Farid Esmaeil is Founding Partner and Principal of X Architects, the Dubai-based practice he co-founded with Ahmed Al Ali in 2003 after graduating from the American University of Sharjah. His work examines the relationship between contemporary society, urban identity and the built environment, weaving cultural narratives with environmental sensitivity.

His portfolio includes award-winning projects such as the Wasit Wetland Centre in Sharjah, the As Safiyyah Museum & Park in Medina and the adaptive reuse of Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa in Al Ain.

A recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Farid’s work has been widely exhibited and published internationally, and he is an active lecturer on sustainability, regionalism and contextual design.

Sherouk Al Sayed is the Founder and Managing Partner of FTI Integrated Engineering Solutions (FTIIES), a boutique consultancy focused on the engineering, technical governance, and architectural integration of high-performance building envelopes.

With over 15 years of experience, her work connects façade engineering, façade lighting, and building façade access strategies - three disciplines too often developed in isolation, yet fundamentally interdependent in how buildings perform and endure. Grounded in the conviction that innovation has no value unless it can be built, she has advised leading developers and stakeholders across the Middle East.

Her ambition is clear: to close the distance between architectural imagination and physical reality - through integration, not compromise.

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.

Bringing almost 10 years of expertise at Kuraray Europe GmbH, As Market Development Manager for Kuraray’s Advanced Interlayer Solutions (AIS). Osama strategically partners with top-tier architects and facade consultants across the GCC and Egypt, specifying next-generation solutions with the market-leading Trosifol and SentryGlas interlayers that define safety, sustainability, and design excellence and offering specialized solutions for laminated safety glass.

Guiding the selection of the ideal interlayer, ensuring precise solutions for diverse glazing applications.

Stefan Ernler is a highly experienced façade and building envelope specialist with more than 40 years of expertise in façade engineering, fenestration, and architectural systems. As Manager, Pre-Construction Services – Middle East at Hydro Building Systems / TECHNAL, he leads technical strategy, project support, and the development of innovative building envelope solutions across the region.

Throughout his career, Stefan has held senior technical and leadership positions with internationally recognized organizations including Hydro Building Systems, HUECK, Lindner Fassaden, and Gartner/Permasteelisa. His experience spans façade engineering, curtain wall systems, technical product development, project management, and the delivery of complex building envelope solutions for landmark projects across Europe and the Middle East.

A certified Project Manager, educated at the Steinbeis Transfer Center for Technology and Management and IHK Bayreuth, Stefan is recognized for combining deep technical expertise with practical project leadership. He has played a key role in advancing façade technologies, bespoke architectural solutions, and high-performance building systems that meet the evolving demands of modern architecture, sustainability, and engineering excellence.

At Hydro Building Systems Middle East, Stefan works closely with architects, consultants, developers, and contractors to deliver innovative, technically sophisticated, and sustainable façade solutions that support the next generation of high-performance buildings.

Khaled Raslan joined Vitro Architectural Glass as the Senior Manager for GCC region back in September 2018. Raslan carries an MBA, and with more than 30 years in the region, he has extensive experience in the commercial construction, automotive industries and in the sales, marketing, and supply chain functions.

Raslan has worked for several multinational corporations in the Middle East and moved up from being a Market, Product & Logistics Analyst to a Supply Chain Manager, to a Certified Sales & Marketing Manager, to Regional Sales Manager, to Senior Manager. Raslan continues to hone his skills in the glass industry and commercial construction. He works directly with architects, façade engineers, curtainwall manufacturers and glass processors to deliver high performance glass facades and glazing solutions.

