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2025
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Dr. Bunmi Femi-Oyekan is a pharmacist with over 32 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry mostly Regulatory Affairs (RA), Sales and Safety.
She is responsible for leading and providing strategic direction and oversight to the regulatory teams thus ensuring the development and execution of regulatory strategies and Policy priorities to enhance patient access to innovative medicines.
She is a principled individual, passionate about integrity and business ethics, and a spirited team player.
She is a member of the IFPMA and currently serving as a Co-chair of African Regulatory Network. She sits on various committees for the development of Regulatory Policies and Guidelines to support regulatory systems strengthening in partnership with local trade associations and other stakeholders.
Dr. Bunmi holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and an MBA from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Dr. Bunmi Femi-Oyekan is a pharmacist with over...
Dr. Marlene Moonsamy is a distinguished graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), holding both a Bachelor of Pharmacy and an MSc.Med Pharmacotherapy degree. Her career in the pharmaceutical industry began in 2008 as a GMP compliance pharmacist, and she subsequently transitioned to roles in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Marlene’s regulatory journey has seen her work with renowned multinational corporations such as Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Abbott Laboratories, and AstraZeneca, as well as locally with Adcock Ingram OTC. In her last three roles, she served as the Head of Regulatory Affairs for Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, she has held positions in Quality Assurance, as Responsible Pharmacist, and in Regulatory Affairs Leadership across Consumer/OTC, Pharma, and Biotechnology sectors for South Africa and the English, Portuguese, and French-speaking Sub-Saharan African markets.
Recently, Dr. Marlene founded her consulting company, PHARMICI (Pty) Ltd, which offers compliance services to the pharmaceutical industry. She has also contributed to academia as an Honorary Lecturer at Wits University.
Throughout her career, Dr. Marlene has received numerous accolades, reflecting her adeptness in navigating the complex regulatory affairs landscape and her excellence in leadership, strategic thinking, and solution delivery. Her ultimate vision is to enhance healthcare in Africa through education and empowerment in pharmacy.
Dr. Marlene Moonsamy is a distinguished graduate from...
Dr. Angeline Achoka is a transformation-driven Regulatory Affairs Professional with 15+ years of experience and significant executive leadership accomplishments in Regulatory affairs, quality assurance, and cross-functional team management. She has hands-on leadership skills in increasing efficiency, improving infrastructure, and establishing effective business practices. She is a proactive leader skilled in transforming teams, delivering sustainable results, forging productive relationships, coordinating overall strategy, and propelling organizations to higher peaks of success.
Dr. Angeline is passionate about reading, mentorship and coaching. She looks to attain a positive impact in all spheres she is involved in.
Dr. Angeline Achoka is a transformation-driven Regulatory Affairs...
Dr. Inas is a holder of Pharmacy diploma, and Master in EU and International Regulations and Healthcare Laws from Paris V University.
Dr. Inas has 20+ years expertise in the European and Emergent markets regulations; she worked for various MNCs, and currently she is heading the Executive Director- Head of Regulatory and Policy – MEA Region at Novartis.
Her focus and interest are the Healthcare reforms and legislations, policy shaping with main objective to accelerate patient access to innovative medicines.
Dr. Inas chaired EFPIA and PhRMA association groups for 6 consecutive years, and actively participating as speaker in regional and international conferences.
Dr. Inas is a holder of Pharmacy diploma,...
Dr. Madira Litedu is the Medicine Registration Officer at SAHPRA with over 12 years’ experience. Her job entails evaluating the safety, quality and efficacy aspects of new applications (New chemical entities, generics pre-registration) SAHPRA, ICH, FDA and WHO guidelines for MRF, CTD and eCTD applications. To enhance patient access to medicines, she supervised a PhD student, publishing articles to promote transparency between SAHPRA, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers and clinical research organisations.
Before joining MCC, she worked as a research scientist at Chemical Process Technologies, developing methods for cost-effective animal healthcare products to match or exceed local & international product trends as well as to satisfy customer expectations.
Dr. Litedu obtained her BSc, BSc (Hons), and MSc from the University of the Free State and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Dr. Madira Litedu is the Medicine Registration Officer...
Mr. Abebe Alamneh Kassahun has been working as a Senior Medicine Registration Expert at the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) since 2016. He is also a Lead GMP Auditor for pharmaceutical companies and has visited more than 30 international manufacturers in different countries.
In addition, he is the Vice Chairman of the East African Regulatory Affairs Professionals Association (EARAPA) for the past two and a half years.
Mr. Abebe Alamneh Kassahun has been working as...
Mr. Arthur Sichivula is a highly experienced Digital Health Expert with over 19 years in the Information and Communication Technology sector, including 15 years specializing as a Digital Regulatory ICT Expert. He has led the design, development, and successful implementation of complex health regulatory systems, most notably the Integrated Regulatory Information Management System (IRIMS) for the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA), where he has served as Head ICT since 2011.
His expertise spans ICT governance, cybersecurity, regulatory system development, ERP administration, digital health infrastructure, and disaster recovery.
He is a graduate in ICT Engineering, International Trade Facilitation, International Development, and Computing.
A fellow of the Information and Communication Technology Association of Zambia (ICTAZ) and a Professional Member of the British Computer Society (BCS), Mr. Arthur is widely recognized for his strategic leadership and ability to align digital innovations with regulatory and public health objectives. He continues to champion technology-driven transformation within regulatory authorities and the broader health sector across the region.
Mr. Arthur Sichivula is a highly experienced Digital...
Dr. Nancy Ngum is a Public Health Expert at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) working under the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative. Her primary responsibility is focused on the operationalization of the African Medicines Agency (AMA), by supporting the coordination of the Regional Medicines Regulatory harmonisation programmes in Africa.
She is also leading the team of experts in Africa tasked to oversee the development of a Regulatory Information Management System (RIMS) and Regulatory Information Sharing Platform (RISP) for Africa. She is passionate about patient access to safe, quality and efficacious medical products and has embarked on conducting studies to assess the performance of Regulatory Review Systems with a view to improving patients’ access to Medicines in Africa.
Dr Ngum holds a Ph.D. in Regulatory Sciences from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. Based on her passion, she has authored several publications in top medical journals and has published a book on “The Role of Regional Initiatives in the Operationalization of the African Medicines Agency.
Dr. Nancy Ngum is a Public Health Expert...
Dr. Rachel J. Mujawimana is a seasoned pharmacist serving as an Inspector of Drugs at the Uganda National Drug Authority, with a focus on the regulation of medicines and medical devices. She holds an MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Trinity College Dublin, a BPharm (Hons) from Universidad de Oriente, Cuba and an MBA from the Uganda Management Institute. Additionally, she has completed a Specialist Diploma in Medical Device Science at the University of Galway.
Rachel has extensive expertise in GMP inspections, quality management systems, and import/export verification, among other core regulatory functions. She is a member of the NDA Scientific Advisory Committee.
Rachel has contributed to policy discussions on Uganda’s new legislation regarding medicines and medical devices and is dedicated to advancing public health and ensuring that safe, high-quality medical products are accessible to all.
Dr. Rachel J. Mujawimana is a seasoned pharmacist serving...
Mrs. Sakhile Dube-Mwedzi is the Co-ordinator for the SADC Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (SADC MRH) Programme. A pharmacist by profession and a regulatory scientist at heart, Sakhile has been involved with the programme since 2015. Her role and responsibility are to support the Host Agency – the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe and the SADC Medical Products Regulators Forum in the overall coordination of programme implementation, including ZAZIBONA activities, across all SADC Member States.
She is an extensively experienced pharmaceutical expert and regulator with more than 25 years working in the pharmaceutical sector including but not limited to roles encompassing pharmaceutical regulatory consultancy; project management; and leading inspection teams to verify compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). A former head of the inspectorate at the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, Sakhile has inspected over 200 pharma manufacturing facilities.
Mrs. Sakhile Dube-Mwedzi is the Co-ordinator for the...
Ms. Zukiswa Raditladi is the Director of Licensing and Enforcement in Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority. She has more than 20 years working experience in the various regulatory environments, standardization as well as research sectors. Her current role oversees the operational functions of inspections and licensing of pharmaceutical premises, laboratory services, import and export control, and enforcement.
She joined BoMRA in 2018 as the founding manager of the BoMRA Quality Management Unit where she championed the establishment of the Quality Management System and its certification against ISO 9001. She also initiated the Integrated Management System in BoMRA which integrated the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool requirements into the QMS. Her contribution in the quality assurance field earned her a seat in the Chartered Quality Institute Standards Coordination Committee which is coordinated by IRCA in the UK. She is also a member of the SADCAS Advisory Committee for the Inspection Bodies Accreditation Scheme.
Ms. Zukiswa holds a Master of Philosophy in Analytical Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Single Major Chemistry.
Ms. Zukiswa Raditladi is the Director of Licensing and Enforcement in Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority. She...
Dr. Folasade is a Chief Regulatory Officer at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria’s Medicine Regulatory Agency.
While Folasade’s primary role is to implement Quality Management Systems based on WHO and ISO 17025:2017 Standards at the National Quality Control Laboratory, she contributes to the Agency’s compliance with and implementation of the ISO 9001:2015 standards alongside other regulatory system strengthening interventions.
Folasade also serves on the NAFDAC-WHO Global Benchmarking Team. This team was constituted in 2018 to drive implementation and institutionalization of WHO Global Benchmarking Requirements in Nigeria’s regulatory System. Folasade coordinates the Laboratory Testing Function on this project. In 2022, the team’s efforts led to Nigeria attaining the WHO GBT Maturity Level (ML) 3 i.e. status of a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system.
She works on the Technical Working Group of the NAFDAC Traceability Office, supporting the execution of the five-year roadmap for implementing pharmaceutical traceability in Nigeria. Her contributions include development of guidelines, drafting funding concept notes and coordination of nationwide sensitization programs that ensure engagement of key stakeholders across the pharmaceutical supply chain on traceability.
Folasade trained as a Pharmacist at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She has a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Western Cape, South Africa and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Oxford, UK.
Dr. Folasade is a Chief Regulatory Officer at...
Dr. Khadijah is a Consultant Public Health Pharmacist with over twenty years’ experience working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) across the Enforcement, Registration, and Establishment Inspection functions of the Agency.
She holds a B. Pharm., Master of Public Health, M.Sc. Regulatory Science and a Fellowship of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists.
Dr. Khadijah Ade-Abolade is the Director in charge of the Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of NAFDAC. She leads multidisciplinary teams in the Directorate that carry out all the reviews of technical documentation and other activities leading to the issuance of market authorization of vaccines, biologics, and medical devices, including emergency use authorizations and post-approval changes to registered products. She is also responsible for authorizing donations of vaccines and medical devices for humanitarian and public health needs.
She is a Lead Pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Inspector and Quality Management Systems (QMS) expert, and she has led numerous GMP Inspection Teams to assess GMP compliance of domestic and foreign facilities, informing regulatory decisions on the facilities and the manufactured products.
She is a key participant in the technical working groups responsible for the development of the NAFDAC Medical Devices and GMP for Pharmaceutical Products Regulations and Guidelines, as well as ongoing review of these regulatory tools for continued adequacy. She is also a member of the NAFDAC QMS Steering Committee, which is responsible for monitoring and maintenance of the QMS of the Agency. She is also a member of the NAFDAC Strategic Planning and NAFDAC Greenbook Committees.
Dr. Khadijah Ade-Abolade is the focal person for NAFDAC in the ongoing efforts in preparation for effective regulation of locally manufactured vaccines in Nigeria. She is a member of the National Technical Working Group for Local Vaccine Manufacturing and the Lead of the Regulatory Sub-Team in the Group. She has represented the Agency at several local and international meetings and trainings geared towards preparedness for sustainable local vaccine manufacturing in Nigeria and the African continent. She represents NAFDAC in the Operations Team of the African Maturity Level 3 NRAs Reliance Mechanism as well as on the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) Q1/Q5C Expert Working Group.
Dr. Khadijah is a Consultant Public Health Pharmacist...
Dr. Karim Wanga is a pharmacist by training and graduated with a Master of Pharmacy degree in Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance from the University of Nairobi, and he has completed a fellowship program in Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2022.
He is currently working as a Pharmaceutical Expert at the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which is one of the African Union (AU) Regional Economic Communities comprising seven (7) countries. He supports the Medicines Regulation Harmonization (MRH) program and the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience (HEPRR) program, which focuses on access to quality health products, including building capacity for local production of vaccines and pharmaceuticals. He worked previously at the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) for over ten (10) years across various regulatory functions, which include regulatory inspections, pharmacovigilance & post-marketing surveillance, and Clinical trials. He has a special interest in drug utilization studies and medicines regulatory sciences.
Dr. Karim has a vast experience at a regional and continental level, where he has participated in various technical working groups (TWGs) on the regulation of medical products as well as the development and review of policy documents such as regulations, strategies, guidelines, and other regulatory frameworks.
Dr. Karim Wanga is a pharmacist by training...
Dr. Madelein Terblanche is a seasoned regulatory affairs and digital transformation expert specializing in eCTD and eSubmission implementation. With extensive experience in training, consulting, and regulatory harmonization, Madelein has played a pivotal role in supporting agencies like SAHPRA and ANMPS in adopting streamlined electronic submission processes.
As a key contributor to eCTD specification authoring, Dr. Madelein has developed industry guidelines and validation criteria, ensuring compliance with global best practices. Her expertise extends to document and submission management configuration, optimizing workflows for regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry.
