SABRY ALI HASSAN MOHAMED – GROUP CFO AT EMDADAT ALATTA GROUP “Real leadership has nothing to do with being at the top: it’s all about getting the people below you to perform above their abilities.” The finance sector is a lifeline of the world economy and affects businesses, governments, as well as consumers. It represents a broad network of services from banking to investments, insurance to financial planning. Over the last few years, innovations such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, as well as e-banking have revolutionized financial institutions’ performance, enhancing convenience and accessibility. The sector is also strongly influenced by worldwide economic trends, with foreign exchange, trade policy, and financial markets influencing its development. Changes in regulations are still evolving, providing market stability and protecting consumers while putting firms to the test to adjust. The expanding need for finance professionals mirrors the heightened complexity of the industry, rendering expertise in financial strategy, risk management, and innovation vital for success. Sabry Mohamed’s professional life is an inspiration of resilience, adaptability, and visionary leadership. From account management in Egyptian resorts to accounting leadership in driving digital transformation as a Group CFO in Saudi Arabia, his professional life teaches not just the art of financial management but also innovative, people-centred leadership. Honoured as one of the Global 200 Power Leaders in Finance, Mohamed’s professional life is a living affirmation of the long-reaching impact of ethical leadership, continuous learning, and technological absorption on business achievement. The Foundations of Leadership: From Humble Hospitality Roots to Unparalleled Academic Excellence and Transformative Leadership Development Sabry Mohamed’s path into finance was not traditional at all. Starting his working life in hotel management and tourism resorts in Egypt, he spent ten years honing operational finance within a customer-focused setting. Steadily advancing to the position of Head of Accounts, he not only developed technical skills but also an in-depth appreciation of organizational dynamics and service excellence. His transition to Saudi Arabia represented a turning point, working at the Al-Rajhi Group, where he broadened his experience from accounting into strategic planning and business development. Climbing to Deputy General Manager and Director of Strategic Planning, Mohamed confronted his biggest leadership challenge amidst an operational restructuring period. His skill to keep the books stable during intricate changes rewrote his strategic resilience and readied him for increased leadership roles. While professional training established the foundation, Mohamed’s determination for academic excellence continued to refine his leadership philosophy. From his postgraduate diploma in finance and auditing and an MBA, he went further to acquire a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), after which he made a decision that strongly influenced his strategic thought. The scholarly intensity perfected his analytical skills, strengthened data-driven decisions, and expanded his knowledge of leadership theories, organizational behaviour, and strategic management. This effortless combination of technical knowledge and scholarly expertise enabled him to balance short-term objectives with long-term visions, predict market changes, and control risks effectively, as well as encourage cross-functional teamwork. Mohamed’s early professional life, supported by ongoing learning, built a robust, flexible leadership platform that now propels his success as Group CFO at Emdadat Alatta. A Digital Renaissance and Visionary Leadership for Sustainable Impact: Steering Transformation and Innovation at Emdadat Aletta Under Mohamed’s direction, Emdadat Alatta’s financial operations were dramatically transformed. Leveraging technology as a basis for operational excellence, he spearheaded the implementation of a sophisticated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, automating every facet of financial management from budgeting to compliance. This transition to real-time data analytics significantly improved decision-making, maximized cash flow management, and raised the financial agility of the company. Automation of mundane tasks eliminated human mistakes and allowed the finance team to concentrate on strategic plans, promoting efficiency within departments. Mohamed’s proactive adoption of data analytics tools offered better insights into market trends, operational efficiency, and customer patterns, allowing for better investment plans and improved financial forecasting. His efforts modernized financial procedures and cultivated an ethos of innovation and continuous improvement that put Emdat Alatta ahead in a growing, more competitive market. This organizational change was a manifestation of Mohamed’s larger vision as a leader, one of not just operational excellence but social contribution. He initiated a financial literacy outreach initiative in underserved communities, coupling corporate achievement with significant social contribution. This initiative, one of Emdadat Alatta’s corporate social