As the Gulf region continues to redefine its position as a global centre for finance, innovation, sustainability, and cultural influence, leadership is playing a defining role in shaping what comes next. The pace of transformation across industries now calls for individuals who combine strategic depth with operational discipline, global perspective with regional understanding, and innovation with long-term responsibility. Gulf’s Visionary Leaders Driving Industry Change in 2026 brings together a distinguished group of professionals whose work is actively shaping industries and institutions across the region and beyond.
This feature highlights the journeys of Khaloud Alhammadi, Safwan Alsebaei, Vincent Su, Dr. Sofica Bistriceanu, Ali Foustok, Jaswant Stoecklin, Paolo Casamassima, Phillip Leighton-Daly, Imed Derouiche, Nuno Anahory, and Parker D. Dale, leaders whose expertise spans finance and treasury management, artificial intelligence and operational transformation, luxury and design, healthcare innovation, global investment, creative industries, capital markets, education, energy transition, international trade, and environmental sustainability. Each has contributed to meaningful change within their field through depth of experience, clarity of vision, and a strong commitment to excellence.
What unites these leaders is their ability to navigate complexity while delivering tangible impact. Their careers reflect a shared focus on trust, governance, innovation, and human-centred leadership, whether strengthening financial resilience within major institutions, advancing AI-driven efficiency, redefining investor relations standards, modernising medical care, accelerating decarbonisation strategies, or building bridges between global markets and cultures.
As you explore the individual journeys within this feature, you will encounter stories shaped by decades of experience, cross-border insight, and a deep understanding of how industries evolve. Together, these visionary leaders offer a compelling view of how the Gulf’s economic and industrial landscape is being shaped in 2026, not through short-term momentum, but through disciplined leadership, strategic foresight, and lasting impact.
Khaloud Alhammadi
Khaloud Alhammadi stands out as a highly accomplished banking and treasury executive whose career reflects depth, discipline, and sustained impact across the financial sector. With more than sixteen years of experience spanning trade finance, treasury management, portfolio oversight, auditing, and business analysis, she has built a reputation for delivering financial stability and strategic clarity in complex institutional environments. Her professional journey is defined by a consistent focus on liquidity optimization, risk management, and long-term financial resilience, positioning her as a trusted leader within the Gulf’s evolving financial ecosystem.
Currently serving as Director of Treasury at Abu Dhabi Ports, Khaloud plays a central role in shaping and executing corporate treasury strategy. In this capacity, she oversees fund administration, cash flow optimization, working capital management, and strategic financial planning, ensuring the organization maintains strong liquidity and financial discipline. Her leadership has contributed directly to strengthening financial stability through meticulous cash forecasting, monitoring of forecast cycles, and the development of robust reporting frameworks that support informed decision-making at the senior leadership level.
Khaloud’s academic foundation has been instrumental in shaping her analytical approach to finance. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Zayed University in Abu Dhabi before completing a postgraduate degree in Banking and Finance from Queen Mary University of London. This blend of regional insight and international academic exposure equipped her with the technical rigor and global perspective needed to navigate sophisticated financial structures and high-value institutional portfolios.
Throughout her tenure at Abu Dhabi Ports, Khaloud has been widely recognized for driving innovation in treasury operations. She has led and supported critical financial initiatives, including bond issuances, syndicated loans, and the structuring of advanced treasury management solutions tailored to organizational needs. Her work involves close collaboration with CFOs and finance teams across AD Ports clusters, enabling the design of banking products and liquidity solutions that align operational requirements with long-term strategic objectives. Prior to her current role, she successfully managed the Collection Department between 2019 and 2021, where her efforts improved collection efficiency and enhanced overall liquidity performance.
Before joining Abu Dhabi Ports, Khaloud held senior roles across leading financial institutions in the UAE, including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, National Bank of Fujairah, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, and First Gulf Bank. Across these organizations, she managed government and institutional banking portfolios, led asset and liability management functions, and worked extensively in treasury liquidity, credit markets, and financial control. Her experience also includes participation in global financial markets and exposure to both conventional and Islamic finance structures, further strengthening her ability to operate across diverse financial environments.
