“Many Saudi government shifts… have been a long time coming,” said Sam Blatteis, CEO of The MENA Catalysts, a regional public policy advisory firm. “Reforming an economy as large as Saudi Arabia is almost like moving an aircraft carrier. It’s probably not wise to make quick turns,” he added.
Here are some of the biggest changes slated for the coming 12 months:
Senior Saudi Policy Expert
Based in Saudi Arabia for the last 40 years, Vern has advised a range of Arab finance ministries and central banks including on business-relevant legislation and approaches to regulate fintech industries.
He graduated from Princeton University in Near East Studies and Harvard Law School. He now advises numerous brand name financial and technology multinationals on Gulf countries’ market entry. Vern is one of those ‘lifeboat’ team members you always want on your side.
Chief Researcher
Mr. Spindle has worked and lived in the Middle East and South Asia for nearly two decades. As a journalist and bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, he was based in Tokyo, New York, Rome, Dubai and New Delhi while reporting from more than 30 countries from Mexico to China covering everything from the Japanese banking industry to the Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East.
Between his two ten-year stints at the WSJ, he was a founding editor of The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi. He is a college graduate of The University of Michigan with masters degrees from Columbia University’s schools of journalism and international affairs.
Government Relations Leader
A senior global advisor to The MENA Catalysts, H.E. Redha Haidar (right) advises companies on market entry into the largest Arab economy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A penetrating strategic thinker on Saudi media matters, Mr. Haidar was president of the Saudi national media regulator where he blocked and repealed blocks on a number of relevant companies.
Redha is extraordinarily well-connected within KSA national media censorship circles that The Meet Group will need, and was a long-time advisor to the chairman of the board of the Saudi media regulator.
Previously, Redha worked for Saudi SEC-equivalent and the Kingdom’s business licensing authority and several national committees. He is a Board member of the Crown Prince’s Philanthropic Foundation, and previous Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s leading animation company, Manga Productions.
Redha was also the founder of a disruptive social currency and social marketplace Bitmal. An entrepreneur at heart, he is the founder of a few startups. He is an experienced senior executive and board member with a distinguished track-record in strategic communication, media and public policy.
H.E. Haidar holds a Master’s from Harvard University’s Kennedy School; Master’s from Georgetown University in Communication, Culture and Technology and BA from American University in Multimedia Design Development.
Gulf Public Policy Leader
A senior global advisor to The MENA Catalysts in the UAE covering the Gulf Cooperation Council markets, H.E. Mohammed Al Ghanim is the Founder and a long-time Director General of the UAE national technology regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority, and Chairman of the Gulf Technology Regulators Permanent Taskforce.
In those roles he oversaw market entry and regulatory priorities with West Coast-U.S. high tech companies. Once known as the leading tech regulator in the Gulf, he regulated, blocked, and built up most of the entire UAE techno-economy that exists today.
He also authored most content policy legislation in the UAE and is considered one of the most distinguished, well-connected thought leaders on Gulf social media regulations. Ghanim is now among the most tenacious government relations professionals in Middle Eastern markets.
After acquiring his B.A. in Engineering with honors in the UAE in 1994, Ghanim started at the bottom of the largest telecom company in the Middle East, Etisalat, where he quickly rose in the ranks to several senior managerial posts.
Mr. Ghanim is also currently on the Board of the Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority 2454, and Gulf entertainment giant Flash Entertainment Company that provides unmissable events and entertainment to engage, inspire, and pioneer the future of music, sporting events, community and festivals.
CEO and Founder
Mr. Blatteis is an American tech executive, global thought leader, and Middle East market access expert based in the Arab world for over 20 years. He has “cleared the path” and accelerated Middle East government relations for some of the largest high tech companies in the world.
Sam has been interviewed as a Middle East strategy expert in the The Economist, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, U.S. News and World Report and Fortune Magazine. As Google’s previous public policy head in the Gulf countries, Blatteis sat at the table drafting high tech laws with some of the region’s foremost heads-of-state.
Sam is the CEO and Co-Founder of the MENA Catalysts Inc, the world’s preeminent Middle East public policy consulting firm for high tech companies.
Blatteis previously worked on Middle East affairs in the U.S. Senate, the State Department, and the Council on Foreign Relations, including advising the White House and Fortune 50 Companies on Middle East innovation. He holds a masters degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and was selected as a U.S. National Fulbright Scholar.
Sam has lived in Riyadh, New York, Cairo and Dubai among other places. He is from Silicon Valley, where his family has lived for more than 100 years.
Senior Vice President
Lindsay is a focused and resourceful business professional with 11 years of international experience supporting senior decision-makers and investors in building effective business units, strategic programs and partnerships.
Lindsay has a broad background in the defense economy and corporate development, including six years of direct work for the United States and United Arab Emirates governments. Lindsay has experience with technology offsets, capacity building and international security partnerships.
She knows strategic planning, project management, start-ups, and how to forge government relationships to develop businesses.
Chief Strategist
Ivan is an experienced leader with a strong track record in technology, start-up and venture capital.
Former Google executive, Ivan was most recently the Chief Development Officer at STV, the largest venture capital fund in the region with more than $500M in assets under management. At STV, Ivan was leading portfolio support and value creation, helping STV portfolio companies address key challenges to scale, such as talent, marketing & growth, business development and strategy.
Before joining STV, Ivan was Regional Lead for new markets at Google MENA and Principal at Booz & Company, consultants. Ivan holds a Masters in Logistics and Transport Engineering from Belgrade University and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