In addition to regulatory consultancy, Dr. Madelein is a skilled project manager, successfully leading major initiatives such as national regulatory authority implementations, docuBridge system rollouts, and industry workshops. Her commitment to knowledge-sharing is evident in her role as a speaker and moderator at international conferences, including LORENZ Converge, AfriSummit, GCC Summit, and SAAPI.
Passionate about regulatory harmonization in Africa, Dr. Madelein actively contributes to the advancement of eCTD adoption across the continent. Her ability to bridge technical expertise with strategic policy development makes her a leading voice in the field of digital regulatory transformation.
Dr. Madelein Terblanche is a seasoned regulatory affairs...
With a PhD in Biosciences, Dr. Alessandro has extensive experience in defining and driving regulatory policy strategies to support the development of novel vaccines and medical technologies.
Previously, Dr. Alessandro worked at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) in Geneva, supporting on global vaccine regulatory policy. He started his career at GSK, working in various regulatory affairs functions.
With a PhD in Biosciences, Dr. Alessandro has...
Dr. Sara Nageeb El-Helaly graduated from Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo university in 2003. She acquired her PhD in brain targeting intranasal liposomal systems from Cairo University in 2015. After which she acquired a Professional Certified Trainer (PCT) Certificate from the American University in Cairo (AUC) beside holding a full-time position as a lecturer in Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo university, and lecturing as a part-timer in various academic institutions.
In 2020, she settled as a full-time associate professor and head of pharmaceutics and industrial pharmacy department in NGU, School of Pharmacy. In parallel with the academia, she is the chairman of the Institutional Review Board at Pharma Solutions, a Contract Research Organization, since 2016. In 2022, she has been appointed a member of the specialized scientific committees for the evaluation of the quality file of pharmaceutical products submitted under the CTD registration system, variation committee of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) and a member of the expert committee in the Egyptian Pharmacopoeia. In 2023, she joined the United States Pharmacopoeia convention (USP) as a consultant and strategic customer development. In 2024, she was appointed as public policy and regulatory affairs senior manager for the EMEA region. She co-authored a number of publications in the field of formulation development, nanotechnology, and green chemistry.
Dr. Sara Nageeb El-Helaly graduated from Faculty of...
Dr. Jacqueline is a registered pharmacist in Ghana with over 17 years of healthcare experience, specializing in drug regulatory affairs. She holds an MPH from the University of Ghana and a certificate in Clinical Vaccine Development and Biomanufacturing from the University of Oxford. Currently, Jacqueline serves as Senior Regulatory Affairs Lead for Middle East and Africa at CEPI, focusing on regional harmonization and strengthening national regulatory authorities for pandemic preparedness.
Her previous role was Associate Director for Vaccines Regulatory Affairs at Johnson & Johnson, where she led strategies for Emergency Use and Marketing Authorizations across more than 50 LMICs in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, she played a crucial role in engaging with WHO/AVAREF to shape emergency use authorization pathways, especially in Africa.
Dr. Jacqueline has held leadership positions in global regulatory networks, such as Co-Chair of the Africa Regulatory Network (ARN) of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) and a member of IFPMA’s Regulatory Science Committee (RSC). She has actively contributed to Africa’s regulatory harmonization efforts through the AMRH since 2018.
Her prior experience includes leading corporate regulatory strategy for Pfizer in West and Central Africa and working with the 37 Military Hospital and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. Jacqueline has published impactful regulatory articles on Africa and has spoken at various regulatory forums.
Dr. Jacqueline is a registered pharmacist in Ghana...
Dr. Fatima Zaid Abu Zanat is a pioneering leader in pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, with over 17 years of experience ensuring timely patient access to innovative therapies in some of the world’s most dynamic emerging markets. As Regional Director of Regulatory Affairs & Scientific Office at Ipsen Pharma, she blends scientific rigor with strategic leadership, while passionately championing the evolution of regulatory affairs professional into a creative, purpose-driven business partner within Ipsen, partners and beyond.
A pharmacist by training and R&D scientist by education, Dr. Abu Zanat holds three international research publications, two of which are based on her groundbreaking MSc Pharmaceutical Technology thesis on a novel co-drug for dyslipidemia. She also holds the prestigious RAPS Dual Regulatory Affairs Diploma and Certificate. Her contributions to the broader industry include active roles with associations such as RAPS, PhRMA MEA and formerly Mecomed. Her voice and vision continue to be sought after at major, regulatory forums, where she regularly contributes as a speaker and panel moderator.
Her exceptional contributions have earned her prestigious accolades, including the most recent Award of 2025 Global Women Power Leaders for the category of Regulatory Excellence Across Borders, 2023 GCC Regulatory Affairs “Women of the Middle East” Award, 2022 nomination among Ipsen’s top Women of the Year and DUPHAT 2012 3rd Best Professional Poster Award. As a mentor and recognized leader, Dr. Abu Zanat continues to shape the future of regulatory affairs – empowering the next generation to lead with purpose, innovation and integrity.
Dr. Fatima Zaid Abu Zanat is a pioneering...
Dr. George Kamal is the Regional Regulatory Affairs Head for the Regulatory Hub based in Egypt, supporting regulatory operations for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, Russia, and CIS markets at Merck Healthcare KGaA. Before joining Merck, George led the Regulatory Affairs team for international markets at one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Egypt.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Ain Shams University (2005) and a Master of Business Administration from ESLSCS Business School (2019).
Dr. George has more than 17 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, specializing in regulatory affairs and business development across various international markets.
Dr. George Kamal is the Regional Regulatory Affairs...
Dr. Abeer is a pharmaceutical expert with 20 years of experience in pharmacy practice, medication management, healthcare quality, regulatory affairs, health informatics, and data analysis. She holds advanced qualifications, including a Master’s in Logistics and Hospital Management, Health Informatics Fellowship, and Healthcare Quality Management Diploma.
She is currently serving as the Head of Pharmacy Practice and Drug Utilization, Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA).
Her expertise includes advancing pharmacy practice through rational drug use, self-care programs, awareness campaigns, and stakeholder initiatives. She contributed to the development of the National Drug Formulary, Over the counter switching process, Essential Drug List, Clinical & Oncology Pharmacy Practice, Rational Antimicrobial Use Guidance, and antimicrobial consumption use and surveillance.
Dr. Abeer is a pharmaceutical expert with 20...
Rehab is the Manager of the general Administration of Pharmaceutical References and inserts, Central administration of Pharmaceutical Care, Egyptian Drug Authority
She is a board-certified Pharmacist in pharmacotherapy with a Master’s Degree in the field of clinical biochemistry and oncology
She has completed the clinical research scholarship at Harvard Medical School, postgraduate studies in Policy Development and Advocacy for Global Health at the University of Washington and The advanced leadership skills” training program by the National Training Academy.
Over the span of more than 15 years, Rehab has gained extensive experience in various areas of the life sciences sector, with a focus on Regulatory Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, Patient Safety, Drug/Medicine Information, Medical Affairs, Clinical Pharmacy, and Hospital Accreditation Standards.
In her role as the General Manager of Pharmaceutical References and Leaflets, She and her team lead the Electronic Labelling Project and they feel honored to be pioneers in the Middle East and Africa.
She participated in a number of strategic projects, such as the WHO rational Drug use survey, And also was among many expert Working Committees responsible for achieving the “Egyptian Clinical Pharmacy Standards of Practice”, “Egyptian guidelines of Medication Management standards” and Guidelines for Classification as Nonprescription Medicinal Products (OTC).
Dr. Doaa Rady is a highly experienced regulator who has dedicated her career to ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of biological products. With over 10 years of experience in the biological product sector, she has developed a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape and is widely recognized as an expert in her field.
She began her career as a lot release specialist at National Organization for Research and Control of Biologics, where she was responsible for release process for several biological products including vaccines and plasma derived medicinal products. During her tenure, she gained extensive experience in different regulatory functions.
Over the course of her time at the Egyptian regulatory authority, Doaa held several leadership positions, including serving as a team leader for the team establishing the risk-based lot release policy in Egypt, team leader for lot release team achieving WHO ML3 for LR function during benchmark of EDA, Egypt, and deputy of lot release department manager. In these roles, she was responsible for overseeing the review of a wide range of biological products, as well as she has active participation in many working groups responsible for providing guidance to industry on regulatory requirements and best practices.
She has also been an active participant in several professional organizations, including the International society of Pharmacoeconomic & outcome research (ISPOR) and the African Medicine Quality Forum technical committee which is One of the key components of The African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative.
She has served on various international committees and working groups at ISPOR including Health equity special interest group, clinical outcome special interest group, real world evidence interest group and biosimilars interest group.
She had the opportunity to provide her feedback and insights to different regulatory guidelines and papers including ICH- Q9 quality risk management guideline, ICH-Q14 analytical procedure development, WHO approach towards the development of a global regulatory framework for cell and gene therapy products, ISPOR report on mapping HTA agency approaches for biosimilars value assessment and Primer on health equity research in health economics and outcomes research an ISPOR report. Moreover, Doaa Rady serves as peer reviewer for value in health journal and has active participation in reviewing research manuscripts and abstracts.
Doaa Rady holds a Bachelor of pharmaceutical science from the Helwan University, Egypt, a Master of Science degree in Microbiology & Immunology from Cairo, Egypt and Pharmacoeconomic and Health Technology Assessment Diploma from Cairo university in cooperation with Bournemouth university in UK She is a recognized leader in the field of biological product regulatory authority and is highly respected by her colleagues and managers.
Nuran Idris joined GS1 Global Office in January 2020. She works in the Healthcare team as Healthcare manager for Africa. She is based in Nairobi, Kenya and is originally from neighboring Tanzania.
Nuran’s main role at GS1 is to support countries in Africa in establishing pharmaceutical traceability systems using GS1 standards.
Prior to joining GS1, she worked for multiple USAID funded projects in Tanzania and Malawi with short term engagements in Zambia and Ivory Coast. Nuran also briefly worked for one of Global Fund’s project in The Netherlands.
Nuran’s experiences have seen her engage multiple stakeholders from the grass root level up to senior levels in local and international settings. From the digital health angle, Nuran has conducted trainings and managed teams that deployed systems that have contributed positively to improvements in local supply chain operations.
With the power of standards, Nuran strongly believes that even more efficiencies and mostly, improved care to patients can be achieved in developing countries.
Nuran is a Political Scientist and a global eHealth specialist by training.
John currently works at Bayer as Head of Regulatory Affairs responsible for East & West Central Africa Region based in Kenya, responsible for Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Health divisions and doubling up as Regulatory Policy & Intelligence Lead for EEMEA Region. He has previously held different roles in Pharmacovigilance and Quality Control within the Pharmaceutical Industry. He has been an active member of several industry associations including KAPI (Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry) where he has served as member since 2013 including as past executive secretary and continues to serve in in various committees within KAPI and as Board Member.
John is passionate about supporting the streamline of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Systems & Policy and is currently a member of the Africa Regulatory Network (ARN) within the IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations) where he is the immediate past co-chair. Additionally, John represents Bayer in the Africa Engagement Committee of the IFPMA and is currently a member of the Africa Strategy for the Global Self Care Federation (GSCF).
She is responsible for leading and providing strategic direction and oversight to the Country’s regulatory teams, thus ensuring the development and execution of regulatory strategies and plans to meet business objectives.
Bunmi has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in Sales & mostly Regulatory Affairs (RA). She is a principled individual, passionate about integrity and business ethics, and a spirited team player.
She joined Pfizer in 1992 as a Medical Sales Representative and was appointed Regulatory Affairs Manager for Ghana and Nigeria in 1999.
In 2005, she was appointed as an Associate Director, Regulatory, Safety, and Quality to cover East, West, and Central Africa and her responsibilities have since increased.
She is a member of the IFPMA African Regulatory Network. She sits on various committees for the development of Regulatory Policies and Guidelines to support regulatory systems strengthening in partnership with local trade associations and other stakeholders.
Bunmi holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and an MBA from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
She is passionate about developing people, building effective teams, and conflict management.a
More than 15 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry,
My career journey is diverse, and I had the pleasure to experience different roles in the pharmaceutical industry starting from Sales moving to Sales Force Effectiveness and then shifting to Regulatory, where I found my passion and kept progressing in my career development till reaching my current role as “Africa Science Affairs Head in Sanofi Consumer Healthcare” responsible for all the science functions (Regulatory – Medical – Quality & Pharmacovigilance) across Africa.
Dr. Aliou NDIAYE, esteemed pharmacist and specialized in the digitalization of the healthcare system and the development of digital health solutions, is a distinguished leader in the field of health innovation and the development of AI-based medical technology.
Dr. Aliou holds three degrees from UCAD: a Doctorate in Pharmacy from the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry (FMPO), a Master’s in Health Facilities and Programs Management from the Faculty of Economics and Management (FASEG), and a Master’s in Project Management from the School of Applied Economics (ESEA).
He is also certified in agile project management with SCRUM, and implementation research. Additionally, he has training in evaluating drug marketing authorization (MA) application dossiers and clinical trial implementation requests.
Throughout his career, Dr. Aliou has worked on the digitalization of the healthcare system, particularly focusing on digitizing patients’ medical records, care pathways, and health services in Senegal. He has also been involved in situational analysis and addressing issues related to the dispensing and misuse of medications containing codeine.