A defining aspect of Khaloud’s career is her commitment to professional excellence and continuous development. She holds multiple industry certifications and has been recognized for her analytical and leadership capabilities, including being selected for prestigious banking development programs and receiving awards for outstanding project contributions. Her recognition as Best in Treasury Management reflects not only technical achievement but also her ability to anticipate change and adapt treasury strategies to shifting financial landscapes.
For Khaloud Alhammadi, excellence in treasury management is not limited to maintaining financial systems, it is about shaping strategies that support growth, resilience, and long-term value creation. Her journey reflects a deep sense of responsibility toward financial stewardship, innovation, and impact, making her a compelling example of leadership driving meaningful industry change across the Gulf region.
Safwan Alsebaei
Safwan Alsebaei’s professional journey spans more than three decades and crosses multiple continents, industries, and leadership disciplines, shaping him into one of the Gulf’s most forward-thinking executives driving meaningful transformation in 2026. From early technical roles in the United States to high-impact leadership positions across the GCC and North Africa, his career reflects resilience, strategic vision, and a consistent ability to deliver measurable results even under challenging conditions. His path has been defined by a commitment to excellence, innovation, and an unwavering belief in the power of technology and leadership to create long-term value.
His career began in the United States, where he contributed to major technology companies such as Intel, Sony Semiconductor of America, and MEMC. These foundational years strengthened his expertise in precision engineering, innovation, and client-centric solutions. At MEMC, he managed a factory automation project under a 40% budget reduction, yet still led his team to secure an additional USD 1.5 million in contracts due to their exceptional performance. At Sony, he identified key automation opportunities that reduced client spending by 15%, reinforcing his belief that strategically applied technology can transform operational efficiency and unlock sustainable growth.
Building on this strong technical foundation, Safwan transitioned into leadership roles across education and governance. As a School Principal in Oman, Egypt, and Syria, he navigated the complex challenge of aligning international educational standards with local cultural expectations while maintaining high-performing, inclusive environments. His leadership extended to Alwataniya Private University, where he served as Director of Student Affairs and focused on elevating student engagement, strengthening institutional values, and improving retention through comprehensive support programs. In the UAE, he worked as a Quality & Improvement Consultant for Al Mawahib Educational Group, designing strategic improvement plans that covered curriculum development, safety standards, financial management, and technology integration. These roles deepened his understanding that meaningful educational transformation requires vision, collaboration, and empowerment at every level.
In recent years, Safwan’s work has centered on driving AI-powered operational transformation. As General Manager at Middle East BLDG, he has leveraged his combined experience in management, software development, and AI to streamline operations and optimize budgets. He has designed and implemented advanced language models, similar to ChatGPT, using Python programming language to boost performance and enhance decision-making. His advisory work with governing boards on AI-driven evaluation systems highlights his commitment to integrating intelligent technology into organizational strategy in ways that strengthen effectiveness and long-term impact.
Throughout his journey, the most significant challenges he encountered were human rather than technical. Leading multicultural teams across diverse regions required adaptability, empathy, and a deep understanding of how to inspire trust across cultures. Whether dealing with budget limitations, regulatory complexities, or resistance to change, Safwan found that transparency, data-driven insights, and a focus on results consistently converted obstacles into opportunities. His ability to navigate these challenges with clarity and purpose stands at the core of his leadership philosophy.
Among his proudest milestones is being recognized as one of the “Gulf’s 10 Visionary Professionals to Follow in 2025” and now again as one of the “Gulf’s Visionary Leaders Driving Industry Change in 2026.” Yet, for Safwan, true success is not defined by accolades but by impact, securing multimillion-dollar contracts under pressure, elevating student performance, integrating AI into governance systems, and building teams capable of thriving in demanding environments. Each achievement represents his dedication to innovation, resilience, and transformational leadership.
For the next generation of professionals, Safwan offers clear and meaningful advice: embrace change as an opportunity rather than a disruption. Constraints are not barriers, they are catalysts for creativity. While technology is a powerful enabler, it is leadership rooted in empathy, accountability, and vision that creates real transformation. He encourages young leaders to invest in continuous learning, whether through certifications, advanced degrees, or upskilling in emerging fields like AI. Above all, he stresses the importance of trust, trust with clients, with teams, and within organizations, because it remains the foundation of every sustainable success story.
