Bahar Armaghani

Bahar Armaghani, LEED Fellow, WELL Faculty is a prominent leader in sustainable building and environmental stewardship, with a strong background in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and WELL building Standards certification and green building initiatives. As the Director of the University of Florida's Green Building Learning Collaborative, Director of the Sustainability and the Built Environment Program, and Instructional Associate Professor she has guided countless graduate and undergraduate students, professionals, and organizations in advancing sustainable practices for over 24 years. Bahar is known for her deep expertise in sustainable design and green building education, contributed to numerous high-impact sustainable projects and educational initiatives that champion environmental stewardship, earning her a well-regarded reputation in both academic and professional communities nationally and internationally. Her passion for sustainability is reflected in her work to inspire future leaders, improve environmental impact through design, construction, and operation and drive change within the built environment.

Bahar’s contributions to international sustainability have helped various communities adopt sustainability practices tailored to their unique cultural and environmental contexts. Additionally, her role as an educator has enabled her to mentor students and professionals from around the world, equipping them with the skills to lead sustainable development projects in their home countries through Virtual Exchange and Sister City program. 

Bahar has received multiple recognitions for her impactful work in sustainable building, education, and environmental leadership. She is widely celebrated for her contributions to advancing LEED certification and sustainable design, construction, and operation earning several awards from prominent organizations in green building and environmental advocacy. 

Bahar has been honored by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and other sustainability-focused entities for her commitment to high standards in sustainability in the built environment and for mentoring the next generation of environmental leaders.

Additionally, her work at University of Florida has earned her accolades in academia, recognizing her for innovative curriculum development including LEED Lab and WELL Lab and her role in shaping future leaders in sustainability. Bahar’s recognitions underscore her dedication to making sustainable practices accessible and impactful on both local and global levels, marking her as a distinguished leader in the field of green building and environmental education.

Dr. Christopher Abraham

Dr. Chris Abraham is currently the CEO & Head - Dubai campus and Director – Executive Education.

He is a globally recognized thought reader in the areas of Innovation, Design Thinking, Behavioural Design, Neuroscience of Decision Making, Future of Education, Science of Happiness, Leadership, Human Potential HRM, Entrepreneurship, ESG, Marketing & Strategy.

He started his career spanning 37 years as a strategy consultant and has worked on exciting projects including Titan Watches, Moods Condoms, National Family Welfare Program and assignments with The Governments of India, Singapore, UAE, Nigeria, and Kenya.

His global clients include The World Bank, The Executive Council (Govt. of Dubai), Emirates Airlines, SEWA (Government of Sharjah), Aramex, DHL, P &G, LG, Reckitt & Benckiser, AW Rostamani (Nissan Auto), Landmark Group, Norgold Russia & others.

Dr. Chris is a 3 times TEDx and international keynote speaker. He has successfully presented in numerous global forums and has also conducted many consulting and executive development assignments for global organizations.

He has been recognized with numerous international awards including twice Awarded “Best CEO in the World” in 2018 & 2019, by Indo – UAE Business & Social Forum, twice winner of Academic Leadership Award. Academic Advisory Board Member – CMO Council, USA.

He has been conferred as the Prestigious Knight of Parte Guelfa, Italy for Ecology, Sustainability & Environment.

He holds numerous board adviserships as Honorary Fellow – Leaders Excellence at Harvard Square, US, Advisor – RTA Innovation Lab, Government of Dubai, Global Advisory Board Member - World CMO Council, US Member of the Board – The Abrahamic Business Circle, Advisory Board Member – CEO Clubs Worldwide Senior Advisory Board Member –WASME World Association of SMEs (An UNESCOInitiative), Senior Advisory Board Member – World Sustainable Business Forum, UK, Director – Rekhi - S P Jain Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness, Member of the Governing Board – Gulf Marketing Association, Executive Board Member – CIVITAS DEI Institute of History and Archaeology of Jerusalem, Israel, Member of the Board – Joblio, US. Member of the Academic

Board – World Masters Academy, Italy, Member of the Advisory Board – Economic Times HR World (ETHRWorld), Member of the CII-Elite Group (SCM) – Confederation of Indian Industry – CII, Advisory Board Member – Humanistic Management Network, Advisory Board Member – University of Central Paris. Advisory Board Member – International Women’s Board of Directors.