Since graduating in civil engineering Oliver is involved in the execution of prestigious construction and façade projects mainly in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. For over 18 years in UAE, he gained an appropriate market experience and developed a huge network. Oliver is a technically minded and performance driven professional with extensive experience in business development. Previously, he worked as a General Manager in an engineering and project management company responsible for the Middle East, Asia and Africa. With his skills in planning, execution and spearheading complex projects, he enabled the sustainable growth of the business in this region. For over 4 years Oliver has been the Managing Director of seele middle east FZE in Dubai, a leading company in the façade industry, and has been handling spectacular façade construction projects in the Middle East. In November 2022 seele has opened its office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is under Oliver’s responsibility too. In his position he is in charge of the success of the business of seele in the Gulf region. Recent projects executed and ongoing by seele in this region are the glass walkway and the all-glass façade of the Apple flagship store Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, 12m high glass screens inside the Holy Mosque in Mecca, as well as special façade areas at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh to name a few of them.

Maged (Max) Ahmed joined BG&E Façade Consultants in 2014 as a senior façade engineer. After few years in the head office in Melbourne, Australia; he re-located to the Middle East where he established the Middle East presence of BG&E Façade Consultants. Since then, Max and his team have provided façade consulting services for numerous projects in the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

Max is a Chartered Engineer with the Institute of Engineers Australia and holds a Master’s Degree in Façade Engineering from University of Western England, Bristol, UK and Master’s Degree in Engineering/Project Management from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He has 20 years of structural and façade engineering experience and has successfully delivered projects in the commercial, residential, educational and hospitality sectors.

Max’s focus is on raising awareness of façade consulting importance across Middle East region via collaboration with universities and social media channels, developing facade systems, building envelope solutions based on simplicity during construction and applying past learned lessons in the construction industry.

Russell is a Principal, Design Director and Cities Flex Studio Leader that undertakes large scale architectural infrastructure projects in the Gensler London office. With nearly 40 years of design experience, he has amassed a portfolio of high profile, architecture and master-planning expertise across multiple different building types in the USA, Europe and Asia. He formerly worked with SOM, AS+GG, Richard Rogers Partnership and Foster & Partners. Completing award winning, projects including, One Museum Place, Shanghai, ‘Pearl River Tower’ in Guangzhou, China, Protos Winery in Northern Spain, Glyndebourne Opera House, UK, ‘Reichstag’ Parliament Building, Berlin, Germany, 122 Leadenhall and 88 Wood Street in London UK. He has published and lectured internationally on low energy, high performance high-rise building and is a former Advisory Board Member and the prestigious Height Committee for the Council for Vertical Urbanism (formerly CTBUH). Russell has a master’s degree from Oxford Brookes University (UK) and has been a registered architect since 1988.

Arch. Iman Ghaly is a distinguished architectural executive and design leader with more than three decades of comprehensive industry experience. Currently serving as Design Director and Vice Chief Design Officer (CDO) at NGDS, The architectural in-house consultancy of NEWGIZA. She spearheads high-level architectural operations, strategic master planning, and large-scale development initiatives. Arch. Ghaly holds a Bachelor of Architecture and Engineering from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Helwan University (1992) and maintains active professional memberships with both the Egyptian Syndicate of Engineers and the Egyptian Association of Architects.

Her executive tenure at NGDS began in 2007, where she assumed a dual mandate as Design Director and Consultancy Managing Director. In this capacity, she directs multidisciplinary engineering and design teams, delivering comprehensive architectural and engineering solutions from initial conception and master planning through to intensive construction administration. Following a dedicated tenure of over two decades driving the landmark NEWGIZA project, she is currently overseeing major flagship developments for G Development, notably the premier "NEWKAIRO" project located in El Shorouk, East Cairo. Prior to her milestone leadership at NGDS, Arch. Ghaly contributed her expertise to Degla for Engineering Consultancies, managing a portfolio of premium leisure complexes and high-end residential compounds where she established rigorous standards for complex cross-disciplinary project coordination.

Arch. Ghaly’s foundational career was shaped by some of the region's most influential architectural minds. She initiated her professional journey under the mentorship of Eng. Nabil Ghaly, a pioneer of vernacular architecture in the Middle East and a prominent disciple of the legendary Hassan Fathy. She subsequently joined RDSF (Ramy El Dahan and Soheir Farid Consultants), a formative period that immersed her in the preservation of traditional Islamic art and the principles of sustainable eco-architecture long before they became modern industry standards.