Currently, he is serving at the Senegalese pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP), where he is working on implementing a drug serialization system.
Dr. Safa’ has more than 30 years of experience in research and development, quality and regulatory affairs within the pharmaceutical industry and held several leadership positions in Jordan and Tunisia. She has wide experience in developing and registering new generic products targeting global markets in the USA, Europe and MENA.
Dr. Safa’ is currently heading the Regulatory Affairs activities in the MENA region in Hikma Pharmaceuticals. She is responsible for the development of the regulatory strategies and setting the required implementation plans across more than 16 countries in the region. She works closely with health authorities to help in shaping the regulatory environment in the region.
Dr. Safa’ has:
BSc in Pharmacy from University of Jordan
MSc in Drug Analysis from Monastir University, Tunisia
PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from University of Lille, France
Dr. Safa’ is an active member of the Jordanian Association for Pharmacists JAP – Registration Committee. She delivers lectures in different Jordanian universities on regulatory affairs and other pharmaceutical industry topics. In 2019, she received an appreciation and recognition award from the association for her significant contribution to the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Jordan.
She is also an active member in the scientific committee of the AUPAM (Arab Union for Pharmaceutical Manufactures) and the scientific committee of the Charity Medicine Bank in Jordan.
Dr. Hala has over 25 years of experience in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare industries and had several leadership roles within Regulatory Affairs, External Affairs, and Marketing.
She is a pharmacist by education, licensed both in the UAE and Canada.
A visionary entrepreneur and an industry captain, Dr. Amit N. Thakker, has been a ground-breaking pioneer in the integration of private sector within the healthcare system in Africa. Dr Thakker actively supports governments, corporates, health organisations and development partners to foster effective public private partnership initiatives towards improved health outcomes.
He is the executive chairman of Africa Health Business, a health consultancy, advisory and investment firm that aims to improve access to quality affordable healthcare in Africa. He is also the president of Africa Healthcare Federation, chairperson of the Kenya Health Professionals Oversight Authority, a member of the Ethical Principles in Health Care (EPiHC) advisory board, he is a fellow of The Academy of Public Health (APH), and the former chairman of Kenya Healthcare Federation. He has served as a director at LumiraDx, Seven Seas Technology, AMREF Flying Doctors Action Aid, East African Health Platform and East African Business Council.
As an active member of several institutions including international business group YPO Gold (Nairobi Chapter), Dr. Thakker also chairs the University of Nairobi Alumni Medical Chapter and serves as an Advisor/Director to AAIC Investment PTE. Ltd, Coalition for Blood in Africa (CoBA), United Asian Network (UAN), Ghanima Ltd, KEPSA (Kenya Private Sector Alliance) and Ministry of Health, Kenya.
Dr. Thakker founded Avenue Healthcare, a Kenyan based integrated private health service provider in 1995 which lead him to receive the “Best Male Entreprenuer of the Year” award by Rotary International in 1999. He has served as the CEO for Amini Management Ltd, Africa Medical Investments plc, Momentum Kenya leading him to win “Best CEO” award by Titans Global in the Business and Professional services category in 2017 and proudly received the Chairman’s Award for Kenya Medical Association in 2004.
Neveen holds degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy – Faculty of Pharmacy – Cairo University. She is currently Head of Regulatory Affairs North Africa, Egypt & Africa Developing Markets at Merck, supporting regulatory policy advocacy efforts for the region. She has over 20 years of experience in industry and 16 years of them as Regulatory Affairs, Prior to Regulatory Affairs she worked in several Multinational companies in different roles Commercial, Quality, Pharmacovigilance, Market Access & pricing. Neveen is also an active member of several trade associations including IFPMA Africa Regulatory Network (ARN); PhRMA Egypt Regulatory working Group; She participated in writing the Position paper for Registration Sampling & QC testing (IFPMA ARN)
At present, Ms. Mariham Gergis holds the position of the designated sub-team lead for life cycle management at EMEA Regulatory Management Center, where her scope of responsibility extends to the non-EEA region. She brings to the table a valuable nine-year span of local and regional regulatory experience.
Ms. Gergis embarked on her regulatory journey in December 2014 at MSD Egypt, assuming the role of Middle East labeling specialist. Through her tenure at MSD, she traversed through multiple roles, encompassing both labeling and regulatory capacities at the local level. Her oversight extended to pivotal areas like oncology and diabetes franchises.
In March 2020, Ms. Gergis transitioned to Janssen, the pharmaceutical entity under Johnson & Johnson, ushering in a new phase of regional engagement. Within the EMEA Regulatory Management Center, she assumed the mantle of Life Cycle Management, catering to the regulatory needs of the Jordan Egypt North Africa cluster /GCC, alongside the Kenya Nigeria Ghana clusters. Her journey within the organization culminated in a well-deserved promotion to her existing role.
Dr. Fatima Zaid Abu Zanat is an aspirational, committed, and experienced Regulatory Affairs/Quality Assurance (RA/ QA) professional with total of 17 years’ experience, with more than 12 RA/QA years in medical device, pharmaceutical and biotech industry across emerging markets with solid scientific background in product research/ development. Significant, strategic management exposure, where she is keen on developing optimum organization through performing periodical assessments, leading transformational changes, and developing best practices across the borders.
She was recently, professionally awarded the GCC Regulatory Affairs Award 2023 for the achievement “Woman of the Middle East” . She holds RAPS Dual Regulatory Affairs Diploma and Certificate (RAC Dual) in Medical Devices/Pharmaceuticals in addition to MSc in Pharmaceutical Technology. She is an active member in regulatory working groups within regulatory associations such as RAPS MENA local networking group as well as industry associations such as PhRMA MEA and formerly MECOMED. She is a licensed Basic Life Support Giver by American Heart Association and Licensed Specialist Pharmacist by UAE Ministry of Health and Jordan Food and Drug Administration.
She successfully established and managed multiple, UAE Scientific Offices for regional headquarters of emerging markets within Dubai, UAE; enabling organic/in-organic business growth. She built strong, direct channels with key, regional health authorities for continuous, shaping of the industry. She is experienced with development and management of teams on regional and global levels.
International publications:
Honors and awards:
Marlene Moonsamy spent several years in her initial career in Human Resources before switching careers and graduated with a BPharm degree in 2005 and MSc. Med degree in Pharmacotherapy in 2016, both from Wits University, Johannesburg, South Africa. She spent 16 years in the pharma industry, 14 of which, were in regulatory affairs and has gained substantial exposure and experience across various multinationals such as Novartis Pharma, Johnson & Johnson Consumer, GSK Consumer & Pharma, Abbott Laboratories and AstraZeneca.
She honed her regulatory skills across various African markets including English, Portuguese and French markets, and across various sectors such as Prescription (Small molecules and biologicals), Consumer, OTC, Complementary Medicines and Medical Devices. Her current role is Head of Regulatory Affairs for OTC division at Adcock Ingram. As a leader in regulatory affairs, she believes that a global, quality-oriented, patient-focused and growth mindset is essential for success, and endeavors to keep up with global trends and landscape changes.
Inas is a holder of Pharmacy diploma, and Master in EU and International Regulations and Healthcare Laws from Paris V University.
Inas has 20 years expertise in the European and Emergent markets regulations; she worked for various MNCs, and currently she is heading the Regulatory and Policy departments for MEA region in Novartis.
Her focus and interest are the Healthcare reforms and legislations, policy shaping with main objective to accelerate patient access to innovative medicines.
Inas chaired EFPIA and PhRMA association groups for 6 consecutive years, and actively participating as speaker in regional and international conferences.
Regulatory Affairs expert with 14 years of solid Regulatory Affairs background in the pharmaceutical industry.
Profile and Areas of Expertise:
Experienced in developing different regulatory strategies in-line with business needs, leading registration, and lifecycle maintenance plans. In addition to safety management, compliance, SOPs design and audit readiness. Managed different lifecycle stages of an organization (merger, integration, and spin-off).
Drive interactions with Health Authorities, influence regulatory reforms and shape the external regulatory environment and health care policies.
Aspired to drive processes enhancements (Lean Six Sigma green belt certified). Have led and been a team member of different successful cross-functional projects including but not limited to New Product Launches, CMC and Ancillary component management, Safety management and Digital transformation in pharmaceutical industry.
Respect and leverage human capital – Motivate, coach, mentor and lead talented professionals helping teams to reach high integrated performance.
Mr. Abebe Alamneh, esteemed regulatory affairs professional at East Africa Regulatory Affairs professionals Association (EARAPA) and Ethiopia Food and Drug authority (EFDA) , is a distinguished leader in the field of pharmaceutical regulatory affairs. With over 4 years of experience in leadership in the professional association and more than 8 years in the pharmaceutical regulation , he has been instrumental in pioneering the establishment of the East Africa regulatory affairs professionals association, an important plat form for regulatory information sharing, capacity building and cooperation’s among the East African and African pharmaceuticals regulatory system. Mr. Abebe holds Msc. in pharmaceutical regulatory Affairs from Addis Ababa University and Bpharma from Mekelle University.
A passionate advocate for the advancement of pharmaceutical regulation in Africa , Mr. Abebe regularly speaks at international conferences, sharing his insights on the future of regulatory landscape in East Africa region and the continent at large.
Dr. Mona Al Moussli is a trailblazer in the field of pharmaceutical and medical device regulatory affairs in the Middle East. With over twenty years of experience, she has firmly established herself as a seasoned professional renowned for her unparalleled expertise in navigating the intricacies of healthcare regulations.
Throughout her career, Dr. Al Moussli has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to upholding the highest standards of ethics and compliance within the industry. In 2013, she co-founded PRA Consultancy, a firm that has since become synonymous with regulatory excellence in the region.
Her impact transcends traditional boardroom boundaries as she actively works to shape the future of healthcare regulation through education and advocacy. Notably, Dr. Al Moussli played a pivotal role in the inception of the GCC Regulatory Affairs (RA) Course, a pioneering certification program designed to nurture the next generation of industry experts.
Fueled by her passion for advancing health and safety standards, Dr. Al Moussli has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including the renowned GCC Regulatory Affairs Pharma Summit and other significant gatherings focused on pharmaceutical-related regulations in the region.
Dr. Al Moussli’s commitment to advancing regulatory standards transcends borders, as evidenced by her initiation of the AFRI Summit. This crucial platform facilitates discussions on pharmaceutical and medical device regulations in Africa, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration among stakeholders to improve healthcare outcomes across the continent.
Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Al Moussli remains actively involved in community engagement, serving as an advisory board member at Dubai Pharmacy College and lending her expertise to the Women’s Business Council at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Dr. Mona Al Moussli was elected as a board member of the Emirates Medical Association – Pharmacy chapter for consecutive terms in 2021 and 2022.
With a PhD in Biosciences, Alessandro has extensive experience in defining and driving regulatory policy strategies to support the development of novel vaccines and medical technologies. Previously, Alessandro worked at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) in Geneva, supporting on global vaccine regulatory policy. Alessandro started his career at GSK, working in various regulatory affairs functions.
Dr. Chantalle is the Focal Point of the WHO-AIRP collaborative procedure for the evaluation of medicines and vaccines for WHO prequalification.
Dr. Ahmed is the Country Head for Opella “Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Business Unit” in Egypt. He has over 17 years of experience in FMCH industry across the Middle East.
Before being named Country Head in June 2024, Dr. Ahmed was responsible for Opella’s Allergy portfolio within AMET (Africa, Middle East & Turkey) Zone,
Prior to joining Sanofi Consumer Healthcare in 2015, Dr. Ahmed used to work at the Consumer Healthcare division of Johnson & Johnson (now known as Kenvue). He has managed a wide portfolio across North & West African countries.
Dr. Ahmed earned an MBA (Masters of Business Administration), Major Marketing from The Arab Academy for Science & Technology in 2011 and a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science from Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University in 2007. His passion is about making self-care simple and accessible for everyone.
Dr. Ahmed El-lekawy is the founder of the General Administration of Innovative Products at Egyptian Drug Authority. He issued the first innovative products’ regulatory guideline to permit the registration of innovative products for the first time in Egypt. He also was the previous head of pharmacoeconomics unit at Egyptian Drug Authority. During operation of pharmacoeconomics unit, he updated Egyptian pharmacoeconomics threshold for better pharmacoeconomics practice in Egypt. Dr. El-lekawy has a great drug registration & pricing experience gained from working for Egyptian Drug Authority for more than 7 years. Also he has a sound knowledge of clinical nutrition gained form working for Knew Kasr Al-Aini Teaching hospital as a parenteral nutrition pharmacist for more than 4 years. Dr. El-lekawy has strong research capabilities with a Master’s degree in pharmacology and toxicology from Cairo University & excellent knowledge of data analysis & statistics.
He is Vice Chairman of the Unified Procurement Authority, Egypt since 2020, responsible for supply chain management of the Egyptian governmental healthcare sector, covering all the healthcare spectrum of needed products.
• CEO, El Gomhouria Co. for chemicals and pharmaceuticals 2018-2020, a well-known public sector major pharmaceutical and medical supplies company.
• Physician, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Master of Surgery.
• MBA, Supply Chain Management, and International Trade Logistics.
25 years of experience in business management in different fields including healthcare & pharmaceutical manufacturing, FMCG, trade and distribution both locally and internationally.
