Nadia Abdul Aziz

President

NAFL

A UAE National, with more than 22 years of experience, Nadia is a business, marketing, Supply chain, logistics professional, worked in the aluminium business as business analyst and was involved in metal hedging on the London Metal Exchange (LME) at DUBAL – Dubai Aluminium now known as EMAAL.
Was on the board for DULSCO LLC - one of the oldest and largest companies which was incorporated by her late grandfather almost 95 years ago the largest manpower supply company to the shipping, airlines, ports, trade and logistics industries.  

Currently the CEO of a freight forwarding company in the UAE called UNASCO Cargo LLC 
President of NAFL - National Association of Freight and Logistics in the UAE.
Served 2 terms as the Vice President of FIATA.

Recently Oct. 2025 she has been elected as the FIATA Senior Vice President.  
Currently   is the Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce-Customs and Trade facilitation commission UAE.  In addition to this, she was nominated as an executive board member of ICC UAE. She has served ICC for many years and managed to increase the number of events delivered by the commission with higher number of members along with conferences and workshops.

Dheeraj Sharma

Vice President of Marine & Offshore Regional Business Development for Middle East and Africa

ABS

Dheeraj Sharma is the Vice President of Marine & Offshore Regional Business Development for Middle East and Africa at ABS, based in Dubai.

Dheeraj joined ABS in early 2022. Prior to his role at ABS, he spent nearly a decade at United Arab Chemical Carriers (UACC) as their General Manager/Owners Representative at the head office in Dubai, where he was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of 26 tankers and office teams in Singapore, Mumbai, and Hong Kong. Before transitioning to onshore roles, he amassed 17 years of experience at sea, serving as Master on Shell & BP-chartered vessels with NOL Singapore, Kuwait Oil Tankers (KOTC), and World-Wide Shipping.

Dheeraj is a qualified Master Mariner certified by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency. He also holds an MBA in Oil and Gas Management and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers in London.

With a diverse background that includes experience in marine operations, safety, commercial activities, and new building projects for shipowners, managers, and oil majors, Dheeraj brings a wealth of commercial shipping knowledge and an owner's perspective to his current role.
 

Kattya Distefano

CEO and Founder

Kattya & Co.

Kattya Distefano is a dynamic entrepreneur with a rich blend of cultural and professional experiences.

Originally from Mexico City and raised in Houston, Texas, Kattya's journey began with a passion for creativity, earning her a degree in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Houston. Her career initially took shape in the transportation and international logistics industry, where she spent 15 years honing her skills in strategic sales, planning and operations working on mega projects in Oil and Gas, Power, Renewables and Chemical Space.

Driven by her ambitious spirit, Kattya founded Kattya & Co., where she currently serves as Founder and CEO. The company specializes in strategic sales consulting, marketing, and corporate events, with a focus on delivering innovative and holistic solutions for corporate clients and trade shows. In addition to her leadership role at Kattya & Co., she sits on the board for Stressie, which is an app created by her sister Lupita Almuhana to serve the wellness industry in Corporate America to help employees better cope with stress mechanisms. She is also the Co-Founder and Community Affairs Director for the Society of Low Carbon Technologies, where she champions sustainable initiatives.

Kattya is equally dedicated to giving back to her community. She actively participates in philanthropy, supporting causes such as REDM and The Gentle Barn. Her commitment to both her professional endeavors and community service reflects a deep-seated passion for making a positive impact in all areas of her life. 
    

 

Denis Bandura

Managing Director

BBC Chartering UAE

Denis Bandura currently holds the position of Managing Director for BBC Chartering based in Dubai, UAE. Denis began his career in Shipbroking for many different companies before joining BBC Chartering in 1999, based in Leer, Germany. In 2003, Denis came to the Middle East as part of BBC’s efforts to build up new infrastructure in project cargo and has been based in the Middle East ever since.

