Meet The Jury

"Dr Debbie Kristiansen has over 30 years’ experience in Venue Management, Entertainment, Events and MICE Tourism. She has an extensive understanding of public and private sector organisations with a track record of driving growth and business development. Dr. Debbie was Vice President for Global Sales at Regent Exhibitions – IMEX Frankfurt from 2001. In 2005 she moved to the Middle East and helped establish the Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority, later assuming the role of CEO. She became the first female CEO of NOVO Cinemas in Dubai, until she joined Exhibition World Bahrain as General Manager in 2021. It is this level of leadership that landed her many recognitions and awards, most recently: Top 150 Global Women in Leadership Award Winners 2022, UN Women USA Rise & Raise Others Award 2022, Top 50 Global Inspirational Women to look out for in 2022, Top 50 Women in Global Cinema & Entertainment 2020"

" Imad has nearly 20 years of success in customer service experience working in banking, consulting, event management, training, and insurance and has trained more than 7,000 employees and provided consulting services with more than 40 companies in the Arab world. He has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Marketing, Imad is the first Palestinian to hold a Certificate of Accreditation in Customer Experience Management (ACXS) from James Dodkins, who is one of the Customer Experience influences in England and he is the first Palestinian to hold a Certificate of Accreditation in Customer Experience (CXS) from CX University, USA. Imad is a Judge and ambassador for the Gulf Customer Experience Awards and International Customer Experience Awards, UK Business Award as well as Turkish Customer Experience Awards, Member of the Jury of the Customer Centricity World Series Award to select the best customer-centric companies in the world and participated with 17 customer experience experts around the world to select the best customer experience professional (CX Stars) in England. Imad is one the speakers in TEDx Al-Manara Square 2022 in Palestine. Imad is #12 globally as Customer Experience Influencer based on CX Magazine. "

He is a top 100 global CX thought leader, a top 250 global insights professional and a CX awards judge with 19 years of experience in successfully managing CX advisory, CRM, E-comm, and Insights engagements across the Middle East and Indian sub-continent. Currently with Majid-Al-Futtaim managing their CX programs and supporting the group CX strategy. Prior to this, he was with Al-Futtaim, Kantar, and an agile software product startup, Capillary Technologies.

"I'm Waleed AlHamdan, a dedicated and accomplished CX Professional. I have served in many high-profile positions for both local and international organizations, including VP, Director, Board member, Strategy consultant.I've also co-founded businesses and served as a principal business development expert. I am a judge and a speaker also coach / mentor / podcaster CX SnaX and an active member of the CXPA Saudi Chapter "

"Faran has over 25 years’ experience as an accomplished Customer Experience expert with some of the top financial Institutions in the world including Citibank, Mashreq & ADIB. He has been an architect of moving one of the Banks in UAE from 23rd to No.1 Bank in Customer Experience and maintaining it for record 7 consecutive years. He is an Internationally recognized Motivation & Keynote Speaker and Awarded by ‘Awards International’ as one the most experienced ‘CX Judge’ chairing over 30 events globally. Faran Niaz is listed amongst the ‘Top 100 Global CX thought Leaders’ and is also the co-author of 2 of the Best Seller Books on Amazon ‘Customer Experience 4 – CX4’ & ‘Customer Experience 5 – CX5’. Faran is now working as Director Customer Experience for HALA based out of Riyadh and Dubai. He is also an Award-winning Photographer with his work exhibited in Italy, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan "

"Liz Berks is a Customer and Employee Experience specialist helping clients to transform their business to align with customer needs and deliver improved business performance. She has spent 20 years working across the globe, from the UK to Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and now Saudi Arabia, helping clients define their CX strategy, as well as working on the frontline of CX definition and development for a global airline. In 2021, Liz co-founded the CX consultancy, 4SiGHT CX, focusing on the ‘human experience’ and the importance of customer understanding in CX. She is also a Founding Member of Women in CX, a global online community championing the role of women in the industry."

"Edwin Best, global trusted advisor for Customer-centric business. He is the owner of edwinbest.org, guiding organisations for the transformation towards Customer-Centric business. Edwin combines the disciplines of CX and CRM/ tech to create a unique mix that is adapted to the context and issues specific to the company. Edwin has collaborated with a lot of customers in Europe, Middle East and North America with a wide range of CRM & Customer experience issues; CX strategy, CX change leadership, CRM& CX tools selection & implementation, Customer journey management. Edwin is a Award winning Customer experience judge in the Gulf region. He has been judging in the Gulf region since 2018. His mission is to make an active contribution to the discipline of customer-centric business. CX judging is one of the activities to fulfil this mission."