Ramez Sawiris serves as the R&D lead for Haleon Middle East and Africa and is the Vice Chair of MENAP-SMI (Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan Self Medication Industry), where he has played an important role in leading discussions on self-care in the region. With over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare industries, Ramez oversees the research and development activities across the MEA region, ensuring the delivery of innovative and high-quality products that align with consumer needs and regulatory standards.
Ramez holds a robust background in regulatory affairs, regulatory strategy development, pricing, and external engagement. Through his leadership, Ramez has built and maintained strategic partnerships with key stakeholders including government agencies, industry associations, and healthcare professionals, reinforcing Haleon’s commitment to deliver better everyday health across MEA. Ramez also holds an MBA in Management from the University of Bradford and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Cairo University.
Work Experience:
Haleon
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
Eli Lilly
Education:
MBA Management (1998-1999) – University of Bradford – United Kingdom
Bs Ph, Pharmacy (1988-1993) – Cairo University – Egypt
Dr Nancy Ngum is a Public Health Expert at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) working under the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative. Her primary responsibility is focused on the operationalization of the African Medicines Agency (AMA), by supporting the coordination of the Regional Medicines Regulatory harmonisation programmes. She is also leading the team of experts in Africa tasked to oversee the development of a Regulatory Information Management System (RIMS) and Regulatory Information Sharing Platform (RISP) for Africa. She is passionate about patient access to safe, quality and efficacious medical products and has embarked on conducting studies to assess the performance of Regulatory Review Systems with a view to improving patients’ access to Medicines in Africa. Dr Ngum holds a Ph.D. in Regulatory Sciences from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. Based on her passion, she has authored several publications in top medical journals and has published a book on “The Role of Regional Initiatives in the Operationalization of the African Medicines Agency
Sybil a Ghanaian and a Pharmacist with 35 years’ experience and 25 years as Pharmaceutical and Quality Assurance Analyst. She was the former Ag. Principal Program Officer for Public Health and Pharmaceuticals as well as the Head of Public Health Division of West African Health Organization (WAHO) for the past 14 years. She was the MRH coordinator and currently on retirement but supporting the West Africa Medicines Regulatory Harmonization Initiative (WA-MRH), the Pooled Procurement Mechanism and eCTD development in the ECOWAS region. Sybil supported must of the Regulatory Agencies in the ECOWAS region to achieve Autonomy as well as strengthen their regulatory systems, quality management systems and WHO Global benchmarking maturity levels of which FDA-Ghana and NAFDAC- Nigeria have obtain ML3 while others are in ML2.
She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Africa Medicines Regulatory Harmonization Initiative (AMRHI) and the development of the Africa Medicines Agency Treaty as well as the preparations towards its establishment. She has impacted a lot on the human resource training and capacity development of regional professionals and experts in the pharmaceutical sector, supported building of most local manufacturers capacity to comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in the ECOWAS region.
She is a PhD candidate in Public Health Administration and Policy (Walden University-USA) and Lead Auditor for (ISO 45001:2018-OHSMS, ISO14001:2015-EMS, ISO9001:2015-QMS, ISO17025:2017-QCL. Coordinated the ECOWAS COVID-19 vaccines Taskforce to ensure effective access of COVID-19 vaccines and other medical products for the region during the pandemic. Identified 5 local vaccines manufacturers in the region, supported and each of the manufactures are at different levels of development to produce various vaccines from 2024 to enhance the existing vaccine industry of which one is an antigen developer and the another has started producing anti-snake serum in Ghana. Sybil is a Regulatory Consultant and the CEO for SNAAP Access.
Sakhile Dube-Mwedzi is the Co-ordinator for the SADC Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (SADC MRH) Project. A pharmacist by profession and a regulatory scientist at heart, Sakhile has been involved with the project since 2015. Her role and responsibility is to support the Host Agency – the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, joint SADC/NEPAD Agency Secretariat and SADC Regulators Forum and coordinate overall project implementation, including ZaZiBoNa activities, across all SADC Member States.
Dr. Yasmine Mohamed Hisham is currently serving as the Manager of the Evaluation Unit for Imported Pharmaceuticals at the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) since November 2021. A 2011 graduate of Cairo University’s Faculty of Pharmacy, she is responsible for the evaluation, registration, and market authorization of both imported and local human pharmaceuticals, ensuring they meet the required standards for safety and efficacy. She has experience in pharmaceutical regulation, having previously led regulatory affairs for key ministerial decrees.
I am a pharmacist by training and graduated with Masters of pharmacy in Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance from University of Nairobi and a fellow in Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
I am a senior principal regulatory officer at the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, in the department of product safety, having worked with PPB for over ten years across several regulatory functions which include regulatory inspections, pharmacovigilance and post-marketing surveillance. I have special interest in drug utilization studies and medicines regulatory sciences.
She is the General Manager of Biological Products general administration in addition to being the Head of biological products Marketing Authorization Administration at Egyptian Drug
Authority.
She had a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical science.
She had a master’s degree in business administration in project management.
She is an external evaluator (assessor of biological products & vaccine) at African Union Development Agency- NEPAD.
She is EDA representative as a member in the African Medicine Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) Technical Committee on Regulatory Capacity Development (RCD-TC).
She is EDA representative as Chairperson of RCD-TC Subcommittee on Vaccines Regulatory
Oversight.
She was the former head of post approval changes department of biological products.
She was a member in the WHO team for assessing Covid-19 vaccines submitted for EUL.
She was a member in the team of updating registration guideline of biosimilar product in EGYPT.
She was a member in the team of issuing Procedures for Registration of Biological products through Reliance pathways.
Head of National Control Laboratory. National regulatory authority since 2023. Tunisia.
Chief Department «Pharmaco-Toxicology» Department at the Tunisian National Drug Control laboratory since 2018.
Responsible for the evaluation of Biologics, Biosimilars, blood derivatives, and Human and veterinary Vaccines dossier since 2008.
BACKGROUND
Leadership and Management in Health. University of Washington. Department of Global Health.
Dr. Marwa Souei is the Head of Regulatory Affairs across Africa, Middle East and Turkey at Sanofi Consumer Healthcare (Opella). With an extensive background as Regulatory, Medical, Quality and Pharmacovigilance Expert in Pharmaceutical Industry, she holds a PhD in Pharmacy and a Master’s Degree in Quality Management in the Health Field.
She brings a wealth of experience gained from Local, Regional and Global roles within Multinational Pharmaceutical companies.
Marwa has been instrumental in shaping and implementing innovative business models across Africa and is passionate about driving science inspired innovation to meet healthcare needs. Her leadership continues to foster regulatory excellence and strategic insights across the regions she oversees.
Dr. Yousra is a Regulatory Affairs and Commercial & Distribution Quality Assurance Director, Strategic Project Lead with over 20 years of diversified experience from various leadership positions in Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance within Health Authority as well as multinational organizations at both regional and local levels.
Dr. Yousra is currently leading Abbott-Gulf, Levant & Emerging Markets Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance and Strategic Projects. In her role in Abbott Established Pharmaceutical Division; Yousra is responsible for setting Regulatory Strategies for New Product Introduction, Geo-expansion, Licensing & Acquisition, Localization, Life cycle management, enhancement of promotional model, as well as Regulatory risk mitigation and regulatory compliance.
Dr. Yousra has set effective regulatory strategies of external engagement including Health authorities, local distributors, trade associations and Third-Party Manufacturers. This is in addition to her Quality Assurance responsibilities of establishing and embedding Quality Management System within GEM & Levant.
On top of that, she set the base for strategic projects within the Gulf & Emerging Markets and lead the execution of a variety of initiatives that support patient centricity.
Dr. Yousra is holding a bachelor of pharmaceutical sciences from Cairo University and RAPS-DPC certification/USA-UAE and She has also completed the “New Leadership Program (NLP)”, by Harvard Business School and is currently enrolled in “Professional Diploma in Business Planning and Strategy”, by Rochester Institute of Technology, USA.
Zivanai is a highly motivated pharmaceutical regulatory science professional with more than 12 years’ experience. He has vast experience in various aspects of human, complementary (herbal and nutraceuticals) and veterinary medicines regulation such as product quality, safety and efficacy assessments. Zivanai is proud to have participated as an important team member during the pioneering of medicines assessment and GMP inspections under the SADC Regulatory harmonisation initiative (ZAZIBONA) from 2013 to 2017. His current role at MCAZ is the Chief Regulatory Officer responsible for leading the evaluations team in the Evaluations and Registration Division.
Dr. Mohamed Larbi Jelassi holds a PharmD with a specialty in Industrial Pharmacy from Monastir University and Paris Descartes University, as well as a master’s degree in Management in Health Care from Paris Sud University. With 17 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, he has developed expertise in Market Access, Regulatory Affairs, Corporate Affairs, and Marketing across the Middle East and Africa.
Je suis zineb housni, pharmacienne inspecteur, évaluatrice des dossiers d’autorisation de mise sur le marché des médicaments à usage humain depuis janvier 2015
Direction de Médicament et de Pharmacie – Maroc
Good evening.
I am Zineb Housni, Pharmacist Inspector, Evaluator Of Marketing Authorization Files For Medicinal Products For Human Use Since January 2015
Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacy – Morocco
Eric Konan, Regulatory Affairs Director with expertise in Team Management, New product introduction, license maintenance, portfolio optimization, management of technical and labelling variations for global pharmaceutical organizations.
Eric Konan holds a Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Felix Houphouet Boigny University of Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire).
He has Demonstrated ability to manage regulatory risks and set up appropriate mitigation plan to prevent issues.
Very attached to innovation, Eric is continuously challenging the statu quo to improve performance and outcomes.
Member of regulatory committee of LIPA (Pharmaceutical Industry trade association), Eric has demonstrated passion and commitment for negotiation and advocacy with Public and Private stakeholders for solving problems and improving the regulatory environment in Africa.
Mr. Lyoko Nyambe is a pharmacist with over seventeen years working experience, four of which were spent in hospital pharmacy practice and thirteen as a regulator.
The areas of expertise include marketing authorisation, clinical trials, and pharmacovigilance. In addition, he has also been managing inspectorate functions as such as licensing, GMP and GDP inspections, PMS, and safe disposal of medicines in the country for over 4 years.
Fransina is a qualified pharmacist with vast experience in the pharmaceutical sector. Currently finalizing a Master’s program in Pharmaceutical Policy Administration and Regulatory Affairs. I have worked in the medical benefit management industry, community pharmacy, medicines policy and coordination, drug research and development and most recently medicines regulation as Registrar of Medicines and head of the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Agency.I am also an alumni of the Afrika!Kommt Fellowship program and have served as member of the Namibia Pharmacy Council as well as assisted the Health Professionals Council of Namibia in various portfolios including as member of the Appeal Committee of the Medical and Dental Council of Namibia.In addition I am a a Commisioner of the National Drug Commission and an ex-officio member of the Namibia National Immunization Technical Advisory Group.
My current role as Registrar of Medicines in Namibia , is a challenging yet rewarding role , one which enables contribution to the critical need of public health service delivery for all Namibians , in ensuring that our population has access to safe , effective and quality assured medicines and medical products. This responsibility goes beyond the boardrooms of our offices , ministry and country , as it requires engagements with key stakeholders internally , within the region , continentally and indeed on a global scale to facilitate initiatives which will strengthen the regulatory systems of our country, including legislative reforms , enhancement of expertise and skills development for our staff , acquisition of regulatory information management systems, and enabling harmonization and collaborative working platforms to facilitate timely access to treatment for every citizen seeking healthcare in Namibia.
Dr. Fatima Zaid Abu Zanat is an accomplished Regulatory Affairs/Quality Assurance (RA/QA) professional with a total of 17 years of experience spanning the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries across emerging markets. She holds a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Technology and the prestigious RAPS Dual Regulatory Affairs Diploma and Certificate. Dr. Abu Zanat possesses a strong scientific background in product research and development and is keen on strategic best practices implementation. A distinguished speaker and panel moderator at key regulatory conferences, Dr. Abu Zanat actively contributes to industry-wide, regulatory discussions. Her dedication and contributions have not gone unnoticed, where she was honored by the GCC Regulatory Affairs Award in 2023 for her outstanding achievements and impact in the region as the “Woman of the Middle East”. She is actively engaged in regulatory and industry associations. She is also recognized for her leadership in establishing and managing UAE Scientific Offices, fostering growth, and building strong relationships with regional health authorities. Beyond her professional endeavors, Dr. Abu Zanat has made significant contributions to international publications, highlighting her thought leadership and expertise. Her accolades, including nominations such as the Women of Ipsen Nomination and the DUPHAT 2012 3rd Best Professional Poster Award, underscore her commitment to innovation and excellence.
Dr. ABATOUR holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from Mohammed V University of Rabat. She is the Chief of Medical Device Unit at Directorate of medicines and pharmacy in Morocco. With over 10 years of experience in hospital pharmaceutical management and regulatory affairs, her technical and regulatory expertise enables her to meticulously evaluate the medical device registration files.
Dr Kurdi is currently working as Regulatory Affairs & Public Policy Senior Manager for EMEA Region at
USP. USP is a non-Profit non-Governmental Organization with mission of assuring Quality of Medicines.
Main responsibilities are to engage with USP Stakeholders, mainly National Regulatory Authorities,
National Control Laboratories, International Organization like WHO, Pharmaceutical Association, Drug
Policy Makers with topics and initiatives related to Heath and Quality.
