Born in India, Diyali Bhalla graduated with a degree in science. She then moved on to receive a diploma in fashion design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (FIT) in New York.

For ten years Diyali has been running her own business in high fashion stores across the world. She relocated to Dubai in 2004 and has since then been involved in free lance design work, art events and teaching. She is teaching fashion and art at Dubai International Art Centre since 2006 and she has served on the board of directors for the past 6 years.

Finance Director
Cracknell Landscape Design LLC
Dubai, UAE

The world’s largest privately-owned landscape design consultancy
Brought into this family-owned business to assist with their global
expansion plans and simultaneously manage risk and compliance.
Implemented new global multi company/currency ERP Solution
creating greater accountability and transparency.
Increased corporate governance with the introduction of new MIS.
CFO
Independent Strategic Financial Consultant

London / Dubai

Diversified portfolio of businesses (Technology, Media and Aviation)
Restructured banking facilities and corporate operations, adding 30%
to the top line and improving margins by >10%
Private Equity funded European acquisitions, performed due diligence,
SPAs, subsequent integration into IT/Security Group and established
‘SMART’ KPIs within the new subsidiaries

Raised $5m in private equity via UK and European investment road-
shows for Aviation technology and consultancy business

Finance Director, Middle East & Africa
CGI Inc. (formerly Logica plc – UK Listed FTSE100)

Dubai, UAE

IT Solutions, Project Management and Consultancy
Partnered CEO in growing the regional revenue from $30m to $225m
and increasing the net margins by 15% over 12 years
Implemented new Activity Based Costing ERP, improved governance
and internal processes, established 4 regional offices and recruited a
finance team of 12
Successful delivery of $70m infrastructure project in KSA with 5%
improvement in net margin – winner of external and internal awards
Group award for working capital management – 3 years in succession
CFO
International Telecommunications Clearing Corporation

Dubai, UAE
Telecommunications – Technology Start-up
Completed Private Placement Memo. raising $5m and $35m pledged
Implemented Oracle 11i ERP, established balance scorecard system to
assess departmental performance and recruited a finance team of 20
Set up 5 international operations, formulated optimal tax structure

Ambika Vohra
With a deep-rooted passion for the arts and a sharp business acumen, Ambika Vohra has built an illustrious career that seamlessly bridges the regional art world with a global one. Her journey began in the events industry, but in 2007, she transitioned into the art world as Senior Director at Art Select, where she quickly made her mark.

A key figure in the UAE’s dynamic art scene, Ambika played a pivotal role in establishing and managing two of the region’s most prominent art spaces, transforming them into cultural hubs for both artists and collectors. She is recognized as a trusted authority in sourcing exceptional artwork, specializing in both iconic masters and emerging talent from the Indian Subcontinent, Europe and the Middle East.

With over 50 curated and managed exhibitions, Ambika has been instrumental in fostering cross-cultural artistic dialogue, both locally and internationally. Beyond her curatorial expertise, she is a passionate mentor, dedicated to nurturing emerging talent and providing platforms for the next generation of artists to shine.

Her wealth of experience, extensive network of collectors and artists, and unwavering commitment to the arts continue to shape the evolving landscapes of Middle Eastern and South Asian art. Ambika is also known for her refined aesthetic sensibility and her ability to identify untapped artistic potential, making art more accessible to wider audiences.

Ambika’s influence extends across diverse aspects of the art world—from advising collectors and curating exhibitions to mentoring emerging artists. Her vision and dedication to the arts have made her a driving force in the regional art community

Khalil Abdul Wahid’s artistic career began under the tutelage of Hassan Sharif, in Al Marsam Al Hur – the atelier Sharif set up in the 1980s. Abdul Wahid was so inspired by this privileged learning experience that he made a dual commitment to develop his own practice and to pass on knowledge acquired to the next generation.

To that end, he took on teaching roles in the atelier before assuming his current position as Visual Arts Manager at Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. This role facilitates his involvement in diverse projects to cultivate the UAE’s artistic community, from grassroots initiatives through to institutional efforts.

This dedication to education and artistic development initially meant his personal practice took a lesser priority. However, he has still managed to carve out two distinct paths – painting and video. His paintings are recognizable through their strong use of colour on dark backgrounds. His experimental video works construct visual metaphors to express ideas related to his culture and environment.