Nuran Mekky brings over 15 years of experience in Customer Experience Management, with a focus on driving impactful CX and digital strategies. She is dedicated to leveraging data-driven insights and crafting seamless, enjoyable customer journeys, from initial brand interactions to building lasting customer loyalty. At the core of her expertise lies her skillful orchestration of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategies and Omni-channel initiatives. Nuran’s leadership guides every stage of the process, from strategic planning and thorough testing to successful implementation and detailed reporting. This holistic approach not only drives customer acquisition but also strengthens retention, optimizes Lifetime Value (LTV), and fosters enduring brand loyalty. Nuran’s strategic acumen is evident in her pivotal role in leading large-scale transformations. Fueled by her unwavering commitment to innovation, she excels in dynamic, fast-paced business environments. Her forward-thinking mindset permeates every aspect of her work, consistently driving innovation and progress. Nuran is also a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional (CLMP), further underlining her expertise in the field.

As a seasoned CX Domain expert with over 19+ years of diverse experience in market research and customer engagement & experience across various sectors. Piyali has played a pivotal role in driving the success of the CX business at Hansa Research and also developed business in new markets like KSA, UAE, Singapore and Bangladesh . Her responsibilities have encompassed a wide range of key areas, including Business Development, Managing Key Client relationships, Team development / Resource management, hiring and supervising multi-disciplinary team members, setting team vision, and ensuring the timely delivery of roadmap commitments. Additionally, she has actively contributed to marketing efforts, fostering growth, promoting collaboration, and ensuring the collective success of the CX division. In her career journey, she has led significant strategic initiatives across the organization, orchestrating the integration of new product initiatives through tie-ups and international partnerships, revamping back-end research operations, and successfully launching new international offices. Her expertise and views on customer experience and strategy have been recognized both nationally and internationally, with her contributions being published and presented in various reputable forums and publications. Moreover, she had the honor of serving as a judge in several forums including D2C brand leadership awards , GCXA 2022-23, lending her expertise as a distinguished industry expert.

Ladislau Batalha is the CEO of the International Customer Experience Institute (www.icxi.com) and founder and Managing Director at LAB Experience. He is Senior executive with a 25+ solid international career developed in multinational companies, with significant achievements working in Customer Experience, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Care and Remote Sales. Entrepreneurial, proactive, creative and result-oriented with a long history of success in restructuring initiatives, delivering great customer experience, building customer care support systems and processing optimization, conducted in Europe, the Middle East and South America. Considerable experience working in global and multicultural environments. Several individual and services awards in different categories and countries. Highlighting the World’s Best Sales Service and the Best Customer Service in Europe and the World and Industry Champion in Brazil and Portugal by the ContactCenterWorld Association.

CCXP and member of the CXPA Regional Leadership Council, Jihane Tehini has over 18 years of experience in Customer Experience, Customer Service, and Project Management. She began her career in consulting at Accenture and later transitioned into telecommunications with Bouygues Telecom Business Distribution, where she managed a Center of Excellence, led omni-channel projects and headed customer experience. She has a wide experience in designing customer journeys, leading cross functional teams, managing complex projects, and, most importantly, putting customers and front-liners at the heart of everything. Her passion for delivering exceptional customer and employee experiences, combined with her extensive experience, led her to cofound Human2outcome. This people-oriented company focuses on mindset transformation, cultivating a growth mindset, and applying customer experience principles to foster a customer and employee-centric culture.

He has extensive experience in alternative channels, contact centre management, customer experience, process re-engineering, and business optimization. With a strong background in managing contact centres, online & Digital platforms, telesales, and alternative channels, Mazen excels in enhancing UX and CX programs, ensuring top-notch quality assurance, and managing customer complaints effectively. His deep understanding of the customer journey and dedication to customer happiness enable him to deliver exceptional experiences. Familiar with emerging payment trends like blockchain and e-wallets, Mazen aligns business needs with IT capabilities effectively. His skills in capacity planning, resource optimization, innovation, business development, change management, and operational management make him an invaluable asset to the Customer Happiness Award jury, where his insights will drive excellence and customer satisfaction.

International Business Coach , Founder and CEO of Info Media Consultancy , Author & Public Speaker. Professional public speaker and entrepreneur with 20+ years of extensive experience with Business operations, Strategy, Development, Customer experience management , Sales & Marketing, Social / Digital Media Marketing and Team Management; worked with reputed organizations in Several industries . Public Speaker & The 1st awarded Customer Happiness Professional in Middle East back in 2018. The ability to understand and connect with customers of different personalities and cultures in the market is becoming more important than ever. Hani specializes in multicultural marketing and understanding your targeted customer and set up a system in targeting them effectively. In the diverse world we live in, it is important to recognize both your customers and how you can arise between others and, most importantly, how to win the game.