responsibility objectives, enabled people to have the critical financial knowledge to help drive inclusivity and sustainable development. For Mohamed, success is not only quantified by better financial metrics but also by the real difference the company makes to lives and communities. His leadership style, a fusion of technology-fueled innovation, social responsibility, and sustainable growth, embodies the new, change-driven model required to propel financial leadership into the future today. Navigating Complex Global Markets: Overcoming Challenges, Seizing Opportunities, and Adapting Strategies Across Diverse Borders and Dynamic Economies Operating in Egypt and Saudi Arabia gave Mohamed a specific challenge and opportunity to navigate, necessitating strategic and flexible thinking. In Egypt, he had to contend with economic uncertainty, currency volatility, and a changing regulatory environment, which called for exceptional flexibility and robust in-house compliance mechanisms. Unusually high inflation and changing tax norms created financial planning complexity, while finding cheap financing for capital projects was a persistent problem. Against these challenges, Egypt’s growing consumer market and government drive to support SMEs presented substantial prospects for innovative financial direction and strategic expansion. Conversely, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 brought with it an age of swift diversification, with the sector focusing firmly on tourism, technology, and healthcare. The Kingdom’s drive towards diminishing its dependence on oil presented many opportunities for financial experts to drive sustainable economic growth. Mohamed’s skill in taking advantage of Saudi Arabia’s growing capital markets and synchronizing Emdadat Alatta’s financial plans with the country’s development objectives reflected his flexibility and strategic vision in managing two disparate economic settings. This experience in two markets not only honed Mohamed’s financial skills but also solidified his ability to achieve organizational success through perseverance and innovation. His profound knowledge of the local dynamics in Egypt and Saudi

  Simone Puorto: Founder Of Travel Singularity, Rebyū, Elegia AI “Hospitality was my laboratory, but philosophy was always my lens. I didn’t choose this path—it chose me when I tried to outsmart it.” The hospitality sector, a vibrant mix of human touch and operational efficiency, is deeply transformed by AI and Web3 technologies. AI takes over subtle activities such as reviewing replies and deciphering cultural and emotional nuances to improve guest experiences while reducing reputational damage. Web3 brings decentralised paradigms, with tokenized loyalty schemes and DAO-governed destinations, liberating hotels from centralized platforms. The metaverse leads the way in immersive events, revolutionizing engagement. As agentic AI and generative search upend conventional models, the industry faces a philosophical dilemma: maintaining a genuine human presence in a simulation world, where people’s time is a luxury differentiator. Simone Puorto, a techno-philosopher with more than 25 years of experience in hospitality, is the visionary entrepreneur behind Travel Singularity, Rebyū, and Elegia AI. A prolific author and MBA lecturer, he bridges technology and ethics and travels through ventures like Polybius, the first hospitality metaverse event. Championing transhumanism and ethical AI, Puorto’s work redefines human-machine convergence. From automating hotel reviews to exploring existential questions, he navigates the liminal space where hospitality meets philosophy, advocating for a future where technology amplifies compassion. The Unlikely Journey of the Accidental Hotelier Turned Techno-Philosopher: Night Receptionist to AI and Hospitality Innovator Simone Puorto’s path into hospitality was never in the plan. In the late 1990s, while a philosophy-crazed Italian student, he became a night receptionist to pay his way through school. The plan was straightforward: an unobtrusive job leaving headspace open for reading Nietzsche and Heidegger. But the disorganized, analogue universe of Italian hotels operating on ad hoc spreadsheets asked more. At 20, Puorto created a crude property management system (PMS) to organize operations, unwittingly igniting a career that would last more than two decades. “I did not choose hospitality,” he explains. “It chose me when I attempted to outwit it.” By age 25, he was managing 30 people in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions). At 30, he co-founded Dharma Hotels in Rome, a boutique chain named after the TV series Lost, because he loved metaphysical storytelling. However, Puorto’s greatest strength was not operations, but pattern spotting, recognizing relationships others did not. This led him to venture into technology’s role not only in business but society and human identity. “Hospitality was my laboratory,” he thinks back. “But philosophy was always my lens.” His transition from hotelier to techno-philosopher was not a turn but a progression. Attracted to the nexus of humans and machines, Puorto started posing existential questions: What does it mean to be human when machines can outperform us? How do we maintain