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Outbound Investment Group

Get ready to take part in the most important event in UAE on:

Corporate Structuring Immigration by Investment Wealth Protection and Succession

25 Speakers From
Around the World

May 3rd and 4th, 2023

Dubai

Apply Now
About

Asia Outbound

Asia Outbound is the leading Asia-based provider of conferences, business development services, and online news channels designed to assist corporate structuring, asset protection, and immigration service providers. We assist these groups of professionals to reach and effectively serve financial intermediaries and HNWI in Asia.

Asia Outbound is among the most trusted resources for Asia’s business and investment leaders, providing them with uncompromising commentary, concise analysis, and direct access to the offshore world and its professionals.

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TESTIMONIALS

“It was such a pleasure to speak at the Asia Outbound Summit Series 2022 yesterday at The Oberoi Dubai. Great meetup of corporate service providers, free zones, and immigration consultants. We discussed the value proposition of the UAE as a business setup destination and its many benefits. We had the opportunity to showcase Creative Zone’s initiatives in the region as the largest business setup company in the Middle East.”
-Lorenzo Jooris
-Lorenzo JoorisChief Executive Officer at Creative Zone
It was an honor to serve as Keynote Speaker and Panelist for the Asia Outbound Summit 2022 in Dubai, UAE. During the two-day event met top-level professionals in the wealth management, corporate restructuring, and investment immigration fields and learned much about these exciting, rapidly evolving fields. Thanks to outstanding Event Host, Managing Director, and Organizer Matthew Sumner for the invitation and all his efforts to make Asia Outbound Summit in Dubai a great success.
- Ramin Asgard
- Ramin AsgardFounder - Asgard Law Offices - Former U.S. Foreign Service & Consular Officer
“The organizers of the Asia Outbound Summit Dubai 2023 repeatedly exceeded all expectations and delivered the "wow" factor before, during, and following the two-day Summit in Dubai. They demonstrated their deep industry connections and dedication to their clients by delivering pinpoint accurate targeting of decision-makers attending their events. All of their staff are exceptional at anticipating their client's needs and wants, and take every opportunity to go above and beyond to deliver seven-star connections, experiences, and speakers."
"Attending their event solidified our market entry into the region through invaluable contacts made at the Summit. Our pre-event targets were blown out of the water and we look forward to working with them again soon!”
- Jason Rubenstein
- Jason RubensteinBusiness Immigration Manager at Immigrate Software Inc.
“I really enjoyed the Asia Outbound Summit Dubai and I loved your energy and enthusiasm. It was really well organised, on point and I made some interesting connections.”
- Jenny Hunt
- Jenny HuntFounder of Gateway Group
Why UAE?

Why you should attend the 2023 Asia Outbound Summit Series

Since the inception of the Asia Outbound Summit series in 2010, Asia’s HNWI, investment groups, and corporations have developed an ever-increasing need for sophisticated international wealth, immigration, tax and asset protection services. This demand, coupled with increasing pressure from local and international authorities for transparency has created a massive gap in traditional cross-border planning for local practitioners.
The Asia Outbound Summit series has been designed exclusively to close this gap, and equip local practitioners with the much needed information and resources to effectively serve their corporate and HNWI clients.

Why UAE?

  • Middle East’s HNWI population has increased from 400k to 800k in the past 10 years, making it one of the fastest growing HNWI populations in the world. This makes the UAE intermediaries the ideal target to reach Middle Eastern HNWI in order to assist in asset protection & corporate structuring for these newly minted HNWI. (Capgemini World Wealth Report 2021)
  • 58% of multinational investment migration firms count the Middle East as their most important market for client volume. For investment migration providers, the Middle East is an essential market to develop a client base. (Investment Migration Insider)
  • Foreign direct investment outflows from the United Arab Emirates amounted to over 20 Bln USD in 2019. This figure is a 10x increase from a decade earlier. Inward and outward investment are creating strong demand for corporate structuring and tax planning. (Statista)
  • Dubai remains one of the most preferred destinations for investors. Dubai ranks 4th in terms of greenfield projects and 6th in foreign capital attracted. Meeting local practitioners will help you and your clients take advantage of investment opportunities into and out of the region. (Financial Times Global FDI Report)
  • The UAE is envisioning the future beyond the COVID 19 crisis and working towards doubling its economy by 2030. This means greater demand for corporate structuring, immigration and wealth protection services as wealth and economic growth explode. (Ministry of Economy)
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Summit Schedule

About Asia Outbound Summit 2023

In 2023, for the 13th year, Asia Outbound will host the most significant cross-border wealth management, corporate structuring, and investment migration events in Asia. The annual Asia Outbound Summit Series brings together hundreds of Asia’s top financial intermediaries to each event and matches them with corporate and financial, immigration, and wealth protection service providers from all over the world.