Seasoned Judge and Chair of Judges at Global Customer Experience Competitions including the International Customer Experience Awards (ICXA), Gulf Customer Experience Awards (GCXA) and Customer Centricity World Series. Customer & Digital Experience executive with 20 years of global experience in the Banking and Telecom industry with a unique background in Business Strategy, Digital Transformation, Customer Experience, Management Consultancy and Program Management. Experienced in driving commercial return and increasing customer engagement and satisfaction. Successful track record of governing, supporting, and delivering Business, Technology & Customer Experience Transformation programs. Expertise in Experience Journey Design, Lean Six Sigma, Agile Scrum Master, and Program Management. Extensive experience of working with senior executives and managing cross functional teams. Passionate about delivering delight and value to customers through an integrated, personalized, and proactive digital experience. Driven by innovation and technology and thrive in fast paced and collaborative environments which foster intellectual stimulation and professional growth. I value teamwork, positive social impact and coaching & mentoring aspiring business leaders.

Ghadah Altaleb advocates a belief that true success extends beyond simply delivering products or features; it involves enhancing the overall end-user experience. Her guiding principle, 'experiences create customers who create customers,' informs her exceptional contributions across b2b and b2c sectors. Throughout her career, Ghadah has embraced roles from customer experience to product development, gaining deep insights into customer needs. Focused on these insights, she has explored innovative ways to boost customer happiness and create meaningful experiences. Motivated by the positive outcomes of her customer-first approach, Ghadah is eager to join the esteemed Customer Happiness Experience Summit as a judge. She views the summit as a vital opportunity to share and refine strategies that enhance customer well-being and satisfaction across various industries.

Claire is a seasoned Customer Experience (CX) pro with a wealth of expertise in CX Management across diverse regions. She has successfully led high-profile CX projects in various sectors, boosting both employee and customer engagement. Claire shines at crafting and implementing CX initiatives that elevate customer satisfaction, loyalty, and overall customer-centricity. She’s a whiz at defining personas and creating customer journey maps, helping clients forge strong, lasting relationships with their customers. Her mission? To guide organizations on their journey to becoming truly customer-centric. Claire’s passion is all about creating standout experiences that set her clients apart from the competition.

Ledi is a seasoned Customer Experience (CX) professional deeply passionate about customer-centric transformation. Ledi's expertise spans the full spectrum of CX, including customer acquisition; growth, retention; loyalty, customer engagement; experience as well as marketing technologies and strategy. By leveraging omnichannel strategies, gamification, and organizational change, Ledi has driven sustainable results. A published author, Ledi is passionate about sharing best practices and fostering a customer-centric culture within organizations. Her commitment lies in spearheading impactful change that prioritizes the customer in every decision. Ledi's influence extends internationally, as she speaks on topics like customer centricity, omnichannel, conversational AI, culture, and more across the world.

Serra Tileylioglu is a graduate of German High School and earned her bachelor’s degree from Koc University in Economics. She completed her Executive MBA at Bogazici University Istanbul. Starting her career at BSH Hausgeräte, Serra has directed award-winner programs and teams in marketing communication and digital loyalty and journeys, digital transformation, NPS and Customer experience Design in telecom, consumer goods and retail sectors in Germany, Turkey and since 2018 in UAE. She is a proud contributor to Turkish Women in International Business community. Her marketing and CX projects were awarded by various local and global entities including Vodafone HQ in UK, European Excellence and Stevie awards.

Over the past two decades, Haydi has been a driving force at HSBC, shaping the landscape of customer experience and fostering a culture of inclusion. With an illustrious career spanning 22 years, Haydi has ascended to the a position of Head of Customer Journey Design and Culture in Customer Experience, showcasing an unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. In 2022, Hayd’s impactful contributions were recognized globally when she was featured in the inaugural HERoes Ethnically Diverse Women Role Models list, curated by INvolve - The Inclusion People. This prestigious recognition celebrated Haydi as one of twenty women role models worldwide dedicated to creating environments where every individual can thrive and ascend to leadership positions. Further solidifying her influence, Haydi was named in the global Top 100 Women Future Leaders 2021 List supported by Yahoo Finance, highlighting her efforts in driving workplace inclusion and empowering future leaders. Passionate about both customer and employee experiences, Haydi believes in the power of embracing diversity and fostering an environment where uniqueness is celebrated and differences are respected. Her advocacy for inclusion extends beyond the workplace, as evidenced by active engagement in diversity and inclusion initiatives. With a firm belief that businesses flourish when everyone is given the opportunity to succeed, Haydi continues to champion diversity, elevate experiences, and inspire others to join the journey towards a more inclusive future. Haydi is not just a leader within HSBC; she is a beacon of hope and inspiration for individuals striving to create positive change in the world of business and beyond. As Haydi continues to leave an indelible mark on the landscape of customer experience and diversity and inclusion, her legacy serves as a testament to the transformative power of passion, dedication, and unwavering belief in the potential of every individual.

