Board of Directors
Brent Brough
Chairperson
CCO of InflowControl
Brent Brough is the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of InflowControl, a Norwegian oil and gas technology company. With 23 years of international experience, he has worked and lived in various countries, including Canada, Russia, the UK, Norway, and the UAE. Brent has extensive director-level experience in energy technology companies and start-ups. He earned an MBA from Warwick Business School in Coventry, UK, and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, Canada. Brent's diverse background and expertise make him a valuable asset to InflowControl and the broader energy technology sector.
Robyn Albers
Vice Chairperson
Owner and Lead Consultant Clear Speak GCC Consulting
Robyn Albers, a seasoned business communication expert, brings over twenty-five years of experience training employees and university students in Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UAE. With a Master's degree in Education in TESOL, she is a leading authority in the field. Robyn's career highlights include a seventeen-year tenure at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi. As the Owner and Lead Consultant of Clear Speak GCC Consulting, she specializes in public speaking, interviews, business pitches, email, and intercultural communication. Robyn's expertise has helped clients pass interviews, secure grants, and win speech contests.
Faiza Usman
Treasurer
Senior Vice President, Business Finance - UAE PlatformMubadala Investment Company
Faiza Usman is Senior Vice President for the UAE Investments Platform at Mubadala Investment Company. A Canadian Chartered Accountant, she has over 20 years of experience enhancing accounting and finance functions. Before moving to the UAE, Faiza managed internal controls, statutory reporting, management reporting, and taxation at KPMG, Bell Canada, and Barrick Gold. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from York University and is also a Certified Public Accountant (Illinois) and Project Management Professional. Faiza excels in developing teams, strategies, systems, and processes to improve organizational efficiency.
Manhal Younes
Secretary | Head, Admin and Governance
Science Teacher, Abu Dhabi Grammar School (Canada)
Manhal Younes, born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, earned his degree in Genetics and Biochemistry from McMaster University. He served in the Canadian Forces for nine years as a Healthcare Administrator, coordinating field hospitals across southern Ontario. He became a Certified Clinical Research Associate in allergy and asthma and completed a double master's in Biological Sciences/Adolescent Education in New York. Since 2015, he has taught science in the UAE, currently at Abu Dhabi Grammar School (Canada). An Ontario Certified Teacher, he excels in curriculum development and technology integration. Fluent in Arabic and proficient in French, he advocates in pedagogical spaces.
George Holland
Board Director
Vice President of Operations, PALAerospace LLC Abu Dhabi.
Born in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, George is Vice President of Operations for PAL Aerospace LLC in Abu Dhabi. He oversees PAL operations in the UAE, including support, maintenance, training, and manufacturing. Before joining PAL in 2016, he served as a Logistics Officer in the Canadian Military for 15 years, specializing in global strategic movements. From 2006 to 2010, he co-owned a digital marketing company in Montreal. From 2010 to 2015, he was Senior Operations Manager in Afghanistan, supporting US and NATO aviation operations. George holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Royal Military College of Canada and enjoys golfing, fitness, reading, and music.
Nirmal Mull
Board Director
Vice President, Parsons
coming soon
Tasha Sawchuk
Board Director
VP Strategy Development, Abu Dhabi Ports
I am a proud Canadian who has had the opportunity to be an expat for over 15 years in Australia and Middle East. On a personal perspective, first and foremost, I am mom with amazing children aged 4 and 6 who are thriving here in UAE and consider themselves Canadian, French (husbands from France) and from the desert. I enjoy being active and participate across local fitness events such as running, CrossFit and triathlons. Career wise, I have an MBA and am an executive-level professional with 15+ years’ experience in strategy execution across airlines, hospitality, property development, tourism and most recently transportation within the Middle East and Australia.
Amin Sajan
Board Director
Consultant Emergency Physician, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
I am a Consultant Emergency Physician from Vancouver. This stint will be my third time living in the Middle East. Most recently, we lived in Abu Dhabi from 2012 to 2018 and just returned last December. While we lived here, I completed an MBA from London Business School and was able to work on multiple collaborations with major health tech industry partners on projects to support the clinical planning of a $2B green field health campus build in Vancouver. I’m excited to explore how to raise the profile of Canadian health care brands in the GCC market. .
Irfat Muna
Board Director
Executive Director, Roshn
Irfat Muna is an executive leader with 27 years of experience in aviation, construction, infrastructure, and real estate development. She excels in P&L, cash flow forecasting, and budget analysis, driving business KPIs, market growth, and revenue improvement. Currently, she is Executive Director of Program Management at Roshn Group, a leading real estate developer owned by the Public Investment Fund. Previously, Irfat mentored as part of a talent management program and served as a Quality Assessor for SKEA. She is a member of the GCC Board of Directors Institute and the UK’s Institute of Directors (IoD).
Loc Pham
Counsellor (Commercial) and Trade Program Manager
Embassy of Canada in the UAE
Loc Pham holds a B.A.Sc. in Computer Engineering (University of Ottawa), an MBA (McGill University), and a Graduate Diploma in International Relations (LSE). He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2008, serving in roles such as Deputy Director of the CanExport SMEs program. He has held positions in Pacific Gateway Marketing, Europe & Central Asia, and South, Southeast Asia, and Oceania Commercial Relations. Abroad, he served in Turkey and Myanmar. Currently, he is the Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada in the UAE.
CBC Executive Team
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Peter Hastie
Business Development Specialist
Peter Hastie is the Business Development Specialist at CBC, where he has been making significant contributions since joining in September 2023. Originally from Ireland, Peter’s role is to drive growth and foster strong client relationships. With a background in sales and a deep enthusiasm for business development, he is committed to delivering and building lasting partnerships
Camille Velayo
Finance and Administration Officer
Camille Velayo holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management and has amassed five years of professional experience in the UAE.
She has previously worked at Burjeel Medical City.
Currently, Camille is the Finance and Administration Officer at the Canadian Business Council, where she manages the day-to-day financial transactions and administrative operations to ensure the smooth running of the Council’s activities.
Camille is dedicated to using her expertise to support the Council's mission of strengthening business connections between Canada and the UAE.