Amman, December 2016 – Endeavor Jordan’s board of directors has elected Walid Tahabsem as its new Chairman, in addition to naming Nadia Al Saeed to serve as Vice Chair. The appointments were made following a decision by Endeavor Jordan to begin rotating its chairperson position every three years. Meanwhile, Endeavor Jordan also announced Ahmad Abu Ghazaleh, Chairman of United Cables Industries Company (UCIC), as the latest addition to its board.
Walid Tahabsem is the President and CEO of Integrated Technology Group (ITG), an international IT company with operations in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Africa, and the US. The company provides pioneering technology-enabled solutions to education and public institutions around the globe with clients and users spanning 40 countries. The new Vice Chair, Al Saeed, who represents Bank al Etihad, has been the bank’s CEO since 2007 and is a former Minister of Information and Communications Technology. Furthermore, in addition to his Chairman position with UCIC, new board member Abu Ghazaleh is the Vice Chairman and CEO of the Royal Jordanian Air Academy, Queen Noor Technical College, Arab Wings and Gulf Wings.
Endeavor Jordan’s board is made up of some of Jordan’s most illustrious and influential entrepreneurs and business leaders, who are actively involved in supporting the organization’s efforts to advance the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Kingdom, with a specific focus on high-impact, high-growth businesses. In addition to Abu Ghazaleh, board members comprise Arab Bank represented by Randa Sadik; Capital Investments represented by Bassem Al Salem; EY Jordan represented by Waddah Barkawi, Umniah Jordan represented by Ziad Shatara; and Zain represented by Ahmad Hanandeh; as well as, in a personal capacity, former Endeavor Jordan Chairman, Ali Al-Husry of Hikma Pharmaceuticals; Dr. Amjad Aryan of Pharmacy One; Dr. Fawaz Zu’bi of Accelerator Technology Holdings; Maher Kaddoura of Qnnect Capital; Peter Kellner of Richmond Management; Dr. Safwan Masri of the Columbia University Middle East Research Center; and Said Darwazeh of Hikma Pharmaceuticals.
“I am honored to be leading Endeavor Jordan’s board of directors for the next three years, during which we aim to uphold our commitment to providing high-impact entrepreneurs with the guidance, mentorship and support they need to build their capacities and expand their businesses on the local, regional and international levels,” said Tahabsem. “Building on the achievements of Endeavor’s former Chairman, Mr. Ali Al-Husry, who played a pivotal role in bringing Endeavor to Jordan, we shall persist in offering the entrepreneurial services for which Endeavor has become known, striving to fulfill the organization’s mission of bolstering the country’s entrepreneurial scene and thereby contributing to its overall economic development.”
In turn, Al-Husry stated, “It has been a pleasure serving as the Chairman of Endeavor Jordan over the past eight years, during which we have seen the organization take many strides forward in its efforts to accelerate entrepreneurship in Jordan. I am looking forward to continuing to offer my full support to Endeavor Jordan as a member of its board of directors, under the capable and trusted leadership of Mr. Tahabsem.”
Endeavor Jordan aims to catalyze sustainable, long-term economic growth and support the creation of employment opportunities in the local market by accelerating high-impact entrepreneurial companies that have a positive and tangible impact on society. The Organization offers entrepreneurs support through its global network that spans 25 country offices around the world, access to an unrivaled mentorship network, as well as other tools that are essential to achieving entrepreneurial success.