Jessica Panigari

CEO & Founder

Goods2load

Jessica Panigari is an Italian entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of Goods2Load, a pioneering SaaS platform that digitizes and simplifies global logistics for SMEs. Acting as a fee-free, data-driven lead generator, Goods2Load connects the global shipping demand with the right logistics providers, addressing long-standing transparency and accessibility gaps.

Trained in product, service design, and technology, Jessica began her entrepreneurial journey managing her own import–export company, where she witnessed the inefficiencies of traditional shipping. She then spent two years researching and developing Goods2Load before launching the platform in 2025. In 2023, she relocated the company to the UAE, leveraging its strategic position at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Under her leadership, Goods2Load won 1st place for Most Innovative Cargo Software Company at the 2025 Arabian Cargo Awards and 2nd place at the TIACA Global Sustainability Awards 2025. Jessica has been featured in 30+ international e-journals, appeared on Dubai One TV, and speaks regularly at logistics and innovation events. A passionate advocate for women in STEM and sustainable trade, she is reshaping global logistics so SMEs can compete on equal ground.

Francisco Ruiz Miranda

Managing Director, Middle East

Roll Group, UAE

As Managing Director for the Middle East, Francisco drives Roll Group’s strategic expansion across the region, with a focus on high-value sectors including offshore energy, heavy industry, and modular megaprojects. Trained as a civil and structural engineer and with broad international experience, he has led heavy-marine transport campaigns, engineered lifting solutions, and project-logistics strategies for some of the most demanding global developments.

Across his career in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, Francisco has delivered end-to-end solutions involving marine transport, heavy road transport, offshore load-outs, and integrated lifting operations. He combines deep technical expertise with commercial leadership, working closely with clients, EPCs, and project teams to develop safe, cost-optimised, and execution-reliable solutions. His focus on operational excellence and long-term collaboration positions Roll Group as a trusted partner for complex heavy-transport and heavy-lifting challenges in the region.

Maria-Fernanda Poveda Franco

Group Communications Director

GAC Group

Maria-Fernanda Poveda Franco is a senior communications and strategy leader with over 25 years of experience in the global shipping and logistics industry.

She currently leads Group Communications at GAC Group – Shipping | Logistics | Marine, shaping alignment across commercial, operational, and leadership teams in fast-moving environments.

She is known for simplifying shipping and logistics topics, translating industry jargon into clear, actionable language.

A strong advocate for practical AI integration, she focuses on how data, automation, and AI-enabled tools can enhance visibility, coordination, and informed decision-making.

Known for fostering connection and alignment, she actively encourages cross-functional collaboration, open networks, and human-centered leadership in an industry built on trust.

Tanzeel Shaikh

Machine Learning Engineer

GAC Group

Tanzeel Shaikh is a machine learning engineer at GAC Group, working on AI systems that power maritime and logistics operations. Her primary expertise spans hybrid search, RAG and Graph-RAG pipelines, estimator models, and graph learning. Currently focused on building the data stack with DLT, DBT and Databricks, she has built AI solutions across vessel operations, port-call prediction and decision-support workflows within GAC.

Martin Harren

Owner & CEO

Harren Group

Dr Martin Harren, born in 1970, is owner and CEO of the Bremen-based Harren Group, which also includes the heavy-lift and MPP subsidiaries SAL Heavy Lift and Intermarine. He joined the Group in 2003. Previously (1992 - 2003), Harren completed his doctorate in medicine at the Free University of Berlin and worked as a surgeon at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
 
The Harren Group’s core businesses include heavy-lift and MPP shipping, maritime engineering solutions, integrated project logistics, ship management and crewing, commodity logistics and offshore wind operations. The family-owned shipping group has 24 offices worldwide and manages a fleet of 65 units of all major vessel types.
 
Harren is currently building five new heavy-lift vessels that will be the most efficient ships in their class, with consumption and emission figures far superior to any existing heavy-lift vessel today. The so-called Orca Class will enable the Harren Group to offer its customers completely carbon-neutral transport solutions.



