The LifeLab

Eithne Treanor is a professional conference moderator and international communications consultant. Having worked as a business TV reporter, her expert knowledge covers energy, technology, security, infrastructure, and leadership. She is the founder and CEO of ETreanor Media, a successful communications training company based in Dubai, UAE. As a former international broadcast journalist, her TV reporting experience spans major television networks including ABC News, Sky News, BBC World, Bloomberg and CNBC.

Mohammad Al Duaij graduated from Leeds University Business School in 2002 with an accounting and finance joint honours degree. Mohammad started his career at the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development as part of the Asian projects funding team. He followed this by joining Global Investment House as investment manager, forming and managing real estate funds around the world. In 2008, he became the CEO of a single family office, Alea Global, where his responsibilities include investment in real estate and private equity, investment advisory, commodities trading and business development. Mohammad has earned his experience by working in diversified projects and dealing with high level individuals around the world. In 2017, he won the ‘Man of the Year’ Award from the Business Worldwide Publication. The title was awarded due to the success of Mohammad’s global mediation work, bringing countries together through business.

Adam Ridgway, Founder & CEO, ONE MOTO Adam Ridgway is a sustainabilist, keynote speaker and focused entrepreneur. Adam specialises in sustainable product development, tech-driven vehicles and delivering the future of mobility to the everyday commuter and logistics sector. In 2018 he founded, ONE MOTO, a multi-award-winning electric vehicle manufacturer company focused on smart mobility which offers a fleet of vehicles such as electric motorcycles, bikes, scooters, delivery and grocery vans, catering to the last-mile industry, as well as urban commuters. ONE MOTO has operations in 10 countries including the UAE, UK and India and Adam has pledged to showcase ONE MOTO’s journey towards creating a more equitable and sustainable world. Adam moved to the UAE in 2008, where built a portfolio of start-up companies of four respected brands under The MEDIACUBED Group; with a collective of fantastic award-winning clients, a proud portfolio and a team that supported the vision of the businesses. He exited in 2019. Before moving to the UAE, he spent a decade in the media industry in Europe, in front and behind the camera for production companies including; BBC, Channel 4 and Tiger Aspect. With a love for story-showing and seeking out experiences, he’s a creative businessman with a mission to bring change.

Seán Pattwell is the CEO and Founder of CW8 Communications. Prior to forming the Company in 2018, Sean was the Global Head of Communications at aircraft leasing giant Avolon. Sean advises global technology leaders, NGOs, Governments and corporate players the world over. Sean spent over ten years in Asia advising many of the world's leading brands, and advised on some of the largest M&A transactions in Asia. A seasoned crisis communications advisor, Sean has also advised many leading corporations and governments through rapid response and crisis and issues preparedness and management. An award winning communications expert, Seán also served as Vice Chairman of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta of Macau and Guangzhou. Sean holds a Masters degree in Global Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Julie Nguyen is an entrepreneur and innovation & marketing leader. She is the Co-founder of CrunchMoms; the first and only dedicated professional platform in the Middle East for women at all stages of their careers and motherhood. A Texan with Vietnamese roots, she has lived across continents and gathered 10+ years of experience in brand, marketing and digital transformation along the way.

Clara Naum is an International Certified Life Coach, esteemed author, and active contributor to an award-winning educational program that has positively impacted countless lives. Clara supports clients including top executives, high performance athletes and celebrities in the US and around the world to overcome their own perceived limitations, connect with themselves, find purpose and achieve authentic success in their lives, businesses and relationships. She also trains and supports teams in their leadership journey through conscious leadership and emotional intelligence in various health organizations and corporations around the world including Keck Hospital, Cancer Research Institute, University of Southern California, Martin Luther King Hospital, Young Life Universidad Nacional de Cordoba and Hong Kong University, etc. With an MBA in Business and in Spiritual Science, a master's degree in Spiritual Psychology and certification as a Soul Centered Professional Life Coach from the renowned University of Santa Monica, Clara possesses extensive knowledge in psychology, spirituality, and business. Her diverse qualifications and experience as a professor, trainer, coach, and workshop facilitator enable her to lead groups with expertise and empathy. Clara's unique coaching style has garnered global recognition, attracting clients and workshop participants from around the world. Clara connects with individuals from various backgrounds and cultures and has coached individuals at all levels, ranging from manufacturing line employees to business owners, healthcare professionals, lawyers, CEOs, and celebrities. Her volunteer work extends to individuals in prison, guiding them towards finding purpose and meaning in life. She has been invited to speak around the world about leadership and spirituality. A published author of three books including the bestseller; 'The Real Meaning of the F Word - Forgiveness as a Path to Freedom', a profound exploration of forgiveness and its potential to liberate individuals. Clara’s commitment to uplifting others has earned her the ‘Service to Humanity Award’ and the ‘Local Hero’ Award.

