
WELCOME TO MEM FORUM LONDON 2026!
The Middle East Maritime Forum in London will convene senior leaders and experts shaping the future of the maritime & shipping industry in the Middle East. With sea trade, safety and security high on the agenda of regional governments, this forum connects the key decision makers from both the public and private sector and creates a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Discussions will reflect the latest trends and developments in the ports, yards and vital shipping lanes in the Middle East with a focus on ensuring stable trade, safety and security. Our exhibition will also showcase the very best in maritime technologies and private sector expertise that are solving some of the industry's toughest challenges.
MEM Forum is the must-attend event for anyone looking to understand and engage with the region’s maritime sector.
WHO IS ATTENDING?
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MINISTRIES OF TRADE, TRANSPORT & SECURITY
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REGIONAL PORT AUTHORITIES
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LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANIES
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SAFETY & SECURITY EXPERTS
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LOGISTICS SPECIALISTS
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TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
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CYBER & DATA LEADERS
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LEGAL & REGULATORY PROFESSIONALS
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CONSULTANTS & SOLUTION PROVIDERS
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INSURANCE INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS
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MARITIME TRADE, SECURITY & SAFETY ORGANISATIONS

300+ DELEGATES
VIP NETWORKING
30+ SPEAKERS

SPEAKERS

David Schenker is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute. Confirmed by the Senate on June 5, 2019, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs through January 2021. Previously, from 2002-2006, Mr. Schenker served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Levant country director, the Pentagon's top policy aide on Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestinian Affairs, and Israel. He was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service in 2005.

Shipsider.
Capt. Ayşe Aslı Başak is the Founder and CEO of Shipsider Maritime Technologies based in Qatar and Türkiye, developing AI-driven solutions for maritime and shipping operations and carbon emissions management in maritime industry. With over 15 years of experience as a Sea Captain, Port Captain and Shipping Operations Manager, she combines operational maritime expertise with digital innovation. She holds a BSc in Maritime Transportation Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and an MSc in International Trade and Logistics Management, graduating top of her class. As Merchant Navy, she sailed across all oceans, on Turkish dry bulk vessels.
Since age of 24, she has held board and secretary-general roles at ITU DEFAMED, Turkish Chamber of Marine Engineers, and the Turkish Maritime Federation, and remains active with CILT, Professional Women’s Network, WISTA UK, and Women Offshore USD. She served as Deputy Chair of the TOBB Istanbul Young Entrepreneurs Board networking group, in Oct 2023, joined the TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Executive Committee. Her research interests include maritime digitalization, shipping economics, ship investment strategy, big data and AI applications in maritime operations.
She has received multiple international recognitions; Top 10 Women to Watch in Shipping in Norway, 40 Under 40 Shipping Professionals in Belgium and Promising Woman Entrepreneur in Technology in Türkiye by Garanti BBVA and KAGİDER. Elected to the Qatar Executive Board of Turkish Business Council (DTİK-DEİK), advances maritime, logistics and technology initiatives.Through Shipsider, she focuses on advancing smart, sustainable and data-driven maritime operations technologies and building the future of maritime operations.

Abu Dhabi University.
Dr Charlie Pearson is an Assistant Professor of International Relations, academic researcher of maritime security, security analyst, and media commentator specialising in strategic waterways, maritime zones, and regional geopolitics. His research examines how maritime zones, strategic chokepoints, and international legal regimes are employed to advance security, strategic, and political objectives, with a particular focus on the Middle East and the wider maritime domain.
His research has examined some of the world's most strategically significant waterways, including the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, exploring the intersection of maritime security, geopolitical competition, and international law. His work has also informed discussions surrounding maritime governance and security, including contributions to debates within the United Nations on the protection of commercial shipping and freedom of navigation.
Alongside his academic research, Dr Pearson provides consultancy and strategic analysis on maritime security, geopolitical risk, and regional developments.
Dr Pearson is also a regular contributor to international media, providing clear and accessible analysis of fast-moving security crises, disruptions to maritime trade, and the geopolitical significance of contested maritime spaces. By combining academic rigour with policy relevance and public engagement, he translates complex maritime and strategic issues into practical insights for policymakers, industry leaders, journalists, and wider audiences.

