Conference Agenda (subject to change)
Wednesday, February 12
7:30–8:30 am
Registration, Networking Breakfast, Industry Fair
8:30–8:55 am
Welcome, Opening Remarks & Overview of ISOA
8:55–9:00 am
Introduction by ISOA Chairman Chris Decker, President, Planate Management Group
9–9:40 am
Keynote Speaker
Sheikha Mayes bint Hamad Al Thani
Managing Director
US-Qatar Business Council
9:40–10:40 am
Panel 1: Foreign Military Sales
- Moderator: Alberto Aleman, Program Manager, Parsons
- COL Chris Klein, Middle East Director, USACE Middle East District
- Bryan Roberts, Vice President, BD Critical Missions, Amentum
- Alaa Mobarez, Middle East Associate, Crowell & Moring LLP
10:40–11 am
Networking Break & Industry Fair
11–11:05 am
Introduction to Keynote Speaker by Rick Abner, Founder, Atlas Advisors
11:05–11:40 am
Keynote Speaker: MG Wendul Hagler, Deputy CENTCOM Commander
11:40–11:55 am
Invest Qatar Overview
- Nasser Al-Kaabi, Investor Relations Officer, Invest Qatar
11:55 am–12:40 pm
Panel 2: Doing Business in Qatar
- Moderator: Samer Abdeen, COO, KRH
- Ahmed Al Jaafir, Partner, AL Tamimi Law Firm
- Juan Catril, Commercial Specialist, U.S. Embassy in Qatar – U.S. Department of Commerce
12:45-1:45 pm
Lunch sponsored by Taylors International Services with remarks by Tarik Masri, President & CEO
1:45-1:50 pm
Introduction to Keynote Speaker by Mick Bednarek, Vice President Strategic Outreach, Fluor Mission Solutions
1:50–2:25 pm
Keynote Speaker
GEN John W. Nicholson Jr., USA (Ret)
Chief Executive
Lockheed Martin Middle East
2:25–3:15 pm
Fireside Chat on Syria with Dr. Marwan Kabalan, Director of Political Studies at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies and Head of the Diplomatic Studies Program at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies
Moderator: Doug Brooks, FGi Global Solutions
3:15–3:30 pm
Networking Break & Industry Fair
3:30–4:30 pm
Panel 3: Qatar- U.S. Partnership: Responding to the Afghanistan Crisis
- Moderator: Leslie Schweitzer, Founder and Chair, Friends of the American University of Afghanistan (FAUAF)
- Jeff Grieco, President & CEO, Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) and ISOA Afghan Working Group Chair
- Julian Setian, Chief Operating Officer, SOSi
- Alpha Kennedy, Prime Consulting International
- Scott Wilcox, Founder, Graal Global
4:30–4:45 pm
End of Day Remarks
Thursday, February 13
8–9 am
Registration, Networking Breakfast & Industry Fair
9–9:05 am
Opening Remarks
9:05–9:30 am
New Administration Update: 90 Day Freeze – Robert Nichols, Nichols Liu LLP
9:30–10 am
Update on the Trump Administration’s first 3 weeks – Patrick Large, Vice President, American Defense International
10–11 am
Panel 4: CENTCOM Major Programs
- Moderator: Michael Young, Executive Director, Europe, V2X
- Julian Setian, President & CEO, SOSi
- Marcus Farris, LOGCAP Middle East
11 am–11:15 am
Networking Break & Industry Fair
11:15 am–12:30 pm
Business Matchmaking Forum
12:30–1:30 pm
Lunch sponsored by Taylors International Services
1:30–2:30 pm
Panel 5: Sectors Spotlight
- Moderator: Xiomara Henriquez, Executive Director, American Chamber of Commerce- Qatar
- Dr. Fawzi al-Ayoubi, Chief Medical Officer, Alfardan Medical with Northwestern Medicine
- Laila Al–Jefairi, Director–Professional Services Sector, Qatar Financial Center