 

Khaled Yahya

VP, Freight Forwarding & Logistics

SAL

Khaled Yahya is the Vice President of Freight Forwarding & Logistics at SAL, bringing over 15 years of experience across the end-to-end supply chain. He is leading the company’s commercial development and operational performance across key logistics sectors. He has been instrumental in strengthening SAL’s market position by delivering complex, high-impact projects, particularly in the event, sport, Art and aerospace sectors, and advancing initiatives aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Recognized for building strong teams and driving organizational capability. 

Khaled plays a key role in enhancing SAL’s competitiveness in project logistics and regional connectivity by contributing insights on giga projects infrastructure development, and the evolving logistics landscape in the GCC.”
 

Prashob Nair

Strategy Manager

Marizon Marine Services

Eng. Prashob Nair is a Strategy Manager and Heavy Lift Engineering specialist at Marizon Marine Services, with extensive experience supporting complex EPC and project logistics operations across the global energy sector.

He has served as a Marine Warranty Surveyor and Logistics Engineering Consultant for major oil and gas operators, contributing to the safe planning, transportation, and commissioning of critical heavy-lift and project cargoes. He is also one of the few engineers in the region authorized by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) to issue Marine Warranty Certificates for ODC cargo shipments.

His expertise encompasses end-to-end planning and superintendence of oversized and high-value cargoes, including transportation engineering, vessel stowage optimization, sea-fastening design, and load-out and load-in operations. He is widely recognized for delivering technically robust, riskmitigated solutions to complex marine and logistics challenges in demanding project environments.

In his strategic leadership role, Eng. Prashob is responsible for shaping long-term organizational strategy, aligning engineering and advisory services with business objectives, and driving performance improvement initiatives. He leads the development of scalable processes, and capability enhancement, that strengthen organizational effectiveness and create sustainable competitive advantage. Combining deep technical authority with strategic oversight, he brings a balanced and forward-looking perspective to industry discussions on heavy-lift, breakbulk, and project logistics execution.
 

Captain Anuj Chopra Extra Master FNI FICS ACUE

Managing Director

MaritimESG Middle East Projects Management LLC

Captain Anuj Chopra is a globally recognized maritime executive and enterprise risk strategist with over 40 years of experience. He navigates geopolitical disruptions from Red Sea attacks to piracy surges, and sanctions, enabling resilient supply chains and uninterrupted cargo flows in volatile trade 
lanes.

As co-founder of ESGPlus LLC, he advises on enterprise risk management, supply chain resiliency, and sustainability integration. In 2024, he founded MaritimESG Middle East in Abu Dhabi and in 2025 joined Shipfinex as Non Executive Director for Strategy and Sustainability. Previously, as RightShip's Vice President - Americas, he crafted bespoke risk mitigation strategies.

A master mariner with Extra Masters certification, he co-authored seminal works on maritime resilience and leads ESG programs across industry boards, fostering strategic innovation and long-term stability.

H.E. Eng. Mohammed Al Mansoori

UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure

Ziad Abourizk

CEO

Logiswift

Ziad's journey in the technology and logistics sector commenced with his pivotal roles in a leading multinational logistic company, where he played a pivotal role in shaping information systems and technology strategies. With over 20 years of invaluable experience in the logistics domain, he held prominent positions, leveraging technology to streamline operations, optimize supply chains, and enhance overall efficiency. 

His tenure in the multinational logistics company was marked by conceptualizing and implementing cutting-edge information systems that revolutionized logistics operations. 

Ziad is a visionary leader and technology enthusiast with a proven track record of driving innovation and transformation in the logistics and software industry. As the CEO and founder of Logiswift, he spearheads a dynamic team committed to revolutionizing the landscape of logistics technology.

