Leadership
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
His Excellency Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi
HE Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi is the Chairman and CEO of Al Majlis Public Affairs.
He served for years as a member of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates. He founded the Watani Al Emarat Foundation, one of the leading public policy institutes in the GCC, where he previously served as Executive Director.
He is the recipient of numerous honors and medals including the UAE Minister of Interior’s Medal of Excellence for Social Service. His leadership in the fields of philanthropy, the charitable sector, and volunteer work have made a big impact in the UAE, the GCC region and far beyond. He has worked to raise global awareness about the threats facing the most vulnerable around the world, including women and children.
He played a critical leadership role in the UAE’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, widely recognized as one of the most effective public health responses anywhere in the world. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on a wide range of topics, including relating to global security.
He has been a tireless champion of the United Arab Emirates, working to strengthen its community ties, preserve its cultural heritage, protect its national security, bolster its international relationships, and cement its future as a key global hub for the 21st century economy.
President
J. Kyle Bass
J. Kyle Bass is the President of Al Majlis Publc Affairs
He is also the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Hayman Capital Management, an investment manager of private funds focused on global event-driven opportunities, and the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Conservation Equity Management, an impact and natural capital private equity firm. Mr. Bass is also the Co-Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed Rochefort Management, a private credit firm focused on the Critical Technology Initiative – a joint effort between the Small Business Administration and Department of Defense to attract private investment into technology areas deemed critical to national and economic security.
Bass is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the recipient of the 2019 Foreign Policy Association Medal for his responsible internationalism. Mr. Bass has testified as an expert witness before the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, and the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission.
Mr. Bass has lectured on global economics, national security, geopolitics, and the architecture of the Chinese financial system at various universities, including Columbia, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, University of Texas, and the University of Virginia. Mr. Bass is the former Chair of the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors of the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO), which manages approximately $75 billion.
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Formerly, he was a Managing Director at Legg Mason and a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns. He graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in finance. Bass is an Advisory Board member of the Hudson Institute's China Center, an Executive Advisory Board member of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, and an Investment Advisory Board member to RIA NewEdge Wealth. He also serves on the boards of the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation, Texas Department of Public Safety Foundation, and Melinda’s Foods.
Executive Directors
Paul Cruickshank
Paul Cruickshank is an Executive Director at Al Majlis Public Affairs.
He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Cruickshank & Dean Global Intelligence, a Managing Director and Senior Advisor at EMIR, and an Executive Director at Thouwd Risk Management.
He was previously one of CNN's leading on-air international security analysts for more than a decade. He played a central role in the network’s coverage and reporting on al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorism. His work on the subject includes two books, several documentaries and numerous writings
Since 2015 he has been the Editor in Chief of CTC Sentinel, the flagship publication of the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious publications in the international security field
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Cruickshank has degrees from Cambridge University and the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University. Earlier in his career, he spent time working in the European Parliament in Brussels and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC.
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Trevor McFarlane
Trevor McFarlane is an Executve Director at Al Majlis Public Affairs
He is also the Founder and CEO of EMIR. An expert on geopolitics, macro-economy and government policy, Trevor advises visiting global CEOs and politicians on how to succeed in the Middle East. Over 2,000 regional CEOs and business leaders subscribe to his analysis.
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Having built the most influential intelligence network in the Middle East, Boardroom by EMIR, Trevor sits at the centre of a web of globally respected EMIR advisory partners who pull off future-shaping transformational projects for select clients.
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Before founding EMIR, McFarlane was at The Economist, where he supported corporate leaders through its advisory arm and, before this, covered the Middle East & Africa at The Economist Intelligence Unit. With almost two decades of experience in the Middle East—living and working in Istanbul, Doha, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai—Trevor and EMIR’s team of advisory experts are trusted advisors to CEOs, Boards and ministers.
He is one of the most sought-after business speakers in the region, and his analysis has been featured by the BBC, CNN, CNBC Arabia, The Economist and the Financial Times. Trevor formerly co-hosted Dubai Eye’s award-winning Business Breakfast Radio Show and has been invited as a guest lecturer for prestigious educational institutions, including the Ivy League Wharton School.
Dr. Noah Raford
Dr. Noah Raford is an Executive Director at Al Majlis Public Affairs
He is a highly respected and accomplished futurist who currently leads the advisory practice at EMIR. He is widely recognised for his expertise in future studies, strategic foresight, innovation, and project management. With a wealth of experience and profound knowledge, Dr. Raford provides advisory services to clients across a broad range of topics, including emerging technologies, digital transformation, urban planning, sustainability, and geopolitics.
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Dr. Raford’s impressive track record includes several global and regional firsts, such as his pivotal role in the world’s first fully functional 3D printed building and his contribution to the legalisation of cryptocurrency and blockchain in the MENA region.
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Prior to his current role, Dr. Raford held several key positions in the Government of Dubai, including the post of Futurist-in-Chief, founding executive of the Dubai Future Foundation and the Museum of the Future, and senior advisor to the UAE Prime Minister’s Office. During his tenure in Dubai, he led several ground breaking projects, including the Museum of the Future, the Dubai Global Blockchain Council, and the Dubai Future Accelerators.
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Dr. Raford’s background in urban design and public policy, combined with his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), his MSc from the Bartlett School of Architecture, and his undergraduate degree from Brown University, gives him unique insights into the future of technology, society, and the economy. He has served as a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, a Senior Research Fellow at the London School of Economics, a fellow at the Bartlett School of Architecture, and a member of the International Futures Forum.
As a strategist, Dr. Raford leverages his global network of experts and the latest research to provide clients with evidence-based insights that can help them achieve their goals. His expertise has helped businesses and governments understand the impact of climate change, geopolitical shifts, international relations, demographic change, social trends, economic developments, and technological disruptions that will shape human lives over the coming years.
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With his impressive track record and extensive expertise, Dr. Noah Raford is a leading voice in the field of futurism. His ability to provide valuable insights and strategic guidance has made him a valuable asset to organisations seeking to stay ahead of the curve and navigate the complex challenges of the future.
Senior Advisors
Aimen Dean
Aimen Dean is a Senior Advisor to Al Majlis Public Affaris
He is also the Co-Founder and Director of Operations of Cruickshank & Dean Global Intelligence.
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He is a globally renowned international security, geopolitical risk, and business intelligence consultant. He is also one of the world's leading Counter-Terrorist Financing (CFT) experts. He previously played a key role in the global campaign against terrorism for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). He spent a decade working for HSBC, helping the bank's senior leadership navigate the Middle East. He has consulted for several other major private and public entities.
Dean is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir “Nine Lives: My Time as MI6’s Top Spy Inside al-Qaeda.” He is also the co-host of the podcast “Conflicted” on the history and politics of the Middle East that has amassed nearly ten million listeners around the world and has ranked in the top 25 of all podcasts on the UK Apple Podcasts charts.
