We're a team of driven, passionate and curious individuals, operating together in an ever-changing and dynamic marketplace.

Noor is passionate about enabling disruptive technology companies and their emerging market founders to solve real problems while changing the world with measurable impact. Noor is a founder, investor, and operator. Identified by Forbes magazine as one of the “World’s Top 50 Women in Tech”, Noor's previous roles include CIO at The Dubai Future Foundation, and founder of ZenYoga studio chain (acquired by Cedarbridge). Furthermore, Noor was the first Arab woman to scale, IPO and operate a public company in the MENA region, listing Depa on the NASDAQ Dubai and the London Stock Exchange (DEPA:DU) for US$1.1. billion in April 2008. In addition to board roles on Global Ventures’ portfolio companies, Noor is Chairperson of the Middle East Venture Capital Association and Director for MIT Sloan and TechWadi. Noor is also the independent Chairperson of the board for Clue Health. Noor holds a bachelors’ degrees in Finance and Economics from Boston College, an MBA from MIT Sloan, and began her career as a Biotechnology and pharmaceutical strategy consultant in the US. She is a Fellow of the inaugural class of the Finance Leaders Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and is recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Medea Nocentini is Senior Partner at Global Ventures. She is also Founder of Companies Creating Change (C3), a UAE-based social enterprise helping impact-driven entrepreneurs in the Middle East and Africa unlock their growth potential and maximize their positive impact on the community.. Before joining Global Ventures, Medea served as Chief Strategy Officer at the AW Rostamani Group, an international and diversified family group, as well as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development at OSN, a leading Pay TV platform in the MENA region. Earlier in her career, she spent several years at Booz Allen Hamilton developing strategies for TMT, consumer, and public sector’s clients across Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School (New York, USA), an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and an Engineering Diploma from Ecole Centrale Paris (France).

His Excellency Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi is Senior Partner at Global Ventures. He is the Chairman of ENBD REIT and Edelman Middle East. Most recently, he served as the Chief Investment Officer at G42. Prior to G42, he was the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, where he was tasked with expanding private sector activity in the Emirate. He held leadership roles at various institutions, including Emirates NBD, Mubadala and Citibank. He also sits on a number of boards, including Gulf Capital, UAE University, DGCX and Emirates Post Group. He holds a PhD in Economics from Imperial College London and graduate (Master’s) degrees from Columbia University and London Business School. He has an undergraduate degree in business from Clayton State University. He is also a member of YPO.

Said Murad is a Senior Partner at Global Ventures. Prior to Global Ventures, Said was COO of vertical e-commerce platform, Jamalon, where he led the company’s operational efforts and played a pivotal role in helping the company raise its Series B. Said was also previously COO at EFS Facilities Services leading the security services business and EFS's activities in Jordan. Said also previously held the position of CEO of Groupon UAE, where he was responsible for managing and sustainably growing Groupon’s Local, Goods and Travel business lines. Before Groupon, Said worked with Deloitte's strategy consulting team, as well as with SHUAA Capital as an AVP in the CEO's Office, in addition to previously working in private equity at the firms Dubai International Capital (including Jordan Dubai Capital), and Abraaj Capital. Said holds an MBA from INSEAD, France.

Sacha joined Global Ventures as a Senior Associate in early 2020. She has 5 years of investment experience across emerging markets including MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. Prior to joining Global Ventures, Sacha was an Associate at Colony Capital (US REIT) in Mexico City, for the firm’s sector agnostic Pacific Alliance fund. Sacha has also worked as part of The Abraaj Group's Sub-Saharan Africa Investment Team, based in Kenya, for the generalist fund. Prior to this, Sacha interned at L Catterton in Singapore as part of the value acceleration team. Sacha is fluent in Spanish and Urdu, and holds a BA in History and Politics from the University of Warwick.

Simon joined Global Ventures as a Principal in early 2020, and has over 10 years of investment experience across venture capital and corporate finance. Before joining Global Ventures, Simon worked in the investment team at Committed Capital, a venture capital fund based in London which focused on early stage technology investments. Simon is a Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW, a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments and holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Warwick.

Omar Alkhawaja is an Executive Advisor at Global Ventures. He is the Founder & Managing Director of AMK Investment Office. AMK Investment Office is a second generation family office for the Alkhawaja family, investing in Real Estate, Public Markets, and Venture Capital. The firm identifies and invests in venture funds in the US, Europe, and the MEA region. The firm also invests in top performing companies in the fintech, infrastructure technology, enterprise technology, consumer-tech, digital health, and AI sectors among others. Omar is also the Managing Partner of Omakase Investment Club, a food & beverage fund based in Europe which invests in food & beverage companies as well as food-tech companies. Along with the above roles, Omar serves as a Strategic Advisor and Board Member to Al Arabia Cinema, and Renaissance Cinemas in Egypt. Prior to this Omar was the Executive Chairman of Four Winters, a global Ice Cream & Dessert chain with stores on 4 continents at the time. Omar was also employed in private banking in 2014 working for Coutts Bank in London and then left to set up the businesses and investment firms mentioned above. Omar is a serial investor who started his career making investments in several sectors and companies while studying in the UK. These include small investments in companies like Roznama Media which he exited, and today is one of the large Egyptian film and TV production companies, producing well renowned TV shows as well as theatrical films for the big screen. Omar obtained his Bachelors of Science (BSc) degree in business management from King's College London in 2012. Followed by obtaining his Masters (MSc) degree in Real Estate from Cass Business School (now known as Bayes Business School) in London in 2013.

