MENA: Network for Women in Energy Launch Event

Paul Noumba Um is the Regional Director of the World Bank’s Infrastructure Department in the Middle East and North Africa region. He is an infrastructure, telecommunications and private sector expert with over three decades of experience in infrastructure policy regulation and finance. Paul’s work focuses on advising governments, utility companies and private sector partners on energy security and efficiency, transportation, telecommunication, good governance, PPP and Privatization. He has a PhD in Economics from Rennes University in France.

Energy Practice Manager for the Middle East and North Africa Region at the World Bank. Husam has been working with the Bank for about 18 years in South East Europe, Central Asia as well as Middle East and North Africa. He currently manages the energy and extractive portfolio in the MENA region including a range of investment lending and development policy operations and wide areas of policy dialogue and technical assistance for energy sector reforms, renewable energy development, energy transition and decarbonization, regional energy integration and market development. Before he joined the World Bank in 2004, Husam worked for more than 12 years with the energy industry in the United States and has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University, USA

Senior Operations Officer in the World Bank’s Energy and Extractive Industries Global Practice advising the Practice Managers in the Middle East and North Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean regions on portfolio issues, providing operational support to project teams and managing the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program financed Energy and Gender Programs in the Middle East and North Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean regions.

Senior Gender Consultant at the World Bank focusing on social inclusion issues in the Middle East and North Africa (MNA) region. Prior to her current position, she was Special Advisor to James D. Wolfensohn and served as associate director of the Middle East Youth Initiative at the Wolfensohn Center for Development at Brookings. Recent publications include World Bank’s Progress Towards Gender Equality in the Middle East and North Africa Region (September 2017) and GCC Gender Engagement Note (January 2016). Constant received her Masters of International Affairs: Middle East and North Africa Comparative and Regional Studies from the School of International Service, American University, Washington DC. She is of Iraqi origin, born and raised in Kuwait.

Director of civil society engagement at the International Republican Institute-Lebanon. Board member of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative-EITI (2019-2023) representing civil society organizations. Energy governance specialist, keynote speaker in numerous energy related summits and events.

Dr Carole Nakhle is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of multi award-winning Crystol Energy, including Best Independent Energy Consultancy in the UK (in 2018 and 2021). Dr Nakhle was selected ‘CEO of the Year’ in the UK in 2021, by CEO Monthly Magazine. She also founded the non-for-profit group Access for Women in Energy in 2007 and has been the Director of the group since, supporting the development of women in the energy sector globally.

Eng Amira El-Mazni is Director on the Board of Egypt’s Gas Regulatory Authority, GasReg, a certified Corporate Director (IFC) and one of Egypt’s Top 50 most Influential Women (2019). She is former Vice Chairman for Gas Regulatory Affairs in the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, EGAS. She led the Oil & Gas Hub Strategy team, which is program 6 of Egypt’s Oil & Gas Sector Modernization Project.

Sepideh Nasiri is the CEO and Founder of Women of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in Technology. She is an award winning serial entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience in the Tech Industry, and a life-time advocate for women, diversity and inclusion. Sepideh is responsible for the strategy and oversight of Women Of MENA In Tech programs and global operations across 19 cities.

Experienced Director of Media relations with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration. Strong media and communication professional skilled in Public Affairs, Political Communication, Nonprofit Organizations, Political Science, and Crisis Communications.

Jihad Ghadieh has 20 years of experience in the electrical power business and has worked with senior management at Électricité du Liban (EDL) and the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water (MOEW). As Head of the Technical Department at EDL, he worked on public resources for infrastructure developments and strategic deployment of renewable energy resources.