Dina Shaban
Founder & CEO, Dinaïa
Dina is the founder of Dinaïa, a clean hair and skincare brand inspired by Arab heritage and ancestral beauty rituals. Rooted in Palestinian culture, her approach blends traditional ingredients with modern, science-backed formulations to support long-term hair and skin health. Dina created Dinaïa to help Arab women embrace their natural textures, honor their heritage, and practice self-care that feels intentional, nourishing, and deeply personal.
Faiza Hussein
Founder and Head of Product Innovation, Nex Skincare
Faiza is a British MSc Cosmetic Scientist with Master's in Safety and Toxicology, with over a decade of expertise contributing award-winning formulation strategies taken to market by global leaders. Today she is the founder of 360° consultancy 'The Skin Shrink' building and operating innovative brands across beauty, healthcare and wellness, also founder of NEX Skincare. Named 2025's Top Influential Voice in Beauty, Faiza is an international board advisor, education-led public speaker and published scientific writer.
Fatmah A. Al Maddah
Founder & CEO, Skin Smart
Multi-disciplinary beauty-tech founder combining skincare domain expertise, regulatory fluency, and business execution. Founder of Labothécaire and Skin Smart, with deep experience building trust-first beauty products and platforms in regulated markets.
Francois-Xavier Depireux
CEO & Founder, LG Export
A Belgian entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of LD Export, a company specializing in international business development and market entry across the Gulf region. Based in the Middle East for over two decades, I become a trusted advisor for European brands seeking sustainable growth in Saudi Arabia and the GCC.
In addition to leading LD Export’s operations across Europe and the Middle East, I also serves as Economic Advisor to the Ambassador of Belgium and is a Founding Member of the European Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain, where I actively contributes to strengthening EU-Gulf economic relations.
I led hundreds of successful business missions and developed a portfolio of over 4,500 local partners, supporting companies in sectors including beauty, cosmetics, FMCG, healthcare, logistics, and retail. I also the Founder of the Saudi Gateway Club, a structured platform designed to help international brands understand, access, and navigate the Saudi market effectively.
As a speaker at export clubs, chambers of commerce, and international exhibitions such as Beautyworld, I am known for my professional, practical, proactive, and passionate actionable approach, offering real-world insights on market entry, partnerships, and long-term success in Saudi Arabia—fully aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
Khaled El-Hadidy
Head Of Customer Strategy & Planning Unilever GCC, Pakistan, Turkey & Bangladesh, Unilever
Khaled El-Hadidy is a senior commercial and strategy leader with over 15 years of experience driving growth and transformation across diverse international markets. At Unilever, he has led multi-market P&L management, customer strategy, and category development across the Middle East, GCC, Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, the Levant, and North Africa.
His expertise lies in scaling complex businesses, unlocking profitable growth, and designing end-to-end go-to-market transformation models. Khaled is recognized for his ability to bridge strategy and execution while building high-performing commercial capabilities.
Manal Ahmed AlAbyadh
Founder, Eightfifty Company
Manal Ahmed Alabyad is a Saudi beauty industry professional and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in retail, category management, and brand development. She has held senior commercial roles at leading organizations including Panda Retail, Nahdi Medical Company, Chalhoub Group (FACES), and Coty, where she led high-growth categories, built supplier partnerships, and drove major sales and margin improvements.
She is the Founder of Eightfifty, a Saudi suncare and beauty lifestyle brand created to redefine sun care as an everyday beauty essential. Combining strong corporate expertise with entrepreneurial vision, Manal is passionate about building Saudi-born brands that can compete globally.
Michael White
Global R&D Director, CPL Aromas
Michael White is the Global R&D Director at CPL Aromas, bringing more than 30 years of experience in innovation, leadership, and formulation across the household, personal care, and fragrance industries. His career spans both the customer and supplier sides, providing him with a deep understanding of the industry’s global dynamics. Over the past 30 years, Michael has driven innovation in fragrance technologies, product applications, perfumery support, and new concept development.
He joined CPL Aromas in May 2025 and has already contributed to the development of a new fragrance technology, further advancing the company’s innovation capabilities.
Sergi Gonzalez Garcia
Commercial Director Packaging, Identiscents FZE
I am a commercial leader with over 15 years of experience in B2B packaging sales, working across international markets including Europe, the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Throughout my career, I have collaborated closely with global and regional brands, helping them translate commercial, technical, and cultural requirements into effective packaging solutions.
My expertise lies in international business development, key account management, and building long-term partnerships across diverse markets
Tina Ghafurian
COO, Omorfia Group
Tina Ghafurian is a bold, visionary leader who has redefined the beauty and wellness landscape of the Middle East. With over 27 years of experience, her journey began at just 18 when she launched her first fashion brand—an early signal of the innovation and ambition that would shape her career. She went on to found Tips & Toes, transforming it into the region’s largest and most influential salon powerhouse, setting benchmarks never seen before in the industry.
Today, as Chief Operations Officer of Omorfia Group, Tina oversees a dynamic portfolio including Tips & Toes, Bedashing Beauty Lounge, and Juice Beauty, managing more than 75 locations across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. She personally led the strategic due diligence and seamless integration that united these iconic brands under one vision. Renowned for her strategic mindset, operational excellence, and people-first leadership, Tina continues to drive growth, innovation, and sustainable success across the region’s beauty ecosystem.
Waseem Khalil Sendi
Co-Founder & Managing Director, Diggn’It
Waseem Sendi is a Saudi-Canadian entrepreneur and co-founder of Diggn’It, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading men’s grooming brands, built at the intersection of culture, product development, and retail execution.
Starting from a home kitchen in Jeddah, Waseem helped grow Diggn’It from a beard-first concept into a multi-category grooming brand spanning beard care, haircare, tools, and premium bundles, now operating across DTC, marketplaces, and regional retail partners. His work sits at the practical edge of formulation, brand building, omnichannel retail, and consumer behavior in the GCC.
With an academic background spanning biology, anthropology and religion and a master’s in social enterprise administration, Waseem brings a systems-level perspective to grooming—connecting ingredients, daily rituals, consumer psychology, and retail strategy.
Waseem also advises founders and teams on building resilient consumer brands in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on execution, operations, and long-term brand trust.
Yasmina Azar
Director of Operations, Tips and Toes
Yasmina Azar is the Director of Operations at Tips and Toes, where she oversees operational strategy, performance management, and service excellence across the brand’s extensive network of branches.
With master’s degrees in Biology and Environmental Biochemistry, Yasmina began her career in the medical and pharmaceutical fields before redefining her professional path in the UAE’s beauty and wellness industry. She joined Omorfia Group in 2016 as a Customer Service Executive and steadily advanced through managerial roles to become Director of Client Relations & Training Academy. During her tenure, she played a key role in establishing the group’s contact center and leading the creation of the Learning & Development Academy, strengthening internal capabilities and talent development across the organization.
In her current role as Director of Operations at Tips and Toes, Yasmina focuses on driving operational efficiency, enhancing branch performance, implementing scalable systems, and ensuring consistent brand standards across all locations.
Guided by integrity, strategic vision, and a strong commitment to team empowerment, Yasmina is dedicated to building high-performing teams and delivering sustainable growth through operational excellence.