Vincent Su
Vincent Su, CEO of DISANTINO Water, represents a new wave of entrepreneurial leadership reshaping the Gulf’s luxury and design ecosystem. His philosophy is direct: build brands that redefine categories rather than compete within them. As the region enters a phase where aesthetics, sustainability, and experiential living converge, he focuses on creating products that elevate daily life and reshape how modern consumers relate to luxury.
DISANTINO is anchored in a simple conviction: ordinary was never your taste. The water is sourced from a protected spring more than 700 meters above sea level in Italy’s Apennine Mountains, beginning as rainfall and snowmelt that move slowly through ancient clay, sandstone, and limestone. Over a 30-month natural filtration journey, it develops a softened texture, a refined mineral balance, and a gentle natural effervescence. The region’s connection to pure mountain springs dates back to Ancient Roman times, reinforcing the cultural and historical significance of the landscape from which the water is drawn.
DISANTINO operates on a design-first philosophy built on minimalism, craftsmanship, and visual clarity, an intentional response to the Gulf’s shift toward purpose-driven luxury. By bringing this perspective to the premium beverage and hospitality sectors, Vincent is setting a new standard for how modern luxury brands are built and experienced.
Looking ahead, he positions DISANTINO at the center of a global movement toward intentional living, using fine water as the lens. His ambitions extend beyond distribution: he aims to collaborate with architecture, hospitality, wellness, and creative leaders to build experiences that immerse the public in a more deliberate and design-conscious lifestyle. As premium hydration, environmental awareness, and aesthetic clarity become cultural markers, he sees the Gulf, now a global hub for innovation and elevated taste, as the stage for a new era of minimalistic luxury where simplicity becomes a defining expression of contemporary refinement.
Sofica Bistriceanu
Dr. Sofica Bistriceanu, MD, Ph.D., stands as a distinguished voice in global family medicine, recognized for her scientific contributions, her commitment to patient-centered care, and her innovative approach to modern medical practice. A graduate of Iasi University in Romania and Maastricht University in family medicine research, she has spent her career advancing medical knowledge while helping communities receive more informed, accessible, and compassionate healthcare. With over 135 presentations delivered worldwide, nearly 60 publications in international journals, and multiple global awards, she continues to serve as a respected figure shaping thought leadership in the field. She is currently a member of the Academy for Professionalism in Health Care and serves on the Editorial Review Board for The Journal of Patient Experience. She is also an associate editor for PriMera Scientific Publications and holds additional editorial roles in other scientific journals. Beyond her medical work, she is also the author of seven poetry volumes published by Cronica and Time from Iasi Publishing House, reflecting a deep appreciation for the human experience.
Her journey into family medicine began with a clear conviction: long-term, community-anchored relationships offer the most complete understanding of a patient’s health. She chose this field because it enables a physician to observe people across their daily experiences, families, and environments, elements that strongly influence clinical outcomes but often remain hidden during brief office visits. More than a decade ago, she implemented the medical home model, a system designed to capture these deeper layers of insight. Through relaxed, unhurried discussions with patients and their families during home visits, she has been able to uncover the true origins of various conditions, leading to more precise diagnoses and personalized treatment. For her, effective medical care is a combination of proper drug therapy and interventions that address root causes, including behavior, interactions, and environmental triggers. Follow-up e-visits further allow her to track effectiveness without burdening patients, particularly those with advanced heart conditions, mobility challenges, or acute illnesses in childhood. Her model significantly reduces waiting times, eliminates travel expenses for patients, and offers care directly at home, creating comfort and convenience for both parties.
Her patient-centric payment structure also reflects her commitment to accessibility. While services are paid, she incorporates generosity appropriately, creating a balance that supports both the patient and the physician. For medical practitioners, her model further protects against burnout by ensuring meaningful, productive interactions and sustainable workloads. Alongside her private practice, she continues working weekends at medical centers run by the national health system, ensuring continuity of care for patients who prefer free services through public channels.