He’s a regular columnist and writer in leading media and newspaper like Gulf News, Khaleej Times, including The National, Times of India, Economic Times, The Hindu, Mumbai Mirror, regularly interviewed in leading TV& Media Channels like CNBC, Dubai Eye, Dubai TV, etc.

Dr. Chris was also an adjunct professor at many leading universities in Australia, USA, Canada, Singapore, and UK.

Earlier in Dubai, he headed the Executive MBA Program of XLRI, Jamshedpur, one of Asia’s top business schools.

Mentor – S P Jain Center of Excellence for Sustainability.

Dr. Jillian Pandor

Dr. Jillian Pandor holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Teaching English and Spanish as Second and Foreign Languages from the University of Alicante (Spain) as well as a B.S. in World Languages Education (Spanish and ESL) and a B.A. in Applied Spanish from the Pennsylvania State University.

She boasts over 15 years of experience in education across the U.S., Spain, and the Middle East, working within a variety of educational contexts and cultures. She currently holds the position of Chair of the Department of Liberal Arts and Assistant Professor of English and Spanish at Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai and teaches courses related to academic writing and academic literacy as well as Spanish language. Prior to joining RIT-Dubai in 2020, she worked as Academic Director at Curtin University Dubai and taught undergraduate courses pertaining to academic literacy, research and writing skills, as well as postgraduate courses in international education, second language teaching and research methods within Murdoch University Dubai's Master of Education program.

Dr. Pandor is an active member of the GEMS Wellington Academy (Dubai Silicon Oasis) Local Advisory Board and is currently serving on their curriculum committee and chairing their teaching and learning committee.  She is an advocate of excellence in education and in closing the gap between k-12 and higher education.

Her research interests include, second language acquisition, as well as academic culture and academic literacy in higher education with a specific focus on the successful integration of study abroad and international students into new academic cultures within the higher education space.

Mohamed Altajer

With an illustrious career spanning three decades, Mohamed Altajer is a highly accomplished Chairman, Board Member, Partner, and entrepreneurwith a wealth of global experience within Fortune 500 corporations.

Over the course of his distinguished career, Mr. Altajer has demonstrated leadership prowess across diverse sectors, including financial services, fast-moving consumer goods, airlines, retail, fintech, and advisory. His strategic insights and operational acumen have significantly contributed to the
success of major international enterprises.

Having worked in key international markets, Mr. Altajer has made significant impacts in the United Kingdom, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain. His roles in renowned organizations such as Citigroup, National Bank of Qatar, National Bank of Kuwait, Samba Financial Group, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Wrigley, and Majid Al Futtaim reflect his ability to navigate and thrive in diverse, sectors, cultural and business landscapes.

As the author of the book "Made with Tough Love," Mr. Altajer shares insights derived from his extensive professional journey. Additionally, he serves as a Contributing author at Fortune Magazine, providing thought leadership on key issues shaping the business world. Mr Altajer is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the United Kingdom. He is currently the Managing Partner of Taghyeer, a boutique advisory firm, Chairman of Elements Talent Consultancy, Board Member at Mirathi.io, and Chairman of the CMO Council Board in the Middle East. He is also a mentor in leading accelerators in the region in the areas of leadership, customer centricity, business development, marketing, innovation, product development, diversity, sustainability, HR, as well as governance. Sectors of interest include Fintech, Banking and Financial Services, Retail, FMCG, & Tech.

Cherine Aidarous 

Vidusha Nathavitharana