Nina Carpio is the Human Resources Director at Global Ventures. Nina is a highly dedicated and results-driven human resources professional with the necessary skills and passion to drive new levels of business growth and work culture advancement. She has an extensive 10+ years background involving people development and transforming business objectives into executable plans. Nina has been heavily involved in the HR field for the last decade, holding roles such as HR Operations Partner, a Regional Recruiting Manager, and has held a Human Resources Director since early 2018. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management. Furthermore, she has a strong creative foundation that has earned her the ‘Top 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World’ award by the Filipina Women’s Network based in San Francisco.

Rayan is the Senior External Relations Manager at Global Ventures. She is highly skilled in relationship building and community engagement with a focus on business growth and partnership development. Rayan’s mission is to play a key role in helping grow the MENA venture ecosystem. Her other areas of interest include fintech and the future of work. Rayan has over 14 years of experience in Personal and Private Banking and Financial Institutions. Prior to her role at Global Ventures, Rayan was a private banker at Banque Libano Francaise SAL in Lebanon where her role was to manage and grow a portfolio of key personal banking clients by building relationships, maintaining quality service and providing business insights. She worked as part of the team that developed the bank’s expansion strategy. Rayan also developed a proprietary platform to improve customer relationships by leveraging key functions in the bank including private, retail, corporate, legal and marketing. Before this, she was the Product Development Manager at FNB Finance where she managed various retail products. Rayan also previously held the Business Support Manager position at the investment arm of Group Med in Lebanon, Medsecurities Investment SAL where she launched and managed their website, developed research reports and models on the industry and economy, and contributed to the annual Business plan. Rayan holds an MBA from Lebanese American University and is a member of Lebanese American University’s Student Honor Society for the years 2005 through 2007.

Ankit Kavadia is a strategic finance executive with 12+ years of experience across diversified business verticals ranging from education to manufacturing and professional consultancy with core competencies in strategic planning, financial performance management, governance and risk management, JV setup and divestiture, business process re-engineering and cost optimization with exposure across the UAE and Indian markets. On the education front, Ankit is a qualified chartered accountant (CA) a cost & management accountant (CMA) & a company secretary (CS).

Diya joined Global Ventures as an Associate in November 2021. Prior to this role, she worked at ITP Media Group. At ITP, she launched ITP Live’s expansion into India, a full-service talent and digital agency. During this time, her primary responsibilities included the preparation and execution of the agency’s go-to-market strategy, alongside brand building and revenue generation across the key pillars of the business. Prior to ITP Live, Diya worked on the marketing team at ITP Media Group where she was involved in the pre-launch strategy for GQ Middle East, and oversaw a multitude of events and activations for luxury brands. Diya holds a B.A. in Political Science and Business Management from Columbia University, and completed numerous internships at organisations such as Grey Group, Ralph Lauren and LVMH during her time in New York City.

Marika Brivio joined Global Ventures as a Senior Associate in September 2023, after completing a six-week graduate program. She holds an MBA specializing in Entrepreneurship from Hult International Business School. Before Global Ventures, Marika worked in real estate, aviation, and finance. Her last role was Director of Administrative Operations at an international financial advisory in DIFC. While volunteering with the Hult Prize, an accelerator for startups, Marika became more enthusiastic about Venture Capital. On a personal level, Marika is fluent in Italian, English, and Spanish and is strongly dedicated to sports, health, and social impact.

Adi joined Global Ventures as a Data Analyst in March of 2021 following a six-week internship at the company. Prior to Global Ventures, Adi completed his Masters in Economics from the University of St Andrews and his Bachelors in Economics from the University of Warwick.

Rayan is a recent graduate of Babson College with a Masters Degree in Management. He also has a Bachelors Degree in Finance & Entrepreneurship. Most of his work experience has been in the Financial Services field, ranging from Asset Management to Consulting. His most recent position was at Grant Thornton in Dubai, where he worked with SMEs in the region. He was first introduced to the VC space during his graduate program, where he co-founded a startup. Exposing him to pitching and various valuation models. He believes the VC space bridges his education in finance with his entrepreneurial mindset. On a more personal note, Rayan is of Lebanese origin and grew up in Switzerland. He speaks three languages and is passionate about charity work. When in college, he volunteered at an orphanage and has worked with refugees. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, cooking, and traveling to discover new places.

