Haby Yaqob is a seasoned architectural engineer with a passion for innovation and sustainability in the built environment. A graduate of Cairo Academy, he further specialized in Façade Engineering at the University of Bath, UK, earning certifications from CWCT and Autodesk BIM. He is a proud member of the Egyptian and Saudi Engineers Syndicates, combining technical expertise with a deep commitment to advancing sustainable practices in architectural aluminum since 2007.

In his current role, Haby collaborates with leading experts in architectural aluminum across the Greater Middle East, Europe, and Africa. His work involves forging strong partnerships with designers, architects, consultants, developers, and contractors. Whether designing an elegant sliding folding door for a luxury chalet or crafting bespoke aluminum façades for futuristic vertical cities, Haby approaches every project with creativity and precision.

As an integral part of WICONA, a brand under Hydro Building Systems and a global leader in aluminum solutions, Haby extends his influence beyond the industry. He engages actively with architecture students and academia, sharing insights and staying ahead of emerging trends in design and construction.

Sherouk Alsayed is the Managing Partner of FTI Integrated Engineering Solutions, a consultancy firm established in April 2023, specializing in façade engineering, façade lighting design, and Building Maintenance Unit (BMU) systems. With over 14 years of experience, Sherouk blends her architectural background with innovative engineering solutions to deliver projects that integrate functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability.

Throughout her career, Sherouk has worked with façade building suppliers, contractors, and industry stakeholders across Egypt and the Middle East, including Saint Gobain Glass, Alumil, Alico Egypt, and Dubai Investments subsidiaries. She has contributed to many landmark projects, serving renowned developers and consultants. Her experience has reinforced her belief in the need for a holistic approach, orchestrating various disciplines to achieve optimal façade designs that consider every aspect of a building's skin.

Ahmed is on a mission to help architects, façade designers, and developers to select the right glass for their projects. Ahmed graduated as a mechanical engineer and after that, he worked in the glass field. His passion is to share his knowledge in glass with the different stakeholders to help them select the right glass, making the building’s users feel comfortable and reducing the electricity consumption for a greener society. Ahmed started with Guardian as a specification manager in KSA. After that, he was the demand creation team leader in GCC and Pakistan. Most recently served as regional mega projects manager for Africa and the Middle East.

Jan Scheers is a Belgium born glass professional working as a consultant for Kuraray GmbH.

He was born in Belgium (°1964) and started working for the US chemical giant DuPont after finishing his Bachelor in Marketing. He worked for 14 years in the paints division in DuPont in various functions in logistics, quality control and R&D.

In 1999 he moved to the Glass Solutions division of DuPont where he worked in technical service, product development, marketing and sales.

Since 2014, when DuPont Glass laminating Solutions was acquired by Kuraray, Jan focused on Sales and Technical Service in various countries in EMEA.

Currently Jan is working as a sales consultant for Kuraray, responsible for the Middle East and South Africa. He is based in Dubai, UAE.

As a seasoned architect and leader, Peter Nickola spearheads the Architecture section at ATA, driving innovative design solutions across the Middle East. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Mansoura University, Peter has amassed over 16 years of experience, shaping iconic projects that transcend borders.

His portfolio boasts an impressive array of award-winning designs in Egypt, Abu Dhabi, KSA, Oman, and beyond. Notable projects include the majestic Marina Alamein Towers, Parcel A04 in KAFD, Telal Al Fustat, and La Vie Yards residential towers, among many others.

With expertise in architectural concept design and engineering design, Peter brings a unique blend of creativity and technical acumen to every project. His passion for delivering exceptional design solutions has earned him recognition and accolades throughout his career.

As a respected industry leader, Peter continues to inspire and mentor the next generation of architects, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.

Dorian is the Head of Specification for Saint-Gobain UAE. With a background of civil engineer, he has been working in sustainable and lightweight construction for the past 10 years in Europe and in the Middle-East.

He and his team work closely with developers and consultants around the UAE to present the full portfolio of Saint-Gobain solutions and help them design healthy, comfortable and energy efficient buildings and homes. He is an advocate of LCA and EPD of construction materials to lower the built environment carbon footprint in Middle-East.

MOD+ Partners Led by the Co-Founder/Principal Architect Mostafa Amer. Who has solid and wide experience for 24 years in the Urban, architecture field, he has worked on more than 600 projects that range from Urban, Mixed-use, residential, public, corporates & offices, educational & cultural, hotels & resorts, recreational, industrial and religious to commercial.