Through her extensive experience using the medical home model, she has developed a series of observations and strategies that continue to guide her approach. She found that poor communication between generations can worsen heart health in vulnerable individuals and that medication alone cannot counteract health issues rooted in interpersonal conflict. According to her research, seniors exposed to unfresh indoor air or significant variations in air energy experience faster deterioration in heart function. She has also observed how gravitational waves may influence altered body fluid circulation, how the tone of a person’s voice reveals vital information about cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological processes, and how both verbal and nonverbal cues act as indicators of personal work efficiency. Her insights further highlight the negative effects of cold-hearted behavior, the dangers of burnout in medical practice, the value of generosity, and the protective role of self-esteem. She emphasizes the role of IT advancements in preventing toxic collaborations, and she recognizes the positive impact of technology when used appropriately for information and recreation.
Today, Dr. Sofica Bistriceanu continues to represent the Academic Medical Unit – CMI in NT, Romania, while contributing globally to research, editorial work, and community-based healthcare innovation. Through her clinical practice, academic contributions, and humanistic perspective on health, she remains a visionary leader shaping the future of family medicine, one grounded in patient understanding, scientific insight, and a compassionate view of human wellbeing.
Ali Foustok
Ali Foustok, CFA, brings a truly global story to the investment world. Born in Lebanon, raised in Germany, and educated in the United States, he grew up at the intersection of Western and Middle Eastern cultures. This multicultural foundation profoundly shaped his personality, instilling a unique combination of cultural depth, warmth, precision, discipline, ambition, and openness.
Before beginning his career in finance, Ali competed in Germany’s top youth football league and came close to joining the German U19 national team, an experience that instilled resilience, teamwork, and the ability to perform under pressure. His passion for the game was also shaped by the influence of his uncle, Ahmed Omar, one of the region’s most prominent football players and coaches, a former Qatar national team player, and a respected FIFA instructor. This combination of high-level competition and family legacy helped form his early discipline and continues to play a meaningful role in his life today, supporting balance, clarity, and well-being alongside a demanding professional journey.
Today, Ali is a seasoned fundraising professional and CFA Charterholder with over 15 years of experience advising some of the world’s most sophisticated asset allocators. His career at Goldman Sachs began in Europe, where he led the GSAM team covering Germany’s most advanced asset allocators. During this time, he built a reputation for forging genuine partnerships, earning client trust, and driving meaningful growth across the platform.
In 2024, Ali transitioned internally to the UAE, bringing his global experience to one of the world’s most dynamic regions, marked by rapid economic growth and transformative institutional development. As an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, he now partners with sovereign wealth funds, central banks, pension funds, family offices, and banks across the Gulf, MENA, and Central Asia. His expertise spans across alternatives and public market strategies, enabling him to support investors across the full spectrum of their investment objectives.
What distinguishes Ali’s approach is his conviction that long-term success can only be built on trust. Whether he is engaging with colleagues or advising clients, from investment teams to senior leadership and key decision-makers, he approaches every interaction with transparency, collaboration, and a genuine desire to understand what truly matters to them. For Ali, trust is not a talking point; it is the bedrock on which meaningful and enduring partnerships are built.
Ali holds an MBA jointly from the University of Miami and the University of Tübingen, and he completed the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2019, an achievement that deepened his financial market expertise and reflected the resilience and discipline required to balance rigorous study with professional and family commitments.
Beyond his core client work, Ali remains deeply committed to mentorship and career development. Whether in Germany or now in the UAE, he has supported younger colleagues by sharing practical insights, helping them build confidence, and guiding them through the complexities of the investment industry. His own career has also been shaped by meaningful mentorship, most notably from his cousin, Farah Foustok, a prominent and influential leader in the asset management industry, whose guidance has had a lasting impact on his professional trajectory.
Inspired by her example, Ali strives to pay this forward by fostering the next generation of talent. His message to upcoming professionals is clear and grounded: stay disciplined, remain authentic, surround yourself with ambitious and like-minded individuals, and never stop learning. For Ali, long-term success is shaped not only by talent, but by humility, hard work, reflection, resilience, and the courage to aim higher.