Dr Kurdi has over 30 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry in Quality Control, Quality
Assurance, Research and Development, Regulatory Affairs, Commercial and Business Development
including Technology Transfer (TT) as well licensing activities. Dr Kurdi held executive and management
position during her work with Pharmaceutical Industry.
Additionally, Dr Kurdi served as a member with more than committee nationally and international; with
JFDA on re-registration of generic products, Control of Pharmaceutical Products, Control of Active
Pharmaceutical Ingredient used in Pharmaceutical Product, Value Added Medicine and Site
Accreditation Committee. With United State Pharmacopeia as an expert in the advisory panels of
General Chapter (1197) and with International Generic and Biosimilar Medicine Association (IGBA)
representing JAPM in Biosimilar Committee.
Dr Kurdi has many research papers published in Scientific Journals and she is frequent speaker in
Pharmaceutical Conferences.
Jacqueline Acquah is a registered pharmacist in Ghana and holds an MPH from the University of Ghana.
Jacqueline has over 16 years of experience in healthcare, with a significant number of those years being in regulatory affairs.
She previously worked for Johnson & Johnson as an Associate Director responsible for vaccines regulatory affairs in emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). There, she was instrumental in developing strategies in obtaining Emergency Use and Marketing authorizations to potentiate access to J&J vaccines in over 50 LMICs, particularly COVID-19 vaccines, during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also instrumental in working with the WHO/AVAREF, Africa Vaccines Regulatory Forum during the COVID-19 pandemic, to shape the regulatory ecosystem for emergency use authorizations.
Jacqueline also served as Co-Chair for the Africa Regulatory Network (ARN) of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) and was a member of IFPMA’s Regulatory Science Committee (RSC), the highest regulatory decision-making body of the IFPMA. Together with other industry colleagues, she led the association to work in collaboration with regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry in Africa to encourage greater harmonization of regulatory requirements on the African continent and strengthening of the regulatory ecosystem.
Through the IFPMA, she has supported the work of the AMRH since 2018, sitting on various TCs and contributing to regulatory harmonization on the continent.
Prior to joining J&J, Jacqueline worked with Pfizer, leading corporate regulatory strategy in West and Central Africa.
Jacqueline has also previously worked the 37 Military Hospital and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. Jacqueline has contributed to several regulatory publications on Africa and spoken at various international regulatory affairs fora.
Pharmacist and Project Manager, leading the digital transformation of the Agency of Medicines and Health Products (ANMPS), overseeing both the integrated information system and the eCTD components. Serving as the focal point for the National Pharmaceutical Policy project at ANMPS, Dr Aounallah is also a member of the provisional secretariat of the NA-MRH initiative and sits on the ANMPS implementation committee, contributing to the strategic advancement of pharmaceutical regulation and policy in Tunisia.
Meet Gorkem, a dedicated International Marketing Manager at VISIOTT, specializing in Track and Trace solutions and Vision Inspection systems. With a fervent enthusiasm for data analytics and international trade, he thrives in fostering global partnerships and driving
tangible results. He brings a wealth of experience to his role and is committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation in his field.
Tutku is a dynamic Marketing Director at VISIOTT, where she leads strategic marketing efforts in the track and trace industry. Renowned for her expertise in shaping effective marketing solutions, she consistently seeks to enhance customer relationships in
international markets. With a people-first mentality and a wide range of interests, Tutku views every professional interaction as an opportunity to build strong, lasting partnerships and deliver impactful results
He is the Chief Executive officer of EVOTEQ, a UAE-based digital solutions provider. Jihad is a leader in the technology and telecom industry in the region, bringing in his wealth of experience and expertise to spearhead the development of advanced technology solutions that increase efficiency, support business growth, and fuel digital innovation. Under his leadership, EVOTEQ has successfully achieved numerous milestones, undertaking several large-scale landmark projects.
Dr. Ivan Emil is a Microbiologist and a seasoned Public Health Laboratory Scientist with over a decade of experience as the Division Manager at Rwanda’s National Reference Laboratory. His management led to the laboratory attainment of ISO 15189. His extensive background encompasses regulatory affairs at national, regional, and international levels, with a strong emphasis on infectious diseases through research and academia work skillset.
In his current role at the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA), he serves as a Technical Analyst, responsible for the assessment of medical devices, in vitro diagnostics (IVDs), vaccines, and biologicals. At Rwanda FDA, He has played a key role in implementing regulatory reliance and recognition pathways, streamlining registration processes for medical devices and IVDs to facilitate efficient market access. His involvement in the Rwanda FDA Quality Management Committees further underscores his commitment to advancing regulatory standards and improving practices through collaborative pathways.
Dr Ivan’s contributions are essential to the ongoing development of medical device regional harmonization regulations, ensuring registration of quality product on Rwandan Market that are safe and efficacious to fit Rwanda FDA long term mandate of protecting public health
Dr. Fazila is a Regulatory Affairs over 15 years of diversified experience from various leadership positions in Regulatory Affairs , Quality Assurance Pharmacovigilance outsourcing Project Management within multinational organizations at both regional and local levels.
Dr. Fazila is currently leading French Africa speaking cluster Regulatory Affairs,. In her role in Abbott Established Pharmaceutical Division; Fazila is responsible for setting Regulatory Strategies for New Product Introduction, Geo-expansion, Licensing & Acquisition, Localization, Life cycle management, enhancement of promotional model, as well as Regulatory risk mitigation and regulatory compliance.
Dr. Fazila has set effective regulatory strategies of external engagement including Health authorities, local distributors, trade associations and Third-Party Manufacturers.
Dr. Fazila is holding a bachelor of pharmaceutical sciences from Algeria University and has a lot certifications in project management leadership for results and Market Access
An Industrial Pharmacist of 30 years. Started her career at Adcock Ingram (pre – Sterling Winthrop) in production of Panado tablets and Syrup before moving to Smith & Nephew in 1992, which became BSNmedical (2001), National Bio-products (20004) as Pharmacist Plant Manager (ampoules / Vials ) followed by own Consulting business 2005.
At Smith & Nephew, introduced to medical devices such as burns creams, wound dressings, bandages and plasters and the new quality management system, at the time, ISO9001 and moving to ISO 13485 in 2000.
Worked in Production, Quality Assurance, Regulatory affairs, Validation and Laboratory Management of a chemistry, microbiology and textile laboratory.
In 2005, the consultancy business started providing.
A member of PSSA, SAAPHI, SAHFE, SAMED, MDPG (Chairperson 2019) MDMSA (chairperson 2021), and is a committee member of the SAMED Regulatory and Procurement committees and the SABS Technical committees for textiles and medical devices
Dr. Rachel J Mujawimana is a pharmacist with 14 years of experience in the pharmaceutical sector, covering community and regulatory pharmacy. She currently works as an Inspector of Drugs at the Uganda National Drug Authority, where she is responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of medicines and medical products in Uganda.
Dr. Rachel is the focal person for medical devices within the Directorate of Inspectorate and Enforcement. She holds a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Trinity College Dublin and is certified in ISO 13485, specializing in quality management systems for medical devices.
In her role, Dr. Rachel has been actively involved in screening imports of drugs and medical devices to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. She has also contributed to policy discussions on Uganda’s new legislation regarding medical devices and carried out audits of manufacturers, improving regulatory compliance and raising safety standards. Dr. Rachel is dedicated to advancing public health and ensuring that safe, high-quality medical products are accessible to all.
Dr. Radwa El Moneer is the Head of Pharmaceutical Policies & Market Access Central Administration at Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) & also the supervisor of EDA Chairman Office.
Dr. Radwa El Moneer stands as one of the most prominent woman leaders in the field of pharmaceutical regulations in Egypt & …. Africa. Through her influential positions and dedication to improving the pharmaceutical industry, she has made significant contributions to the development and implementation of regulatory policies in the country, in a way that makes her contributions to the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt.
Dr. Mariam Maged is the Manager of human pharmaceuticals Variations Administration at the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), where being responsible for all types of post market changes for human pharmaceutical drugs.
She started her career almost 11 years ago in the central administration of pharmaceutical affairs (CAPA) after graduation from faculty of pharmacy Future university with grade excellent with honor, in 2012 started the new career path as a registration specialist in CAPA .In 2020 with establishment of EDA Started a new career as manager of evaluation unit of specification and composition variation until 2021 where promoted to the current title in EDA as Manager of human pharmaceuticals Variations Administration.
She had a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical science.
She had a master’s degree in business administration in project management.
She is EDA representative as a member in the African Medicine Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) Technical Committee on Regulatory Capacity Development (RCD-TC).
She is EDA representative as Chairperson of RCD-TC Subcommittee on Vaccines Regulatory
Oversight.
She was the former head of post approval changes department of biological products.
She was a member in the WHO team for assessing Covid-19 vaccines submitted for EUL.
She was a member in the team of updating registration guideline of biosimilar product in EGYPT.
She was a member in the team of issuing Procedures for Registration of Biological products through Reliance pathways.
She has 19 years’ Experience as Regulator Covering different roles in in various fields as Good Clinical Practice – Good Pharmacovigilance Practice – Regulatory Affairs – Pharmaceutical Production – Quality Assurance – Technical Methodology – GMP Inspection – Health Care Quality , key functions such as Quality Compliance, Documentation, Personnel, Biosafety, Performance Improvement, Validation, and, Strategic Planning, Quality System Management, Management of Quality Function, Project Planning and Initiation, Quality Control Techniques, Production Steps through GMP Trainings and reviewing Manufacturer`s Master files and production summary protocols and working as operation and facility Manager in a Pharmaceutical Company During its renovation phase. And also responsible for assessing and evaluating and monitoring Conduction of different phases of Clinical Trials and also as being QPPV.
Furthermore, she has gained significant experience working through EDA task force through the journey of achieving ML 3 in Vaccine scope according to World Health Organization GBT
Rehab is the Manager of the general Administration of Pharmaceutical References and inserts, Central administration of Pharmaceutical Care, Egyptian Drug Authority
She is a board-certified Pharmacist in pharmacotherapy with a Master’s Degree in the field of clinical biochemistry and oncology
She has completed the clinical research scholarship at Harvard Medical School, postgraduate studies in Policy Development and Advocacy for Global Health at the University of Washington and The advanced leadership skills” training program by the National Training Academy.
Over the span of more than 15 years, Rehab has gained extensive experience in various areas of the life sciences sector, with a focus on Regulatory Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, Patient Safety, Drug/Medicine Information, Medical Affairs, Clinical Pharmacy, and Hospital Accreditation Standards.
In her role as the General Manager of Pharmaceutical References and Leaflets, She and her team lead the Electronic Labelling Project and they feel honored to be pioneers in the Middle East and Africa.
She participated in a number of strategic projects, such as the WHO rational Drug use survey, And also was among many expert Working Committees responsible for achieving the “Egyptian Clinical Pharmacy Standards of Practice”, “Egyptian guidelines of Medication Management standards” and Guidelines for Classification as Nonprescription Medicinal Products (OTC).
Dr. Doaa Rady is a highly experienced regulator who has dedicated her career to ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of biological products. With over 10 years of experience in the biological product sector, she has developed a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape and is widely recognized as an expert in her field.
She began her career as a lot release specialist at National Organization for Research and Control of Biologics, where she was responsible for release process for several biological products including vaccines and plasma derived medicinal products. During her tenure, she gained extensive experience in different regulatory functions.
Over the course of her time at the Egyptian regulatory authority, Doaa held several leadership positions, including serving as a team leader for the team establishing the risk-based lot release policy in Egypt, team leader for lot release team achieving WHO ML3 for LR function during benchmark of EDA, Egypt, and deputy of lot release department manager. In these roles, she was responsible for overseeing the review of a wide range of biological products, as well as she has active participation in many working groups responsible for providing guidance to industry on regulatory requirements and best practices.
She has also been an active participant in several professional organizations, including the International society of Pharmacoeconomic & outcome research (ISPOR) and the African Medicine Quality Forum technical committee which is One of the key components of The African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative.
She has served on various international committees and working groups at ISPOR including Health equity special interest group, clinical outcome special interest group, real world evidence interest group and biosimilars interest group.
She had the opportunity to provide her feedback and insights to different regulatory guidelines and papers including ICH- Q9 quality risk management guideline, ICH-Q14 analytical procedure development, WHO approach towards the development of a global regulatory framework for cell and gene therapy products, ISPOR report on mapping HTA agency approaches for biosimilars value assessment and Primer on health equity research in health economics and outcomes research an ISPOR report. Moreover, Doaa Rady serves as peer reviewer for value in health journal and has active participation in reviewing research manuscripts and abstracts.
Doaa Rady holds a Bachelor of pharmaceutical science from the Helwan University, Egypt, a Master of Science degree in Microbiology & Immunology from Cairo, Egypt and Pharmacoeconomic and Health Technology Assessment Diploma from Cairo university in cooperation with Bournemouth university in UK She is a recognized leader in the field of biological product regulatory authority and is highly respected by her colleagues and managers.
Dr. Boutarene El Khaldia Nabiha, Director of Technical Monitoring, Inspection and Vigilance.
Previously head of the technical monitoring unit at the national agency of pharmaceutical products. Head of the Registration Department, then Head of Department at the National Laboratory of pharmaceutical products.
Biological engineer with quality control and analysis option, analysis at the national laboratory for the control of pharmaceutical products since 2013, auditor for the validation of quality control laboratories since 2016, inspector in the joint Anpp/Ministry of Commerce brigades since 2021, Currently I hold the position of technical-regulatory deputy director at the registration department of the national pharmaceutical products agency since April 2023.
