Tentative Agenda

2025 HRTech Conference

Transforming HR in the Digital Age

24th , February-2025

Metropolitan Hotel Dubai

Gulf Standard Time (GST) Zone - UTC +4

8:00 AM
Registrations
Registrations & Networking

Welcome Coffee

8:30 AM - 8:40 AM
Welcome Address
Welcome Address

Delivered by (Conference Host) Kristina Vaneva - Employee Engagement and Internal Communication Consultant

8:40 AM - 8:55 AM
Opening Keynote
Address by the Guest of Honour (15 Mins)

Mr. Marwan Abdulaziz JanahiSenior Vice President - Dubai Science Park

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Keynote Address
"Employee Engagement in a Digital World"(10 Mins)

Speaker - Yves Vekemans - Founder - Herculean Alliance

9:10 AM - 11:20 AM
Group Activity
BRAVOS LAB Host by (2hr 10 Mins)

The Engagement Runway - Group Activity

Stephane Brismontier 

Joe Sejean

11:20 AM - 11:40 AM
Networking Break
Coffee Break and Networking Break (20 Minutes)
11:45 AM - 12:00 AM
Podcast
15 Minutes of fame - On Stage Live Podcast (The Talent Matrix )

Moderator - Andrew wolhuter - Senior consultant - Biz Group

Dr. Soha Chahine

Organisational Psychologist & Founder

Dr. Ghenwa Habbal

Global HR Advisor | Business Psychologist & Strategist | Speaker | Author

12:05 AM - 12:25 PM
Keynote Presentation
Keynote Presentation (20 Mins)

Speaker - TBC

12:30 PM - 12:45 PM
Kaynote

Imagine a report that shows you a clear correlation between your organisation’s culture and future equity appreciation. 

  • Deep dive into actionable insights for HR leaders to build a resilient workforce when facing disruption.
  • Insights from the intersection of sustainable finance and technology domains for HR professionals to start creating a competitive advantage today.
  • Inspire HR professionals to own the narrative around people are an organisation’s greatest asset.

Speaker - Hilal Mengi - Managing Director - Dune Studio L.L.C-FZ

12:50 PM - 1:05 PM
Keynote Presentation
"50% of Your Employees Have a Side Hustle—Here’s How to Turn It into an Advantage" (15 mins)
  • The Harsh Truth: Where Your Employees Are Really Working
  • Adapt or Let Go: Should You Fire Side Hustlers or Embrace Them?
  • Part-Time Hiring: The Hidden Key to Productivity

This talk will provide actionable strategies for HR leaders to navigate the changing workforce landscape, where side hustles are the new norm. It aims to balance organizational efficiency with employee autonomy, offering solutions for long-term value creation.

Speaker - Mr. Yakov Filippenko - Founder - Intch, Inc

1:05 PM - 1:45 PM
Lunch Networking Break
Lunch Break and Networking Break (40 Minutes)
1:50 PM - 2:20 PM
Panel Discussion
The HR Tech Revolution (30 mins)
  • The Rise of AI and Machine Learning in HR
  • Automation and the Evolving Role of HR
  • Data-Driven Decisions and People Analytics
  • The Future of Work: HR's Role in Shaping the Future

Moderator : Ms. Ralitsa Arsova - Sales Manager, DACH & MENA- Remote

Panelist 1 : Mr. Yakov Filippenko - Founder - Intch, Inc

Panelist 2 : Najib Makarem - Group Chief Human Resources Officer - National Holding

Panelist 3 : Dr. Semih Kumluk - Head of AI and Digital - PwC Middle East

Panelist 4 : Susana Correia - Head of Search & Staffing MENA - Linkedin

Panelist 5 : Faten Kalloub - Regional Head of HR- Middle East - Tractabel 

2:25 PM - 2:40 PM
Keynote Presentation
Generational Gap, A.I. and Digital Culture in elevating work and engagement (15 mins)

Opportunities vs Threats Witness a compelling clash of viewpoints as industry professionals debate the impact of generation gaps, A.I. and digital culture leading all the way to a more harmonized orchestrated creative corporate campus.

