Board and Executive Team

Gregory Zoughbi Chairman of the Board Senior Principal Business Development Harris Corporation

Gregory Zoughbi is a Canadian business executive based in Abu Dhabi, UAE since 2008. He held various leadership positions in business development, business and technology consulting, project management and engineering. He is currently a Senior Principal of Business Development for Harris in the Middle East, based out Abu Dhabi, UAE. His previous appointments included Director of ICT Consulting and Deputy for President of Center of Excellence (CoE) at Knowledge Point (KP). He also held various positions with General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada in Ottawa, Canada, CAE Inc. in Montreal, Canada, and BMW Financial Services in Munich, Germany.

James Wilson Vice Chairman of the Board & Head of Membership Committee (interim) Program Manager General Dynamics Mission System

James Wilson has worked at General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada for over 23 years in a variety of roles and responsibilities such as System Engineering, Project Management, and Business Development. In addition to many years working on Canadian Programs, James has worked internationally in the United States, United Kingdom, and currently is residing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Over the last 5 years James has been working in Business Development on behalf of GDMS International. James has worked with GDMS-C and Local Partners to form a UAE Joint Venture – General Dynamics Mission Systems – Middle East in support of new business for GDMS Canada and International business units. 

Sameer Khoury Member and Treasurer of the Board  Vice President, Commercial and Risk SNC Lavalin

Sameer Khoury has over 20 years of experience and began his career with SNC-Lavalin head office in 2006 at Montréal, Canada. In his current role with SNC-Lavalin, VP commercial & risk for the oil & gas sector in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Sameer heads the corporate governance for the company’s O&G operations in the region including the commercial and risk management and reporting as well as aligning bidding opportunities with the company’s risk appetite and ensuring projects adhere to the company’s limits of authority and commercial objectives are met on individual projects. Sameer has international experience working for organizations in various industries in Canada, US, Australia, Kuwait and UAE. He assumed senior roles in public accounting, corporate finance, financial reporting and management, internal controls, business & financial analysis, budget & forecast, taxation, treasury & cash flow management, business acquisitions, project finance, risk mitigation and management, contract negotiation and business development. A certified public accountant (CPA) and chartered global management accountant (CGMA) in the United States, Sameer also holds an Executive Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University – John Molson School of Business in Montréal, Canada.

Hans Fraikin Member and Secretary of the Board & Inter-Council Liaison CEO Libra Project Asset Management

Hans Fraikin was born in Montreal, Canada, but he is a citizen of the world, having lived and worked in 10 countries around the globe (Canada, USA, France, England, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and the UAE). As a result, he speaks four languages and is renown as a “cultural decoder”. He has experience in the private sector (Twentieth Century Fox; ViaCarla technologies), in the public sector (Telefilm Canada), and in the non-for-profit sector with the Quebec Film and Television Council, where he was the CEO and commissioner for the last decade. Mr. Fraikin has served on many Boards, including the AFCI (Association of Film Commissioners International) in Los Angeles, the OCCQ (l’Observatoire de la culture et des communications du Quebec) and the CBC (Canadian Business Council) Abu Dhabi.

Carol Milne Member of the Board and Head of Social Events Committee Business Development Consultant Total Solutions

Mrs. Milne was the founder, owner and president of a successful Canadian accounting and income tax company in 1988. The company was sold in 1998, when she moved to the UAE. Prior to this, Carol worked in the banking industry for many years. Carol has over 25 years’ experience in organizing events, including receptions with up to 5,000 guests, and in planning, organizing and managing company presence at trade exhibitions. Carol has organized & executed several receptions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, hosted by the Government of Ontario. In April 2014, Carol and her husband Malcolm were honoured by the Canadian Business Council’s Annual Gala in Abu Dhabi and were the recipients of the Canadian Business Council Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Canadian Business Community.