Throughout her career, Arch. Ghaly has managed diverse projects across a broad spectrum of scales, from bespoke interior architecture and antique flooring to expansive luxury hospitality resorts. This extensive exposure cultivated a profound commitment to artistic detail and artisanship, which today serves as the cornerstone of her architectural approach, successfully aligning rigorous engineering precision with elevated aesthetic principles to shape complex urban landscapes.

Sajid Raza is the CEO of Butler Engineering – The Fire Consultants, leading operations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK and India. With over 33 years of experience in fire protection and life safety consulting, he has led fire strategies for high-rise developments, sports stadiums, transportation infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality, industrial and mixed-use developments, with expertise in façade fire safety, passive fire protection and special inspections.

Before joining Butler Engineering, Sajid held senior leadership positions with Hilti and Bosch. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA and advanced training in multiple NFPA standards.

He serves as Middle East Chair of the International Firestop Council, is a Member of the UAE Fire Code Council and contributes to several UL Standards Technical Panels. A recipient of Global Excellence and Business Excellence Awards, he advocates competency, compliance and innovation.

His philosophy is simple yet enduring: “Fire safety is my passion. Life safety is my purpose.”

Abdulmajid is an interdisciplinary design innovation leader with a background in mathematics, architecture, engineering, computational design, aerospace & automotive inspired aerodynamic design, and specialist construction. His work focuses on developing value-driven solutions for the Built Environment, with an emphasis on contextual design and wellbeing. Abdulmajid has delivered award-winning projects across Europe and the Middle East and is currently Global Head of Interdisciplinary Design Research (IDR) at Drees & Sommer.

Nicolas Kort is a facade specialist and mechanical engineer with over 35 years of experience in system design and bespoke project engineering. He began his career in 1986 as a project manager on the Nationale Nederlanden office building, then joined Reynolds Aluminium Holland in 1991 as a systems designer for aluminium windows, doors, and curtain wall systems.

Nicolas brought this deep expertise in aluminium systems to EFP International B.V. in 2006. Since then, he has led the design of bespoke facade solutions, combining technical precision with creativity to develop new profiles and accessories. He works closely with the market to understand customer requirements, treating every project as a true collaboration grounded in rigorous testing and hands-on training. His work has been instrumental in delivering major facade projects across Saudi Arabia, including Majdoul Tower, the Fairmont Hotel, and King Khalid International Airport.

Tom Wiscombe, born in 1970, is Principal and Founder of Tom Wiscombe Architecture (TWA) in Los Angeles. His work is known for its powerful massing, alluring graphic qualities, and tectonic inventiveness, all underwritten by contemporary ecological thinking. He combines his renowned design expertise with a deep knowledge of construction and project delivery — gleaned from a thirty-year professional career — to create projects with the highest level of care and craft.

Tom’s work is radical in its treatment of architectural entities like ground, massing, interior, circulation, apertures, and ornament as independent objects within loose, curated collections, rather than as incomplete parts of a unified, singular whole. This approach stems from his influential theory of the flat ontology of architecture, which imagines architecture —and the world— as a set of discrete, lively entities that relate to each other in democratic rather than derivative ways. This allows his practice to move beyond received hierarchies of big to small, part to whole, and existing to new, and toward a deeply ecological understanding of buildings, cities, and landscapes.

John is VIA's Middle East Principal & regional practice leader. Based in Dubai, he has more than 20 years of experience in the facade and construction industry. His work has primarily focused on large-scale complex geometry building envelope projects, with a particular interest in stadia. Throughout his career he has led many mega-projects through tender, design, procurement, production and installation.

He spent the majority of his career working in the Middle East, Europe and North America, first in main contracting and specializing in facades since 2008. Notable projects during his career include the Aviva Stadium, Dublin (Populous), Lusail Stadium, Doha (Foster + Partners), Montevetro, Dublin (Google HQ), Lusail Plaza Towers, Doha (Foster + Partners) and Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium, London (Populous).