Vanessa currently leads the work on regulatory and policy reforms under the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation Programme at AUDA-NEPAD, primarily focusing on coordinating and facilitating the development and implementation of legislative frameworks that enable African Union member States to effectively and efficiently regulate medical products. She has over 12 years of experience in policy advocacy and communication as well in project and grants management in various sectors including health. She holds and Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Sociology from the University of Zimbabwe, a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health from the University of Pretoria and she is a certified PRINCE 2 project manager.
Ropafadzai Hove is a public health professional, with more than thirty years experience in medicines regulatory affairs and policy co-ordination at national, regional, and international levels.
As Chief Regulatory Officer at BoMRA, she provides technical and strategic direction to the Technical Teams in the regulation of medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics.
She chaired the Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) resulting in the establishment of the SADC work sharing initiative for medicines regulators, ZaZiBoNa.
Ropah is a pharmacist, with a Masters of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Services and Medicines Control from Bradford University, United Kingdom.
Silverani Padayachee is the Senior Manager: Pharmaceutical Evaluation Management at SAHPRA and oversee five subunits of quality and bioequivalence of small molecules, registration of biological, complementary and veterinary medicines. Silverani holds a Masters in the area of Pharmaceutics with over 30 years experience as a pharmacist in various fields of pharmacy i.e. in academia; hospital; manufacturing, clinical trials; pharmacovigilance, retail; research and over fifteen years experience in pharmaceutical quality, regulation and control at the Regulator (MCC and SAHPRA). Silverani has been invited by WHO Prequalifications of Medicines Programme (WHO PQ) to assist with assessments of medicines.
Silverani has participated in various health collaboration initiatives relating to Health System Strengthening and have been invited to speak on behalf of these initiatives at International conferences such as ICDRA (International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities) organized by WHO and to also chair international harmonization meetings.
Silverani also holds a Masters in Education with specialization in Adult Education and believes that adult learners are experiential learners and the work environment is a key element in expanding the knowledge base of any field, all that is needed is to encourage and support people to share these learnings with others. Hence ongoing training or mentorship is key in ensuring that members of her team are capacitated to ensure current global review standards are maintained.
A Pharmacist with 33 years’ experience and 23 years’ experience as Pharmaceutical and Quality Assurance Analyst. She holds MSc. in Pharmaceutical and Quality Control (1999) from KNUST-Ghana and currently a PhD candidate in Public Health Administration and Policy. She is a Fellow of the West Africa Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (2018) as well as a Fellow Ghana Post Graduate College of Pharmacists (2016).
Sybil has been working with WAHO for the past 12 years as the Professional Officer in charge of Pharmaceuticals, and now the Ag. Principal Program Officer and Head of Public Health Division. She has expertise in policy and strategic plan development, medicines regulatory systems, quality control systems for laboratories, ensuring the accreditations of the national regulatory agencies and laboratories to international standards, building local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacities and establishing good manufacturing practices. She has coordinated the ECOWAS Regional Medicines Regulatory Harmonization process since 2014, trained and developed regional experts in the pharmaceutical sectors to strengthen the human resource for the work force, as well as led various initiatives to improve access to quality, safe and affordable medical products in the ECOWAS region. Has good working relationships with stakeholders and partners. Currently coordinating the ECOWAS COVID-19 vaccines Taskforce to ensure effective access of COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines production in the region.
Abebe Alamneh Kassahun is a dedicated professional with a strong background in the field of medicine regulatory affairs. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and a Master’s degree in Medicine Regulatory Affairs from Addis Ababa University.
Currently, Abebe serves as a Medicine Registration Expert at the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA), where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of pharmaceutical products in Ethiopia. With his expertise, he actively contributes to the regulatory processes involved in the registration and approval of medicines, ensuring compliance with national and international standards.
In addition to his role at EFDA, Abebe also holds the esteemed position of Vice Chairman at the East African Regulatory Affairs Professionals Association (EARAPA). As the Vice Chairman, he demonstrates exemplary leadership skills and actively participates in shaping the regulatory landscape within the East African region. Abebe collaborates with fellow professionals to develop harmonized regulatory frameworks, facilitate information exchange, and promote best practices in medicine regulation.
Samuel Asante-Boateng is a Ghanaian by birth and about 56 years of age. He is a professional pharmacist trained at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Ghana 30 years ago and has also done further studies in MSc Pharm. Technology at the University of Bradford in UK. He has taken certificate courses in leadership, management and administration at the Ghana Institute of management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He currently works with the FDA Ghana as the Head of the Drugs and Herbal medicine Registration Directorate. He has been working in regulation for the past 17years. Before joining the FDA, Samuel Asante-Boateng worked in the pharmaceutical industry in Ghana for 12years.
He is part of the team of assessors at the FDA Ghana for the past 14years and has also participated in a lot of foreign GMP inspections.
In support of the West Africa Medicine Regulation Harmonization (WA-MRH) project, Samuel has been working as the chairman of the Expert Working Group for Medical Product Dossier Evaluation and Registration (EWG-MPDER) involved in the Regional joint assessment procedure in the ECOWAS region since its commencement in the year 2017.
Amos is a pharmacist with over fifteen years of comprehensive domestic and international experience in drug regulation and policy formulation. Studied Pharmacy and Finance and is studying Master of Science in Pharmacy Administration and Policy Regulation.
Started his regulatory journey in 2006 working as an inspector of drugs at the ports of entry. Led South Western and Northern regions as a Regional Inspector of Drugs for over 10 years and briefly acted as head of enforcement. Thereafter coordinated the implementation of Good Distribution Practices and Good Pharmacy Practices for Pharmaceutical products.
Is a trainer and lead GMP inspector who has inspected over 160 pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Africa, Asia, Europe, and United States for compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices.
Currently working as a Senior Inspector of Drugs and NDA representative to the Allied Health Professionals Council. Have great interest in emerging trends in regulatory policy and how it affects access to medical technologies.
Eager to learn, grow and excel in regulatory policy and public health so as to contribute to team success through hard work, patriotism, attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.
Dr. Elvis Temfack works at Africa CDC as Senior Research officer, based in Ethiopia. His background training is in clinical medicine and public health with over 15 years’ experience in clinical research and comprehensive clinical case management. Prior to joining Africa CDC, he joined Epicentre of Médecins Sans Frontières in Paris, a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Response to Emerging Diseases, working in Malawi for three years as field principal investigator generating relevant clinical evidence to support Malawian ministry of Health change pf policy for HIV first-line treatment from Efavirenz to Dolutegravir-based therapy.
He is a member of the European Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) and a contributor to the Mycology One World One Guideline working group, an initiative of the European Confederation of Medical Mycologist (ECMM), ISHAM and American Society of Microbiology initiative (ASM). He has co-authored many peer reviewed publications in high readership international journals and is associate editor in some international journals. He is also a member of many collaborative working groups, serving in scientific and advisory groups addressing research in human health.
He is a pharmacist by training and graduated with Masters of pharmacy in Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance from University of Nairobi and recently completed a fellowship program in Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
He is a chief principal regulatory officer at the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, in the department of product safety, having worked with PPB for over ten years across several regulatory functions which include regulatory inspections, clinical trials, pharmacovigilance and post-marketing surveillance. He has special interest in drug utilization studies and medicines regulatory science.
Richard is a pharmacist with 26 years’ experience starting off his career in hospital pharmacy in the public sector. He has spent the last 19 years in the regulatory profession in various capacities. He is currently the Director-General at the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe.
Rosemary Nkemdilim Onwualu is a Scientist, GMP inspector, Lead Quality Auditor certified, and a regulatory Inspector with over 10 years in pharmaceutical GMP inspections and twenty three years’ experience with National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control [NAFDAC] Nigeria. Saddled with the responsibility to regulate medicinal products and medical devices. Rosemary is an experienced leader in the conduct of QMS internal auditing, inspection readiness activities, SOP development, quality document management, training, and technical paper reviews. She is recognized for her expertise in implementing QMS principles across settings and systems, a member of the quality team of her NRA, an active member of the NAFDAC-WHO GBT Team and has presented as subject matters topics regarding quality policy, quality objects, and other related matters.
She is the Nigerian Deputy GBT national focal person, that derived and championed the coordination and supervision of the Nigeria NRA GBT Program for Regulatory Inspection and Clinical Trial Oversight functions respectively to the successful attainment of maturity level three [ML3].
She contributed to several initiatives in terms of development of policy, guidance documents for Good Regulatory Practice in Nigeria.
A resource person in system strengthening programs, capacity building, training including mentoring of other NRAs on GBT Program in Nigeria and the Cote divoire for the attainment of ML3.
She participated in the review of WHO Listed Authority (WLA) guidance document.
Folasade is a Chief Regulatory Officer, at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria’s Medicine Regulatory Agency.
While Folasade’s primary role in NAFDAC is to implement Quality Management Systems in line with ISO 9001, ISO 17025:2017 and WHO Standards at the National Quality Control Laboratory. She works on the Technical Working Group of the NAFDAC Traceability Office, supporting the execution of the five-year roadmap for implementing pharmaceutical traceability in Nigeria.
Folasade also serves on the NAFDAC-WHO Global Benchmarking Team. This team was constituted in 2018 to drive implementation and institutionalization of WHO Global Benchmarking Requirements in Nigeria’s regulatory System. Folasade coordinates the Laboratory Testing Function on this project. In 2022, the team’s efforts led to Nigeria attaining the WHO GBT Maturity Level (ML) 3 i.e. status of a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system
Folasade trained as a pharmacist, at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She has a master’s in public health (MPH) from the University of Western Cape South Africa and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Oxford, UK.
Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa
Vice President of the General Authority for the Economic Zone of the Suez Canal for Investment and Promotion Affairs Since his assumption in January 2023, he has been working to achieve several goals to improve the investment environment, develop infrastructure, and increase industrial and logistical investments, by focusing on sectoral and geographical promotion.
Prior to his position, he held several positions as follows: Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa, Executive Director of Tariq Company for Economic and Financial Consultations Consultant to the first economic partnership councils in an American company and former senior advisor to the Minister of Investment Consultant to a number of local and foreign companies in the field of investment and development and an expert in economics, investment and business development – former economics lecturer for MBA students at Canadian Memorial University..
Former Senior Adviser at the Ministry of Investment and former General Coordinator of the Economic Conference (Sharm) El-Sheikh in March 2015- and a former advisor at Price Water House and Allen & Overy..- Former founding partner of Masarat Consulting. 2016-2018 Member of the Board of Directors of Collins Insurance Brokerage Company Member of the Board of Directors of Our Advisory Member of the Young Businessmen Association
Holds
Bachelor of Economics and Political Science from Cairo University 1998 Master’s degree in political economy, Cairo University, 2010 Mini Master of Business Administration accredited by Cairo University 2012
PhD in political economy
Cairo University 2021
A visionary entrepreneur and an industry captain, Dr. Amit N. Thakker, has been a ground-breaking pioneer in the integration of private sector within the healthcare system in Africa. Dr Thakker actively supports governments, corporates, health organizations and development partners to foster effective public private partnership initiatives towards improved health outcomes.
He is the executive chairman of Africa Health Business, a health consultancy, advisory and investment firm that aims to improve access to quality affordable healthcare in Africa. He is also the president of Africa Healthcare Federation, chairperson of the Kenya Health Professionals Oversight Authority, and the former chairman of Kenya Healthcare Federation.
He has served as a director at LumiraDx, Seven Seas Technology, AMREF Flying Doctors. Action Aid and Ghanima Limited. As an active member of several institutions including international business group YPO Gold (Nairobi Chapter), Dr. Thakker also chairs the University of Nairobi Alumni Medical Chapter and serves as an advisor to Asia Africa Investing & Consulting Ltd, Coalition for Blood in Africa (CoBA) and Ministry of Health, Kenya.
Dr. Thakker founded Avenue Healthcare, a Kenyan based integrated private health service provider in 1995 which lead him to receive the “Best Male Entrepreneur of the Year” award by Rotary International in 1999. He also won the “Best CEO” award by Titans Global in the Business and Professional services category in 2017 and proudly received the Chairman’s Award for Kenya Medical Association in 2004.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Dr. Feirouz strongly believes that working for a Healthcare provider, our mission is to improve people’s life. Our role is to bring innovative solutions to serving the communities and enhancing their quality of life.
During her journey she got the opportunity and the pleasure to experience different roles, under different scopes in different countries moving from pure manufacturing function to regulatory, to government affairs before taking the leadership and the ownership of the consumer Healthcare business in Tunisia, North Africa and very recently in Egypt.
More than 15 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry,
My career journey is diverse, and I had the pleasure to experience different roles in the pharmaceutical industry starting from Sales moving to Sales Force Effectiveness and then shifting to Regulatory, where I found my passion and kept progressing in my career development till reaching my current role as “Africa Science Affairs Head in Sanofi Consumer Healthcare” responsible for all the science functions (Regulatory – Medical – Quality & Pharmacovigilance) across Africa.
Dr. Aliou NDIAYE, esteemed pharmacist and specialized in the digitalization of the healthcare system and the development of digital health solutions, is a distinguished leader in the field of health innovation and the development of AI-based medical technology.