The conference will be attended by over 300 of UAE’s leading intermediaries and agents focusing on:

Conference Topics

Immigration by Investment
  • Citizenship & residence planning as a tax planning tool
  • Real estate market trends for UHNWI
  • Second residency/citizenship for asset protection and preservation
  • Tax transparency and regulatory considerations in HNW migration
  • Citizenship vs. permanent residence by investment, programs and comparison
Wealth Protection & Succession
  • Inheritance strategies and estate planning for family wealth
  • Cross-border asset allocation and preservation
  • Family trust challenges for UHNWI
  • International tax planning and tax transparency updates
Wealth Protection & Succession
Corporate Structuring
  • BEPS, CRS and transfer pricing implications for corporations
  • Investment structuring within the Belt and Road Initiative
  • Selection and set up of outbound investment structures
  • Path and compliance measures for outbound investments
  • Company formation, maintenance, regulation and compliance
Apply Now

Venue

Level 4, Conrad Dubai

Address Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/dxbcdci-conrad-dubai/

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Sponsors

Asia Outbound Summit Series

Gold
Silver
Bronze
Networking
Exhibition
Lanyard
Cocktail
Lucky Draw
Speakers

Invited Speakers

H.E. Mirza Al Sayegh

Director General
Office of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashed Al Maktoum

Elise Donovan

Chief Executive Officer
BVI Finance

Tuifaasisina Sieni Tualega - Voorwinden

Chief Executive Officer
Samoa International Finance Authority

Alexander Lins

Founding Partner
LMG Lighthouse Trust

Zenabe Daman

Deputy CEO
Financial Services Authority Seychelles

Virginie Quatre

Director of Capital Markets & CIS Supervision Section
Financial Services Authority Seychelles

Lorenzo Jooris​

Chief Executive Officer
Creative Zone

Kenneth Camilleri

Managing Director
Vertex Alliance

Samuel Appadoo

Chief Executive Officer
Fintech & Innovation Ltd

Ece Muratoglu

Area and Business Development Manager
2Futures DMCC

Vasco Rosa da Silva

Founder & Director of Investment Services
Kleya

Krysta Fox​

Director
Economic Zones Development Alliance

Saadiya Saadat

Founder & Managing Director
Secondpass Global

Obediah Ayton

Director
Dhabi Holding

Nimish Makvana

Senior Partner,
Crowe UAE

Ramin Asgard

Founder & CEO, Asgard Law Offices/Asgard Consulting, Former U.S. Diplomat & Principal Advisor US CENTCOM

Massimiliano Giangolini

Founder
Giangolini Law Firm

Tariq Azeemi

Director Corporate Services
Red Berry Corporate Services Provider LLC

Preeya Malik

Managing Director
Step Global Group

Ziad Salloum

Partner
Salloum & Partners LLC

Sameer Al Ansari

CEO – RAK International Corporate Centre

Dr Andreas Baumgartner

Founder and Director
StIR StrategyImpactReputation

Malachi Halliday

Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Halliday Growth

Jason Rubenstein

Business Immigration Manager
Immigrate Software Inc.

Ronald Schmalcel

General Manager
Coverdale Trust Services Limited

Agenda

H.E. Mirza Al Sayegh
Director General
Office of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashed Al Maktoum

H.E. Al Sayegh is Chairman or Deputy Chairman of numerous companies both in UAE and overseas, including Al Maktoum College of Higher Education in Scotland. In 1983, H.E. Al Sayegh took charge of investment affairs of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Office.

In 1979, he represented the UAE on the Political Committee of the United National General Assembly session. In 1976, H.E. Al Sayegh was appointed as Counselor and Minister Plenipotentiary at the UAE Embassy in London. In 1974, he was head of UAE Consular Mission in Bombay. In 1973, he was elected as the Third Secretary and Head of Information and Translation Section, at the Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abu Dhabi.

H.E. Al Sayegh holds a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California (UK Programme), London and a BA in Business Administration from the University of Jordan.