He has spoken globally—through the Middle East, North America, Europe and Africa—at Façade Conferences, particularly on design for manufacture & assembly, cold bending and process management.

Philip Keil is the Technical Director of Façades for AESG’s Middle East and Africa projects. With 14 years delivering facades for some of the GCC's most complex mega projects, he leads multidisciplinary façade design and engineering across the region, guiding developers, architects, and contractors from concept to construction. At ZAK World of Facades, Philip will be sharing lessons from one of Saudi Arabia's most ambitious cultural landmarks on how design, engineering, and delivery come together at true mega scale.

Ahmad Abu Sada is an accomplished Architectural Engineer and Senior Project Manager with over 18 years of progressive experience delivering mega-scale building, sports, commercial, and hospitality projects across Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering & Environmental Design, he specializes in high-value, complex structural and façade engineering, having successfully managed project packages with budgets over $1 billion.

Throughout his career, Ahmad has held leadership roles at world-class consultancies and project management firms including Mace Arabia, WSP International, ASTAD, and Dar Al-Handasah. His portfolio features iconic regional landmarks such as the Qiddiya Performing Arts Centre, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, Lusail Plaza Towers, and Education City Stadium. Proven in managing cross-functional teams, driving QHSSE standards, and balancing technical design execution with strategic client alignment, Ahmad excels at bringing complex, high-profile architectural visions to life.

With over a decade of dedicated experience in the engineering and construction industry, Kevin brings a robust structural engineering background to his leadership roles. He holds a degree from the University of Windsor and is a registered Professional Engineer (PEO) in Ontario, Canada.

Kevin’s technical expertise spans North American steel and timber design, with a highly specialized focus on advanced aluminium structures, intelligent construction, and the integration of complex architectural systems. He has played a pivotal role in delivering monumental projects across the globe, with a notable portfolio that includes the Aramco Corporate Academy, Jeddah Central Development Stadium, the Iraq Baghdad Boulevard Dome, and the Shanghai G60 Cloud City.

At this year’s ZAK event in Riyadh, Kevin will present "Crafting World Wonders with Aluminium." His session will guide attendees through the evolution of aluminium structures, explore the intricacies of facade integration within these systems, and showcase cutting-edge project applications that push the boundaries of modern architectural design.

Sherif Abou El Liel serves as the Chief Projects Officer (CPO) at Nations of Sky, a prominent real estate development company in Egypt. He is a senior executive with extensive leadership experience in the real estate and construction sectors, where he plays a central role in shaping and delivering large-scale development initiatives.

In his position, Sherif oversees the planning, development, and execution of the company’s major urban projects, including smart city developments. His responsibilities span the full project lifecycle, from early-stage planning and design coordination to execution and delivery, ensuring alignment between strategic objectives and on-ground implementation.

He works closely with multidisciplinary teams, consultants, and stakeholders to ensure that projects are delivered efficiently, on time, and in line with quality and innovation standards. His leadership reflects a strong focus on operational excellence, structured execution, and long-term urban development vision.

Through his role at Nations of Sky, Sherif contributes to advancing modern, sustainable real estate projects that support Egypt’s evolving urban landscape and infrastructure growth.

Dr. Hany El Rashidy is a distinguished structural engineer with more than 30 years of experience in structural steel design and façade engineering. He currently serves as Head of Façade Engineering – Cairo Branch at Dar Al-Handasah (Sidara), where he leads multidisciplinary façade engineering teams delivering complex international projects ranging from major airport terminals and stadiums to high-rise towers, mixed-use developments, and iconic architectural landmarks.

His expertise covers advanced building envelope systems, structural glass, curtain walls, skylights, steel-supported façades, and tensile structures. Throughout his career, he has successfully led multidisciplinary teams and provided technical leadership on major projects across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, ensuring excellence in design, performance, constructability, and compliance with international standards.