Ahmad oversees the strategic direction of the Saudi based retail company, BinDawood Holding. BinDawood Holding manages two key retail chains – BinDawood and Danube – across 85 hypermarkets and supermarkets in major Saudi Arabian cities and employs over 10,000 people across the Kingdom. BinDawood Holding has a rich Saudi heritage, spanning over 50 years, 35 of which are in grocery retail. Since the company opened its first BinDawood store almost 40 years ago, it has grown from a small trading business to one of the leading retailers in Saudi Arabia. Ahmad has led Danube and BinDawood through a period of revitalization and growth. Ahmad is spearheading digitizing BinDawood Holding’s business and he is the driving force behind the award-winning, highly innovative e-commerce platform Danube Online and the Danube App. In June 2019, Ahmad’s leadership story was featured on the cover of Forbes Middle East. He also led the company through BinDawood Holding’s successful IPO on the Saudi Stock Exchange, Tadawul, in October 2020. Ahmad currently sits on the board of directors of the Red Sea malls, implementing and enhancing the corporate governance of the group. Ahmad graduated from with a degree in International Business Administration from King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He has completed leadership programs in Cambridge University, UK and has also participated as a public speaker at numerous industry leading events. He is an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).

Olivier Billon is the founder and CEO of YKONE. After graduating from Sciences Po Paris with a master’s degree in Marketing, he joined L’Oréal Paris as Digital Marketing Manager for the Luxury Division. In 2008, Olivier left L’Oréal in pursuit of his own business venture, YKONE – the world’s first influencer marketing agency to cater to luxury Beauty, Fashion, Travel, and Lifestyle brands. Over the past decade, Olivier has spearheaded YKONE from a French company to a multi-national brand, implanted across 16 of the world’s most buzzing cities – from Paris to Milan, New York to Dubai, and Bangalore to Shanghai. In addition to entrepreneurship, Olivier shared his passion for Digital Marketing as a Lecturer for master’s students at Sciences Po Paris. He was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 by Ernest & Young, and continues to share his insights about influencer marketing as a speaker at conferences around the world. Olivier and his team of diverse talents have mastered the art of influence through YKONE’s one-of-a-kind offering, combining cutting-edge creativity, an innovative data-driven approach, and an unparalleled network of influencers and celebrities. Through powerful imagery, mesmerizing videography and poetic storytelling, YKONE brings brand stories to life through the world’s biggest thought leaders, reaching millions with the power of social media.

John D'Agostino is an American business executive and entrepreneur. He is a senior advisor to Coinbase, Chairman of US Asset Management Committee for the Department for International Trade, a lecturer at MIT and Columbia, and a Harvard MBA graduate. He previously served as US Managing Director at the world's largest fund governance firm Waystone Governance, where he also served on the board of hedge funds providing independent oversight. He was previously a managing director at Alkeon Capital Management, a multibillion-dollar registered investment adviser. John served as VP and Head of Strategy for the New York Mercantile Exchange, where as part of the leadership team, he helped transition the floor to electronic trading. John is also known for his involvement in the early development of the Dubai Mercantile Exchange. John’s story was the focus of the book Rigged, the True Story of an Ivy League Kid who Changed the World of Oil by New York Times best-selling author Ben Mezrich. John was featured in "The Startup of You" by Reid Hoffman in 2012. He is the founder of Dagger LLC, a strategic consulting and advisory firm and in 2019 he was named Chair of the UK Consulate’s Financial Services Working Group.

