United Arab Emirates
Senior Economic Development Expert and Project Manager with more than 24 years’ experience in leading teams for strategy development & execution for national and international economic development. Excellent knowledge of the diverse business environments in the GCC, in-depth insight in formulating and implementing coherent strategies, designing and executing transformation programs, and business development; among others responsible Team Leader Project Director of the EU-GCC Diversification Project contracted by the Foreign Policy Instrument of the European Commission, advisor of the Competitiveness Office in the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, team leader and subject matter expert for economic development projects at Booz & Company in Abu Dhabi and GFA Consulting Group for the EU-GCC Economic Diversification Project. Many years of experience as a Member of State Parliament in Germany and Vice Head of the Foreign Trade Section within the State Ministry for Economic and Labor Affairs Spezialgebiete: Management Consulting, Competitiveness and Economic Development, Strategic Planning, Foreign Trade and Relation
- Lead a team of key and non-key experts to promote a climate-friendly trade, investment and economic affairs related policy analysis, dialogue and cooperation between stakeholders (public and private sector) from EU and GCC at both regional and country levels in the context of the GCC economic diversification process. -Provide coordination and policy support for the EU-GCC Trade & Investment Dialogue and to the Macroeconomic Dialogue. -Establish and maintain an effective network with key institution/stakeholders in GCC countries and in EU. -Organize roundtables / workshops and a yearly business forum between EU and GCC stakeholders for exchange of experience and expertise on topic related to trade, investment and economic affairs. -Monitor the economic diversification process in each of the GCC countries and identify opportunities for EU-GCC cooperation.
- Lead the team for establishing and operating the Competitiveness Office of Abu Dhabi ( defining the strategy and operational model). The office focus on removing the challenges which exist today, that present barriers to all enterprises in order to enhance the competitiveness environment for economic development and growth under the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. This comprises the advice on methods, policies and initiatives to improve the global competitiveness environment in cooperation with the public institutions, private sector and academics. - Lead the engagement with the World Economic Forum for the yearly Global Competitiveness Report as well as with the World Bank. - Revamp the Program Management Office and Performance Management System including the core processes and management tools; support the execution of high impact strategic projects for the Department (650+ employees) by leading teams of UAE Nationals, such as the Foreign Direct Investment Strategy and Innovation Strategy. - Annual Guest Lecturer at Masdar Institute Abu Dhabi, panelist in various international conference, such as the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils (GFCC). - Affiliate - the Center for Competitiveness, University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
- Set up the Program Management Office of a $65Mn transformational program for a large Abu Dhabi government organization, consisting of 4 team members from Booz& Company, client, IT vendor and other Abu Dhabi government stakeholders. Responsibilities included planning and setting milestones, scope management, risk management, defining and tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and developing a Change Management program - Role included knowledge and expertise transfer to the clients (UAE Nationals) higher management and concerned staff (560+ employees). - Setting the 5-Year strategic priorities and developing KPI’s and targets of an Abu Dhabi Government Entity. Aligning the program of work with strategic outcomes. - Developed and promoted the “Smart Program Management Office Concept” to potential future clients and successfully sold it to two major government entities in Abu Dhabi. - Supported the Abu Dhabi Emirate’s Government in the judicial restructuring process. - Managed the establishment of the Planning & Performance Management department of a government entity; role included design and implementation of core processes such as operational performance management.
Member of the following committees: European and International Relations Committee of Science and Higher Education Budget Committee Special Investigation Deputy member in Committee of the Region (Brussels, Belgium)