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Entrepreneur & Founder

Innovation and entrepreneurship, in practice.

I’m Mohannad Shahin — an entrepreneur, founder, and Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa at GInI, with more than 20 years of corporate experience.

Innovation · Entrepreneurship · Leadership

Mohannad Shahin, entrepreneur and founder
20+years of corporate experience
Entrepreneurship · Leadership
Mohannad Shahin, arms crossed, in a dark suit

The original motto

Perform while you transform

Perform while you transform

01 / Biography

Business is built between people.

Portrait of Mohannad Shahin seated in a navy blazer

Mohannad Shahin is an entrepreneur, founder and the Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa at GInI — Global Innovation Institute. He leads work to advance innovation and technological progress across the region.

His career is shaped by innovation, creativity and a commitment to helping startups realize their potential. He enjoys supporting young entrepreneurs and has guided and trained many professionals throughout his career. His experience in innovation helps him support entrepreneurship programs and ambitious business leaders as they work toward their goals.

Mohannad founded LEAD in 2011 to provide support and guidance to startups and entrepreneurs, developing it into a trusted institution in the region. He also founded the Arab Innovation Forum, an annual gathering of entrepreneurs, investors and experts in innovation and technology, and served as its CEO. The forum became a prominent event in the Middle East.

His expertise spans innovation, education, business management and technology. With a deep understanding of emerging technologies, he has applied this knowledge to startups, innovation initiatives and blockchain projects, helping those projects succeed.

With more than 20 years of corporate experience and a range of senior leadership roles, Mohannad brings practical knowledge and entrepreneurial experience to the business community in the Middle East. Before founding Edexy, he held Managing Director, Sales & Marketing Director and Business Development Director roles with organizations including LEAD, NYIT, London School of Marketing – Jordan and Optimiza Academy.

He works to strengthen the business community through innovation, education and technology, with a sustained commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs. His consulting experience spans public and private organizations. He aims to help professionals choose the right career direction, develop their potential and persevere in their pursuit of success.

Founded

  • LEAD — Founder & CEO · Established in 2011
  • Arab Innovation — Founder · Served as CEO of the Arab Innovation Forum

Areas of expertise

  • Innovation
  • Entrepreneurship & mentoring
  • Education & business management
  • Emerging technologies
  • Blockchain

02 / Work & ventures

Building business.
Advancing innovation.

My work spans regional innovation leadership, global collaboration and entrepreneurship.

GInI — Global Innovation Institute logo
Innovation leadership

GInI — Global Innovation Institute

Regional Director — Middle East & Africa

As GInI’s Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa, I lead regional innovation work, build partnerships and support chapters and authorized providers. I also take part in innovation engagements with organizations in the region.

  • Regional leadership
  • Strategic partnerships
  • Innovation community
Global Innovation Summit logo
Innovation leadership

Global Innovation Summit

Member — Board of Trustees

I serve on the Global Innovation Summit’s Board of Trustees. The summit brings together decision-makers, technologists, researchers and public leaders to advance inclusive innovation and cross-sector collaboration.

  • Global collaboration
  • Innovation leadership
  • Summit preparations

At the Dubai summit launch, I announced progress on preparations and the establishment of a joint operations center.

Read the summit launch announcement (opens in a new tab)

Entrepreneurship & previous roles

03 / Achievements

Innovation, recognized.

Engagements featured in the professional profile. Certifications named here were awarded to the organizations; Mohannad participated, presented or attended.

Fujairah Municipality: five-star government innovation certification, photograph from the professional profile
01Government innovationProfessional profile

Fujairah Municipality: five-star government innovation certification

GInI awarded Fujairah Municipality the Certified Government Innovative Organization (CGInO) certification with a five-star rating, recognizing its institutional innovation practices and the quality of its government services. The recognition took place during a reception by H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah. The profile features Mohannad’s participation in this engagement.

Dubai Courts Innovation Forum, photograph from the professional profile
02Speaking & knowledge sharingProfessional profile

Dubai Courts Innovation Forum

As GInI’s Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa, Mohannad participated in the Dubai Courts Innovation Forum. He shared insights on how innovation contributes to business success and why organizations should build a culture of innovation.