Elise Donovan
Chief Executive Officer
BVI Finance

Elise Donovan is a leader in international financial services and the dynamic CEO of BVI Finance. Boasting a diverse background spanning Asia, North America, the Caribbean, and Africa, Elise has enhanced the BVI’s financial services sector, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Her strategic relationships, informative forums, and valuable seminars have contributed to her positive reputation in the industry.

Elise has showcased her talents as Director and Asia Pacific Representative at BVI House Asia, EU/UK Representative and Director of the BVI London Office, and various roles within the BVI International Affairs Secretariat, BVI Financial Services Commission, and BVI International Finance Centre (now BVI Finance). Her extensive expertise and commitment to the industry have led her to author numerous articles highlighting the BVI as a premier international finance centre.

As a proud alumna of Carleton University in Ottawa and Columbia University in New York, Elise holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Her passion for financial services and global impact is evident in her impressive career, making her a respected thought leader in the industry.

Tuifaasisina Sieni Voorwinden
Chief Executive Officer
Samoa International Finance Authority

Mrs. Sieni Voorwinden is the Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa International Finance Authority. The Authority was established in 2005 as the Government’s response to rapid changes in the global financial environment. The Authority is mandated therefore to provide up-to-date management solutions to investors seeking to establish and maintain structures for benefits.

Mrs. Sieni Voorwinden has over 10 years of experience in international financial services. She is no stranger to SIFA where she was employed for over ten years and was also contracted as SIFA’s ACEO for Registration and Legal for six years. Mrs. Sieni Voorwinden has been instrumental in the development of the International Finance Sector, spearheading the establishment of the Samoa International Business Finance Centre Ltd, involved in National Working Groups to address various issues relating to the International Finance Sector. Sieni is one of Samoa’s key negotiators in addressing the EU List of Non-cooperative Tax Jurisdictions.

Mrs. Sieni Voorwinden is a lawyer by profession and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degree from Auckland University.

Prior to her appointment to the SIFA CEO position, she was employed as the Operations Manager – of The Cause Collective New Zealand, a Pacific social change agency based in Auckland.

Alexander Lins
Founding Partner
LMG Lighthouse Trust

Dr. Alexander Lins, LL.M. (Wealth Law – UFL) is a licensed trust lawyer and founding partner of LMG Lighthouse Trust reg. As the author of various articles on Austrian and Liechtenstein tax law, he is an advisor of the Liechtenstein Government in tax matters related to Liechtenstein’s Tax Code and Double Tax Agreements.

His professional career includes activities in one of Austrians ‘Big 4’ tax-law and auditing companies in Vienna/Austria (TPA Steuerberatung GmbH) for a number of years before joining one of the ‘Big 3’ trust-Law companies as CEO in Liechtenstein. He is a member of the Liechtenstein Trustee Chamber (THK) and a member of the Ethical Commission of the same as well as a member of the International Fiscal Association (IFA). He is specialized in national and international tax planning, structuring of holding and financial companies, intellectual property, and asset-protection tools. Recently he has been involved in various blockchains (STO and ICO) projects.

LMG Lighthouse Trust is an independent and licensed trust company based in the principality of Liechtenstein, where Alexander is a co-board member with his two partners. As a team of experienced trust and tax lawyers, LMG is specialized in corporate and financial consultancy giving legal advice in the various fields of wealth management including the formation, administration, and accounting of companies as well as foundations and trusts. LMG has an extensive range of experience running multi-family offices and profiting from an extensive international network of professionals.

Having multi-lingual professionals and supporting staff, LMG operates on a client-oriented approach on the basis of traditional values such as reliability, strict confidentiality, trust, and constancy.

Zenabe Daman
Deputy CEO
Financial Services Authority Seychelles

Ms. Zenabe Daman has over 15 years of experience in leadership, strategy and innovation across the non-banking financial services field. As the deputy CEO, she is responsible for operational excellence at the FSA by helping to drive the FSA’s strategic mission through the direct oversight and monitoring of deliverables of the technical enforcement and authorisation departments of the FSA. This includes the Capital Market, Insurance, gambling, Fiduciaries and Trade Zone. She also engages actively with external bodies, stakeholders and investors on strategic issues as well as working fervently towards the further development of the FSA’s policy framework.