Award-winning journalist, beauty editor and business owner, Liz Dwyer has reported on beauty and aesthetics for over 20 years. Based in Ireland, she has reported predominately at IMAGE magazine, The Irish Times and at at National Irish broadcaster, TV3. She set up Beauty bootcamp in the noughties and PR + Brand Lab in 2015. In 2019, she joined forces with her sister Nikki Dwyer, a corporate lawyer to set up and run Future Beauty Show. Future beauty Show is the world’s first live event dedicated to educating the public all about aesthetic medicine, tweakments, cosmetic dentistry and plastic surgery. A Web Summit for the medical beauty world, it is hosted in Dublin’s RDS annually and attracts up to 6000 visitors, 80 exhibitors and 70 leading medical experts who discuss and demonstrate all the latest in aesthetic medicine, technology and medical beauty on the various stages.

Sophie Smith is the Founder and CEO of Nabta Health, a hybrid healthcare platform for women enabling the accelerated detection, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases in women in emerging markets. Prior to founding Nabta, Sophie worked for Accenture as a technology consultant and then founded several impact enterprises including myZindagi (a doctor-finding platform based in Pakistan) and Le Plastics (a plastic recycling company based in Sierra Leone). Sophie’s lifetime ambition is to make healthcare affordable and accessible for all women. Sophie read History at the University of Cambridge and completed an MBA with Quantic School of Business and Technology.

Yinka Martin is an award winning entrepreneur and founder and CEO of HairWeavon, an eCommerce business, with its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.  HairWeavon.com is a marketplace for all products relating to wigs and hair pieces. Yinka’s business, which ships to over 42 countries across the world, supports a community of women and men across the world experiencing hair loss due to cancer diagnosis, alopecia, and other hair loss conditions.   Yinka’s goal, together with her growing team, is to support the hair loss community in whatever she does, and sees the ability to serve this community as a daily privilege.

Amman Ahmed is the founder of MusicForPets, which has been producing music for pets since 2011. Amman founded the platform with the intention of having a positive impact on the mental health of dogs and MusicForPets two main channels RelaxMyDog and RelaxMyCat focus on:   Relaxing Music    TV For Dogs and Cats   Advice and "How to" Vlogs         And they also make games for pets The success of MusicForPets and Amman’s story has been featured in media outlets across the globe.  With millions of fans worldwide and over 150 million streamed minutes, the platform is a global phenomenon in the pet world. They have proven feedback from the community that their music helps 87% of dogs that try it and their whole library of content is available on YouTube, music streaming platforms and connected TV devices.

James Whelton is an Irish entrepreneur, programmer, and co-founder of CoderDojo, a network of free computer coding clubs for children, which reaches hundreds of thousands of young people in over 110 countries across the globe.   James has built a wide array of software products, served as CTO for several e-commerce and technology companies, along with being a venture capital advisor.  James taught himself coding as a child, spent his teens building software and hacking, and at the age of 18, he co-founded, CoderDojo, along with entrepreneur Bill Liao, while heading up his school's computer club in Cork, Ireland.  Now having just turned 30 years old, James is currently focused on building Conjure, a next-generation behaviour change and achievements platform, to help people to achieve outcomes important to them, identify and build habits conducive to life satisfaction, and help them become who they want to become.

Fares Jammal is a photographer and a founder of Shadow Studios, a Dubai-based leading creative and production house known for its prominent work in photography and videography in the region. Originally from Lebanon, Fares has been based in dubai for almost 20 years. His camera has taken him to the four corners of the globe, and he’s worked with global and regional leading companies creating high end content and photography and is the personal photographer for many celebrities, singers, performers, and politicians from the Arab world. Fares has won many international and local awards including the 2010 International Photography award in New York for his aerial photography of Yas island.