Jaswant Stoecklin
Jaswant Stoecklin is a creative force redefining contemporary luxury footwear through a deeply personal blend of art, culture, and craftsmanship. Founder and designer of the award-winning luxury shoe brand JASWANT, made in Italy, her journey began in Switzerland, where she grew up surrounded by a culturally rich and visually refined environment. This early exposure shaped her aesthetic sensibilities and laid the foundation for a design philosophy rooted in balance, precision, and artistic clarity.
Her creative path led her to the United States, where she studied at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, earning a BFA in Fine Arts with a major in Apparel Design. At RISD, Jaswant developed a strong conceptual approach to design, learning to merge artistic expression with technical execution. Seeking to further expand her creative language, she later moved to Paris to pursue advanced studies in art and photography at Parsons School of Design. Immersed in one of the world’s foremost fashion and art capitals, she deepened her understanding of visual storytelling, craftsmanship, and the dynamic relationship between art, fashion, and architecture, elements that continue to influence her work today.
Over the following decade, Jaswant built a multifaceted career across art, design, and fashion, collaborating with renowned designers and creative professionals. These experiences sharpened her eye for detail, strengthened her technical expertise, and shaped her holistic perspective as both a designer and creative director. This diverse professional journey ultimately inspired her to create a fashion accessory brand that fully embodied her own visual identity, one informed by rigorous education, global exposure, and cultural heritage.
Jaswant’s design language draws deeply from her European and Indian roots. Growing up between cultures gave her a natural ability to bridge contrasts with authenticity and ease. Her bold use of colour, rich textures, luxurious materials, and intricate embellishments pays homage to her Indian heritage, while her Swiss upbringing, guided by her mother, an artist, instilled in her a refined sense of restraint, structure, and understated elegance.
JASWANT is the culmination of this duality. The brand speaks to a modern woman who is confident, expressive, and bold, yet discerning and refined in her taste. Inspired by contemporary art and architecture, the designs are distinguished by sculptural heel shapes, unexpected proportions, and innovative material combinations that set the brand apart in the luxury footwear space.
For Jaswant, the true essence of her work lies in the transformation of an idea, from initial sketch to prototype to final product. She views this process as an evolving creative journey, one that continually challenges her and pushes the boundaries of craftsmanship and innovation. This dedication to both vision and technique has earned the brand growing recognition.
Her designs have already captured the attention of celebrities, singers, actresses, and influential voices in fashion, positioning JASWANT as a brand to watch. Looking ahead, Jaswant plans to expand into accessories while strengthening the brand’s presence in India and the Middle East, markets where craftsmanship, individuality, and refined luxury are deeply valued. Through her work, Jaswant Stoecklin continues to drive meaningful change in luxury fashion by blending artistry, cultural depth, and modern design with uncompromising quality.
Paolo Casamassima
Paolo Casamassima is redefining the future of Investor Relations and Capital Markets across the GCC at a time when transparency, governance, and investor confidence are becoming central to sustainable market growth. Known for his ability to bridge strategic governance with practical investor engagement, Paolo represents a new generation of investor-centric leadership shaping how Middle Eastern capital markets evolve on the global stage.
As the former Chief Executive Officer of the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA), one of the largest IR associations globally, Paolo led a period of exceptional transformation. During his tenure, corporate membership nearly doubled while the Association’s profitability increased fourfold. He introduced several industry-defining initiatives, including the IR Academy, IR Marketplace, Corporate Access programmes, and the region’s first C-ESG Certification. His leadership also positioned MEIRA as a trusted partner to major regional exchanges, contributing directly to the development of the Kuwaiti and Oman Investor Relations Best Practice Guides, with the latter forming the foundation of the GCC Exchanges’ Unified Investor Relations Guidelines.
One of the most defining milestones of Paolo’s leadership was the MEIRA 2025 Muscat Conference, which became the largest investor-relations association conference in the world. The event welcomed over 1,200 participants from more than 50 countries, reinforcing the Middle East’s growing relevance within global capital markets. In his final keynote, Paolo addressed the structural challenges still limiting the region’s full potential, including liquidity constraints, limited free floats, insufficient sell-side research coverage, governance gaps relative to international standards, uneven IR budget allocations, high turnover among Investor Relations Officers, and the ongoing need for senior management teams to more actively embrace strategic investor engagement.
