Speaker Biography

Dr. Ahmed Bennis
Managing Director, Tanger Med Zones and
Secretary General, Africa Economic Zones Organization (AEZO)
Ahmed BENNIS is a result driven and accomplished senior director with extensive experience in implementing large
investment projects in ports, industrial and logistics. He acquired a demonstrated expertise in the deployment of
successful business development strategies with strong focus on profitability, cost optimization & establishment of
strategic partnerships.
Ahmed Bennis is actually the Managing Director of Tanger Med Zones (TMZ). He oversees the development,
implementation, and management of Special Economic Zones within Tanger Med Industrial Platform.
He succeeded in the establishment of strategic partnerships, and maintain membership and leadership roles in
international organizations such as International Maritime Organization, UNCTAD, UNIDO, WTO, African Union
Commission…
Prior to his current position, Ahmed BENNIS led the international business development that consist of designing
investment and partnership agreements with several ports and government authorities in Africa. He was also
appointed director of economic zones since 2011, where he was in charge of the implementation of Tanger Med
Automotive Industrial Platform hosting the Renault Nissan car plant and a comprehensive tier1-n ecosystem.
Ahmed BENNIS played an instrumental role in setting up the Africa Economic Zones Organization (AEZO) and the
African Ports Task Force (APTF), where he currently serves as Secretary General of both organizations. He is also a
founding member of the Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones (GASEZ) , an initiative launched in May 2021 by
UNCTAD.
Ahmed Bennis began his professional career in 2001, in IT and Financial services at NEC computers International in
Paris, France. Then he moved to Luxembourg for a business development position at FlexFinance – Oracle Group, prior
to joining Thomson Reuters in Dubai in 2007, where he was appointed to drive sales and presales activities, providing
business solutions and consultancy services for large financial institutions in Middle East and Africa.
Ahmed BENNIS holds an MBA in Market Intelligence and Strategic Management from “Ecole de Guerre Economique –
Paris” and was graduated from HEC Business School. He has strong business communication skills in English, French,
Arabic, Italian and Spanish.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-bennis-4776b39/
About:
Tanger Med: Tanger Med is a global logistics gateway located on the Strait of Gibraltar and connected to more than
180 ports worldwide with handling capacities of : 9 million containers, exports of 1 million new vehicles, transit of 7
million passengers and 700,000 trucks on an annual basis. Tanger Med constitutes an industrial hub for more than
1200 companies representing a yearly export turnover in excess of 13.6 bUSD in various sectors such as automotive,
aeronautics, logistics, textile and trade. Recently, Tanger Med Port has been ranked the largest port in the
Mediterranean and in Africa.
APTF: Initiated by Tanger Med on July 2019, the African Ports Task Force “AFTP” is a cooperation working group of
African Ports that aims to create value added through knowledge and experience sharing.
AEZO: Founded in November 2015 by Tanger Med Group, Africa Economic Zones Organization “AEZO” is a continental
association leading public and private institutions in charge of the Development, Management and Promotion of
Economic Zones in Africa. AEZO is counting 85 members representing 45 countries.
Other Speakers

Ms. Simone Hartog
Representative for Abacus (Seychelles) Ltd.

Theo Föllings
President
EURADA

Dennis Schulmeyer
CEO and Founder
LADE GmbH

KOSTIANTYN LISNYCHYI
Strategic Advisor to UkraineInvest, Business Development

Carmelo Corral
Investment Promotion Manager
IPEX Spain

Ovidia Caba
Director of Regional Policies, Programs Unit
RDA Centru, Romania

PROF. PETER PLATZER
Secretary General of EUREKA, Co-Founder of 3rd School of Austrian Macroeconomics

Charles A. FitzGibbon
Vice President of Sales
Conway Data, Inc.

Philipp Lemmerz
Partner
Government & Public Services practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers Middle East

Rakan I. Algaraawi
Office Director - Central/Eastern Europe
Saudi Investment Promotion Authority

Jens Manke
Director Germany and Central Europe
OCO Global

Holly Garforth
Business Development Head – Lead Generation
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) - Government of Ras Al Khaimah

Aminta Zettel
Strategic Country Manager Europe and the United Kingdom
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) - Government of Ras Al Khaimah

Mr. Rifat Hyseni
Director of Information Technology Department In Tax Administration of Kosovo

Gordon Einstein
Founding Partner
CryptoLaw Partners – specializing in crypto and blockchain

Jürgen Raizner
Director
Steinbeis Enterprises in Stuttgart (DE), Baku (AZ), Bucharest (RO), Uzhhorod (UA) and Vienna (AT)