With over 30 years of expertise spanning building contracting, aluminum fabrication, and architectural aluminum systems, Robinson Sam is a transformative leader in the construction industry. As Vice President for the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Americas at Hydro Building Systems, he spearheads the company’s operations, driving the success of globally recognized brands such as WICONA®, and TECHNAL®.

Throughout his 20-year journey with Hydro, Robinson has held pivotal roles in supply chain, logistics, and sales, earning a reputation for operational excellence and strategic foresight. His leadership now extends across diverse markets, where he ensures seamless collaboration, market growth, and innovation in sustainable building systems.

Before joining Hydro, Robinson honed his skills as Head of Logistics and Supply Chain at Alico Aluminium for eight years, following a four-year tenure in a senior role at a leading contracting firm. These experiences laid a strong foundation for his ability to navigate complex challenges and deliver impactful results.

Lucile Souyri, 34, was born and raised in the picturesque countryside of southwest France, near Toulouse. She holds a Master’s degree in International Sales, Marketing, and Communication, a foundation that has propelled her into a dynamic and impactful career.

For the past 8 years, Lucile has been a vital part of Hydro Building Systems, holding roles across communication, marketing, and sustainability. Her professional journey began in Germany and later took her to Singapore, where she successfully navigated the complexities of the South-East Asian market. These years abroad not only enriched her professionally but also gave her a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and lifestyles.

Driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact, Lucile transitioned to the role of Sustainability Manager five years ago. In this role, she has spearheaded initiatives focusing on product circularity, materials innovation, emissions reduction, and sustainable transport and packaging. Her work also involves forging strategic partnerships with customers, suppliers, and key players in the construction sector, ensuring sustainability remains at the forefront.

Tom joined Chapman Taylor’s International Concept Design team in 2008.

With over 25 years' design experience in the residential and mixed-use sectors, he is part of our residential leadership team with an overview of design on residential-led mixed-use projects and masterplans.

Tom has led design teams on mixed-use masterplans and buildings in the UK, Middle East, Russia, Asia, North Africa, and Europe. The diversity of this experience provides Tom with a versatile design approach which responds to a project’s context and culture to create design solutions that deliver our clients’ aspirations.

As the Regional Specifications at Jotun Powder Coating based in Dubai office, Khalid has successfully specified and worked on several high-profile projects in the GCC region as well as Egypt & North America. With over a decade worth of experience in the Façade Industry, Khalid is not only known for his desire to serve all stakeholders in a thorough and prompt fashion. He has a specific passion in both empowering and enlightening them with the knowledge and necessary tools required to better understand Powder Coating. You might already know him from his weekly educational videos on powder coating through Linkedin. His ultimate goal is to make anyone and everyone ‘POWERFUL’ in ‘POWDER’, which in his terms means “POWDERFUL”.

Salma is a dedicated professional with good experience in the facade industry handling specification roles previously in a system company and now in powder coatings. Having successfully navigated the Egyptian market before expanding her expertise into the dynamic UAE market. With a strong commitment of collaboration, she works closely with diverse stakeholders across projects to enhance project outcomes, providing valuable insights into product utilization, and maximizing potential.

Ayman H. Elkady is the Business Development Manager for AGC Obeikan in North Africa. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Finance from the Arab Academy and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Design and Production) from Ain Shams University. Mr. Elkady has 17 years of experience, including five years in business development of high-performance float glass with AGC Obeikan in Egypt and KSA, and 12 years in the automotive industry.

Yasser Al-Beltagy graduated on top of his class with honors, from the faculty of fine arts in Cairo and worked as an assistant teacher at the same faculty from 1994 till 2001.

In 1994 he started his own architectural studio (YBA) Yasser Al-Beltagy Architects and worked in different types and sizes of projects (residential, commercial. Public, corporate, hotels, etc.) in Egypt, MENA region and other countries.

He designed more than 1200 projects, and also participated in 36 worldwide Architecture & Urban Design competitions and won a number of them.

In 2003 Yasser made a partnership with Dar Al Mimar Architects and worked as the Managing Director and the Chief Designer of the company.

Believing in: “Architecture is all about the Experience”, and having developed expertise in the design of large-scale projects around Egypt and middle east region, Haitham, our Head of Innovation, is adding his academic eye combined with conceptual reality to YBA.