With the added responsibility of assisting and supporting the CEO of the FSA with the performance of his duties, Ms. Daman represents the FSA as and when required on strategic initiatives with government entities, other regulatory bodies and professional industry setting standard organisations. She is also an appointed board member of the Seychelles Revenue Commission. Until recently she has also fulfilled the role of the secretary to the board of the FSA, overseeing the Board Secretarial function, ensuring the effective management of the affairs of the Board and its committees.

Previously, Ms. Daman headed the compliance function as Director of a licensed regulated Trust and companies registered agent and also fulfilled leadership and compliance role within a securities dealer/ forex trading company, ensuring efficient Control and management of the company.

Ms. Daman achieved a graduate Degree in Economics from the University of Manchester, UK. She is also a TEP member of the Society of Trust and Estate practitioners (STEP).

Virginie Quatre
Director of Capital Markets & CIS Supervision Section
Financial Services Authority Seychelles

Virginie is a finance professional with a Bachelor of Science London with Academic direction from the globally renowned London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She has been employed with the Financial Services Authority (“FSA”) since 2018 whereby she started as a supervision officer within the Capital Markets & Collective Investment Schemes Section. The FSA is the supervisory body for the non-bank financial services sector with supervision of the Fiduciary Services, Capital Markets, International Trade Zone, Gambling and Insurance Sectors.

With several developments within the financial services sector, ranging from fintech and changes in the regulatory landscape, transformation of the Securities Sector in the Seychelles in line with international best practices is a key priority for the FSA.

As the Financial Sector is the 3rd pillar of the economy, the Seychelles is leveraging the numerous opportunities of the sector in order to diversify and promote economic growth through the financial services sector.

Virginie has advanced professionally by occupying other positions such as the Manager for Authorisation Unit and the Manager for Supervision Unit and has been occupying the position of Director of the section since April 2022. Working with the Financial Services Authority has developed her analytical, leadership, communication and strategic thinking skills.

As a member of the FSA’s management team, she is engaged with the delivery of the Financial Services Authority’s operational objectives and strives for a capital markets ecosystem that is inclusive of and benefits all stakeholders and simultaneously promoting innovation, fairness, efficiency, transparency, governance, risk management and compliance.

Lorenzo Jooris​
Chief Executive Officer
Creative Zone

Lorenzo Jooris is the Chief Executive Officer of Creative Zone, Dubai’s leading business advisory firm. Lorenzo holds extensive and diverse experience in the Middle Eastern and South Asian business markets and retains an expert opinion on the regions’ SMEs and startup culture. He was the founder of One World Communications, a 360-degree multi-media powerhouse advising governments around the world in branding and communication strategies.

He later on started Leaders Middle East in the UAE and formulated ‘Leaders without Borders’, an initiative that promotes young social entrepreneurs’ development, as well as the ‘Power Women of Arabia’ debate.

In 2018, he joined Arton Capital as the Vice President of global growth and strategy, where he oversaw international expansion of the company and was in charge of sales, marketing and events worldwide. Lorenzo is a firm believer in giving back to the community, and within Creative Zone, he has spearheaded significant initiatives to help and support promising startups and entrepreneurs. He is the author of Recipes for a Better World, and he also serves as an advisor to the James Michel Foundation.

Kenneth Camilleri
Managing Director
Vertex Alliance

By profession Kenneth is a qualified accountant and tax advisor. He attained his practicing warrant from the Government of Malta, Ministry of Finance in 2005. His expertise lies in residency and citizenship, international taxation, and wealth structuring. Kenneth is an accredited agent for the Maltese citizenship and residency programmes. He is the Managing Director and co-founder of Vertex Alliance which specialises in Residency, Citizenship, Tax, and Investment.

Previously, Kenneth held the position of Senior Director at an international law firm for a span of fifteen years, where he led both the Tax Advisory and Tax Compliance units as well as the Residency and Citizenship team responsible for the Asian market.

Over the years, Kenneth has been a guest speaker in numerous conferences and roadshows in Asia, America, the Middle East and across Europe. Many high net worth individuals have entrusted Kenneth with both their personal as well as corporate tax planning. Furthermore, together with his team of professionals, Kenneth has supported numerous clients with acquiring European residence and/or citizenship.

Formerly, Kenneth has occupied senior positions at a leading five-star hotel in Malta, whereby he was the Chief Finance Officer and subsequently the General Manager. He has lectured both the Fundamentals and Advanced ACCA paper in taxation and was well renowned among students for his practical approach in simplifying and breaking down complex tax matters.