authenticity in an imitative world? These queries now inform his enterprises, Travel Singularity, Rebyū, and Elegia AI, and his campaigning for transhumanism and ethical AI. Rebyū: Bridging Language, Operational Risk, and the Philosophy of Empathy in the Age of AI-Driven Hospitality  Puorto’s AI platform, Rebyū, is the realization of his philosophy that technology need not be solely a tool to automate tasks, but can enhance human interaction instead. Originally developed to make responses to hotel reviews more efficient, Rebyū does more than create generic gracious responses; it unpacks emotional undertones, cultural undertones, and linguistic intentions. “Language is delicate,” Puorto says. “One word can sink a hotel’s reputation or lift it.” Taking a cue from Korean Air’s 1990s safety debacle, where deadly miscommunication resulted from linguistic hierarchies, Puorto wanted to build a platform that eliminates confusion and promotes empathy between cultures. Rebyū employs AI to give a response that is not just correct but emotionally intelligent, recognizing the nuance of human communication. The platform directly addresses a significant structural challenge in the hospitality industry: the operational risk tied to reputation. With online reviews being a crucial currency, AI’s ability to understand, interpret, and respond with emotional intelligence transforms the way businesses engage with customers. Puorto is quick to clarify that Rebyū isn’t meant to replace humans; rather, it empowers them. “It’s about emancipating human beings to spend time on the things machines cannot do on being present,” he maintains. In hospitality, where the human touch is everything, Rebyū enables companies to grow without compromising the human presence that characterizes the business. Inspired by Ludwig Wittgenstein’s theory of language creating reality, Rebyū reflects philosophical accuracy, not only for the sake of productivity but also to preserve the humanity of hospitality, even while it changes with automation. This blend of philosophy and technology helps ensure that, while the industry embraces new technologies, the essential values of empathy and connection remain at the centre of the guest experience. Polybius, Web3, and the Emergence of a Post-Search Future: Redefining Hospitality and Digital Ecosystems in the Decentralized Age  In 2023, Puorto made history with Polybius, the world’s first hospitality event held entirely in the metaverse. Frustrated by endless panels theorizing virtual futures, he partnered with Hospitality Net to create a 24-hour immersive experiment in spatial computing. Described as “Burning Man meets ITB in VR,” the event was a radical shift from speculation to execution. “I wanted to stop talking about the metaverse and start building in it,” he says. For Puorto, Web3 isn’t a gimmick, it’s a transformative blueprint. He envisions a decentralized hospitality ecosystem where tokenized loyalty programs, dynamic NFTs, and DAO-governed destinations redefine how travel is experienced and owned. “Web3 flips the Web2 model,” he explains. “Hotels won’t lease visibility from Booking.com or pay Google to reach their guests. They’ll own their data, their relationships.” As a consultant to global tech firms like BWG Strategy and RobosizeME, Puorto sees how quickly AI is reshaping this digital terrain. He predicts that generative search will dismantle SEO and usher in a “post-search” era where AI delivers answers through conversation, not links. Click-based advertising will collapse, replaced by CPM models and AdBots that render traditional agencies obsolete. He imagines websites transforming into “do engines,” optimized for both bots and humans, powered by

  Rubina: Top Mindful Leadership Icon of the Year 2025  Leading a Movement of Calm, Clarity, and Creative Renewal In an age marked by constant connectivity, rising anxiety, and a relentless pace of productivity, the leaders who are making the most enduring impact are not just the loudest or the fastest—they are the most present. Among them, Rubina stands out as a rare force of calm and clarity, inspiring a new wave of human-centered leadership rooted in mindfulness, breathwork, and creative expression. Recognized by CIO Today as the Top Mindful Leadership Icon of the Year 2025, Rubina is reshaping how professionals, educators, and families relate to stress, creativity, and inner regulation. As a trauma-informed educator, certified mindfulness guide, and CEO/founder of Inner Design, Rubina’s work bridges ancient practices with modern science to support nervous system health, emotional balance, and aligned leadership. Her programs empower people to release performance-based pressure, access their creative flow, and return to the clarity of who they are beneath stress, perfectionism, and over-identification with roles. A Personal Journey That Sparked a Global Vision Rubina’s mission didn’t begin in a strategy meeting or trend report—it began at home. Raised in a spiritually rich household where meditation and breath were treated as tools for resilience, Rubina was introduced early on to the power of self-awareness. But it wasn’t until navigating the challenges of single motherhood, professional burnout, and emotional overwhelm that she began weaving