Speaker - Andrew wolhuter - Senior consultant - Biz Group

2:45 PM - 3:10 PM
Panel Discussion
Employee Recognition & Rewards as a Strategy to Transform Company Culture (25 Minutes)

Moderator : Pallav Popli - Chief Revenue Officer and Employee Engagement Evangelist - Vantage Circle

Panelist 1 : Sara Boueri - Vice President of People & Culture - CAFU

Panelist 2 : Maher Sabbagh - Head People and Performance - AmicaVerse

Panelist 3 : Nancy Zakahria - Senior Talent and Organisational development Manager - McDermott International

Panelist 4 : Pavithra Venkatesh - Global Head of Total Rewards - Dar

3:15 PM - 4:10 PM
Panel Discussion
HR Re-imaged: HR Goes Agile, A Storytelling Remixed (25 mins)
  1. The Core Principles of Agile HR - What are the core principles of Agile HR, and how do they differ from traditional HR approaches? How can these principles be applied to specific HR functions, such as recruitment, onboarding, and performance management?
  2. Storytelling as a Strategic HR Tool - How can HR leverage storytelling to effectively communicate its value to stakeholders, build employee engagement, and drive organizational change? What are some creative storytelling techniques that HR professionals can utilize?
  3. The Role of Technology in Agile HR - What role does technology play in enabling Agile HR? How can HR leverage data analytics, AI, and other technologies to support Agile processes and improve decision-making?
  4. Overcoming Challenges in Implementing Agile HR - What are the common challenges faced by HR departments in implementing Agile methodologies? How can these challenges be overcome, and what strategies can be implemented to ensure successful Agile HR transformation?

Moderator : Shradha A.H. Ahuja - Chief Shared Services Officer - Gulf Marine Services

Panelist 1 : Mustafa El Rafey - Founder & Managing Director - Transform HCM

Panelist 2 : Jihan El Saghir - Country HR Partner KSA/ME - Bayer Middle East FZE

Panelist 3 : Eyas Qatanani - Global HR Executive Director - Baker Hughes

Panelist 4 : TBC

4:15 PM - 4:40 PM
Panel Discussion
Human Artificial Intelligence Resources (HAIR) (25 mins)

Driving Sustainable Performance through People-Centric Strategies in the A.I. Era.

What are CHROs doing to address ESG efforts to drive human and business performance in the era of A.I?

Moderator : Lamis Abualkheir - Founder, CEO - FoodSwap

Panelist 1 : Kunal Wadhwani - CHRO - Choithrams

Panelist 2 : Hisham El Saied - Regional HR Head - Helmerich & Payne

Panelist 3 : Flevy Lasrado - Associate Professor - University of Wollongong Dubai

Panelist 4 : Ritika Bhandari - CHRO - GCC - Teleperformance

4:40 PM - 5:00 PM
Networking Break
Coffee Break and Networking Break (20 Minutes)
5:05 PM - 5:30 PM
Panel Discussion
Redefining Work-Life Harmony: Navigating the New Era of Work (25 Mins)

The Evolving Landscape of Work-Life Balance: Explore how remote work, AI, and changing employee expectations are reshaping the definition and importance of work-life balance.

Building a Culture of Well-being: Discuss how companies can cultivate a culture that prioritizes employee well-being, including mental health support, flexible work arrangements, and generous leave policies.

Moderator : Sally Sweilem - Startegic HR Business Partners - McDermott International

Panelist 1 : Dr. Mohammad Abu Zaytoon - Group HR Director  - Hayel Saeed Anam (HSA Group)

Panelist 2 : Karima Fares - People Lead UAE - Mondelēz International

Panelist 3 : Brendan Lingam - Director at Marc Ellis

5:35 PM - 6:15 PM
Keynote Presentation
Culture Intelligence in Action (50 mins) - Master Class

In a region that has more than 150+ nationalities, what are the strategies we can master to create better lives, businesses, and world in general

Speaker - Ms. Emma Jordaan - CEO, Infinite Consulting

6:15 PM - 6:30 PM
Closing Remarks
End of Conference Session

Closing Remarks