Adnan brings a wealth of experience in investment analysis and venture capital, having previously worked as a Senior Investment Analyst at HSBC Ventures, where he conducted due diligence, led valuation analyses, and contributed to strategic investment decisions across various sectors. His background also includes roles at BlackFin Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs, where he honed his skills in financial analysis, market research, and investment memo preparation. Beyond his professional achievements, Adnan is passionate about mentoring early-stage startups, with active mentorship roles at Carbon13 Climate Venture Builder and Techstars. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Hertfordshire, where he graduated with First Class Honors.

Ramzy was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. In 2023, he joined the Global Ventures team as part of the Summer Internship program. Prior to joining the team, Ramzy lived in the US for seven years, where he pursued Mechanical Engineering at NYU for his undergraduate degree and a Master's in Management from Harvard University. During his time at university, he was exposed to the Venture Capital ecosystem and participated in pitch competitions. Ramzy is passionate about meeting founders leveraging tech solutions to disrupt the status quo and address some of the region’s most pressing challenges. His sectors of interest include proptech and digital health. Outside office hours, Ramzy enjoys playing padel, traveling the world, and finding rare vinyls to add to his collection.

Jacopo is a Senior Analyst at Global Ventures. With a solid foundation in both business development and product management from his experience at an early-stage Italian startup, Jacopo brings a unique perspective to our team. He holds a BSc in Business Administration from Bocconi University in Italy, and an MSc in Economics and Management of Innovation and Technology from Bocconi University and WU Wien (Vienna University of Economics and Business) in Austria, through a double degree program in Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control. Jacopo is extremely curious and loves discovering everything new and mentally stimulating. Outside of his professional achievements, Jacopo is an accomplished karate athlete, having won numerous national and international titles. Feel free to reach out to Jacopo to discuss innovative ideas, share a passion for sports, or challenge him to a karate match (if you dare)."

Koleen joined Global Ventures in 2022 as Office Manager. She is a jack-of-all-trades with over ten years of professional experience in the Philippines and UAE. She has taken different roles such as a Paralegal, Executive Assistant, Office Manager, HR Administrator, and Marketing Executive in various industries such as Professional Services, FinTech, General Trading, F&B, and e-Commerce. She is very detail-oriented and passionate about developing process flows and continuous improvements. She is an alumna of the University of the Philippines – National College of Public Administration and Governance, having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration in 2011.

Mustafa Tubaileh is the Tech Lead at Global Ventures. In this role, Mustafa drives technological initiatives and strategies to support growth-stage companies, leveraging his extensive expertise in operations, technology, and project management. Prior to joining Global Ventures, Mustafa served as Operations Manager at C3 – Companies Creating Change, where he supported hundreds of entrepreneurs and managed the execution of accelerators. He played a pivotal role in fostering relationships with startup founders, supporting alumni, and overseeing C3’s operations. Before his tenure at C3, Mustafa spent nine years in Saudi Arabia, working in Riyadh and Jeddah in construction management and cybersecurity. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Arab Open University of Riyadh (2016) and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by PMI USA.

Lana Azhari is the Research & Insights Manager at Global Ventures, leading the firm's thought leadership efforts. Before her role at Global Ventures, she acted as a Communications & Community Manager at C3 - Companies Creating Change. In her role at C3, she has worked directly with over 100+ impact-driven startup founders, supporting them on their journey as part of C3’s accelerator and investor readiness programmes. Lana focuses on creating articles and reports across the impact entrepreneurship space. Before joining C3, she worked and interned with several entities in Beirut, Lebanon, in non-profit organisational management, ESG, and Corporate Governance. During her time at Capital Concept, Lana worked on putting together an Environmental and Social framework to assess the sustainability and societal impacts of an investment or a corporation, that the UNDP later approved. Outside her work experience, Lana has volunteered with several entities, such as UN Women, assisting with a research publication around Women’s Participation in Parliamentary Elections. She graduated in 2019 from the American University of Beirut (AUB) with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

May joined GV as an assistant to General Partner then as Team Leader in mid-2019. Before joining GV, she worked as an Executive Assistant at Depa and as a Customer Service Supervisor at Emirates Group. May earned her undergraduate degree from Western Philippines College.

Maria joined Global Ventures as a Digital Marketing Specialist in March 2024. Prior to this role, she worked at GE Gas Power as a Communications Specialist and at Spark Foundry as a Media Executive. She holds a B.A. in Media and Communications from the American University of Beirut, and has completed internships at Impact BBDO and Nestle

Pennylane brings a wealth of experience and exceptional customer service skills, having worked in the banking and finance industry for ten years at a leading exchange house in the UAE. Pennylane is known for her analytical and detail-oriented approach and ability to manage a variety of financial transactions in a fast-paced environment. She has proven expertise in customer service, record-keeping, documentation, and administration, making her a valuable addition to our team