Meet The SEW Team

Director of Special Projects / Founder,
Meydan IMAX Theatre/Community Cinema

Fereshteh is Director of Special Projects at the Meydan IMAX Theatre, home to the largest screen in the region, where she structures educational programs – focusing on film, photography, innovation and leadership – and leads film production . In 2011, she founded Community Cinema, the MENA region’s first initiative using films for change. Fereshteh has a background in International Development and Photography, with a BA from McGill University and MSc from University of London – School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She is the Sandbox co-Ambassador for the UAE, follow her @Fereshteh21.

CSR Executive,
Al Ahli Holding Group - CSR Division

Geoffrey works in CSR Development for the CSR division of the Al Ahli Holding Group; helping teach University students from all around the world how to start a business and helping teach professionals in the Middle East how to develop/grow a CSR division within in their own organisation. Geoffrey previously held positions with NACUE and Manchester Entrepreneurs, whilst studying Management at the University of Manchester.

Marketing Mentor,
SeedStartup

Ludmilla – @ludfigueiredo – is an entrepreneurship expert that has brought to life many entrepreneurial initiatives such as Global Entrepreneurship Week, Startup Weekend, and more. Worked at Endeavor Global, an organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs and won 3 International Awards. Has benchmarked several environments such as San Francisco, Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Dubai and more for a better understanding of the business and web-based activities.Currently, she’s a marketing mentor at SeedStartup, a Dubai-based startup accelerator and seed fund with a global approach and diversity. The startups advised are generating revenue, gaining awards and getting coverage in the main media channels in their fields such as L.A. Times and Beta Kit.

Director Corporate Development at OSN / Founder & CEO,
C3-Consult and Coach for a Cause

Medea Nocentini is Director of Corporate Development at OSN, the leading Pay TV platform in the MENA Region. In her spare time Medea gives back to the community mentoring and consulting social entrepreneurs: in order to maximize her impact she launched a social enterprise (C3 – Consult and Coach for a Cause) that mobilizes corporate professionals willing to support social entrepreneurs on a volunteering basis. Medea holds an MBA from Columbia Business School (NY, USA), a BA in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and an Engineering Diploma from Ecole Centrale Paris (France).

Founder/GM,
Brand Syrup

Mostafa Shirah has over 10 years of hands-on Marketing & Entrepreneurial experience serving organizations from a variety of industries (including Banking, Pharmaceuticals, Communications, Real Estate, Constructions, FMCGs & SMEs). He’s currently perusing an MBA majored in Global Leadership from Hult International Business School while running his own Brand Consultancy Agency which supports SMEs in achieving their profits with a social benefit (Brandsyrup)

Founder,
Baraka Ventures

Baraka works with people and organizations that share a passion for wanting to be agents of positive change. We build and support social ventures and sustainable businesses with a triple bottom line.

Head of Media,
C3 - Consult and Coach for a Cause

Tena holds a Master in Social Entrepreneurship and is passionate about using her skills to help create social change. Her previous experience in banking and consulting has given her valuable insights onto what makes the business world efficient and now she uses those techniques to help social enterprises maximize their outreach. Tena has also led an international and multidisciplinary team during a bio gar project in Indonesia. She was in charge of the team’s communication with the government and the community. The project was sponsored by HSBC. Her main interests include community development and women empowerment, as well as social marketing.

Regional Director,
Hult Prize (MENA)

Yezin is the Regional Director of the HULT Prize in the Middle East and Africa. Based in Dubai, he joins the Hult Prize from The Abraaj Group, the leading private equity firm in emerging markets. In 2011 Yezin co-founded the Arab Development Initiative (ADI), a youth-led initiative that promotes active engagement in the development of the Arab world. He is a graduate of McGill University where he majored in Political Science and Economics and earned a Minor in Business. With his big-picture approach to the world he spends his energy thinking about entrepreneurship, public policy and the future of cities. Yezin is an active member of the Dubai start-up community and has successfully raised capital for multiple start-ups in the region. He is also an active member of the Sandbox Community! Follow him on twitter @yalqaysi

Thank You.

Christine specializes in teaching English to non-native speakers. She recently founded an education start up which aims to promote English language learning in the U.A.E. Christine holds a B.A. in Gender Studies and Government from Smith College in Massachusetts, U.S.A. and she is also a U.K. certified English language teacher.

Dreamer in Chief and Lead Tree Shaker,
Growing Leaders Foundation

Sallyann left the corporate world to pursue her talent growing leaders through her Foundation, Growing Leaders. The Foundation impacts thousands of youths monthly in the Middle East and the Caribbean with its ground-breaking leadership curriculums being implemented in primary school classrooms, youth jails and orphanages through her 500 plus trained teachers/volunteers.

Sandbox started in 2008 and is now the foremost global community of extraordinary young achievers below 30.