 

Dr. Capt. Arife Tugsan Isiacik Colak

Captain Superintendent & Head of Maritime Department

International Maritime College Oman (IMCO), National University of Science and Technology

Dr. Capt. Arife Tugsan Isiacik Colak is a Captain Superintendent and the Head of the Maritime Department at the International Maritime College Oman (IMCO), National University of Science and Technology. She is an oceangoing Master Mariner with extensive sea-going experience on merchant vessels, and has also served as a Training Ship Captain on training vessels at Istanbul Technical University (ITU).

She completed her PhD at Istanbul Technical University in Advanced Technologies (Remote Sensing and Satellite Communications) and holds an MSc in Maritime Transportation Engineering from ITU. Her research and professional projects focus on maritime digitalisation and decarbonisation, human factors and human-machine interaction in remotely operated and autonomous vessels, and GIS-based maritime spatial planning and decision-support for maritime operations.

In her current leadership role, she oversees STCW-aligned programme delivery, quality assurance, and the continuous review and updating of syllabi and training frameworks to match evolving industry needs. She is also leading the development and launch of a new programs, the BBA in Maritime Business Management (MBM), strengthening industry-academia collaboration and expanding pathways for the next generation of maritime professionals. She is coordinator of International Maritime and Logistic Conference, which will be held on 10-11 Feb., 2026 at Oman.
 

Fatima Khalid

Cadet Training in Maritime Shipping & Operations

Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy

Fatima Khalid is currently pursuing her studies in Maritime Shipping and Operations at Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy. As a dedicated deck cadet training to become a Navigational Officer, developing strong foundational knowledge and practical skills in ship navigation, maritime safety, and vessel operations.
Fatima’s academic and practical training reflects her passion for the maritime field and her ambition to contribute to the safe and efficient movement of vessels in international waters. She aims to strengthen her expertise through continued sea service, professional certifications, and engagement with the wider maritime community.

Koichi Kaizu

Subject Matter Expert – Logistics & Module

JGC Corporation

I am primarily responsible for overseeing the operations, progress, resources, and budget related to the logistics execution of overseas energy plant construction EPC projects. Additionally, as a subject matter expert within the company, I support the execution of large-scale and complex logistics, including modularized projects at JGC Corporation.
 

Robin Mills

CEO

Qamar Energy

Robin Mills is CEO of Qamar Energy, which he founded in 2015, and author of The Myth of the Oil Crisis and Capturing Carbon. He worked in business development and CCS for Shell, then for Dubai Holding and the Emirates National Oil Company.

He was awarded the Global Energy Prize in 2016. He is a Fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy, Non-Resident Fellow with the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, and Senior Fellow with the Iraq Energy Institute and former Non-Resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

He holds a first-class degree in Geology from the University of Cambridge and speaks five languages including Arabic.
 

Guo Zhong

Vice President

Sinopec Heavy Lifting & Transportation Co. Ltd

Gayatri Nair

Partner & Managing Director

ECL Shipping India Pvt Ltd

Gayatri Nair leads ECL Shipping India Pvt Ltd as Partner and Managing Director, bringing over a decade of expertise in breakbulk.

A business school graduate , she made an unconventional entry into maritime through Puyvast Maritime India, a Dutch Indian Breakbulk operator , rising from Manager to General Manager, Marketing before becoming a partner in ECL India.

Her leadership style is built on a simple formula, know your business deeply, deliver consistently, and let your work do the talking.

Early in her career, being young and female in a traditional industry meant she had to earn credibility meeting by meeting. She did and what initially surprised people became her competitive edge.

She's also intentional about developing talent, with women now heading her project cargo desk, steel cargo operations, and DA desk. For her, it's straightforward, competence has no gender.
On balancing a demanding career with motherhood, she's refreshingly practical. She credits a strong support system and believes asking for help isn't weakness, it's smart. No leader succeeds alone.

Gayatri represents a new generation in shipping; strategic, grounded, and comfortable in her authority. She and along with ECL Group continues to champion visibility and opportunity for women in maritime not through loud advocacy, but by building an organisation that reflects what's possible.