Architect Raef Fahmi is a recognized leading and prominent name in the ecosystem of architecture design and urban planning in Egypt and MENA region. He began working in the field of architecture after graduating from the Faculty of Engineering at Ain Shams University in 1986.

Raef Fahmi established his practice Raef Fahmi Architects in 1991, and since the beginning of his journey in the world of architectural design and urban planning, he has contributed to creating exceptional architectural projects for numerous clients and developers, in both the public and private sector inside and outside Egypt.

Raef Fahmy’s architectural works can be considered to have contributed significantly to changing the architectural concept in Egypt and the Middle East in general, and helped many real estate developments win international awards in global competitions overseen by major institutions and companies.

Raef Fahmi Architects mission has always been to push the boundaries of architectural innovation, to reimagine spaces, and to create environments that inspire and transform. With state-of-the art methods and decades of experience, RFA strives to exceed expectations, delivering designs that not only fulfill clients' needs but also elevate human experience.

Raef is also currently serving as a visiting Lecturer in the American University in Cairo (AUC), Teaching Architectural Design theories and methods.

Most recently Raef was selected as a member of the Architecture Committee of the Supreme Council of Culture among a select group of esteemed names, responsible for shaping and directing the regulations and procedures for the future of the Egyptian Built Environment and Urban development.

Racha Rachwan is an Architectural Engineer and senior design and development professional with over 24 years of experience across the Middle East and Africa. Her career spans architectural design, design management, technical leadership, real estate development, and business development, with experience working from both developer and consultancy perspectives on complex mixed-use, residential, hospitality, commercial, and infrastructure developments.

As a design leader, Racha has extensive experience in multidisciplinary coordination, design governance, value engineering, stakeholder management, and aligning design excellence with commercial and development objectives.

Alongside her professional career, Racha has a distinguished background in sport as a former National Team Rhythmic Gymnast, International and Olympic Judge, Coach, Technical Manager, and sports governance committee member. This multidisciplinary perspective has shaped her strong interest in the relationship between design, performance, user experience, and the built environment.

Marianthi Tatari is a Senior Architect and Director at UNS in Amsterdam, where she leads projects across a wide range of scales and typologies. Since joining UNS in 2007, after earning her education in Thessaloniki, Paris, and Los Angeles, Marianthi has been at the forefront of projects that emphasize design, innovation, and the creation of impactful, human-centered places.

Marianthi thrives in contexts that demand both creativity and systems thinking, where architectural vision intersects with business innovation. Her portfolio includes contributions to some of the UNS most high-profile projects, such as the Booking.com City Campus and the Architectural Branding design for the Doha Metro Network.

At IE University in Madrid, she teaches “Managing Design Businesses”, focusing on how creative ambition, strategic leadership, and innovation drive the growth and resilience of design practices.

Sami Daher is an Associate TS&D Scientist at Dow Consumer Solutions, based in Dubai, with a regional focus on the Building & Infrastructure segment across the Middle East and Egypt. Since joining Dow in 2017, he has played a key role in delivering technical service and support to the construction design ecosystem, including façade system manufacturers, architects, engineers, and other key stakeholders.

Sami’s expertise spans technical development, product mapping, and quality awareness, with a particular emphasis on Cold Bent applications. His work drives innovation and enhances performance in architectural solutions, aligning with evolving market demands and sustainability goals.

Aitor is the Area Manager at Lanik for several countries including Australia, holds a degree in Engineering and has participated in various landmark projects.

Aitor has vast experience dealing with challeging and bespoke projects, encompassing technical design, fabrication, supply, and installation, and is used to assist consultants and stakeholders at every project stage. This support is especially interesting during the desing phase by providing valuable inputs related to constructibility, optimization, lead times, cost analysis, etc… with the aim of reaching the most adapted and performant solution considering all project requirements, since the desing up to the completion.

