Dr. Mohammed AL Saidi

Head of Mechanical Engineering Unit,
University of Technology and Applied Sciences

He holds a bachelor and PhD in engineering from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) Australia. He also, accomplished Post-Doc study at Sultan Qaboos University in the field of nanotechnology. He also participated in more than 17 professional and specialized courses in management, planning, and finance, including a full-year professional course in circular economics at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Practical experience He is currently an academic at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences. He also previously worked in the industrial and academic sectors in Australia and Britain. He also worked as a visiting professor at a number of universities and research centers. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company, as well as Vice Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee, and he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Global College of Engineering and Technology. He also previously held a number of supervisory positions in a number of institutions in Australia and the Sultanate of Oman. Scientific publishing and innovation He has published number of peer-reviewed scientific publications in a number of scientific journals and international conferences. He also he has contributed in writing books which were published internationally in Germany, America, Britain, and Australia. He also participated in a group of international conferences and seminars as a keynote speaker in France, India, and the Sultanate of Oman. He also won awards and praises for scientific research and innovation outstanding. He participated in many research, development and industrial projects. Resulted in registering 2 industrial patents. He also contributed to the development of master’s programs at Sultan Qaboos University and RMIT University. Projects, consultations and community service He contributed to the implementation of more than 14 research projects and technical consultations related to the field of circular economy, and also contributed to more than 5 national projects and initiatives.

Dr.- Ing. Atef Belhaj Ali

International Sales Manager / Geospatial Technologies Expert Barthauer Software GmbH

Dr.-Eng. Belhaj Ali, a seasoned expert with over three decades of experience, is a leader in geospatial database design, GIS web application development, and advanced technical studies in GIS. His specialization spans spatial analysis, geospatial data integration, and the development of custom technical specifications tailored to client needs. Proficient in industry-leading tools like ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Desktop 10, QGIS, and GvSIG, Dr. Belhaj Ali also brings deep expertise in image processing with software such as PCI Geomatica, Erdas Imagine, and Envi. His track record includes successfully managing complex GIS projects and designing innovative geospatial databases. In the realm of project management, Dr. Belhaj Ali excels in strategic planning, team coordination, and the management of budgets, contracts, and partnerships. A multilingual communicator fluent in English, French, and Arabic, he has guided technical teams and mentored interns with remarkable effectiveness. Beyond industry contributions, Dr. Belhaj Ali has an extensive academic footprint, actively participating in international conferences and symposiums while leveraging over 20 years of teaching and mentoring graduate students across Tunisia, France, and Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Slavco Velickov

Global Water Industry Director
Bentley Systems Inc

Slavco Velickov joined Bentley in 2006 as an industry sales director for utilities and water. Currently he works as an advancement director for the water industry and heads up a team of enterprise sales professionals that deliver Bentley’s water digital twin solution globally. Slavco further develops new markers and business opportunities with strategic partners and alliances. He is a chartered engineer and has over 25 years of experience in the water industry in all phases of infrastructure projects development, financing, and implementation. Slavco holds a bachelor’s degree in civil hydraulic engineering with post graduate specializations in hydro-informatics and business development. His Ph.D. is from the Technical University in Delft, The Netherlands.

Bora Helvaci

Water Industry Development Manager
ME & APAC, Siemens

As a seasoned professional with a track record of driving digitalization and sustainability solutions in the dynamic Energy and Water Utilities sector, Bora thrives on building lasting relationships and delivering results. With a career spanning over a decade, Bora has consistently excelled in techn commercial roles with industry giants like Oracle, Schneider Electric, and Areva T&D. In his current role as regional Water Industry Development manager in Siemens Digital Industries, he leads the Middle East and APAC region in Digital Water solutions, strategizing, and executing successful digitalization projects targeting operational efficiency with our customers. His expertise extends to advanced distribution management, IoT, SCADA/RTU, AI & ML analytics, cybersecurity, and more.

Sarwat Nassar

Head of Business & Product Support Wilo MENA

The Wilo Group is one of the leading premium manufacturers of water pumps and pump systems for the building services, water management, and industrial sectors. Known as the innovator, Wilo has a record in creating “Firsts”; from the world’s first circulator to the world’s first smart circulating pump and the first sewage pump with an integrated smart system! Based on the Ambition 2030, Wilo has developed a holistic smart sustainability strategy, facing up-to-global water challenges with Intelligent Solutions for Building Services and Water Management Ms. Sarwat Nassar, Head of Business and Product Support at Wilo MENA Sarwat holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical Engineer from Lebanese University, Beirut. She gained credible experience in consultancy and MEP systems over the last 14 years. Over the last 9 years with Wilo, she successfully navigated challenges in the pump business in different market segments and had s been sharing her expertise in Water Management field.

Benjamin Ernst

Director of Digital Operations
SUEZ

Ben is a software engineer by background and a proponent of digital innovation within Suez from the Dubai office. For Suez, he supports water unities in the Middle East in the exploration and implementation of the latest available digital innovations. A resident of Dubai since 2024, he is passionate about efficient capital investment, and security of water supply for all.

Noura Al Mandhari

Investment Manager
Nama Water Services

Mark Jarret

Regional Head
Business Unit, Utilities - GF Corys Piping Systems

Khalid Al Lawati

General Manager Customer Experience and Metering Nama Water Services