Professionally, Kenneth is best known for being an achiever who embraces challenges, for being a leader who inspires, and for his pragmatic and creative problem solving skills.

Samuel Appadoo
Chief Executive Officer
Fintech & Innovation Ltd

Samuel is born and bred in Mauritius and has been working in high-level management positions in Banks in Mauritius and has over 2 decades of banking & financial services experience.

He was based in countries like Mauritius, Seychelles, Bulgaria, Indonesia, China, U.A.E & India.

Constantly involved in the Fintech industry, Samuel has tremendous experience in the Remittance/Cross-Border business including e-Wallet, Banking as a Service (BaaS), and Corporate Prepaid Debit Card Programs.

Samuel is currently the CEO & Founder of Fintech & Innovation Ltd which is one of his greatest accomplishments where he is now able to provide several corporate services to his clientele, including company formation, bank account opening solutions, assistance in financial licensing, and much more.

Samuel also sits on the board of several international companies and is also the co-founder of Mettpay, a new Payment Gateway to be launched in June in the UAE.

Ece Muratoglu
Area and Business Development Manager
2Futures DMCC

Ece is the area business development manager for 2Futures DMCC. She joined 2Futures in Mauritius’s head office in 2021. As of January 2023, 2Futures expanded their offices to the UAE, and she relocated to Dubai to be in charge of business relations in the GCC market.
2Futures is a leader in the development of luxury real estate and promotes residency by investment in Mauritius. Active since 2007, the company has delivered 13 projects, with over 600 units. 2Futures’ client portfolio has more than 15 nationalities, with a majority of French and South African citizens.

2Futures DMCC is set as an expansion to increase the company’s reach and visibility in diverse markets. Offering a game-changing new product called 2 Wealth – and investment fund that grants foreigners to a 10-year renewable residency in Mauritius with a temporary investment of 50k USD besides the traditional property sales; 2Futures continues to provide an alternative place to live and a great investment to the ones seeking a dream lifestyle and a sense of security for those seeking a second residency in a safe and easy environment.

Vasco Rosa da Silva
Founder & Director of Investment Services
Kleya

Vasco’s hands-on approach has enabled him to lead successful projects in multiple geographies, working alongside other Wealth & Investment Management players and consulting firms. He has translated his investment services experience into a value greater than EUR 1.5 million in terms of operational savings, while his solid academic background, autonomy, and negotiation skills have allowed him to effectively connect actions and interests.

Currently, Vasco is the co-founder and Head of Investment Services at Kleya Advisory Services, where he and his team offer services to investors from all geographies. Vasco and his team have developed a framework to support people looking for residence by investment in Portugal in deciding what’s the best investment options considering each individual risk profile. After that Kleya team offers a 360-offer counting with the expertise of trusted legal and tax partners to handle all steps of a residence by investment process in Portugal.

Vasco began his professional journey at Arthur Andersen, where he gained auditing experience in real estate, construction, and telecom. Later, he worked as a financial director at Maconang (Construction company in Angola) , where he prepared a business plan that supported the acquisition of a major construction company in Portugal.

As VP Senior Operations Lead for Portugal Barclays Wealth Management, Vasco led the restructuring process of Investment Operations in Portugal. He focused on maintaining high net-worth clients’ service standards while reducing costs and mitigating operational risks more effectively.

Krysta Fox​
Director
Economic Zones Development Alliance

With a thoroughly international background, Krysta has lived and completed work assignments in a variety of countries ranging from Spain to South Africa, as well as a significant period working in her native Australia where she headed up a number of major projects, including BP’s IFRS implementation.

Qualified as a fellow certified practicing accountant and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Krysta also holds Master degrees in Professional Accounting and Business Administration and has held senior roles in DMCC, Al Futtaim, and BP.

Part of her legacy, Krysta lead the transformation of the DMCC free zone in the UAE and was at the helm for its first six Global Free Zone of the Year awards. She has since gone on to advise governments, and operators in the Middle East, African and Europe on their economic zone strategies and operational improvements.

Economic Zones Development Alliance (EZDA) is an alliance of economic zone specialists that have been collaborating and working together for over a decade. EZDA works with clients who seek advisors who truly understand economic zones from an SEZ authority / operator’s perspective and are able to deliver practical and implementable solutions. Furthermore, EZDA is an alliance with unique global experience and capabilities, offering integrated comprehensive solutions for economic zones.