Faraz Rojid
Director
Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius

Günther Fehlinger
Austrian Economist, Management and Development Consultant

Jürgen Barke
Minister of Economics, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy and Deputy Prime Minister of Saarland, Germany

Chigozie Nweke-Eze
CEO, Integrated Africa Power (IAP)
Board Member, Hydrogen-Africa

Honoré Achille Simo
Executive Director, Value and Risk Advisory, JLL

Christoph Kannengießer
CEO, Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft e.V. (German-African Business Association)

Christian Kingombe
Co-Founding Managing Partner
4IP

Vahan Kerobyan
Minister of Economy
Government of the Republic of Armenia

Levon Ohanesyan
CEO
Enterprise Armenia

Mohammed Juma'a Al Musharrakh
CEO
Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah)

Georg Schattney
Group Head of ESG / Sustainability Officer
CORESTATE Capital Group

Alexandra Dublanche
Chairwoman
Choose Paris Region

Lionel Grotto
CEO
Choose Paris Region

Frank Beckmann
CEO / Investment Advisor
GVI Germany GmbH

Günther Fehlinger
Austrian Economist, Management and Development Consultant

Jürgen Raizner
Director
Steinbeis Enterprises in Stuttgart (De), Baku (AZ), Bucharest (Ro), Uzhhorod (UA) and Vienna (AT)

Dr. Manuel Kallweit
Chief Economist
German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)

Mathias Fillon
COO
ANIMA Investment Network

Emmanuel Rutagengwa
Head, Transport Policy & Planning
Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency

Dr. Henrik Meincke
Chief Economist
German Chemical Industry Association (VCI)

Dr. Alexander Blass
Head of Operations
NEURA Robotics

Subhashini Chandran
Vice President Social Impact Asia Pacific
Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Heike Freimuth
Head of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group Office in Germany

Gordon Einstein
Founding Partner
CryptoLaw Partners – specializing in crypto and blockchain

Reinhold von Ungern-Sternberg
Director International Markets
German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (BVMW)

Gül Ertuğ
Finance and Accounting Leader - CFO
Ford Otosan

Ferruh Parmaksız
Country Advisor of Germany
Invest in Türkiye

Jens Manke
Director Germany and Central Europe
OCO Global

H.E. Dr. Sania A. Ansari
CEO
Ansari Group Ltd. and Strategic Partner for SGD Cities Initiative

Dr. Ahmed Bennis
Managing Director, Tanger Med Zones and
Secretary General, Africa Economic Zones Organization (AEZO)

Chigozie Nweke-Eze
CEO, Integrated Africa Power (IAP)
Board Member, Hydrogen-Africa

Svilen Rangelov
Co-Founder and CEO
Dronamics

FERNANDO BALLESTA
Director of Foreign Trade, Investments and Industrial Infrastructures
Murcia Regional Development Agency

Dr. Nurettin Tekin
Hydrogen Product Management
KAWASAKI Gas Turbine Europe GmbH

Micheal Perschke
CEO
Quantron AG

PROF. PETER PLATZER
Secretary General of EUREKA, Co-Founder of 3rd School of Austrian Macroeconomics

COURTNEY FINGAR
Chairwoman of IME
Founder and Principal of Fingar Direct Investment

Achim Hartig
Managing Director,
Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI)
Chair of OECD Network of Investment Promotion Agencies,
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

PILAR MADRIGAL
Director Investment Advisory
CINDE – Invest in Costa Rica

Sergiy Tsivkach
Executive Director
UkraineInvest

Gilbert Ewehmeh
Investment & Innovative Finance Expert
Chairman, Accelerate Africa

Alice Mashingaidze
Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Berlin, Germany

Sarah Jaax
Senior Consultant, FDI Center

Douglas van den Berghe
Founder and CEO, NxT Zones

Mateusz Wachowski
Senior Inspector in the Investors Assistance Department, Katowice City Hall

Magdalena A. Kolka
Deputy Director of Investors Assistance Department, Katowice City Hall

Marcin Woźniak
CEO at Swarmcheck | President of the board at Optimum Pareto Foundation.

