GRM 2026 Workshop

Directors

This year's GRM workshop directors come from a variety of esteemed institutions from both within and outside the Gulf.

Dr. Naji

Abi-Aad

COO, Petroleb Beirut, Lebanon -
Petroleb
Dr. Naji

Abi-Aad


Dr. Mohammad

Abuljadail

Associate Professor of Marketing Communication and the Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at the Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia GCC Societies
King Abdulaziz University
Dr. Mohammad

Abuljadail


Talmiz

Ahmad

Former Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE, and Chair Professor, Ram Sathe Chair for International Studies, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India -
Symbiosis International University, Pune
Talmiz

Ahmad


Dr. Mohammad

Alsousi

Senior Fellow Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Doha, Qatar Humanitarian Studies, Humanitarian Diplomacy, Refugees Studies, Conflict Studies
Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Mohammad

Alsousi


Dr. Alessandro

Arduino

Expertise in government policy research, crisis mitigation, private military companies, and cyber deterrenc Expertise in government policy research, crisis mitigation, private military companies, and cyber deterrenc
Lecturer at the Lau China Institute, King’s College London, a visiting professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, and a member of the Advisory Group of the International Code of Conduct Associations for private security companies and the International
Dr. Alessandro

Arduino


Dr. Basel

Awartani

Associate Professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) Associate Professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)
Economics from Queen Mary College, University of London
Dr. Basel

Awartani


Dr. Damyana

Bakardzhieva

Senior Research Fellow Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, UAE Economic Diplomacy
Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy
Dr. Damyana

Bakardzhieva


Naglaa

Elhag

Search for Common Ground, Amman, Jordan - Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa -
Search for Common Ground, Amman, Jordan
Naglaa

Elhag


Dr. Glnar

Eskandar

Economic Specialist Specializing in the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Master of Arts in International Relations from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University
Dr. Glnar

Eskandar


Bill

Farren-Price

Head of Gas Research and Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies Gas Research
Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Oxford, UK
Bill

Farren-Price


Prof. Dr. Mujtaba

Isani

DAAD Professor of Political Science at the Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan Political Science
DAAD Professor of Political Science at the Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan
Prof. Dr. Mujtaba

Isani


Dr. Mohamed

Ismail Sabry

Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Philipps University of Marburg, Germany, Post-Doctoral Research Affiliate -
Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Philipps University of Marburg, Germany
Dr. Mohamed

Ismail Sabry


Dr. Guo

Ke

Professor International Studies University, Shanghai -
Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai
Dr. Guo

Ke


Hubert

Kinkoh

Senior Program Officer (Sudan) at Conflict Dynamics International, where he leads the design and implementation of research activities to inform the political dialogue process in Sudan Developed expertise in the governance of peace, security, and development in Africa, researching, among others, how external influences impinge on African states and societies.
Senior Researcher at CARPO
Hubert

Kinkoh


Prof. Giacomo

Luciani

Adjunct Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies -
Sciences Po, Paris, France
Prof. Giacomo

Luciani


Dr. Aktham

Maghyereh

Professor of Finance at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) Financial economics, risk management, and energy finance
Professor of Finance at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU)
Dr. Aktham

Maghyereh


Dr. Samir

Makdisi

Emeritus professor of Economics and served as deputy president of AUB from 1993-98 -
American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Dr. Samir

Makdisi


Tim

Niblock

Chair Professor in the Institute for International and Area Studies at Tsinghua University, and Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern Politics at the University of Exeter GCC Foreign Policy and International Relations
University of Exeter/Tsinghua University
Tim

Niblock


Dr. Prof. Gerd

Nonneman

Professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar -
University of Exeter
Dr. Prof. Gerd

Nonneman


Dr. Eman

Ragab

Expert Researcher in Regional Security in the Middle East Political Science
Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies
Dr. Eman

Ragab


Dr. Zahid

Shahab Ahmed

Associate Professor of Security and Strategic Studies at the National Defense College in Abu Dhabi, UAE Security and Strategic Studies
Associate Professor of Security and Strategic Studies at the National Defense College in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Dr. Zahid

Shahab Ahmed


Dr. Ahmed

Shoukry Rashad

Associate Professor of Economics, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Dr. Ahmed

Shoukry Rashad


Dr. Sebastian

Sons

Senior researcher for the Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO) Served as an advisor for the Regional Programme “Cooperation with Arab Donors” (CAD) of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
Senior researcher for the Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO)
Dr. Sebastian

Sons


Dr. Pascal

Stiefenhofer

Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University -
New Castle University, UK
Dr. Pascal

Stiefenhofer


Dr. Degang

Sun

Professor of Political Science at the Institute of International Studies, and Director of Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China GCC Foreign Policy and International Relations
Fudan University
Dr. Degang

Sun


Dr. Ali

Yavuz Polat

Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at the Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST) Financial economics, uncertainty, and sustainability, with applications to the GCC region, fintech, energy markets, and corporate finance.
Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at the Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST)
Dr. Ali

Yavuz Polat


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