International Maritime College Oman (IMCO), National University of Science and Technology, Oman.
Dr. Capt. Arife Tugsan Isiacik Colak, FIMarEST, AFNI, is Captain Superintendent and Head of the Maritime Department at the International Maritime College Oman (IMCO), National University of Science and Technology. She combines more than two decades of seagoing, maritime education and academic leadership experience, including service as an ocean-going deck officer, chief officer and master.
In Oman, she leads the Nautical Studies and Marine Engineering departments and works closely with government, industry and professional bodies on curriculum development and the preparation of future maritime professionals for both seagoing and shore-based careers. She develops and updates maritime curricula and syllabi in response to digitalisation, artificial intelligence, automation, autonomous shipping, decarbonisation, green and alternative energy, environmental sustainability and evolving industry requirements.
Her academic leadership also includes contributing to the development of IMCO's BSc programme in Maritime Business Management and coordinating the development of proposed MSc programmes in Advanced Maritime Technology and Sustainable Maritime Operations. Her approach also emphasises human factors, leadership, communication, critical thinking and decision-making.
Her wider professional interests include Oman's maritime transformation under Oman Vision 2040, port and logistics development, the blue economy, Marine Spatial Planning and regional maritime cooperation. She contributes to international research and industry discussions on human-centred digitalisation, maritime decarbonisation and workforce readiness.
Dr. Colak is a Fellow of IMarEST, an Associate Fellow of The Nautical Institute and a member of the IMarEST Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Working Group.

Erik has been in shipping for more than 35 years spanning Freight Forwarding, Container Leasing, Agency and Port Operations, Offshore projects and is today heading the Sales and Administrative Membership Team in BIMCO. Heading engagements and sales in EMEA, with extensive travels and liaison across the industry and at all levels at member companies.
BIMCO is the worlds largest shipping organisation with about 2100 members in 120 countries that own, operate and manage 2/3 or the worlds cargo fleet.

Human Rights at Sea International.
David Hammond Esq. AFNI is a former military seafarer, veteran Royal Marines officer and qualified non-practising English barrister. He is the Founder of Human Rights at Sea (HRAS), established in 2014, and serves as Executive Director of Human Rights at Sea International (HRASI).
David combines extensive operational maritime experience with expertise in law, public policy and human rights advocacy, having worked across the North and South Atlantic Oceans, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Gulf and the South China Sea. He has also undertaken assignments in complex and conflict-affected environments, delivering human rights and international humanitarian law training, conducting investigations, and supporting legal and policy development at national, European and international levels.
An author and co-author of more than 150 publications, reports and case studies focused on human rights abuses in the maritime domain, David conceived the Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea, launched in Geneva in 2022. In the same year, he led Human Rights at Sea to United Nations ECOSOC consultative status, further strengthening the organisation's international standing and influence. Through his work, he has contributed to maritime law and policy developments in more than 50 states and has helped advance recognition of human rights protections as a fundamental component of maritime governance.
David is a Member of the Honourable Society of Middle Temple and an Associate Fellow of The Nautical Institute.

Power & Corridors.
Dean Mikkelsen is the Founder & Editorial Director of Power & Corridors, an independent media and intelligence platform focused on geopolitics, maritime security, trade corridors, ports, energy, infrastructure, aviation, logistics and strategic risk.
His work examines how geopolitical power moves through ports, shipping lanes, logistics networks, critical infrastructure, energy systems, sanctions, investment flows and access to strategic markets.
Power & Corridors focuses on the intersection of strategic geography and commercial risk, with particular attention to the Middle East, Eurasia, Africa, the Arctic, the Indo-Pacific and the global maritime system.

Executive Director for Climate, Environment and Security, Nina Porst has worked in government and EU affairs for more than 10 years, primarily in the fields of environment and climate policy, combining experience from the public and the private sector. This includes 5 years as permanent staff in the Danish Parliament, leadership roles in the Danish central administration as well as various positions in Brussels.
Today, she is responsible for climate, environment, safety, and security in Danish Shipping.

