TEDxUniversity of Technology Bahrain

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Amani AlAli

  Interior Design Academic

  Dr. Amani Alaali is an Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Ahlia University and the Director of the Ahlia Centre for Entrepreneurship. She holds a PhD in Interior Design, with research interests in culture, localization, spatial experience, and the relationship between people and the environments created for them. Her work sits at the intersection of design, education, and entrepreneurship. Through her academic role, she teaches and mentors students in design thinking, interior design, innovation, and creative problem-solving. She is also the co-founder of DesignEase, a Bahrain-based platform that supports designers and businesses in making material sourcing more accessible and efficient.

• Claire Gaffney

  Education Leader

  Mrs Claire Gaffney is a passionate educator and education leader with a longstanding commitment to advancing learning and supporting educators through a rapidly changing educational landscape. As the owner and director of an “Outstanding”-ranked educational institution, she places the student at the centre of every decision, believing that education should recognise the individual learner, nurture their potential and inspire a lifelong love of learning. Mrs Gaffney contributes actively to the wider education community through her membership of a premier school’s Board of Trustees and Education Committee, and through her ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Education. She also serves on the Governing Council of Bahrain Teachers College at the University of Bahrain.

• Faris AlKooheji

  Professional Athlete and Business Leader

  Faris Al Kooheji is the Secretary General of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, a member of the Executive Board of the Olympic Council of Asia, and Chairman of its Media Committee. Combining leadership in sports and business, he has held executive positions across fitness, hospitality, construction, and investment, including CEO of Spartan Fitness and ME&F Holdings. He previously served as President of the Bahrain Weightlifting Federation. Faris holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Concordia University in Canada and a Master’s Certificate in Sport Leadership. His work focuses on advancing sports development, supporting athletes, and strengthening Bahrain’s position in regional and international sports.

• Fatema Jafar

  Student & Author

  Fatima Jaafer Helal is a young Bahraini author, storyteller, and aspiring changemaker with a passion for creativity, education, and youth empowerment. As the author of Character Unlocked, she uses storytelling to bring ideas to life and inspire others. Through projects such as From My Room to the World and The Second Life of Flowers, Fatima explores the power of curiosity, initiative, and creative thinking. She believes that age should never be a barrier to making a difference and hopes to encourage young people to take action on their ideas rather than wait for the perfect moment to begin.

• Gardenia AlSaffar

  Consultant Psychiatrist

  Dr. Gardenia Alsaffar is a Consultant Psychiatrist based in Bahrain with more than 15 years of experience in mental health. She is a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK and holds the Arab Board in Psychiatry. Her work spans clinical practice, mental health education and community advocacy. She has a particular interest in how we understand and talk about mental health, and in finding a balance between emotional awareness, resilience and our ability to tolerate the inevitable discomforts of life. Beyond her clinical work, Gardenia is the founder of Smartphone-Free Childhood Bahrain, a parent-led initiative encouraging families to think more critically about the impact of smartphones and social media on children. As a psychiatrist, advocate and mother, she is passionate about bringing mental health conversations out of the clinic and into everyday life in a way that is practical, balanced and grounded in how people actually live.

• Hamad AlFahad

  Business Strategist & Investment Advisor

  Most innovation speakers explain what's changing. Hamad Al Fahad tells you what to do about it. From C-suite boardrooms to startup stages across the GCC, he doesn't only simplify complex ideas. He makes them impossible to ignore. In 2005, he built one of the GCC's first private telecom companies from scratch, scaling it to 350,000 customers and $25M in annual revenue. That experience of building, failing, iterating, and winning in the real world is what he brings to every stage he takes. Since 2016, he has mentored hundreds of startups and served as a strategic advisor on acquisitions and growth journeys across the region. A full-stack engineer at heart, Hamad brings hands-on credibility to every topic he covers. When he speaks, people don't just listen. They act.

• Mohamed Alderazi

  Entrepreneur & Business Leader

  Mohamed Alderazi leads Data & AI products at Tarabut, MENA's largest FinTech Platform with over $100M raised to date. He previously founded Servable, a Bahrain-based AI infrastructure platform for regulated industries and brought it into Tarabut through strategic acquisition.

• Mohamed AlShaaban

  Physician and Communication Strategist

  Dr. Mohamed Ali Al-Shaaban is Deputy CEO for Communication Operations at Bahrain’s National Communication Centre, with a multidisciplinary background in medicine, journalism, health policy, and government communication. A physician by training, he spent 19 years as a part-time broadcast journalist with Bahrain Television and Radio Bahrain. As a Fulbright Scholar, he also worked with the Associated Press at the United Nations in New York. He holds a Master of Journalism from Columbia University, a Master of Public Management from Aix-Marseille University, and a medical degree from Arabian Gulf University. He is also a graduate of the Prime Minister’s Fellowship Program. His work explores how information is communicated and understood. His honors include the Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit (2021) and the Sharjah Government Communication Award for Best Research in Communication Sciences (2025).

• Mohammed AlRiffaie

  Serial Entrepreneur

  Mohammed is an entrepreneur, consultant, and IT executive serving as CEO of Enchantment Management Consultancy and Alriffaie IT Solutions (AITS). With over 15 years of experience across technology and business strategy, he specializes in guiding startups and established enterprises from initial concept to commercial launch.

• Mohammed Madadin

  Forensic Medicine Expert & Medical Educator

  Professor Mohammed Madadin is Dean of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain and a Professor and Consultant in Forensic Medicine. He has around 20 years of experience in forensic medicine, with extensive clinical, academic, educational, and leadership experience. His work has focused on medical education, curriculum development, forensic medicine, and academic leadership. He has published more than 70 indexed scientific papers and contributed to several books. Through two decades of working closely with death, he has developed a unique perspective on mortality, human behavior, leadership, and the lasting impact we leave on others' perspectives that form the foundation of his talk, “What Remains of You?”

• Nafeesa Alshaala

  Founder & Tech Policy Leader

  Nafeesa Alshaala is an educator, certified international trainer, international relations scholar, and the Founder of DiploTech Solutions. Grounded in an educational background and holding a Master’s degree in International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy, her work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence governance, techplomacy, and national digital sovereignty. Nafeesa actively contributes to global digital policy discussions, including engagements with the UN, ITU-T, UNESCO,UNIDO and international forums. Her background in education and international training deeply shapes her approach to techplomacy, transforming high level policy into an accessible, shared civic mindset.

• Wafa Obaidat

  Founder & Entrepreneur

  Wafa AlObaidat is the Founder & CEO of PLAYBOOK, an AI-native platform for women building wealth through education, meaningful connections, access to capital, and new opportunities. Under her leadership, PLAYBOOK has grown to more than 11,000 members across 120 countries and 500+ cities, bringing together ambitious women, mentors, investors, and business leaders. Its AI-native app is being built to personalize each member’s journey, connecting her goals with relevant learning, people, and opportunities. The platform combines expert-led learning, strategic networking, and events with access to more than 200 experts. PLAYBOOK is a 500 Global portfolio company backed by investors including Women Spark, Sanabil, and Faith Capital.