Today, Paolo continues to influence the region’s capital-markets landscape in his role at Arqaam Capital, one of the Middle East’s most dynamic and fast-growing investment banks. Within Arqaam’s newly launched Corporate Brokerage Division, he leads the Investor Relations Advisory practice, manages the Arqaam Conference Series, and oversees tailored investor-communication and stakeholder-engagement strategies. His mandate is focused on helping GCC corporates address long-standing market challenges, elevate their investor-relations practices to global standards, and achieve fair and transparent market valuations, while also supporting Arqaam Capital’s broader journey toward IPO readiness.
At the core of Paolo’s work is a firm belief that strong Investor Relations and strong Governance are inseparable. He views transparency, disciplined oversight, and alignment between management and shareholders as the foundations of long-term value creation. This philosophy not only shapes his advisory approach but also defines his broader leadership outlook.
Beyond the financial sector, Paolo is also deeply committed to social impact. He is the founder of Bighous, a UK-based social-impact investment company that has been recognised twice as the country’s Most Impactful Social Housing Solution Provider. Over the past decade, Bighous has supported and housed more than a thousand vulnerable individuals and sponsored numerous children and families in developing countries, reflecting Paolo’s belief that leadership extends beyond corporate performance to meaningful human impact.
Paolo holds a BA in Political Sciences and International Relations from LUISS University in Rome, an MBA jointly awarded by Westminster and Valencia Universities, and an MSt in Entrepreneurship from the University of Cambridge. Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, he remains driven by a dual ambition: to raise Investor Relations and Governance standards across the Middle East and to redefine capital-markets engagement as a long-term partnership built on trust, transparency, and aligned value creation. Central to this vision is his commitment to delivering the region’s most impactful capital-markets conferences through the Arqaam Conference Series, creating collaborative platforms that bring together issuers, investors, regulators, and advisors.
As the Middle East’s financial ecosystem enters a decisive phase of transformation, Paolo Casamassima stands out as one of the visionary leaders shaping how the region connects with global capital, builds investor confidence, and creates sustainable market value.
Phillip Leighton-Daly
Phillip Leighton-Daly is a lifelong writer, historian, educator, and social media advocate whose work reflects more than seven decades of lived experience shaped by resilience, moral conviction, and service. While his formal writing journey began in the early 2000s, the values that define his voice, honour, compassion, courage, and integrity, were forged much earlier through personal adversity and the wartime legacy of his adoptive parents.
Born in post-World War II Australia, Phillip was separated from his biological mother at birth due to the social constraints of the era and adopted by Bruce and Margaret Daly. Both parents were shaped by war: his father served with the 39th Battalion during the New Guinea campaign, while his mother worked in wartime hospitals caring for wounded soldiers. Together, they earned six war medals, symbols of sacrifice that instilled in Phillip a lifelong reverence for duty, gratitude, and service, values that later became central to both his teaching philosophy and his literary work.
Raised in Gosford on the NSW Central Coast, Phillip’s childhood unfolded amidst waterways, bushland, and strong community life. Outdoor exploration and sport played a formative role, helping him overcome extreme shyness while building discipline, camaraderie, and resilience. These early experiences later infused his fiction with rich environmental detail and authentic human relationships.
His academic achievements earned him a scholarship to Armidale Teachers College, leading to a 45-year teaching career across New South Wales. Throughout this time, Phillip worked across diverse regions, from riverine coasts to tablelands and western plains, engaging closely with orchardists, miners, farmers, fishermen, and local workers. These communities became both his teachers and his inspiration, shaping the characters and social landscapes that populate his writing.
In parallel with teaching, Phillip dedicated over 30 years to survival swimming instruction, holding long-term Austswim certification and multiple Bronze Medallions. This work reinforced lessons in discipline, responsibility, and perseverance. As a small-school principal, he applied a family-centred ethos to education, grounded in empathy, respect, honour, and care, principles that are clearly reflected in the moral architecture of his fiction.