Saadiya Saadat
Founder & Managing Director
Secondpass Global

Ms. Saadiya Saadat is the visionary individual, with over 25 years of experience in connecting businesses, and individuals with high-end services and products. As someone who has held various senior-level banking positions in the past, with HSBC Middle East, FAB Bank, Mashreq Bank, and ANZ Grindlays Bank, she inherently comprehends and appreciates investment markets. Her journey into the investment migration industry is an achievement, keeping in mind the tough competition, and Secondpass Global’s ability to stand its ground under her supervision. Her ambition and passion is responsible for the birth of the company, which began its journey as a small concern, and has now grown into a sizeable organization, with dedicated departments to cater to the evolving requirements of clients.

Moreover, Ms. Saadat dedicated 2 years of her banking career helping the Government of Pakistan set up its first ever provincial Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) – PBIT, Punjab. Definitely not the least, she has successfully obtained her own second passport which is an affirmation of her belief in her company’s product offering.

Obediah Ayton
Director
Dhabi Holding

Obediah is currently the Director of Dhabi Holding which manages a portfolio of operational businesses internationally. Mr Ayton in the past has successfully completed over $500 Billion of advisory and financial transactions across Europe, USA and MENA region as a former executive of a Family Office called Tennor Holding.

He has raised capital for The Bezos Family Foundation Anchored fund “Highpost Capital” together with Mark Bezos as General Partner. In addition, Mr Ayton sits on the SME Council under the Department Of Economic Development for Abu Dhabi.

Nimish Makvana
Senior Partner
Crowe UAE

Nimish Makvana resident of Dubai since 2002 is a Senior Partner and Management Team Member of Crowe MAK in UAE. Crowe MAK is a member firm of Crowe Global which is among the top 10 global accounting networks of the world, consisting of over 200 independent accounting and advisory service firms in more than 130 countries.

Nimish Makvana is result oriented senior finance professional with over 25 years of successful expertise in Audit and Assurance services, internal and management audits of Multinational and leading local clients from Trading / Services / Manufacturing /Hospitality Industry including Private Joint Stock and Public Joint stock company.

Nimish has advised several large international business groups in relocating and /or setting up their businesses in the Dubai – UAE. Nimish is Holding Auditor Certificate issued by Ministry of Economy UAE, Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Associate Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) andMember of Emirates Association for Accountants and Auditors UAE.

Nimish is currently serving as Honorary Director – UAE Chapter of The Institute of Directors (IOD), India, served as Chairman of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) – Dubai Chapter and first founding member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (Dubai) Chapter NPIO (DIFC-Dubai), and served as 1st elected President as well as Administrative Board Member of Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) – Dubai, established in the UAE under regulatory jurisdiction of Dubai Chamber of Commerce &Industry (Dubai Chamber).

Ramin Asgard
Founder & CEO, Asgard Law Offices/Asgard Consulting, Former U.S. Diplomat & Principal Advisor US CENTCOM

Ramin Asgard is an attorney, national security scholar, and independent consultant based in Dubai, New York, and Florida. As an executive, Mr. Asgard most recently served as SVP for Global Business Development with First Pathway Partners, a US-based investment firm.

Previously, Mr. Asgard was a highly decorated veteran U.S. Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State. His diplomatic career included serving as Political Advisor (POLAD) at U.S. Central Command, (CENTCOM) for Commanders General David Petraeus and General James Mattis; Commercial Attaché, Kabul Afghanistan, where his efforts helped attract $1.8 billion in Foreign Direct Investment; Director of the Iran Regional Presence Office in Dubai, the U.S. government’s primary field operation for Iran; and Director of Voice of America Persian, VOA’s largest language service. His work as a Policy Scholar includes serving as a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Adjunct Political Scientist at RAND, International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and on the Board of Advisors at the Turkish Heritage Organization.

Mr. Asgard holds a Juris Doctorate from Tulane University, a Master’s from University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s (summa cum laude) from Temple University. He is a recipient of the Amb. Charles Cobb Award for Economic Diplomacy and the Secretary’s Award for Public Diplomacy. Mr. Asgard is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Massimiliano Giangolini
Founder
Giangolini Law Firm

Massimiliano is a highly skilled business lawyer with 16+ years of PQE managing complex legal cases and disputes for businesses, representing and supporting at the best client’s interests, and protecting their rights in areas of intellectual property, fashion & luxury law, corporate, M&A, real estate, and finance.

