James is Chairman of the Oxford and Cambridge Society of the UAE and manager of the UAE National Expert Programme alumni community. He has advised UAE leadership initiatives, including roles with Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives and Falcon and Associates, where he led the Dubai Business Associates Programme. With a background in financial services and education, he previously held senior roles at UBS and GE Capital. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and an MA from Cambridge University.
Second Secretary Political, British Embassy Abu Dhabi: Keivan’s work at the Embassy includes his work on soft power and deepening cultural and education ties between the UK and the UAE. Before joining the Civil Service, Keivan worked in the legal sector, focussing on human rights, including as a Legal Officer at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague.
Lubna Qassim is a UAE diplomat and former Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, as well as a senior international lawyer. She previously served as Group Chief General Counsel at Emirates NBD and worked at the World Bank and UK House of Lords. She has led UAE economic and legal reforms, represented the UAE in multilateral forums, and is the Founding Chair of the UK–UAE Alumni Network. She is a strong advocate for governance and women’s leadership.