Dr. Aliou holds three degrees from UCAD: a Doctorate in Pharmacy from the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry (FMPO), a Master’s in Health Facilities and Programs Management from the Faculty of Economics and Management (FASEG), and a Master’s in Project Management from the School of Applied Economics (ESEA).
He is also certified in agile project management with SCRUM, and implementation research. Additionally, he has training in evaluating drug marketing authorization (MA) application dossiers and clinical trial implementation requests.
Throughout his career, Dr. Aliou has worked on the digitalization of the healthcare system, particularly focusing on digitizing patients’ medical records, care pathways, and health services in Senegal. He has also been involved in situational analysis and addressing issues related to the dispensing and misuse of medications containing codeine.
Currently, he is serving at the Senegalese pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP), where he is working on implementing a drug serialization system.
BSc in Pharmacy from Jordan University, 1991
MSc in drug analysis from Monastir University, Tunisia, 1998
PhD in Pharmaceutical sciences from University of Lille II, France, 2005. PhD thesis was awarded with distinction, and it was nominated for “State Prize” at the Pharmaceutical Academy in Paris.
I have been working in the pharmaceutical industry for around 30 years. Joined Hikma Pharmaceuticals in 1991 and worked in different technical departments, with many years of hands-on experience in the formulation and process development, as well as analytical development of oral and injectable generic products. I held the position of Technical Director in Medicef (a newly established sister company for Hikma in Tunisia) for seven years, where I established all the technical departments: QA, QC, Product Pipeline, technical transfer and Regulatory Affairs. I also headed the Research and Development – Injectables department in Amman for around 10 years and successfully developed and registered new generic products targeting global markets in USA, EU and MENA.
Currently, I am heading the Regulatory Affairs activities in the MENA region, contributing to the development of the Regulatory strategy as well as setting the required implementation plans and programs that ensure effective and efficient function’s performance to best serve business needs across the region; while overseeing the Regulatory Affairs operations considering compliance with the internal and external policies and legislations, including submissions of new products in the pipeline and the maintenance of the existing portfolio in more than 14 countries in the MENA region, with local regulatory affairs teams in the majority of these countries. Work closely with health authorities and work on shaping the regulatory environment through liaising with the local agencies, local pharmaceutical organizations and associations and other stakeholders.
Other Activities in the Educational Field:
Jordan University of Science and Technology-Deanship of Scientific Research:
Yarmouk University:
Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) & Yarmouk University:
Jordanian Association for Pharmacists:
Received an appreciation and recognition award from the “Jordanian Association for Pharmacists” for the significant contribution to the development of pharmaceutical industry in Jordan (March 2019).
Hala Abu Ghazalah, Head of Regulatory Sciences, Africa & Middle East, Pfizer
Hala has over 25 years of experience in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare industries and had several leadership roles within Regulatory Affairs, External affairs, and Marketing
Pharmacist by education, licensed in both UAE and Canada
Dr. Sahar Ebrahim is a seasoned Public Health Physician with over 28 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. She obtained her medical degree from Alexandria University and has since dedicated her career to clinical research. Currently serving as the Regional Head of Clinical Operations for the MENA region, Sahar is based in Egypt.
For the past 17 years, Dr. Sahar has been an invaluable member of Quintiles/IQVIA, where she has made significant contributions to the field. Her expertise extends across various regions, including Egypt, Levant, Gulf countries, and North Africa. As a certified Good Clinical Practice (GCP) trainer, Sahar has trained numerous professionals in the industry.
Throughout her career, Dr. Sahar has been involved in over 750 clinical trials, spanning phases I to IV, and has successfully recruited more than 55,000 subjects across 250 sites. She has collaborated closely with regulatory agencies in Arabic-speaking Middle Eastern and North African countries, conducting landscape assessments and benchmarking against more mature markets. Sahar has also organized regulatory workshops to share best practices and develop transformation roadmaps.
With an impressive track record, Sahar has conducted 80 site audits, 12 system audits, and 18 regulatory inspections. Additionally, she has played a pivotal role in streamlining business processes through strategic partnerships. Sahar’s contributions have been instrumental in supporting the expansion of a Prime and partner sites Network in the Middle East.
With her wealth of experience and deep understanding of the biopharmaceutical industry, Dr. Sahar Ebrahim continues to make significant strides in advancing clinical research and healthcare outcomes across the MENA region.
Konstantin has more than 15 years’ experience in IT products and implementation of complex B2B solutions for large and medium-sized companies. Six years ago, he set up Utrace, with the aspiration of making the complex and expensive process of compliance smooth and efficient by providing scalable, user-friendly and cost-effective solutions with high levels of automation. Now, six years later, Konstantin is proud to say Utrace has helped over 50 companies in the pharma and FMCG industries successfully comply with a host of complex requirements.
Arif is the Director of Business Development at Utrace and expert in Track & Trace management, IT project management, Supply chain processes organization and post-implementation technical support. Since 2011, Arif has participated in various implementation projects in large logistics, pharmaceutical and FMCG organizations. Arif is an evangelist of Track&Trace Technologies and has conducted dozens of webinars and consultations on building serialization processes in production and logistics functions.
His primary role is to achieve the milestones set to meet the strategic vision and direction of the organisation. He has 18 years of expertise in anti-counterfeit packaging technology, global pharmaceutical Serialization, Supply chain traceability, Product Authentication and Quality Control for the pharmaceutical industry and strives to develop better technological practices in the sector. His mission is to enhance productivity and quality, ultimately providing end consumers and patients with better outcomes. His vision is for ACG to lead in the technology and solution space for the pharmaceutical industry beyond regulation, setting new benchmarks to make it better.
With over 17 years of diverse experience in the clinical trial field, Ms. Bicky currently works as a freelancer, serving as the Director at a CRO named AfriLeadTech Research (PTY) LTD and holding the position of Chairperson at The South African Clinical Research Association (SACRA). Ms. Bicky is driven by a passion for growth and excellence within the clinical research industry. Her journey has encompassed various leadership roles, including Project Operations Director, Local Clinical Trial Manager, and Regional Study Manager across Africa, Asia, and Europe.
A Results-Driven Project Manager:
Ms. Bicky excels in overseeing and managing project operations both locally and globally. As the Project Operations Director, she led a team of dedicated Project Managers and successfully delivered high-priority services to valued clients.
Seasoned Clinical Trial Regulatory Expert:
Ms. Bicky’s expertise lies in regulatory matters; her entry into the clinical research field began with SAHPRA when it was called MCC. Specializing in streamlining regulatory processes and timelines, she ensures a seamless and efficient journey. With a keen eye for detail, she manages intricate regulatory requirements, documentation, and communication with authorities. Leveraging her strategic insight and extensive expertise, she accelerates the initiation and progress of clinical trials in South Africa.
Training, Quality, and Compliance:
Ms. Bicky takes pride in crafting comprehensive SOPs and training programs for CROs and Research Sites. Notably, she developed a 6-month CRA Training Program and Accredited GCP material.
Driving Ethical Research Practices:
With a profound understanding of ethical guidelines, including GCP and the Declaration of Helsinki, Ms. Bicky collaborates with ethics committees and IRBs to ensure ethical conduct in clinical research. Currently, she leads the SACRA input to the ICH GCP R3.
SACRA Chairperson | Strategist and Ethical Advocate | Entrepreneur:
As the SACRA Chairperson, Ms. Bicky advocates for clinical trials and mentorship programs, consistently sharing knowledge and staying updated about the latest changes in the clinical trial landscape. Leading the SACRA international clinical trials day for the past three years stands out as a career highlight. Functioning as a strategist, enthusiast, and entrepreneur in clinical research, she founded a flourishing clinical research site that contributes significantly to capacity building in South Africa.
Neveen holds degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy – Faculty of Pharmacy – Cairo University. She is currently Head of Regulatory Affairs North Africa, Egypt & Africa Developing Markets at Merck, supporting regulatory policy advocacy efforts for the region. She has over 20 years of experience in industry and 16 years of them as Regulatory Affairs, Prior to Regulatory Affairs she worked in several Multinational companies in different roles Commercial, Quality, Pharmacovigilance, Market Access & pricing. Neveen is also an active member of several trade associations including IFPMA Africa Regulatory Network (ARN); PhRMA Egypt Regulatory working Group; She participated in writing the Position paper for Registration Sampling & QC testing (IFPMA ARN)
He graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy in 2008, then he joined the marketing, sales and Business administration diploma at the American University in Cairo and the Naval Academy as well.
He started his career in the Egyptian Drug Authority (formerly the Ministry of Health and Population) in 2013 and worked gradually until he reached the Head of Digital Transformation in EDA.
His big focus was managing the track and trace project in Egypt from 2018 until 2020 adding to that he managed to transform the registration to be automatically and having company profile for each entity registering in EDA then he decided to move to GS1 Egypt, where he is responsible for helping in implementing the GS1 standards in the healthcare sector and continuing to manage track and trace and other projects such as the UDI project for medical supplies, which was implemented in Egypt in 2021-2022 and other projects related to the health care sector in Egypt.
She has over 10 years of experience in Regulatory Affairs and Government Affairs. She has worked at GSK as the Regulatory Affairs Director for FWCA, OWA and East Africa region. She is well versed with the Africa Regulatory environment and has wide array of achievements in product registrations, divestments, license maintenance, renewals, artwork, labelling, government affairs and strategic planning to support business objectives.
She has a strong skill set in advocacy, legislation, government affairs and is currently the Chairperson of the Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (KAPI). She has led the industry association in advancing regulations, advocacy, and stakeholder engagements to positively shape the pharmaceutical Industry within East Africa. She is also a council member of Africa Engagement Committee, committee member of the Africa Regulatory Network and Regulatory Science Committee in IFPMA.
With more than +5 years of a demonstrated history of working in bio-Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical industry holding a bachelor degree of Pharmacy from Future University in Egypt, started my career in the academic field as a teaching assistant at Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University in Egypt, moved to regulatory affairs field in Biological Registration General Directorate in the Egyptian Health Authority., then Joined Amgen As Sr. Regulatory associate for Egypt & Iran and got promoted to Regulatory Affairs Manager for Eli countries.
At present, Ms. Mariham Gergis holds the position of the designated sub-team lead for life cycle management at EMEA Regulatory Management Center, where her scope of responsibility extends to the non-EEA region. She brings to the table a valuable nine-year span of local and regional regulatory experience.
Ms. Gergis embarked on her regulatory journey in December 2014 at MSD Egypt, assuming the role of Middle East labeling specialist. Through her tenure at MSD, she traversed through multiple roles, encompassing both labeling and regulatory capacities at the local level. Her oversight extended to pivotal areas like oncology and diabetes franchises.
In March 2020, Ms. Gergis transitioned to Janssen, the pharmaceutical entity under Johnson & Johnson, ushering in a new phase of regional engagement. Within the EMEA Regulatory Management Center, she assumed the mantle of Life Cycle Management, catering to the regulatory needs of the Jordan Egypt North Africa cluster /GCC, alongside the Kenya Nigeria Ghana clusters. Her journey within the organization culminated in a well-deserved promotion to her existing role.
Dr. Manal El-Sayed (Cairo, Egypt) is Professor of Pediatrics, Chair of the Pediatric department and director of the Clinical Research Center (MASRI-CRC) at the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University.
Dr El-Sayed is a founding member of the Egyptian National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis (NCCVH) since 2006. She contributed to the establishment of a nationwide network of more than 120 specialized liver centers providing antiviral therapy for more than 3.5 million HCV-infected patients. Manal collaborated on the development of the national action plan for prevention and control of viral hepatitis published in 2014 with representatives from WHO, U.S. CDC, Pasteur Institute, and national stakeholders. In addition to co-supervising the nationwide mass screening program for adults and clinical director of the school screening program reaching so far more than >62 million people.
Manal is the secretary general of the Egyptian Liver Care Society, an NGO offering financial assistance to patients receiving hepatitis treatment or liver transplants as well as children with chronic viral hepatitis. She authored and co-authored numerous journal articles on hepatitis and participated in the development of the WHO’s global HBV, HCV and diagnostic guidelines. Between 2011-2015, Manal was Vice Chair of WHO’s technical advisory group for prevention and control of viral hepatitis in Egypt and is member of the Global Accelerator for Paediatric Formulations (GAP-f). She is governing board member of the International Coalition for Elimination of hepatitis B (ICE-HBV) since 2020 and among board of directors for the Hepatitis Fund (EndHep2030). In addition to co-organising and co-chairing
numerous international meetings on viral hepatitis and liver disease in Europe, US and Africa.
Professor El-Sayed co-founded and co-chairs the Conference on Liver Disease in Africa and is the President of the Society on Liver Disease in Africa (SOLDA). She received the Egyptian State Appreciation Award in advanced technological sciences that serve the fields of medical sciences in 2022.
Dr. Marielouise Abi Hanna, PharmD, boasts an impressive career spanning over 25 years, during which she led various roles within the pharmaceutical industry. Her expertise extends across Market Access, Global Regulatory Affairs, and Corporate functions, both at global and regional levels. Driven by a commitment to excellence, she has contributed to the success of major multinational corporations, including GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Sandoz, and Acino, covering Pharma, Biotech, and Generics.
In 2018, Dr. Abi Hanna embarked on a new venture, founding The Reg.Cloud, a specialized pharmaceutical consultancy. The Reg.Cloud provides invaluable services in Corporate Strategy, Due Diligences and Acquisitions, and is a trusted partner in driving Market Access throughout the product lifecycle.