Over the years, as founder of Giangolini Law Firm, Massimiliano has assisted italian and foreign commercial companies focusing on protecting their assets and business between Italy, the UK, Luxembourg, and the Isle of Man and creating sales and commercial networks in Europe and CIS.

More recently, Massimiliano has been appointed as Representative Lawyer in UAE by the Italian Chamber of Industry & Commerce, focusing his counseling about UAE business and law, supporting italian and foreign investors, identifying potential investment opportunities or starting a new business in the UAE market, with particular regard to the sectors of company set-up, real estate, fashion, luxury, metaverse and fintech.

In his endless professional growth path, Massimiliano, after two L.L.M. (in Business Law and in Fashion & Luxury Law) and an appointment as Adjunct Professor in I.P. Law at Unicatt in Milan, has recently decided to undertake the process to qualify as Solicitor in England and Wales.

Tariq Azeemi
Director Corporate Services
Red Berry Corporate Services Provider LLC

Tariq is the business advisor to the Private Office of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi. He has been the director of Red Berry Corporate Services since 2016. He has also invested in multiple enterprises in Dubai and is revered for his knowledge in business operational practices, establishment regulations & facilitation of business globally. Tariq has over 15 years’ experience ranging from Retail Sales Network Supervision to Retail Banking and Corporate Services, in Pakistan & UAE. His expertise range in giving advice on all legal forms of various sorts of businesses.

His role includes to help companies to incorporate there businesses in UAE and GCC by assisting them to obtain licenses from the relevant regulatory authorities.

As a business expert, Tariq has multiple unique and commendably catered projects in his portfolio as he has advised more than 200 companies of various industries and structures. He has handled complete structuring of an insurance brokerage house, mortgage brokerage company, and private wealth management & financial consultancy services company during his career in the UAE with successful investment of AED20 million into these as well as employment creation of 200 professionals. He has also supported the setup of a single family office in DIFC with an investment of AED10 million in different projects and 500 million in banks.

More of his very interesting projects include two very large sized investments in oil and gas trading companies in the UAE with cumulative investment ranging above AED10 million; incorporation of a subsidiary in Dubai for a public limited company in shipping sector with deep sea diving, services to off shore oil rings and repairs.

Tariq has been interviewed and featured in various media such as Radio Big Fm, Bizpreneur, Gulf News, Insight Middle East and Africa, Aspire Magazine and many others. He has won Business Icon Award in 2021 in Dubai. He envisions UAE to be the largest global business hub.

Preeya Malik
Managing Director
Step Global Group

Preeya has obtained both her Juris Doctor (law degree) specializing in Immigration Law and LLM (Masters in Law) specializing in Real Estate Development Law from the University of Miami, Florida, U.S.A, providing her in-depth knowledge in a unique combination of commercial real estate projects and investment immigration. She has worked in the legal department of some of the largest and most well-known developers in the United States.

Preeya has also gained extensive experience in immigration via her roles in various international immigration firms, and her role as Managing Director for Step Global, where over the past 13 years she has assisted in successfully raising over $75 million dollars for multi-billion dollar projects from investors across the region – including the GCC, Middle East, India, Pakistan, and Africa.

Preeya has been featured in a number of publications including CNN, Gulf News, Bloomberg, Arabian Business, and Huffington Post as a leader in investment immigration. She is regularly asked to moderate and speak on panels at Investment Immigration conferences globally, and she has also been publicly awarded for her skills and success in entrepreneurship. Preeya is a member of the Florida and Washington DC bar associations and is admitted to practice law in good standing since 2010.

She is also a member of the IIUSA (Invest in the USA) Leadership Circle, a Board of Industry Leaders who help formulate IIUSA’s core initiatives in government/public affairs, participate in deliberations on internal and external association policy issues, and benefit from consistent, real-time updates on important industry developments.

Ziad Salloum
Partner
Salloum & Partners LLC

Ziad Salloum, OSI, KSS, MCIArb is an award-winning legal advisor and arbitrator. Since joining Salloum & Partners LLC in 2006, Ziad has provided specialist support to UAE and foreign government entities, top multinational and local companies, educational institutions, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and leading business-owning families. He has advised on matters in various fields such as: commercial contracts, employment, secured/unsecured lending, restructuring, strategic and structural planning, M&A, dispute resolution, succession planning, corporate governance and family office setup.