It all began with a Bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Architecture in 2007 and a master’s degree in city and architectural branding. Following nine-years of development and progress, Haitham creates designs through fundamental research and utilizes urban and architectural local heritage to shape it. He believes that any project should take into consideration the cultures, values, tastes of the local people in order to achieve authenticity and originality.

Haitham was exposed to various projects of different scales, which later became a cornerstone of his work characteristic and his commitment to creating designs that balance between the natural and built environments. He contributed in many architectural competitions, which he believes is a driving force of paradigm shifts and changes in architecture and urban design.

Our Head of Innovation will continue to provide the creative and exclusive mindset for YBA’s quality architecture that impacts life through a holistic approach with a global sustainable effect and value.

Eng. Moheb Marcos is the Senior Vice President (SVP) and Architectural Business Unit Director at ECG Engineering Consultants Group, one of the Middle East’s leading architectural firms. With over 30 years of experience in architectural design, business development, and project management, Eng. Marcos has been instrumental in driving ECG’s success and innovation.

Eng. Marcos graduated from Ain Shams University with a Bachelor of Architecture. He joined ECG as a Team Leader Architect, where he managed a variety of prestigious projects across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. His outstanding performance and leadership abilities quickly propelled him to the position of Principal Architect/Project Manager.

Eng. Marcos has since held several key leadership roles at ECG, including Deputy Projects Division Head, Head of Projects Division, and Head of Business Development Division. Since 2016, as Architectural Business Unit Director and Senior Vice President, he has overseen ECG’s architectural, master planning, and interior design studios, shaping ECG’s strategic direction and strengthening its position as an industry leader.

Rania Ezz El Arab is a highly skilled civil engineer with 13 years of extensive experience in specifications, currently serving as the Marketing and Specifications Manager for Saint-Gobain Glass Egypt. In her role, she combines her technical expertise with innovative marketing strategies to promote high performance glass solutions while ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Rania is recognized as a Building Glass Sustainability Leader, specializing in Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Her commitment to sustainability drives her efforts to integrate sustainable practices into glass manufacturing processes, making a significant impact on the industry’s environmental footprint.

With a strong background in civil engineering, Rania leverages her knowledge to develop and implement specifications that meet the needs of architects, contractors, and clients. Her passion for promoting sustainable building materials positions her as a thought leader in the field, inspiring others to adopt sustainable practices in construction.

As a graduate chemical engineer, Heiko Schmidke looks back on a long career at the company Henkel AG&Co. KGaA, where he worked in research for several years before taking up various positions in international sales for industrial adhesives. After setting up the innovation management for consumer adhesives division of Henkel, he moved to the renowned German supplier of passive fire protection materials, Rolf Kuhn GmbH, where he was responsible for the entire international business. The experience he gained with bonding, sealing and passive fire protection products led him to Finotech Switerland AG. Finotech brand is an established partner in applications of bonding, sealing and fire protection for the building component and façade industry.

After working 30 years for Dow Corning and Dow Silicones as application engineer and industry scientist, Sigurd has founded SX Engineering and he is acting as Head of Engineering for Finotech Switzerland, offering services for structural bonding technologies including calculations, application, testing and support for quality control processes, based on his experience in thousands of building projects globally.

Natalie Henain is the director of Design and Innovation at Ökoplan Engineering Consultations, and is one of four associate partners, who seek out new exchange and business opportunities, as well as develop and maintain the firm’s corporate identity and brand.

Natalie joined the firm 17 years ago, with a total of 31 years of experience, working on a wide range of projects in city planning, urban design and architectural design. She received her master’s degree in Sustainable Development from Cairo University, in addition to a professional diploma in Environmental Engineering from the American University in Cairo. She has taken part in many of Ökoplan’s major projects, especially national mega developments, in addition to many more inside and outside Egypt.

With over 25 years of experience in the consulting and construction industry, Iman Youssri is a highly accomplished professional specializing in specifications, quantity surveying, and cost management. As the Head of the Specifications & Quantity Surveying Department at Raafat Miller Consulting (RMC), she has led the delivery of high-profile projects across Egypt and the Middle East, spanning hospitality, healthcare, education, mixed-use, and residential developments.