Dubai Customs: Certified Innovative Organization, photograph from the professional profile
03Organizational innovationProfessional profile

Dubai Customs: Certified Innovative Organization

Mohannad participated in presenting Dubai Customs with a Certified Innovative Organization certification. The engagement highlighted the organization’s contribution to innovation and technological progress, as well as GInI’s role in developing innovation in the region.

Dubai Customs innovation accreditation ceremony, photograph from the professional profile
04Institutional capabilitiesProfessional profile

Dubai Customs innovation accreditation ceremony

Mohannad attended the presentation of two innovation accreditations from GInI to Dubai Customs, recognizing innovations in institutional integration and organizational capabilities.

04 / Press & features

Part of the conversation.

Mohannad Shahin guides you to the shortest path to success, press image
01entrepreneuralarabiya.com

Mohannad Shahin guides you to the shortest path to success

In the era of smart governments and the accelerating data age, a set of challenges are emerging for government agencies...

Read the original (opens in a new tab)
02Roya TV

Mohannad Shahin - Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Mohannad Shahin spoke about the status of innovation in the Arab world, especially in Jordan.

Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
03Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF)

ARAB INNOVATION 2018

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation was launched on the personal initiative of His Highness...

Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
Meet the Man Enhancing Businesses Visibility with EDEXY, press image
04https://startup.info/mohannad-shahin-edexy/

Meet the Man Enhancing Businesses Visibility with EDEXY

We talked to Mohannad Shahin of EDEXY an interactive business directory platform for discovering and rating local and online businesses in the middle east and here is what he said about it.

Read the original (opens in a new tab)
05

Mohannad Shahin - Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Mohannad Shahin spoke about the status of innovation in the Arab world.

Arab Innovation Forum .. Inspiring events that foresee the future, press image
06https://www.albayan.ae

Arab Innovation Forum .. Inspiring events that foresee the future

Jamal bin Huwaireb, Executive Director of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, confirmed that the Arab Innovation Forum, in its first session, covers the most important sectors of innovation that include sustainable energy, technology, communications, smart government, healthcare, transportation and services.

Read the original (opens in a new tab)
Sama Dubai interview: the Arab Innovation Forum, image from the professional profile
07Professional profileSama Dubai

Sama Dubai interview: the Arab Innovation Forum

Mohannad discussed the role of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation in organizing the Arab Innovation Forum. He described the forum as a platform where experts, organizations and entrepreneurs present innovations and discuss related challenges.

Entrepreneur Arabia: innovation and entrepreneurship profile, image from the professional profile
08Professional profileEntrepreneur Arabia

Entrepreneur Arabia: innovation and entrepreneurship profile

The profile documents an Entrepreneur Arabia feature on Mohannad’s vision and achievements in innovation and his contribution to entrepreneurship in the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai Customs innovative-organization certification ceremony, image from the professional profile
09Professional profileAl Bayan

Dubai Customs innovative-organization certification ceremony

The professional profile includes coverage of the ceremony presenting Dubai Customs with a Certified Innovative Organization certification, which Mohannad attended.

Dubai Customs: recognition of two organizational innovations, image from the professional profile
10Professional profileProfessional profile coverage

Dubai Customs: recognition of two organizational innovations

Coverage in the supplied profile records the presentation of two GInI innovation accreditations to Dubai Customs, focusing on institutional integration and organizational capabilities.

05 / In the room

Ideas need people.

Forty-one photos from events and work: twelve from the original gallery and twenty-nine from the professional profile. Select any photo to enlarge it.

06 / Testimonials

Every outcome has a human story.

All 12 recommendations from the original profile, in full.

#MohannadShahin was always my “go to” colleague when I wanted advice. Never met a person that listens so attentively to others like Mohannad, he always wanted to understand the situation I’m facing so he can give the best advice. I will always miss having Mohannad as a close colleague. I would recommend him to any employer looking for a mature and seasoned professional to add to his/her team.

01Christophe T. Spring

International Key Acc. Manager Northern America, GCC, Scandinavia & Travel Retail / Duty free

Mohannad is a systematic person with a unique approach to his business. It was a pleasure doing business with him. I look forward to more business opportunities with Mohannad.

02Bara' O

Chief Operations. POME

I like in Mohannad his Creativity in doing business I think he is one off the few people how removed the " Impossible" Word from his dictionary.