With a global perspective, The Reg.Cloud empowers both emerging Small to Medium-sized Pharma Enterprises and established Multinationals to expand their reach, with a particular focus on markets spanning the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, CIS, and Eastern Europe.
With over 18 years of experience in regulatory access and market intelligence healthcare industry, I successfully assisted different MAHs, manufactures and companies in developing innovative strategies for entering new markets, focusing on all different market access perspective such as BD, regulatory, pricing and vigilance considerations.
Through my career in different healthcare stakeholders of which Shocair Group (Arab Drugstore, Arab Medical and scientific Alliance and Amsterdam Medical and scientific Alliance )which I served for more than 15 years which id Shocair group, I successfully established and managed different operational departments such as supply chain, quality compliance, in addition to regulatory and intelligence department, which gave me enrichment exposure to registration experience in different regions and from different perspectives. Moreover, I was part of the teams responsible for revision of different JFDA regulations, member in drug owner association, in addition to my active participation as a keynote speaker at numerous healthcare industry events, I regularly provide updates on the latest trends in regulatory affairs. Additionally, I serve as a business coach and trainer, helping companies unlock the potential of their employees through technical training and personalized coaching.
As for my qualification; by educations I`m a pharmacist with two master degrees; Public Health and MBA which both supported my remarkable achievements in different scopes. Moreover, through continuous education and commitment to unremitting learning I gained different professional certifications in different regulatory access and market intelligence fields such as quality pharmacovigilance auditing (International Colleague of London), Professional GCC Regulatory Affairs Certificate (Dubai Pharmacy College), Certified Innovation Associate (GIMI), and Vocational Diploma in Regulatory Affairs of Pharmaceutical Products &Market Authorization (University of Jordan)
Recently, I`m working as a Regulatory Access and Market intelligence Strategist and Consultant through which I help companies to strategies their regulatory access in different countries with thorough market assessment. Support different MAHs in their regulatory projects within the region through creating innovative solution when coming to challenges faced with authority or other stakeholders. Furthermore, I create and implement effective business coaching plan for companies that positively reflected in their team achievements and increased quality of their work deliverables.
Dr. George Kamal is Regional regulatory Affairs Head for regulatory Hub based on Egypt and supporting regulatory operations for Middle East, Africa, Russia, CIS markets & Turkey in Merck Healthcare KGaA, Before Merck, Dr. George was leading international markets RA team in one of top leading pharmaceutical companies in Egypt.
Holding a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical science from Ain Shams university (2005) & Master of business administration from ESLSCS business school (2019).
Dr. George Has more than 17 years of experience within pharmaceutical industry in regulatory affairs and business development in different international markets.
Dr. Fatima Zaid Abu Zanat is an aspirational, committed, and experienced Regulatory Affairs/Quality Assurance (RA/ QA) professional with total of 17 years’ experience, with more than 12 RA/QA years in medical device, pharmaceutical and biotech industry across emerging markets with solid scientific background in product research/ development. Significant, strategic management exposure, where she is keen on developing optimum organization through performing periodical assessments, leading transformational changes, and developing best practices across the borders.
She was recently, professionally awarded the GCC Regulatory Affairs Award 2023 for the achievement “Woman of the Middle East” . She holds RAPS Dual Regulatory Affairs Diploma and Certificate (RAC Dual) in Medical Devices/Pharmaceuticals in addition to MSc in Pharmaceutical Technology. She is an active member in regulatory working groups within regulatory associations such as RAPS MENA local networking group as well as industry associations such as PhRMA MEA and formerly MECOMED. She is a licensed Basic Life Support Giver by American Heart Association and Licensed Specialist Pharmacist by UAE Ministry of Health and Jordan Food and Drug Administration.
She successfully established and managed multiple, UAE Scientific Offices for regional headquarters of emerging markets within Dubai, UAE; enabling organic/in-organic business growth. She built strong, direct channels with key, regional health authorities for continuous, shaping of the industry. She is experienced with development and management of teams on regional and global levels.
International publications:
Honors and awards:
Dr. Kurdi earned her PhD Degree in Biopharmaceutical Science in 2015 from University of Greenwich in UK.
Dr. Kurdi is currently working as Regulatory Affairs & Public Policy Director for EMEA Region at USP. USP is a non-Profit non-Governmental Organization with mission of assuring Quality of Medicines. Main responsibilities are to engage with USP Stakeholders, mainly National Regulatory Authorities, National Control Laboratories, International Organization like WHO, Pharmaceutical Association, Drug Policy Makers with topics and initiatives related to Heath and Quality.
Dr. Kurdi has over 30 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry in Quality Control, Quality Assurance, Research and Development, Regulatory Affairs, Commercial and Business Development including Technology Transfer (TT) as well licensing activities. Dr Kurdi held executive and management position during her work with Pharmaceutical Industry.
Additionally, Dr. Kurdi served as a member with more than committee with Jordanian FDA and international; With United State Pharmacopeia as an expert in the advisory panels of General Chapter (1197) and with International Generic and Biosimilar Medicine Association (IGBA) member in Biosimilar Committee.
Dr. Kurdi has many research papers published in Scientific Journals and she is frequent speaker in Pharmaceutical Conferences.
Kent Briggs is the Managing Director at VECTOR Life Sciences. He began working with eSubmissions in 2002 and eCTDs when they were first implemented in 2003. He has provided industry workshops in the US, Canada, Europe, South Africa, India and Australia and has performed application compilation training with both big and small pharmaceutical companies around the world. In addition to performing evaluator training at over 20 health authorities, Kent has authored the eCTD specifications for 4 regions including the soon to be released specifications for ECOWAS. Since 2014, Kent has focused on the CTD in Africa and supporting the harmonization efforts through regional and continental activities.
VECTOR Life Sciences is a service provider for the African regulatory market with a key focus on the implementation and usage of electronic systems to improve regulatory efficiency. VECTOR supports customers in their transition from paper based methods to electronic processes by streamlining their regulatory operations and making their use of data more effective
Marlene Moonsamy is the Head of Regulatory Affairs for the African cluster at Astra Zeneca since April 2023. Her career in the Pharma industry spans 15 years, with 13 of them being in Regulatory Affairs.
Her qualifications include Bachelor of Pharmacy and Master of Science in Medicine (Pharmacotherapy) degrees, from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Her regulatory affairs journey started with Novartis in 2010. She has since acquired considerable leadership experience and expertise across the African markets with Johnson & Johnson, GSK Consumer and Pharma divisions, and finally Abbott Laboratories, before joining Astra Zeneca.
She has led sustainable change, developed high performing teams, and engaged externally to influence the regulatory environment, while garnering awards and accolades along the way.
Susan Lin is a qualified pharmacist with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Rhodes University with extensive experience in the healthcare industry.
Susan began her career in the public sector but later progressed to the Managed Care industry where she managed several portfolios. Her positions included the Executive Manager: Medicines Risk & Electronic Benefit Management and Senior Manager: Heath Policy Development.
Her interests have been focused on the development of strategies for enabling access to pharmaceuticals and medical technologies. She is a passionate advocate of sustainable solutions in promoting access to innovative medicines in South Africa.
Susan has recently joined PATH as the Senior Analyst: Public Health Advisor, where she provides advice on Africa’s health research and development, medical countermeasures manufacturing, regulatory harmonization, public health system, pandemic preparedness and health security to inform policy actions.
After graduating from Faculty of Pharmacy-Ain Shams university, Haidy started her career at Egyptian Drug authority then joined Novartis CH as Head of regulatory for North Africa and Near East where she lead the regulatory function for English and French speaking Africa as well as LEVANT, in 2015 and as part of the Joint venture between Novartis and GSK Haidy joined GSK Consumer Healthcare leading the function within the same geography and now she is Director of regulatory affairs North, East and West Africa .She has a diversified experience across Africa and Near East in regulatory , pharmacovigilance and regulatory compliance while combining corporate and governmental legislative experience.
Visionary leader bringing over 30 years of experience in RA field by establishing big product portfolio in Egypt and over 70 export Countries at Middle East and Gulf Countries, Africa, Europe, Asian and CIS Countries. Ensuring company products are on track with updated regulations
Successful achievements in registering the first two Egyptian Sterile Pharmaceutical Products at WHO Prequalification Program.
I consider each dossier as a case to be filed for a court, challenging the whole process till we won the case
I am a painter, and this gives me a touch of creative expression as problem solving and thinking outside the box with high attention to details
Dr. Mona Mousa has a bachelor’s degree of pharmaceutical Science from the
faculty of pharmacy Ain Shams University (2007).
She had been working in the Egyptian Drug Authority over the Past fourteen years,
Within managerial positions as head of Human Pharmaceuticals Regulatory and Technical Affairs
Administrations since 2019 till end of 2022.
Prior to that she had been working as a regulatory specialist in different departments at EDA,
Including Registration files review, Scientific and Technical Committee departments.
In addition to her experience as a pricing specialist and as an EDA Inspector.
Currently and since January 2023,
She is Regulatory Affairs Associate Director at Hikma – Egypt.
EDUCATION:
– B.Sc. of Pharmaceutical science – Alexandria University, 1988.
Joined Egypt Health Authority for 2 years after graduation as registration officer
Worked as regulatory officer for MUP (Egyptian pharmaceutical company –Egypt)
In 1992 Moved to multinational German company (Madaus / Rotta pharm/ Viatris pharma) as medical representative, then different function has been added to her responsibility as planning & production coordinator, Marketing, sales supervisor, till became Deputy General Manager
In 1999 Moved to Eli –Lilly working as Regulatory & Corporate affairs Manager and Quality for Egypt, Sudan & Libya
In 2013 joined the newly established research-based company AbbVie with enthusiasm to patient centric team
At the same time I am active with different pharmaceutical associations in Middle East, chairing RWG for pharma in Egypt for 10 years.
Support & coordinate pharmaceutical Industry & health authority to shape the regulatory environment in Egypt. Partnership with Health authority for capability building programs to support patients for better access & affordable medication.
Active Member of organizing committee of MERC 2015 & 2017, 2019, 2020 (virtual) and 2023.
She graduated in the Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University then started her career in the academic field as a teaching assistant up to senior supervisor in pharmaceutical technology department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Misr International University (MIU).
After that she moved to the regulatory affairs field where she joined the Registration General Directorate in the Central Administration for Pharmaceutical Affairs (CAPA), Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt. she worked as the Rapporteur of The Technical Committee for Drug Control then she became the Head of Human Pharmaceutical Drug products Registration Directorate before moving to her current position.”
Regulatory Affairs expert with 14 years of solid Regulatory Affairs background in the pharmaceutical industry.
Profile and Areas of Expertise:
Experienced in developing different regulatory strategies in-line with business needs, leading registration, and lifecycle maintenance plans. In addition to safety management, compliance, SOPs design and audit readiness. Managed different lifecycle stages of an organization (merger, integration, and spin-off).
Drive interactions with Health Authorities, influence regulatory reforms and shape the external regulatory environment and health care policies.
Aspired to drive processes enhancements (Lean Six Sigma green belt certified). Have led and been a team member of different successful cross-functional projects including but not limited to New Product Launches, CMC and Ancillary component management, Safety management and Digital transformation in pharmaceutical industry.
Respect and leverage human capital – Motivate, coach, mentor and lead talented professionals helping teams to reach high integrated performance.
Position: Africa Cluster Manager – GSK
Lead Regulatory team for defined markets in relevant Cluster within EM organization as well as providing operational support including oversight and coordination of the operational matrix across Content Delivery, Region and Regulatory Third (3rd) Party Partners.
In my previous role within GSK Egypt, I served as Senior Regulatory Affairs manager, Planning and organizing the business goals, designing strategies to advance those goals. provide regular and constructive feedback, resolve problems and conflicts positively. Keep an eye on the regulatory environmental changes Develop effective and systemic approaches to regulatory intelligence, analyze relevant intelligence findings and communicate impact in an efficient format that facilitates awareness of business critical issues. I have a diversified experience across Pharma, Vaccine, Maintain governance and compliance, Internal control Frame work and business development.
I hold a bachelor’s degree of pharmaceutical science, a master’s degree of business administration in SMEs (Small and medium business enterprises) from the Arab Academy for Science, technology & Maritime transport.
Dr. Donia Fady is the RA Head at Takeda Pharmaceutical, Egypt
with 17+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical field, Donia has a proven track of record in regulatory strategic management utilizing strategic enterprise thinking and strong leadership skills. combining governmental and pharmaceutical companies’ experiences with strong Pharmacovigilance and QMS background.
Dr. Donia holds Bachelor’s degree of Pharmacy – Faculty of Pharmacy-Cairo university
Reham Alassily occupies the role of Associate Director Regulatory Affairs for Near East, Middle East & Africa at IQVIA heading the regional Regulatory Affairs Hub. Reham is armed with an extensive background of 15+ years in the field of regulatory affairs and has occupied several leading roles in key multinational companies managing wide range of portfolios (Biological, Pharmaceutical ,Consumer health and Medical devices). In her current role at IQVIA, She is supporting several companies across diverse geographics to achieve business growth via establishing solid regulatory strategies.
More than 200 participants, among them your peers, advisers, clients, and potential business partners, will be attending.
A 2-day summit, filled with analysis, strategic ideas, and exclusive new information from top speakers, awaits you.
Interactive formats, including industry leader debates, interviews, discussions, analyses, Q&A sessions, round tables, and masterclasses, will be featured.