Ziad sits on a number of company boards, including those of the Lycee Francais International Theodore Monod and the St Mary’s Group of Schools. He also serves on the board and executive committee of the Alliance Française Abu Dhabi. He notably served multiple terms and years on the boards of the International Lawyers Network (ILN), the French Business Group (now the CCI France), the Union of French Expatriates’ (UFE) Abu Dhabi chapter, and on the Advisory Board of the Emirati-Swiss Friendship Forum.

Ziad is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and is on the roll of arbitrators of the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation & Arbitration Center (ADCCAC). Ziad is also a Professional Associate with Outer Temple Chambers. Before converting to law, Ziad had a successful banking career, first in Treasury and Capital Markets, then in Private Banking.

He holds an LLM from SOAS, a PgDL from the University of East Anglia, an LLB from the Lebanese University and a BBA from the American University of Beirut.

Sameer Al Ansari
CEO – RAK International Corporate Centre

Dr. Sameer Al Ansari is a highly experienced and qualified UK chartered accountant with over 30 years of senior corporate, operational, private equity investing, and strategic advisory experience.

Currently serving as the CEO at RAK Digital Assets Oasis (RAK DAO) and RAK International Corporate Centre (RAK ICC), Dr. Al Ansari has held several prominent positions throughout his illustrious career. He was the Vice Chairman and COO of The Industrial Group before joining RAK ICC, and until 2011, he was the CEO of SHUAA Capital, a publicly listed full-service investment bank.

Dr. Al Ansari has played a pivotal role in establishing Dubai Holding in 2004 and founded Dubai International Capital (“DIC”) where he served as its Executive Chairman and CEO, creating a global investment company with US$12 billion of assets under management. He has also previously served as Group CFO for The Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai.

With his extensive knowledge and vast expertise, Dr. Al Ansari currently serves on several boards, including RAK ICC, Al Ramz Capital, TVM Healthcare Partners (GCC Healthcare Private Equity Fund), Eureeca Capital, and Marjan. He has also served on numerous regional and international boards such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) from 2004-2016.

Dr. Al Ansari is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and a member of the Institute’s advisory board for MENA. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Loughborough University for outstanding achievement and leadership in finance and was a visiting fellow at Oxford University Said Business School.

Dr Andreas Baumgartner
Founder and Director
StIR StrategyImpactReputation

Dr Andreas Baumgartner is a senior economic development and public policy/delivery expert at the crossroads of business, public sector and law, with 25 years of professional experience. He is passionate about strategy/narrative development as well as regulatory topics and government relations. Working for public, semi-public and private sector clients, he has specialized in large-scale economic development projects as well as the development and positioning of special economic zones and cities, as major drivers of sustainable economic and social development as well as regulatory innovation. In addition to various advisory mandates via StIR, he is also a co-founder and the Acting CEO of The Metis Institute and a board member of Tipolis Pte Ltd. He is affiliated with EZDA – Economic Zones Development Alliance. Andreas used to work for McKinsey & Company, The Office of Tony Blair/Tony Blair Associates and DIFC.

Malachi Halliday
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Halliday Growth

Malachi Halliday (Ordo Partis Guelfae) is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Halliday Growth. Halliday Growth is the leading provider of working capital to startups in UAE in the AED50,000-AED500,000 while also serving facilities into the MSME bracket. The majority of Halliday Growth’s portfolio are businesses related to social impact.

Aside from leading Halliday Growth, Malachi also advises impact-focused venture builders/incubators, regularly presents on the topic of profitable, impactful businesses and leads a non-profit in the UAE.

Jason Rubenstein
Business Immigration Manager
Immigrate Software Inc.

Jason Rubenstein is a senior regulated Canadian immigration consultant and director of business immigration with immigrate software. He has been specializing in business immigration programs for over 10 years and has helped hundreds of families gain Canadian and U.S. residency through business acquisition, start-up or partnerships.

Ronald Schmalcel
General Manager
Coverdale Trust Services Limited

Ronald Schmalcel joined Coverdale as General Manager April 3, 2018. Mr. Schmalcel has held senior positions in the fiduciary industry in the Bahamas and Bermuda since 2003. He practiced tax law and wealth planning in Canada for over a decade before working in the fiduciary industry. Ronald is an active member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.