Iman served as a Cost Manager at Mace, where she honed her skills in cost planning, value management, and procurement strategy. Her ability to balance technical precision with strategic cost management has earned her a reputation as a trusted leader in the construction consulting field. Iman excels in Value Engineering (VE), identifying opportunities to optimize costs without compromising quality, ensuring maximum value for clients. With a strong focus on designing to budget, she delivers projects within financial constraints while maintaining high standards of quality and functionality. Adept at fostering relationships with international and local vendors, she also leads workshops and training sessions to elevate industry standards.

Iman has contributed to iconic projects in hospitality, healthcare, education, and mixed-use developments, as well as high-quality residential communities designed for modern living. With a career marked by excellence, innovation, and client satisfaction, Iman Youssri is a respected figure in the construction industry.

Ahmed I. Serry is an Egyptian architect, designer and educator, whose creative period bloomed over the past 20 years as he designed and implemented 1,900 projects nationally and internationally in the middle east, He graduated from faculty of fine arts from the top ranked graduates where he taught there from 1993 till 1998.

His work is inspired by nature as he creates creative design solutions and builds unique corporate identities. In all his projects he addresses the problems people face every day, creates inspirational spaces to improve the working environment and optimizes practical designs to increase productivity a n d profitability. One of the quotes he lives by and constantly integrates into his projects is "Simplify, Don't Complicate"

Eng. Mohamed Taher is the visionary Chairman of Nile Developments, a pioneering real estate company specializing in high-rise developments and iconic skyscrapers in Egypt. With a passion for urban transformation, he has positioned Nile Developments as a leader in shaping Egypt’s modern skyline.

Under his leadership, Nile Developments has delivered some of the most ambitious skyscraper projects in the New Administrative Capital, redefining commercial and administrative spaces with cutting-edge architectural designs and state-of-the-art engineering solutions. The company is behind Nile Business City, the tallest vertical city in Africa, which houses both the highest hotel, and the tallest administrative tower on the continent. Additionally, 31 North stands as the first festival tower in the New Capital—solidifying Nile Developments’ reputation as a trailblazer in skyscraper construction and vertical expansion.

Eng. Taher’s strategic vision embraces innovation, smart infrastructure, and sustainability, ensuring that Nile Developments continues to set new benchmarks in high-rise engineering and urban development. His commitment to excellence and precision has placed Nile Developments at the forefront of next-generation skyscrapers in Egypt and beyond.

Medhat Saad is an Associate Façade Engineer at Meinhardt UK, with over 18 years of international experience in façade engineering and design. He has delivered successful solutions for projects in the residential, hospitality, commercial, healthcare, and heritage retrofit sectors across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada.

Currently pursuing an MSc in Façade Engineering, Medhat specializes in thermal analysis and building physics, focusing on optimizing façade performance to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. His expertise spans advanced thermal assessments, condensation risk mitigation, and the integration of building envelope systems to enhance overall building performance.

Prior to joining Meinhardt UK, he held key positions at global engineering firms and served as an Associate Lecturer at the German University in Cairo, reflecting his dedication to advancing façade engineering through both professional practice and academic engagement.

Jose completed his studies in Spain, obtaining a Master of Architecture from Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera in Valencia and an MBA in Architectural Management and Design from the IE School of Architecture and Design in Madrid. While a student, Jose’s design for a hyper-sustainable prototype house won first prize for both Architecture and Pre-Fabrication in the global Solar Decathlon competition, while his volunteering efforts on the original Mount Kilimanjaro Mission Hospital project kickstarted his career in life-saving architecture. Jose has specialised in the design of state-of-the-art facilities throughout his career, honing the ability to create warm human based spaces that promote daylight, views and connections to nature.

Since joining Foster + Partners in 2011, Jose has worked on a number of projects across the UK and internationally. Most recently, The Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, the busiest bus terminal in the world; 50 Hudson Yards in New York, a 58-story, ultra efficient office tower with innovative vertical circulation; and Mayo Clinic Campus & Hospital of the Future in Minnesota, specialising on the façade design, and architectural massing.

Jose has been working in Egypt for many years, starting with the Mokattam Cornice development – a 5km residential mixed-use masterplan with views across Cairo. Currently, Jose is the project lead for the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center – a new 300-bed hospital and research laboratories overlooking the Giza Pyramids.

With 7 incredible years of professional experience, Salma has transformed stages into powerful platforms of storytelling and engagement. Her journey isn't just about speaking—it's about connecting, inspiring, and creating memorable moments that resonate with audiences.