The Mission to Seafarers.
Ben Bailey is Director of Programme at The Mission to Seafarers, where he leads global programme strategy and works across the international maritime sector with shipping companies, governments, regulators and global brands.
Ben has developed major international initiatives including the Seafarers’ Happiness Index, the award-winning WeCare mental health programme, and Seafarers’ Family Networks in the Philippines and India. His work increasingly focuses on the intersection of seafarer welfare, human rights and global supply chains, including advising major brands on maritime due diligence and working with government and industry in the UAE to address complex welfare and abandonment cases.
Ben represents the welfare sector at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and is a regular speaker and moderator at leading international maritime forums. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he has studied leadership at Alliance Manchester Business School and is particularly interested in how organisational culture and inclusion can strengthen both people and performance.

Global Shippers Forum.
James Hookham MSc BTech (Hons) is Secretary General and a Director of the Global Shippers Forum (GSF), the voice of cargo owners in international supply chains, based in London. He is a graduate in Environmental Science from the University of Bradford and completed a master’s degree in the safe transport of dangerous goods at the University of Manchester.
James early career was spent with Exis Technologies (now part of National Cargo Bureau) developing the world’s first remotely accessible computerised dangerous goods database. He later served as deputy editor of Hazardous Cargo Bulletin.
Until 2020 James was also Deputy Chief Executive of the Freight Transport Association (now Logistics UK) serving the needs of transport users and providers in the United Kingdom and served on numerous UK, EU and global transport and logistics advisory bodies.

& Kolkata Centre,
Observer Research Foundation
Dr Nilanjan Ghosh is Vice President of Development Studies at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in India, and is also heads the Foundation’s Kolkata Centre.
His career trajectory in reverse chronological order includes roles such as Senior Fellow at ORF, Senior Vice President & Chief Economist at the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited, and faculty positions at TERI School of Advanced Studies. From 2015 to 2020, he advised WWF India in establishing their Ecological Economics practice.
His other roles also included Member of the Global Future Council on the Future of Nature and Security at the World Economic Forum (2023-24), Co-Chair of Task Force 3 on International Financial Architecture for Think20 under Brazil’s G20 Presidency (2024), Member of the Board of Country Representatives for the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE, 2024-25), and Member of the Research Advisory Committee for WWF India (2023-24).
Nilanjan was the President of the Indian Society for Ecological Economics (INSEE, 2022-24) and the Director of the Think20 India Secretariat during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023. He was also
a Member of the Expert Committee constituted by the Supreme Court of India in 2021, formulating the Net Present Value criteria for forest land diversion.
Nilanjan has taught at institutions including Linnaeus University (Sweden), the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, and Jadavpur University, and visited Uppsala University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University.
A natural resource economist with over two decades of experience, Nilanjan holds a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. He has authored/ edited 15 books and monographs and has written over 100 peer-reviewed papers and several commentaries/ op-eds. His advisory work spans organisations like IUCN, USAID, FORMAS, UNCTAD-India, WWF-UK, IWMI-WLE, etc.

Irenea Villar has over 20 years of international experience across maritime, ocean operations, logistics, procurement, commercial strategy and transformation.
She currently leads Ocean Fulfilment across India, the Middle East and Africa at A.P. Moller - Maersk, where Irenea works across complex regional operations, network execution, operational performance and disruption management.
Throughout her career, Irenea has had the opportunity to work across different parts of the maritime ecosystem, from ocean operations and terminals to intermodal services, strategic procurement and network strategy. This has given her a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping our industry, particularly around resilience, transformation, regional connectivity and the future of global trade.
Irenea is passionate about bringing people and perspectives together, challenging conventional thinking and turning industry challenges into opportunities for meaningful change.
I am delighted to contribute to the Maritime Forum Advisory Board and to support conversations that can help shape a more resilient, innovative and connected maritime sector.
VENUE & GALLERY
GREENWICH, LONDON, UK




By hosting this event in London, MEM Forum connects the Middle East Maritime & Shipping sectors like never before and provides a unique platform to build international collaboration within the sector. Hear from the region's key decision makers and the world's leading experts on how to address the region's toughest challenges and unlock its full potential.
MEM Forum will be hosted in Greenwich the iconic maritime district in London. Home to the Maritime Museum and the world famous Cutty Sark Tea Clipper, Greenwich is the ideal backdrop for this one of a kind forum.
With its world-class shipping heritage, premium event spaces and breathtaking views of the river thames. London provides the ideal setting for high-level meetings and discussions.
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