Dr. Munif Mohammed is the CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail KSA and Middle East. Munif joined Lagardère Travel Retail in 2011, as a Financial Consultant in the Pacific region, where he later became Chief Business Officer. Munif moved to Saudi Arabia in 2017 and has been instrumental in developing the group’s activities in the country, in structuring various enterprises in the region and in establishing the Duty Free Shared Services Centre in Dubai in 2019.

Munif holds a BA in Economics from Auckland University and an MBA in Corporate Strategy from UNSW Business School. He also holds a Doctorate in Business Administration & Sustainability from the Business School of Lausanne.

PRESENTATION

Roger Jackson is the Managing Director of Organico Solutions, one of the largest travel retail distributors in the Middle East and Africa.  Roger has an extensive experience across travel retail in brand building and sales transformation.  He is also an active Board Member at MEADFA and the association’s Advocacy Working Group.

Previously, Roger has held senior leadership roles from the top 10 FTSE companies such as Diageo and Coca Cola.

Marcus Hudson is the Sales Director for Mars International Travel Retail, having been appointed to the role in January 2022. Marcus joined Mars in 2016 as its Customer Effectiveness Manager in ITR and was promoted to Global Customer Director in 2019.

Marcus’s achievements in travel retail are varied and includes the implementation of Mars Wrigley’s current customer-centric structure. He has a passion for confronting new business realities within the travel retail ecosystem and a deep-rooted belief in the power of partnership with fellow industry stakeholders.

Marcus began his career in the travel retail industry with BAT in 2007 as Trade Marketeer for Global Travel Retail.

In his spare time, Marcus’ interests include rugby, current affairs and politics.

Surafel Saketa is the Country Manager of Qatar for Ethiopian Airlines. He has extensive experience in the aviation industry, covering airport operations, corporate planning, aero-politics and strategic and equity partnerships. He works with existing and potential equity partners and assists them to successfully mobilize the necessary resources from Ethiopian Airlines Group.

Surafel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Dilla University.  He holds several Master’s degrees in marketing and project management from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He is married with three sons.

Shivani Sathasivam is the Founder and Lead Consultant at New Normal Consultancy in Bahrain.  Shivani created a social awareness campaign to educate the local community about health and climate change and founded New Normal Consultancy that specializes in plant-based business and provides strategic consultancy with research driven models to build and grow modern businesses.

Shivani received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the London School of Economics.

Kojo Bentum-Williams is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Africa’s leading travel and tourism magazine, VoyagesAfriq Travel Magazine and Media. He is a communications professional with more than 12 years working in travel and tourism. His experience in the industry includes working as PR official at the Ghana Tourism Authority and as Press Secretary to Ghana’s Former Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture.

Kojo is currently the Senior Expert for Communications in Africa for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and aide to the Secretary General. His company VoyagesAfriq Media Limited has transcended the borders of Africa to be one of the leading voices for tourism news and information.

Kevin Alderweireldt is an all-around entrepreneur with a penchant for immersive experiences. As co-founder of Bureau Béatrice, Kevin spearheads creative technology in both Europe and the Middle East. Bureau Béatrice produces creative technology experiences across the globe, nurturing a growing community of creators worldwide.

Kevin is a true believer in immersive technologies and a pioneer in the field. He has been at the helm of metaverse entrepreneurship since 2014, successfully venturing beyond the gimmick by pushing boundaries and forging strategic partnerships.