H.E. Mulu Solomon Bezuneh
Ambassador, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of F.D. R. of Ethiopia to F. R. of Germany

Dr. Ahmed Zaid Al Hussain
CEO of the Royal Commission Jubail within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

Guy Van der Beken
President of EUREKA

Heike Freimuth
Head of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group Office in Germany

Moshe Bar Zvi
Principal of Love Israel Venture Capital

Prof. Peter Platzer
Secretary General of EUREKA, Co-Founder of 3rd School of Austrian Macroeconomics

Phina Jerome
Research and Planning Manager, Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC)

Johannes Jung
Head of Department 5 Strategy, Law, Foreign Trade and European Affairs Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, State of Baden-Württemberg

Fabio Righi
Minister of State for Industry, Handicraft and Trade, Technological Research and Regulatory Simplification of the Republic of San Marino

Jens Manke
Director Germany, OCO Global

Jon Whiteaker
Editor, Investment Monitor

Professor Stefan Liebing
Chairman, German-African Business Association

ACADEMICIAN PROF. DR. MILAN KRAJNC
Psychotherapist, Nobel Prize nominee and Author of the Dynamic Leadership Model

GUNTHER FEHLINGER
Secretary General CEE-BC

DIPL. ING. HEIKO SCHNEIDER
CEO and Managing Partner GoGaS Goch GmbH & Co. KG

JÜRGEN RAIZNER
CEO | Administrator / Steinbeis-Transferzentrum Ost-West-Kooperationen

MR. MARKUS LEHNER
Principal of LEHNER INVESTMENTS

GUNTHER FEHLINGER
Secretary General CEE-BC

Yassir Ahmed
Advisor Sudan, UNIDO ITPO Germany

Adekunle Olusile
Advisor Nigeria, UNIDO ITPO Germany

Mr. Daouda Sangaré
Advisor Côte d'Ivoire, UNIDO ITPO Germany

ALBIN KURTI
Prime Minister of Republic Kosovo

Aïssata Lam
Director General - Investment Promotion Agency of Mauritania (APIM)

Vanessa Völkel
Deputy Head, UNIDO ITPO Germany

Jessica Neumann
Investment and Technology Promotion Expert at UNIDO ITPO Germany

Ksenija Cipek
Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration of the Republic of Croatia.

H.E. Dr.Dr.h.c. Raphael Nagel
Chairman at The Abrahamic Business Circle

Carlos Andrés Alvarez
Senior Advisor Foreign Investment, PROCOLOMBIA

Reinhold von Ungern-Sternberg
Director International Markets

Dr. Philipp Steinberg
Head of Economic Policy Department, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy

Ms. Zoë Harries
Senior FDI & Economic Zones Advisor I Partner & Director, EZDA I Founder & CEO, Impact Zones & Impact Advisory Middle East I Project Director, World FZO I Lecturer & Public Speaker

ROSE DOREE BOKELEALE EBETA
Deputy Managing Director of the National Investment Promotion Agency (ANAPI DRC) of the DR Congo

Dipl. Ing. Heiko Schneider
CEO and Managing Partner GoGaS Goch GmbH & Co. KG

Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart
Minister of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Mr. Markus Lehner
Principal of LEHNER INVESTMENTS

Prof. Heinz-Peter Platzer
Co-Founder at the 3rd Austrian School of Macroeconomics and Secretary General of Eureka.

H.E Denisa Gokovi
Founder & CEO at Hoinser Magazine | Speaker| Philosopher| Writer| Musician| | Award - winning| Sovereign Ambassador.

André Steinau
Co-Chair Clean Energy Partnership

Miguel Solis
Trade Counsellor, Embassy of Guatemala in Berlin

Jens Deutschendorf
State Secretary, Hessian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport and Housing

Nuno Maposse
Senior Investment Expert, Mozambique Investment and Export Promotion Agency (APIEX)

Heiko Staubitz
Senior Manager Investor Consulting Hydrogen & Energy Infrastructure, Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI)

Prof. Dr. Claudia Dalbert
Minister for the Environment, Agriculture and Energy of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Gustavo Weigel
Managing Director, WEIGEL Finanzas Corporativas, Uruguay

Dr. Maike Schäfer
Minister for Climate Protection, the Environment, Mobility, Urban and Housing Development for the city-state of Bremen, Germany

Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann
Minister for Economy, Science and Digitalization of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Markus Exenberger
German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ)

Academician Prof. Dr. Milan Krajnc
Psychotherapist, Nobel Prize nominee and Author of the Dynamic Leadership Model

H.E. Laila Rahhal El Atfani
Founder & President at Business Gate / Global President CEC-UK

Professor Olga Mroz, Dame of Honour
Al-Khalifa Business School

Dr. Rüdiger Meyer
Application Expert Energy Storage, Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG

Paul Soubry
President & Chief Executive Officer, NFI

Dr.-Ing. Nurettin Tekin
Hydrogen Product Management, KAWASAKI Gas Turbine Europe GmbH

Douglas van den Berghe
CEO of NxtZones and FDI

Her Excellency Lady Elizabeth Kelly
Businesswoman in Dubai (UAE)

Jürgen Raizner
CEO | Administrator / Steinbeis-Transferzentrum Ost-West-Kooperationen