Aiham Alkhatib Member of the Board and Head of Marketing and Communications Committee Business Development & Marketing Manager PAL Aerospace

Aiham Alkhatib is a Canadian business executive who grew up in the UAE and lived 10+ years in Canada. He has been working in the Aerospace and Defence industry internationally for almost a decade. Mr. Alkhatib has worked with PAL Aerospace (Canada) and Local Partners to establish and grow a UAE Joint Venture – PAL Aerospace Services Aircraft Maintenance LLC and is currently in the position of Business Development & Marketing Manager. In his role, he is responsible of various functions some of which are pursuing new business regionally, building proposals, leading international tradeshows and exhibitions, managing Offsets program for the UAE entity with Tawazun Economic Council (TEC) in the UAE.

Mr. Alkhatib has been an Ambassador as well as board member in various non-for-profit organizations. These include, the Halifax International Student Society, Canadian Syrian Association of the Atlantic Region, Halifax Refuge Clinic and the Canadian Business Council Abu Dhabi.

Brij Bali Member of the Board and Head of Communities of Interests Program Operations and Development Manager Emirates Foundation

Brij Bali has been in the UAE since 2005 and has been actively engaged in leading national youth development programs and initiatives, including a short period as Interim Trade Commissioner (Education) at the Embassy of Canada, Abu Dhabi. In Canada, Brij has held positions in academia as Registrar and Vice President of Student Services, including President of a leading information technology college in Toronto. Brij holds an MBA degree from IMD (Switzerland) and is a Doctoral (DBA) candidate at the University of Bath, U.K. and sits on various Boards and national committees.

Kimberli Jeffery Member of the Board Vice President Healthcare and Innovation KB Nordic Consulting

Kimberli Jeffery is a Canadian born and raised healthcare professional that came to the region with the intention, like many, to stay for a short period. Twelve years, two kids, four management positions in hospitals, medical devices, and software industries, and quite a few moves later, she finds herself back in Abu Dhabi with a renewed sense of excitement for where healthcare is headed in the region. She currently holds the title of VP, Healthcare and Innovation at KBNordic Consulting, and focuses mainly on bringing new and innovative technologies from The Nordic and Canadian regions, helping them to establish connections, funding, distributorship, strategy, regional representation and set up, marketing and organizational support. Other interests that this new board member would be more than happy to discuss with you include biohacking, hockey (Canadians don’t feel the need to specify “ice”;), do we?), and her love of all things fitness, especially Crossfit.

Ronan Caillo Ex-officio, Embassy Representative Counsellor (Commercial) and Trade Program Manager Embassy of Canada

Ronan Caillo interest for international relations and his experience in consulting and investment promotion led him to join the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development in March 2009, as a trade commissioner. His assignments in Ottawa included Liaison Officer within the Minister of International Trade’s Office, Sr Policy Advisor for the Assistant Deputy Minister for Strategic Policy and Planning and Chief Strategist of the department, as well as a short stint in the Strategic Policy Bureau. He was posted to the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles as Trade Commissioner in February 2011, and cross posted to Abu Dhabi in August 2015.From 2005 to 2009 he held the position of Director - Europe at Montreal International, the investment promotion agency of the Greater Montreal. Through his many experiences, he has extensive knowledge of the needs of businesses and strong skills to assess trends and processes of international business affairs.

Jack Matar Ex-officio, Past Chairman Managing Director Toledo Mechanical and Electrical Works

Jack Matar is the co-founder and Managing Director of Toledo and its group of companies. Toledo, established in the United Arab Emirates in 1989, operates out of Abu Dhabi covering the MENA region as an EPC Contractor providing Engineering and Industrial Contracting services within the Oil & Gas, Petro-Chemical, Power Generation and Distribution, Water Desalination and District Cooling. Married to Lina and having 3 children, one residing in Montreal and the other 2 holding executive roles within Toledo, Jack, is a founding member of the CBC- Abu Dhabi and served on the Board as a member, Vice Chairman, Chairman and past Chairman.