He has been exhibited in group shows regionally and internationally including ADMAF’s ‘Portrait of A Nation (Abu Dhabi 2016 – Berlin 2017), FotoFest International’s ‘View From Inside’, USA/Abu Dhabi (2014–15) and ‘Sharjah: Art from the Emirates’, National Museum of Denmark (2010) as well as many of the annual exhibitions by the Emirates Fine Arts Society.

Founder of Woman2Woman, which is a specialized Events& PR Management firm in the UAE. Established in 2009 – w2w Events is a network of close to 15k women who are Freelancers, Home Businesses, Entrepreneurs, Artists, Designers, and Professionals including established Business owners.

She believes in gender equality and works in the region to promote and offer platform to various professional organizations, companies, Brands, and individuals. Over the years, w2w has conceptualized and created various genres of events to cater to this ever growing market.

Woman2Woman’s core belief is to always to voice positive messages and concepts through our events. Here are examples of some of W2W’s most unique events:-

• Monthly Business Networking events

• FFA (Fashion For All) – the only Plus size Fashion show.

• Women of the Desert – Art and Fashion Show – which represents Artists and designers – who don’t discriminate – and to stay true to our point – we hosted this show with models with disabilities.

• Against the tides – an Art show catered for the beginners and Amateur artists in the region.

• Art Nation – An event that showcases all genres of Art including Performing Arts.

Zareen is also the conceptual Director and host for an online TV Show:

Started in 2016 – Coffee Confessions is one of the regions only online TV show, season 1 is available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkCVxs9Meos

Season 2 of Coffee Confessions to air on September 2017.

W2W has been dedicated to promote talent and to conceptualize creative campaigns and events that make a positive impact in the region.

Born 1967 in Bulgaria. graduated from Academy of Music and dance art Plovdiv Bulgaria. Master in Music from University of Plovdiv Bulgaria, Guitar Mentor, Composer, Performer, Executive Director of JV Music Consultancy, Director in Chief & Music Director for Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra.
Full time guitar teacher since 1989.
1989 2000 guitar teacher and member of the Angel Kanchev community centre -Ruse Bulgaria.
2000- 2006 Guitar Teacher at Yamaha music school PMI Dubai
2006 2011 Guitar teacher at Centre for musical arts Dubai.(DUCTAC)
2011 up to date Guitar teacher JV music consultancy which he is a founder.
Valentin Spasov is an author of two books and a CD published by Balkanota Bulgaria and is based in Dubai since year 2000.

BIOGRAPHY

Zaahirah Muthy
Artist Activist
Curator
Philanthropist
Public Speaker
Founder – ZeeArts

Zaahirah Muthy is a passionate artist-activist, an agent of change, and a curator hailing from Mauritius,
nestled in Dubai for the past 11 years. As a person who aspires to bring about positive changes in society, she
conveys a strong message of empowerment through her art and artistic initiatives. Zaahirah has had her art
exhibited in Africa, Europe, Middle East, United States and Asia. She was the curator for World Art Dubai
2017-2019 and has curated over 75 art exhibitions in UAE, Singapore, France, Mauritius, Georgia and
Lebanon.
Zaahirah has provided consistently impassioned support for women artists across the globe. She has been the
mastermind behind an impressive array of artistic initiatives, including the Art Connects Women, International
Women’s Art Exhibition which is on its 3

rd Edition. She has launched the first Art Book- ‘Women Artists

around the World’.
Zaahirah is also a savvy business-woman. She is the founder of ZeeArts, an international art hub that provides
a range of art consultancy services and curatorship with the goal of connecting artists from across the world
with diverse artistic projects. Recently, she has established the MIAF- (Mauritius International Art Fair)
as a multidisciplinary contemporary art fair with the aim to position Mauritius as the Art and
Cultural destination In the region.
she has numerous awards under her belt for her arts and her various art initiatives including the
Oscar in Artistic Pursuit, in Mauritius, the Leonardo Da Vinci Universal Artist Award in Florence, Italy,
in Jan 2018 and in February 2018 the Femina–Women International Leadership Award in the artist
category in Mumbai, India. Zaahirah has also achieved a curating foundation with Sortheby’s
Institute of Arts and Curating Socially Artistic Engaged projects by Node, Berlin
The artist is also a passionate public speaker, she is a toastmaster for the past 8 years and been
speaking and organizing conferences, webinar and panel discussion.