.
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Abdullatif N. Albitaw
CEO , Emirates Green Building Council
Abdullatif is the CEO for Emirates Green Building Council.
Visionary and results-driven executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in sustainability, energy conservation and management, environmental monitoring, occupational health and safety, and engineering process technology.
Abdullatif is the CEO for Emirates Green Building Council.
Visionary and results-driven executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in sustainability, energy conservation and management, environmental monitoring, occupational health and safety, and engineering process technology.
A recognized contributor to national and global sustainability frameworks, Abdullatif is also a judge for number of prestigious international and national awards in energy and risk management.
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Ahmed Samir Elbermbali
Sustainability Growth Director – Middle East, Caspian and Africa Region Bureau Veritas Group
Ahmed is a seasoned professional in the sustainability and clean energy industry, currently serving as the Director of Sustainability for the Middle East and Caspian and Africa Region at Bureau Veritas. He is a trusted advisor to clients across the region, helping them to establish and achieve their net-zero goals. Ahmed has a deep understanding of the clean energy and sustainable mobility sectors, having served as the Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Lead at the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions,
where he promoted and advocated for the ZEV Declaration launched at COP26 in Glasgow and launched the Accelerating to Zero (A2Z) Coalition. He also served as the Managing Director of the MENA Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting clean energy and clean technologies and solutions in the MENA region. He also worked with organization like the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN), International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).
He holds MBA in Sustainable Mobility Management from the Technical University of Berlin and bachelor’s in aerospace engineering from the University of Science and Technology, Zewail City.
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Brian Motherway
Head of Office, Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transitions Office
Brian Motherway is Head of Office, Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transitions Office, International Energy Agency (IEA). He oversees analytical and outreach programmes supporting energy efficiency globally. He also leads IEA’s work with governments to help ensure all clean energy transitions are people-centred and inclusive, addressing issues such as skills, inclusion and fairness.
Prior to joining the IEA Brian was Chief Executive of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
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Cornelius Matthes
Chief Executive Officer, Dii Desert Energy
As the CEO at Dii Desert Energy, Cornelius made its mission to drive the energy transition forward and pioneer the field of energy from the desert, leading the world to 100% renewables.
Cornelius is a well-respected leader and investor in the renewable energy industry and built several successful clean energy businesses and start-ups within Middle East and Africa. He has extensive board level experience from 10 years in Deutsche Bank (among others, youngest board member in Deutsche Bank Italy Group) and several leading renewable energy organisations and associations via pro bono work as well as different startup companies.
By building the international shareholder and partner network of Dii (Desertec Industrial Initiative), he was at the forefront of the renewable energy revolution in North Africa and the Middle East. A keen entrepreneur and investor in emerging markets with recognitions such as “Solar Pioneer 2015” for the Middle East, he is lecturing at several universities including St. Gallen and is a regular speaker at international conferences. He holds an MBA (Dipl. Kaufmann) from University of Passau, and speaks German, English, Italian, French and Russian.
His experience ranges from M&A transactions, asset management, developing utility scale renewable energy projects (including mid-market with private PPAs), pay-as-you-go solar to energy efficiency, including ESCO projects and new business models. Some of the projects and companies were executed in challenging settings or countries. He has led sizable organizations both in startup environments and blue-chip companies and has raised funds from angel investments to USD 100m+ projects with institutional investors.
“I am glad to be able to work in renewable energy which is also my passion – we can genuinely make an impact with many different things and help people, to make our planet a better place. Having new challenges every day is fantastic and many more mountains to be climbed!”
Executive management and boards of a varietyy of companies in emission-free technologies, as well as investment funds, seek his advice.
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Dure Shewar
Senior Manager UITP MENA
Dure Shewar is the Senior Manager for the Middle East and North Africa region at the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). With more than 14 years at UITP, she has been leading regional capacity-building initiatives, flagship conferences, and industry committees that promote sustainable urban mobility across the MENA region. Over the years, her passion for public transport has continued to grow, alongside her commitment to advancing innovation, knowledge sharing, and collaboration within the sector.
A strong advocate for diversity, inclusion, and sustainable cities, Dure actively supports initiatives that encourage greater participation and leadership within the public transport industry.
In addition to her work at UITP, Dure is a Strategic Business Management expert with over 20 years of experience across multinational corporations, media, government organizations, non-profits, and associations.
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Dr. Maged K. Mahmoud
Acting Executive Director Technical Director, Lead Renewable Energy Advisor, Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE)
Dr. Maged K. Mahmoud is a leading voice in sustainable energy, leveraging 30 years of experience to shape strategies, policies, and major investments across Egypt, the Arab/MENA region, and Africa.
Holding a PhD in Mechanical Power Engineering, complemented by advanced studies in leading European and Asian institutions, Dr. Mahmoud possesses both deep technical expertise and regional leadership.
Since joining RCREEE in 2011, he has guided over 90 regional projects with international organizations and financial institutions. His work has been instrumental in supporting 17 Arab MENA countries in developing energy transition plans, advancing local manufacturing and job creation, and designing mechanisms that attract private investment. He has also successfully driven key regional initiatives endorsed by the League of Arab States and helped secure RCREEE’s long-term institutional and financial sustainability.
Prior to RCREEE, Dr. Mahmoud spent 15 years at Egypt’s New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA). Here, he contributed significantly to national renewable energy strategies and policies, and led planning efforts that enabled more than 3000 MW of new wind and solar capacity. He played a central role in contracting large renewable projects and establishing crucial quality infrastructure for testing renewable and energy efficiency systems.
Dr. Mahmoud is an author of over 50 publications, has delivered more than 40 academic and training courses, and serves as an adjunct lecturer at the British University in Egypt. His work has earned multiple awards, and he is a respected member of several prestigious national, regional, and international committees and networks.
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Nabil Ayoun
Mena Programme Lead Industrial Transition Accelerator (Ita)
Nabil Ayoun is a clean transition professional focused on systemic and value chain transformation to accelerate industrial decarbonization. Working at the intersection of trade, technology, and policy, he supports net-zero commitments through coordinated ecosystem change.
He has worked across both policymaking and industry, including at the Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA), launched at COP28, where he led its work across the Middle East and North Africa, partnering with governments, industry, and financial institutions to advance investment-ready projects and enabling policy frameworks.
He previously worked on energy policymaking side with the Government of Canada and more recently on platforms aligned with Paris Agreement Article 6 to help countries and industry leverage carbon finance.
Nabil holds an M.Sc. in International Trade and an M.Eng. in Industrial Engineering and Technology from the University of Montreal in Canada.
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