Eng. Mohamed Tammam is the Founder and Head of Design at Archrete Engineering Consultancy, one of Egypt's leading engineering firms. A graduate of the Architecture Department with honors, he launched his career immediately and spent over 12 years refining a bold architectural vision before co-founding Archrete in 2016 alongside Eng. Mostafa Afifi. Under his leadership, Archrete became the first consultancy to operate in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, delivering more than 150 projects and working across 1,500+ residential plots nationwide. His design philosophy, grounded in Scale Theory, gives each project a distinct architectural identity. Notable achievements include the design of the Nile Business Tower — Egypt's second tallest — and eight industry awards in two years. In 2023, Tammam expanded into Saudi Arabia, with plans to establish Archrete across all Arab markets by 2030.

Eng. Mostafa Afifi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Archrete Engineering Consultancy, a leading Egyptian engineering firm established in 2017. With a strong vision for innovation and excellence, he has played a pivotal role in transforming Archrete into one of Egypt’s prominent multidisciplinary engineering consultancies, delivering high-quality architectural and engineering solutions across diverse sectors.

Under his leadership, Archrete has expanded its footprint both locally and regionally, driven by a commitment to technical excellence, sustainable design, and continuous investment in human capital. He leads a team of more than 100 specialized engineers and professionals, delivering integrated consultancy services that cover various engineering disciplines and project development, while contributing to the creation of innovative and sustainable built environments that generate a lasting impact across the region.

With a strong academic background in glass façades design from Politecnico di Milano, Davide has developed a keen understanding of the role of advanced materials in modern architecture. He has been involved in various aspects of building envelope projects, contributing to both technical development and successful commercial execution of high-end projects in Europe, the Middle East, and the USA.

Blending technical expertise and understanding of client needs, he is currently responsible for KSA – Saudi Arabia Business Development, working closely with Architects, Engineers, and Designers to deliver innovative façade solutions that integrate high-performance interlayers for laminated glass, highlighting Kuraray’s commitment to serving the ever-changing global glass industry through innovation and leadership.

Naveen oversees the strategic development of the architectural sector within the EMEA region for AkzoNobel, manufacturers of the market leading brand of powder coatings; Interpon. For over 15 years, he has collaborated with architects, façade consultants, main contractors, cladding sub-contractors and approved powder applicators on a wide spectrum of projects. In addition, he has played a central role in bringing several coating innovations into the market. Through this wealth of experience, Naveen is perfectly positioned to offer in- depth insight into the challenges, trends, and solutions that will shape tomorrow’s architectural landscape.

Mr. Fan Lee is the founder of Anometal Aluminum Co., Ltd. who has profound expertise in the industry of pre-treated aluminium. Anometal masters the core technology of continuous anodising and has three automatic continuous pre-anodising lines nowadays. With 28 years' experience in the industry, Anometal has grown a product portfolio that includes architecture, solar energy, automobiles, optical lighting, consumer electronics, home appliances, surface decoration, MCCL and cosmetic containers.

Entering the architecture industry hence, Anometal has been working closely with Ateliers Jean Nouvel, CallisonRTKL, UNStudio, SOM, KPF, gmp, Ennead, SHL and almost all well-known design firms; meanwhile, Anometal is also the high-quality supplier of a battery of prominent developers.

Diala Daoud is a Vice President and Senior Project Manager at HKS, bringing an architectural background and 20 years of experience leading the design and delivery of complex projects across hospitality, residential, high-rise and commercial sectors.

Her expertise spans the full project lifecycle, from early design and technical coordination through tender, construction and project close-out. She has extensive experience in design review, multidisciplinary coordination, project and programme management, scope and schedule management, risk management and team leadership, bringing together diverse disciplines and stakeholders to navigate complex project requirements.

With a strong understanding of both design intent and the realities of delivery, Diala takes a collaborative and solutions-focused approach to leadership. She is skilled at aligning design teams, consultants and project stakeholders around shared objectives while maintaining quality, programme and delivery priorities.

As a Vice President at HKS, Diala also contributes to the firm's leadership in the region, championing collaboration, technical excellence and strong project delivery while helping translate ambitious design ideas into coordinated and successful outcomes.