Phillip is the author of 24 published books, including thirteen substantial non-fiction works focused on personal history, regional narratives, environmental studies, and cultural preservation, alongside eleven fiction titles often described as young adult and adult adventure narratives. His fiction is widely recognised for its moral clarity, emotional depth, historical resonance, and vivid natural settings. Influenced by writers such as Oscar Wilde, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens, Rod Serling, and Larry McMurtry, Phillip combines literary tradition with Australian ruggedness and a deep fascination with human virtue.
Several of his non-fiction works advocate for heritage preservation, including the former Goulburn Psychiatric Hospital, a cause deeply personal to him due to his mother’s wartime service there. Through this advocacy, he exemplifies how literature can act as a custodian of memory and place.
Unlike many of his generation, Phillip has embraced digital platforms, building a strong and consistent presence on LinkedIn where he shares encouragement, historical insight, and reflections on resilience, integrity, and social responsibility. Today, with two cinematic trailers, forthcoming film projects, and a respected digital identity, Phillip Leighton-Daly’s work stands as a testament to a life devoted to storytelling that highlights humanity’s most altruistic potential.
Imed Derouiche
Imed Derouiche is a globally recognized expert in energy systems, hydrogen transition, and industrial decarbonization, with more than thirty years of experience advising governments, multinational corporations, and investment funds on complex energy and industrial challenges. Renowned for his strategic vision and ability to bridge engineering, policy, and finance, he has shaped and influenced major projects across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and North America. His professional portfolio spans large-scale gas infrastructure development, industrial transformation strategies, green hydrogen ecosystems, and innovative carbon market frameworks, positioning him as one of the Gulf region’s most influential voices on the future of sustainable and competitive energy systems.
Throughout his career, Derouiche has played a critical role in guiding national energy strategies and supporting organizations in designing transition pathways that are both technically robust and economically viable. His work includes the evaluation of multi-billion-dollar energy and industrial assets, the development of long-term low-carbon industrial roadmaps, and the structuring of partnerships that effectively connect technology providers, policymakers, and global investors. Grounded in a strong engineering foundation and informed by economic and geopolitical awareness, he is known for translating highly complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies that enable decision-makers to move forward with confidence in rapidly evolving markets.
In parallel, Derouiche is emerging as a thought leader at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the energy sector, exploring how AI is reshaping industrial performance, operational efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability. He regularly contributes high-level analysis on global energy market evolution and the strategic opportunities for the Gulf region to lead the next wave of hydrogen-based and low-carbon industries. His forward-looking perspective, combining technical rigor, strategic clarity, and deep regional insight, makes him a distinguished figure featured in Gulf’s Visionary Leaders Driving Industry Change in 2026.
Nuno Anahory
Nuno Anahory is a distinguished international business leader whose work has played a defining role in strengthening economic, trade, and diplomatic ties between Portugal and the Gulf region. With nearly three decades of experience across international business, investment strategy, and economic diplomacy, he has emerged as a key connector between Europe and the Middle East, particularly within the Gulf Cooperation Council. His leadership reflects a deep understanding of how public and private sector collaboration can drive sustainable cross-border growth.
As an Executive Board Member and Director for International Relations at the Arab-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Anahory focuses on translating diplomatic relationships into tangible business outcomes. He is also the founder of the Portugal-Qatar Forum, a platform created to encourage long-term engagement between Portuguese and Gulf stakeholders. Through these roles, he has become a trusted facilitator of dialogue, helping align investment priorities with national and regional economic strategies.
A core element of Anahory’s work is leading high-level Portuguese business delegations to GCC markets, including Qatar and Kuwait. These missions bring together senior executives from sectors such as energy, mining, technology, real estate, tourism, and professional services. In Qatar, engagements with institutions such as the Qatar Chamber have explored cooperation in clean energy, green hydrogen, lithium and critical minerals, LNG infrastructure, and digital innovation. His strategic perspective highlights Portugal’s logistical and industrial strengths, positioning the country as a gateway for Gulf investment into Europe.