together the threads of mindfulness, nervous system regulation, and creative healing into a comprehensive offering for others. “What I was learning through necessity—how to slow down, how to breathe, how to create space inside myself—I realized was missing from almost every professional and personal setting,” she shares. “People were surviving on urgency and stress. I wanted to create a path for something deeper, more sustainable, and more human.” That desire laid the foundation for The Inner Design, a platform and methodology Rubina developed to help people restore their inner equilibrium and lead from their most authentic, regulated self. The Inner Design: Breath. Reset. Create. At the heart of Rubina’s impact is the Creative Reset, a trauma-informed framework that blends somatic awareness, mindfulness, and creativity. The approach is both gentle and transformative, offering a step-by-step system for anyone seeking to reset from stress and rediscover their natural rhythm. Rubina’s work takes shape across several core offerings: ●     Creative Reset program: These experiential sessions help individuals process emotional tension, connect with inner stillness, and reignite creative flow using a combination of breath, movement, and freeform expression. ●     Nervous System Education: Through accessible language and science-backed practices, Rubina teaches students and professionals how to understand their stress responses and cultivate internal safety. ●     Mindfulness for Educators & Teens: With a background in Arts, Media & Entertainment, Rubina works closely with students and teachers in public and private school systems to provide trauma-informed mindfulness experiences, helping the next generation lead with empathy and presence. ●     One-on-One Mentorship and Leadership Consulting: Rubina supports high-performing creatives, founders, and educators in building sustainable practices that reduce burnout, enhance emotional intelligence, and promote long-term well-being. Every session and program is designed to help people pause, reconnect, and remember their wholeness—not as a performance goal, but as a lived truth. Creating Safe Spaces for Transformation Rubina’s greatest strength lies in her ability to create environments where others feel deeply seen, safe, and inspired. Whether in a classroom, a boardroom, or an intimate breathwork circle, her presence invites a kind of exhale that many participants didn’t even know they were holding. “People often tell me, ‘I haven’t felt this safe in years,’” she reflects. “That’s where transformation begins—not with pushing, but with presence.” This ability to hold space has made her a sought-after collaborator for institutions looking to embed mindfulness and emotional literacy into their culture. From junior colleges and high-performing charter schools to art colleges and wellness programs, Rubina has guided teams and individuals toward a more integrated, balanced way of living and leading. An Embodied Presence That Redefines Leadership What sets Rubina apart in today’s leadership landscape is her unwavering Embodied Presence—a calm, grounded awareness that resonates more deeply than force or performance ever could. Rather than leading through urgency or control, she invites transformation through clarity, listening, and authentic connection. Her presence alone creates space for others to breathe, reflect, and realign with what truly matters. “Leadership isn’t about being the loudest in the room,” Rubina shares. “It’s about being anchored enough to listen—first to yourself, then to those you serve.” In a world craving depth over noise, her approach is a refreshing and powerful model for what modern leadership can—and should—feel like. Bringing Mindfulness Into Branding and Design Beyond wellness and education, Rubina’s influence also extends into the world of conscious branding. Drawing from her commercial & fine art training and years of experience as a creative, she supports mission-driven entrepreneurs and design agencies in building aligned brands that reflect their true essence. Whether consulting on visual identity, messaging, or experiential design, she helps clients create from a place of clarity—not performance—so their presence speaks even before they say a word. “Your brand should feel like a breath, not a mask,” Rubina shares. “It’s about resonance, not just recognition.” In her collaborations with designers and creative teams, Rubina brings a rare fusion of strategy and soul, reminding leaders that how something feels is just as important as how it looks. A Growing Impact Across Industries As the world grows more complex, the demand for mindful leadership is only rising. Rubina’s teachings are being adopted not just by wellness communities, but by creative professionals, educators, and even tech leaders seeking to stay grounded amidst chaos. Her upcoming initiatives include expanding her certification programs for educators, launching community-based breathwork gatherings, and continuing to partner with institutions looking to humanize their leadership approach. Though her audience continues to grow, Rubina remains committed to the simplicity at the core of her work: helping people come home to themselves. Through breath, through awareness, and