2012 Mudara accredited directors announced

The 2012 batch included:

• Eng. Mahmoud Al Burai, Senior Director, Real Estate Regulatory Agency
• Majid Jafar, CEO and Vice Chairman, Crescent Petroleum
• Mario Camara, CEO, Swissquote Middle East and Asia
• Maryam Abdulla bin Badr Alsuwaidi, Director, Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment
• Mazen Boustany, Partner, Habib al Mulla & Company
• Rita Khaled, Partner, Habib al Mulla & Company
• Roula Zahar, Head of Legal and Board Affairs, Dubai Real Estate Corporation
• Rushdi Sammakieh, Investment Banker, Genero Capital.

"We are delighted to welcome this new batch of accredited directors, which brings more diversity in competence, experience, and perspectives, in regional boards that they serve," said Nick Nadal, Head of Mudara Institute of Directors. "We look forward to working with them in pushing for better and robust corporate governance practices that enhance shareholder and stakeholder value to regional companies, as well as advocating for greater director professionalism."

Majid Jaffar, CEO and Vice Chairman of Crescent Petroleum, said: "As the importance of corporate governance and boards grow in our region's companies, the Mudara Director Accreditation provides the leading professional certification to qualify directors in our region to play their important role."

Noting the diversity of experience in the 2012 batch, Rita Khaled, Partner, Habib al Mulla & Company quipped: "With a higher number of females currently attending high university education in the Middle East than males, it is only natural that we should foresee a dramatic change in the composition of Corporate Boards in the region over the next couple of decades. Strong Corporate Governance foundations will assist with these cultural challenges whilst ensuring a smoother transition during a turbulent Economic period."

These directors attended four parts of Mudara's flagship director development programme designed by directors for directors, initially developed by the World Bank's Global Corporate Governance Forum (GCGF) and regionalized by Hawkamah Institute of Corporate Governance. Candidates that go through the accreditation programme complete assessments and face-to-face interviews with their peers to ensure their commitment, understanding, and embodiment of internationally benchmarked but regionally-relevant good corporate governance practices.

Maryam Abdulla bin Badr Alsuwaidi, Director at Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment, added: "The Director Development Programme is one of the few training programs that will transform your life and thinking style."

Ms. Alsuwaidi is part of the Women in Boards Initiative developed by Mudara, Institute of Directors and supported by the Dubai Women Establishment.