In Kuwait, Anahory led a Portuguese business mission aligned with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, engaging with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other key economic stakeholders. These discussions focused on trade expansion, infrastructure development, and diversification efforts aligned with Kuwait’s long-term economic vision. Across the Gulf, his work supports economic diplomacy by fostering trust, market understanding, and direct engagement between investors and enterprises.
Beyond bilateral trade, Anahory plays an influential role in linking the Gulf with the wider Lusophone world. As Vice-President of the Executive Committee of the Business Confederation of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, he helps integrate Portuguese-speaking African countries into broader investment frameworks. By leveraging shared language, legal systems, and historical ties, he connects GCC capital with emerging African markets while reinforcing Portugal’s role as a strategic intermediary.
Anahory’s vision reflects a modern, integrated approach to international engagement, one that combines economic diplomacy, private-sector leadership, and long-term partnership building. By positioning Portugal as both an investment destination and a strategic bridge to Europe and Lusophone Africa, he continues to shape a forward-looking model of cooperation. His work exemplifies the impact that thoughtful, relationship-driven leadership can have in driving meaningful industry and economic change across regions.
Parker D. Dale
Parker D. Dale has dedicated decades of his professional life to a singular mission: redefining how water and waste streams are treated by working with, rather than against, the restorative forces inherent in nature. His journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding the invisible dynamics that govern living systems, particularly the way air, water, and microbiological activity interact to sustain ecological balance. Through continuous observation and engagement with natural processes, he has helped shape an approach to water treatment that moves beyond conventional chemical dependency and toward biologically driven regeneration.
At the core of this work lies the development of advanced biocatalytic solutions designed to activate and optimize natural biological reactions within water and organic waste systems. These formulations operate by enhancing the interaction between air and water, enabling microbiological forces to function more efficiently and accelerate biological processing. This philosophy, grounded in careful study of natural ecologies, has driven years of refinement and experimentation by a focused and highly dedicated team committed to translating environmental insight into practical, scalable solutions.
As Chief Executive Officer of Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc., Parker Dale has led more than two decades of pioneering work in biocatalytic technology. Under his leadership, the organization has introduced breakthrough green chemistry innovations that support faster gas transfer rates and more effective biological oxidation of organic molecules. These advancements have contributed to meaningful improvements in water treatment, organic waste management, and ecosystem restoration, while also reducing energy use and environmental impact across multiple applications.
The impact of this work extends across diverse sectors, including wastewater treatment, agriculture, aquaculture, and industrial cleaning. By replacing traditional chemical approaches with sustainable biotechnologies, Parker Dale and his team have helped demonstrate that industrial efficiency and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive. Instead, their work illustrates how thoughtfully designed biological solutions can deliver long-term value while protecting the natural systems upon which all life depends.
Beyond technological innovation, Parker Dale’s leadership reflects a broader belief that healing the planet’s waters is both possible and necessary. say this journey has opened new pathways within the chemical industry, proving that truly green solutions can be achieved through patience, scientific rigor, and respect for nature’s intrinsic intelligence. His work stands as a reminder that lasting industry change often begins with the willingness to observe closely, question established norms, and align human ingenuity with the regenerative power of the natural world.
Conclusion
As Gulf’s Visionary Leaders Driving Industry Change in 2026 draws to a close, one defining insight stands out: sustainable progress across industries is built on leadership that combines expertise, integrity, and long-term perspective. The leaders featured in this edition demonstrate how meaningful industry change is achieved not through isolated success, but through disciplined strategy, thoughtful innovation, and an unwavering commitment to responsibility. Their journeys span finance, technology, energy, healthcare, education, capital markets, creative industries, sustainability, and international collaboration, each contributing to the Gulf’s evolving role as a global centre for innovation and economic resilience.
Together, these leaders reflect a future shaped by trust, governance, and informed decision-making. They show how industries can adapt to complexity while remaining anchored in purpose, whether by strengthening financial systems, advancing AI-driven efficiency, guiding energy transition, redefining investor relations, modernising healthcare delivery, or fostering cross-border economic partnerships. As the Gulf continues to expand its global influence, the stories within this feature offer valuable insight into the leadership principles that will define its next chapter, reminding us that lasting industry transformation is driven by vision translated into action, and ambition guided by responsibility.
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