Meet the judges

Chair of TenX Ventures

Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani is a dynamic businesswoman, investor, board member and author. Her expertise and insights continue to shape business and economic landscapes in Qatar and globally. She frequently speaks at global events on key topics and has been honoured with numerous accolades, including the Arab Woman of the Year 2022 for Finance. She is also listed in the Forbes’ 50 Most Influential Arab Women and the Forbes 100 Most Influential Businesswomen in the MENA region.  

Qatari television presenter and author 

Ali bin Towar Al-Kuwari, a representative of the Qatar Museums' Year of Culture program, has helped establish 37 TV for Qatar Media Corporation and has represented numerous official entities. He has filmed more than 405 documentaries across 21 countries as far as Antarctica, with his work featuring on Al Jazeera, Qatar TV and in Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment. Ali's accolades include the 2024 Akhlaquna Award and the Sultan Qaboos Prize, among many others.

Chief Executive Officer, Sport Accelerator

Eng. Azzam Abdulaziz Al Mannai, CEO of Sport Accelerator under Aspire Zone Foundation, has over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and six years in the sports sector. He joined Qatargas in 2003, progressing through various roles, including Head of LNG Marketing – West of Suez. He later led Aspire's marketing department as Marketing Director. Azzam holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Qatar Aeronautical College.

Deputy Director, Technical Cooperation and Silk Road, UN Tourism 

Since joining UN Tourism in 2006, Marcel Leijzer has coordinated over 200 tourism projects across five continents. His work focuses on strategy development, marketing, poverty reduction, biodiversity conservation, and capacity building, benefiting more than 50 countries globally. Marcel previously worked as a consultant and tourism advisor in Tanzania, Bolivia, and the Netherlands. He holds master’s degrees in human geography and policy science.

Award-winning creative director and entrepreneur 

Ramzan Rashid Al Naimi has 25 years of experience in media and commercial advertising. With a specialisation in innovative brand strategies, he has been a key part of a Global Media Network, delivering standout projects. An alumnus of HEC Paris Executive Business School, he excels in digital transformation, innovation and digital marketing techniques. Ramzan has also received the SME Excellence Award, Social Entrepreneur of the Year and Best Social Entrepreneurship Project.

Professor of Marketing and Dean of the College of Business and Economics at Qatar University 

Prof. Rana Sobh has contributed to numerous projects and served on many boards, locally, nationally and internationally. She advocates for re-designing higher education to prepare graduates for 21st-century challenges. Her work in consumer culture and behaviour, international marketing communication and sports marketing has been widely published. She has also received local and international awards in recognition of her teaching and research.

CEO, Al Wa’ab City 

Dr. Eng. Abdulla Hassan Al-Mehshadi has extensive CEO-level experience, including Msheireb Properties, envisioned as the new heart of Doha. He has been involved with major oil and gas projects and has served a variety of organisational boards, contributing significantly to Qatar's development. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering, two Executive MBAs and a Doctorate in Business Administration.