Dr. Simone Burel
CEO of LUB GmbH

Ali Mehrez
Director in charge of Industrial sectors at AMDIE – Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE)

Mr.Jacopo Dettoni
Editor of fDi Magazine – Financial Times Group

Mirko Twardy
Head of Business Development Finance and Promotion – Dr. Kakuschke & Partner AG, Berlin

Sarah Russis
Director, fDi Intelligence – Financial Times Group

Ms.Saida Kahouli
Deputy director in Foreign Investment Promotion Agency-FIPA TUNISIA

ARSHI AYUB MOHAMED ZAVERI
CEO – TrustWithTrade Group | Senior Advisor Royal Family Office, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

Mr.Eric Menges
CEO of FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH

Albin Kurti
Former Prime Minister of Republic Kosovo

Georgi Petrov
Regional Manager – ECA PPP Transaction Advisory, IFC

Franka Ismer
CEO – persönlich + gesellschaftlich + unternehmerisch

Prof. Julien Chaisse
School of Law | City University of Hong Kong – Hong Kong SAR

Paola Suárez Buhrmann
Manager at FDI Center

Ricardo Pedroza
Director Europe, PROCOLOMBIA Frankfurt

Hans-Joachim Hebgen
Senior Consultant for financing, policy issues develoPPP.de and textile industry

Christian Weber
Executive Director Representative Office Mexico, Bayern International

Sering Bamba Saho
Founder and CEO, M + S Piano-Express GmbH

Teodor Bate
Chief architect of the Dambovita county, Romania

Dr. Eyup Vural Aydin
Chairman – Istanbul PPPCoE

Miguel Solis
Commercial Advisor, Embassy of Guatemala

Gunther Fehlinger
Secretary General CEE-BC

Dr. Corinna Franke-Wöller
Director Agency for Economy and Development

Ms.Mariam Kuchuloria
Deputy CEO of EBA Georgia

Mr.WANG Shunqing
Generalkonsul at Generalkonsulat of People

Jürgen Raizner
CEO | Administrator / Steinbeis-Transferzentrum Ost-West-Kooperationen

Mr.Sheku Lexmond N. Koroma
CEO at Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency

Ms Božica Lapić
Director for Investments, Agency for Investments and Competitiveness of Croatia

Gustavo Weigel
Managing Director , WEIGEL HALLER CORPORATE FINANCE (Uruguay)

Justus Vitinius
Director Corporates Latin America, German Investment and Development Corporation (DEG)

Ángel D. Morales Castillo
President, German-Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Hon. Dennis Waweru
Vorsitzender, Kenya Investment Authority

Yofi Grant
CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Center

Fellanza Podrimja
Public relations, economic and educational advisor to the Mayor of Prizren Municipality

Francisco Mackenney
Consul General of Chile in Frankfurt

Ikechukwu Okoli
Head of Advisory and Investment, Kiakia Gas Limited

Sarah Jaax
Location marketing, Ministry of Economics, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture Rhineland-Palatinate

Carolin Welzel
Senior Consultant International Organizations, Agency for Economy & Development (AWE), Berlin

Mr. Norbert Barthle MdB
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Ms. Mariyana Nikolova
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Demographic Policies in Bulgaria

Ms. Tessa Jacques
President of the Caribbean Association for Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA)

Ms.Yeva Zeynalyan
Country Coordinator for PPD Network, Armenia

Mr.Michael Voigt
Wirtschaftsförderer, Wirtschaft und Tourismus Villingen-Schwenningen GmbH

Mr.Alush Gashi
Minister and Functions in the Assembly of Kosovo

Mr.Stefan Günther
Manager regionale, Projekte Invest in Bavaria – Die Ansiedlungsagentur des Freistaates Bayern

Mr. Aleksejs Stecs
Vice Chairman of Rezekne city council on development and investment

Mr.Flamur Kuçi
Ceo of ADVICE, Management Consulting Albania

Mr.Nikola Jankovic
Senior Investment Advisor, Serbian Development Agency

Arlind Zeqiri
Head of International Office Bern, Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion of the Republic of Macedonia

Andreas Stephan
Dipl. -Geophys., MBA SPRINT! Energy Consulting GmbH

Kadio Fofana Diop
Investment Direcor for APIX SA

Ms.Olga Mroz
Dama of Honour

Courtney Fingar
Editor-in-chief, FDI, at New Statesman Media Group

Wolfgang Leidig
Director and Project Manager of the Innovation and Training Park ITP in Prizren Kosovo

Mr.ERIC MENGES
President & CEO FrankfurtRheinMain Region

Mr.Mirsad Jašarspahić, dipl.ing.maš.
President, Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dr. Martin J. Worms
State secretary at the Ministry of Finance of Hessen