03Issam D. I. Elayyan

Customer Success Manager at Delta International Real-estate

If you are looking for a direction in the training world, Mohannad is the go-to guy. With over 10 years of experience under his belt, I have known Mohannad for at least 6 or 7 of them at two different training institutions before he started his own LEAD Academy. Mohannad knows the ins-and-outs of the training business like no other, while he has a dedicated team that can follow up on sales, giving advice, and providing tailor made training for your organization, he still manages to oversee every single little detail to ensure that you receive the best of the best. With an expansion in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Bahrain, I recommend to anyone seeking training to get in touch with the Guru who makes it all happen!

04Lara Abdulhadi

Digital Marketing Strategy Director

I am very pleased to write this letter of recommendation on behalf of BGC. I dealed directly with Mohannad to build a joint venture with NYIT during 2010. From the time that Mohannad started dealing with us, I was impressed with his drive, determination, and tenaciousness. He was confident to introduce his products & services to a new marketplace, and I am pleased to say that Mohanned met or exceeded our expectations. Mohannad is a very talented sales manager and I have no hesitation about recommending him highly.

05Muntasir Abu Al Hasan

CX & Marketing National Manager at Abdullah Hashim Co. Ltd

Mohannad is a super business manager who highly focuses on excelling his relationship management skills with his clients. His true leadership abilities make him a centered focus personality that influence the lives and professions of people and companies around him. His way in putting integrity and clients needs ahead of his own, makes him an invaluable asset for any who deals with his services.

06Murad Sahawneh

Group Chief Human Resources Officer at Power International Holding

I have had the privilege of working with Muhannad for many years and through those several years that we spent together in a professional environment, I have seen him grow – both as a professional and a human being. Muhannad is a successful risk-taker. He uses unique ways to determine what the target market needs and has the capability of tweaking his marketing modules accordingly. As a creative thinker who possesses a can-do attitude, Muhannad is a pleasure to work with. I wish him all the best.

07Naim Al Sous

Human Resources Director at International Rescue Committee (Syria Country Program)

Mohannad is a great energetic professional full of passion and desires to achieve results.. I am proud to consider Mohannad as a good friend and I wish him best of luck in his professional and personal life... Keep it up Mohannad...

08Nidal Bitar

Member of the Steering Committee at Jordan Ireland Business Association (JIBA)

Mohannad has played an essential and pivotal role in developing the strategic partnership between LEAD and the Global Leadership Institute at Boston College. His initiative and leadership has helped to develop an effective, efficient, mutually productive partnership between a major U.S. university and his firm in Dubai. In addition, his ability to build and motivate his highly skilled team means that LEAD delivers high-quality programing and maintains the Global Leadership Institute’s commitment to excellence. I recommend Mohannad without hesitation or qualification.

09Robert Mauro

Director at Global Leadership Institute at Boston College

I worked with Mohannad years ago, at that time when he told me about his goal, I thought it was a dream. But when I contacted him in Dubai few days ago, he was telling me with passion about the goals he achieved, I knew that, what I think about this ambitious man is totally true, Mohannad is a hard worker who can set his goal and work to achieve it, a man who can chase his dreams to become true. At lead, where we cooperate to perform a very professional level of training, that helps to enhance not only people performance but companies as well. Good luck my dear, and all the best in the new line offices outside Jordan.

10Sanaa Mustafa Abdo

Freelance Certified International Professional Trainer & Motivational Speaker at Professional freelance trainer

I had the opportunity to work with Mohannad on different tasks at Arab Bank Jordan. Mohannad has one of the sharpest business minds I have ever worked with. His ability to understand a new industry and assess the issues and challenges affecting that industry is amazing. I was always impressed in how he asked questions that cut to the heart of the problems. Then, we formulated responses that gave us the "What To Do" actions.

11Basil Alshaer

ROO HR Deputy Manager

What I like about Muhannad is that he knows the sales function by heart, he is born to do this job, a very good communicator, you can trust he will achieve his target whatever the market situation is, his evaluation was always one of the top sales I used to work with, I do recommend him for a hard sales negotiation, or tough market, and I am sure you will thank me at the end.

12Ali Thiab

CEO at SalesH2O

07 / Contact

What could we move forward?

Me@MohannadShahin.com

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