"Prof Jeevan D’Mello GDArch, CMCA, AMS, LSM, PCAM, DAS, D. Litt. CEO, Zenesis Corp, Dubai, UAE President, Community Associations Institute, USA Prof. Jeevan, a distinguished architect by vocation, is renowned as the 'Pioneer of Community Management in the Middle East' due to his groundbreaking initiatives in establishing the field of residential management within the region. Notably, he has overseen the management of some of the world's most iconic properties, including the world's tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa. He is currently a consultant for prominent real estate developers in the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping several iconic master communities. In 2014, Prof. Jeevan received the esteemed 'President's Award' in the United States, in addition to numerous other awards and accolades from over 10 countries. An accomplished author with four published books to his credit, he also holds the distinction of being a US-accredited lecturer authorized by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in Dubai and Bahrain. Prof. Jeevan holds a Doctorate in Educational Management and a Doctorate of Letters (D. Litt) from Azteca University, Mexico. He is an esteemed Visiting Professor of Real Estate at the same institution and a Professor of Practice at Woxsen University in India. He is also the international President and board member of the US-based Community Associations Institute.

" Cary is a passionate and highly credible Customer Experience (CX) expert with almost two decades of hands-on experience in shaping and transforming customer experiences and services across several industries and regions. With a deep understanding of customer experience design, continuous improvement, and voice of the customer (VOC), Cary has led major transformation programs that have redefined how businesses interact with their customers. His extensive experience also includes managing large-scale, often global, customer service (CS) centers, where he has consistently delivered CS excellence. Throughout his career, Cary has been at the forefront of creating new customer experiences, driving change in how brands connect and build relationships with millions of customers across diverse segments. He has also successfully overseen significant recovery and CI projects. Recognised for his leadership, Cary has won CX leader awards and is frequently invited to share his insights on the latest trends in customer experience and service in Europe and the Middle East"

"Lina Yahya is a seasoned Executive Vice President with over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, specializing in Customer Experience and Consumer Protection. As a Customer Culture Certified Practitioner and CX Advocate, Lina is passionate about enhancing customer and employee experiences as a key driver of business growth and success. Throughout her career, Lina has expertly aligned strategies, sales journeys, and product developments with process and system enhancements, resulting in increased profitability and improved customer lifetime value. Her work emphasizes the importance of starting from within—aligning internal performances with customer outcomes to foster a culture of ownership and continuous improvement in customer experience. Lina has led several significant initiatives at RAKBANK for over 21 years including the integration of customer feedback into organizational processes, winning the Best Performing Brand in the Retail Banking Sector in 2017 and 2018, and steering the Dubai Quality Appreciation Award project and most recently embedding Consumer Protection across all business segments of the Bank. Her ability to bridge policies and customer insights with actionable strategies has made her a key player in maintaining RAKBANK's alignment with international customer experience and consumer protection standards. Lina’s dedication to excellence and innovation continues to make a lasting impact in the financial industry."

Harshvardhan Singh, an MBA in E-Commerce with over 15 years of experience within the region, embodies a startup spirit across various strategic roles in Digital Marketing, Sales, Customer Experience, E-Commerce, Digitalization and Digital transformation. He has successfully laid the foundation for multiple business domains within global brands like Hyatt where he served as Director of Digital Marketing, and in regional semi-government organizations like Dubai Properties as Senior Manager of Digital Marketing and to publicly listed companies like Aldar Properties, as Vice President of Customer Strategy and Digitalization, where elevated Customer Experience, Operational Excellence, Digital Performance and People are the central focus of success and continues to drive excellence, with his new role as Head of Digitalization Sales with International Capital Trading Real Estate Development.

Shad Shahid is an experienced CX and CRM professional with expertise in deploying cutting-edge solutions grounded in data, leading to demonstrable and enhanced customer engagement. He has previously worked with KPMG, Thomson Reuters and Wipro in CRM & Analytics roles. He has been instrumental in deploying loyalty programs at retailers in the Middle East over the past 6 years, and is currently managing the customer lifecycle program at Western Union. His industry knowledge extends across retail, BFSI, fintech, consulting and information technology. Shad is an alumnus of IIM Lucknow, and has also undertaken academic stints at Jönköping Business School, Sweden besides studying Economics from Yale University. He has co-authored business cases and papers in leading management publications. In terms of CX, he has led enterprise-wide deployments of transformational programs aimed at establishing customer centricity as a core focus area; and is an advocate for driving go-to-market strategies levered on appropriate customer value propositions.