Agenda
08.30
Registration
09:00
Welcome Remarks from Great Minds Group
09:05
Welcome Note by Conference Chairperson
- Mariam Shai, Regional Coordinator, CBL Holding
09:10
Stakeholders Panel Session: Geospatial Insights in National Development – Supporting Saudi Vision 2030 and Beyond
- Enabling data-driven policymaking and strategic planning in national development initiatives
- Investing in spatial data infrastructure (SDI) to accelerate national transformation and support smart, data-driven development
- Exploring the role of GIS in government services to meet the demands of growing urban populations
- Discussing how to strengthen interagency collaboration and data sharing
Moderator:
- Mariam Shai, Regional Coordinator, CBL Holding
Panellists:
- Mamdooh Alshahrani, Executive Director General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA)
- Hatim Gazaz, VP-GIS & Analytics, Real Estate Registry (RER)
- Amjed Al. Thuhli, CEO, FutureTech & AI Expert
- Eng. Amer Saeed Bamoneef, General Director at the National Center for Environmental Compliance
10:15
Panel Session: Digital Twins and 3D/4D GIS: Powering the Cities of the Future
- Understanding the convergence of digital twins, 3D/4D GIS, and urban intelligence and their role in predictive planning and decision making
- Designing resilient and adaptive urban infrastructure with digital twins and 3D/4D models
- Examining how these models enhance stakeholder collaboration and urban governance
- Scaling digital twin adoption by addressing interoperability, standardization and deployment challenges across cities and municipalities
- Integrating GIS into urban master planning for smarter infrastructure and land use
Moderator:
- Hesham Gamal Gaafar, Digital Twin & Smart Cities Manager, Esri Saudi Arabia
Panellists :
- Dr. Francesca Arici, Chief of Planning and Development, Aseer Development Authority (ASDA)
- Mohammed Shah, Director of Smart City, Kingdom Economic City
- Ahmed ALjuaid, Director of Smart Geospatial Infrastructure Solutions, National Housing Company NHC Innovation
- Junaid Ahmed Khan, Director GIS, Emaar, The Economic City
11:00
Keynote Presentation: Smarter, Faster Decisions with Near Real-Time GEOINT
- Hassan Ahmed Aljohani, Vice President of Business Development, NSG Geospatial Services
11:20
VIP Exhibition Tour and Networking Coffee Break
12:00
Presentation by
- Chuck Dostal, Senior Director Global Solutions Engineering, blackshark.ai
12:15
Presentation: Know More, Know Better: Shaping the Next Era of Geospatial Intelligence
- Declan Lynch, Chief Revenue Officer & General Manager, Privateer
12:30
Panel Discussion: GIS in National Security, Emergency Response and Disaster Management
- Monitoring borders, tracking illicit activity, and managing surveillance through advanced spatial analytics
- Exploring the growing role of GIS to provide live mapping, threat tracking, and visual intelligence for rapid response
- Facilitating collaboration between defense, emergency services, and government agencies through shared geospatial platforms
- Leveraging GIS to identify vulnerable zones, model disaster scenarios, and deploy early alerts
Moderator:
- Mariam Shai, Regional Coordinator, CBL Holding
Panellist :
- Omar Malik,Executive Advisor & National Security Expert
- Mohamad Korek, Head of Digital Services - Project & Development Services KSA, JLL
- Will Tyler, Senior Advisor & Geospatial Consultant
13:15
Presentation: Solving GIS Challenges with Data Integrity and Location Intelligence
Speaker:
- Oishi Lahiri, Product Marketing Leader, HERE Technologies
13:30
Panel Discussion: Accelerating Smart City Planning and Development through GIS
- Examining the role of geospatial technologies in planning and designing smart, sustainable, and resilient cities
- Driving smart city innovation through real-time data integration
- Exploring the integration of IoT, AI, and sensor networks with geospatial models to enable continuous monitoring, optimization, and automation of city systems
- Harnessing geospatial technologies to support real-time insights and enhance citizen-focused smart city solutions
Moderator:
- Mariam Shai, Regional Coordinator, CBL Holding
Panellists:
- Arsen Safaryan, Director Digital Project Delivery (BIM & GIS), SEVEN
- Ahmed Salih, GIS Associate Principal, ARDARA
- Anas Almassrahy, Senior Urban Planner, WSP
14:10
Chairperson Closing Remarks
14:15
Networking Lunch and End of Conference Day 1
09:25
Welcome remarks from Great Minds Group
09:30
Welcome note by Conference Chairperson
- Mariam Shai, Regional Coordinator, CBL Holding
09:35
Keynote Presentation GeoAI-Driven Embeddings Methodology: Revolutionizing Earth Observation with AlphaEarth Foundations Framework
Speaker:
- Abdelnasser Rashash, Remote Sensing & GIS Consultant, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Science
09:50
Panel Discussion: Smart Mobility and Transport Planning through GIS
- Leveraging GIS for public transport optimization and route planning in growing urban centers
- Discussing the use of GIS tools to simulate mobility behaviors, predict future demand, and test infrastructure developments
- Exploring the application of GIS to plan and manage transportation for large-scale events, emergencies, and disaster evacuations
- Utilizing spatial analysis of infrastructure gaps and user patterns to plan sustainable and active transport modes in big cities
Moderator :
- Ahmed Ramadan, Associate, WSP
Panellist :
- Mohammed Al Haji, Senior Transport and Mobility Consultant, BuroHappold
- Ammar Saed, GIS Manager, Egis
- Omar Abdelghany, GIS & Master Planning Data Management Expert
10:40
Presentation: Imagery to Insight - The Shift from Data Collection to Decision Intelligence
- Will Tyler, Senior Advisor & Geospatial Consultant
10:55
Presentation: Leveraging Geospatial Technology for Sustainable and Resilient Urban Development
Speaker:
- Ghadah Alsakrani, Geospatial Services Manager, Geospatial Information Center, Al Madinah Development Authority
11:10
VIP Exhibition Tour and Networking Coffee Break
11:40
Presentation: Digital Twin for Solar Rooftop Mapping in Riyadh: Enabling Smarter Deployment
Speaker:
- Abdulelah Habib, Founder & CEO of OptimalPV
11:55
Panel Discussion: GIS for Environmental Monitoring and Climate Resilience
- Examining how governments can use geospatial intelligence to develop data-driven sustainability and resilience roadmaps
- Deploying GIS for mapping flood zones, fire-prone areas, and climate-sensitive regions to enhance preparedness and mitigation planning
- Exploring how to utilize GIS tools to track progress on environmental goals, assess climate risks, and support conservation under the Kingdom’s sustainability agenda
- Applying GIS to map ecosystems, wildlife habitats, and land use changes to guide conservation strategies
Moderator :
- Ammar Saed, GIS Manager, Egis
Panelists :
- Navdeep K Hanjra, VP Planning and Development, The Royal Commission for AlUla
- Abdelnasser Rashash, Remote Sensing & GIS Consultant, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Science
- Dr. Fahad Almutlaq, Director of Remote Sensing & GIS Unit, King Saud University
- Dani Daas, Managing Partner, CBL Holding
12:40
Presentation: From Flood Risk to Resilience: Digital Twins & IoT for Smart Stormwater in Arid Cities
Speaker:
- Cem Cesur, Project Director, Dar Al Riyadh
13:00
Chairperson Closing Remarks
13:05
Networking Lunch and End of 3RD MENA Geospatial Forum 2025
