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Tunis Conferences
As you know, you have all been invited
to two conferences in Tunis at the end of this month; The MEPI Business
Internship Program Alumnae Conference (May 21-23, 2005) and the MEPI
MEET US Leading Growth Companies; Business Women’s Summit (May
24-26, 2005). Please refer to the following for the current conference
schedules, and keep in mind that these schedules and the participants
mentioned within them are subject to change. Safe travels!
Alumnae Conference
- To enhance business leadership skills, while gaining new knowledge
and ideas
- To build an alumnae community that contributes to the development
of a region-wide network of young women leaders in business and
society
- To identify and maximize opportunities for partnerships between
business and civil society.
SATURDAY MAY 21, 2005
16:00 – 18:00
REGISTRATION Hotel Lobby
18:00 -19:00
PROGRAM OPENING & INFORMAL RECEPTION Carthage Conference
Room
Speakers:
-- Mr. Peter Mulrean, MEPI Regional Director, U.S. Embassy, Tunis
-- Mr. Joel Rubin, Foreign Affairs Officer, MEPI, Bureau of Near East
Affairs, U.S. Department of State
-- Mr. Lee Jennings, Country Director, AMIDEAST/Tunis
19:00 – 20:00
WELCOME TO TUNISIA Menix Conference Room
Introduction: Ms. Leila Zahmoul, Educational
Advisor, AMIDEAST/Tunisia
Film: Women's Freedom, short film
by Tunisian Director Sana Djelloul Beghoura that tells the remarkable
story of Tunisian women and the captivating story of Tunisia--its
history, culture, traditions, deep-rooted identity, as well as the
hopes and achievements of its society today.
20:00 - 22:00
DINNER (Participants pay with their per diem) Palm Garden
Restaurant or elsewhere
SUNDAY MAY 22, 2005
07:00 - 08-15
BREAKFAST Palm Garden Restaurant
08:30 - 09:00
AMBASSADOR'S WELCOME Thapsus Conference Room
Introduction: Mr. Philip Breeden,
Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy, Tunis
Speaker: Ambassador William J. Hudson,
U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia
09:00 - 09:45
KEYNOTE ADDRESS MAXIMIZING LEADERSHIP & CREATING CHANGE
Introduction: Ms. Sana Abdeljalil,
Tunisian BIP Alumnus
Speaker: Ms. Ahlem Ben Othman, Founding
President of an IT/Management consulting firm, WORLD NETWORK CS, and
Senior Management/IT Consultant for the Tunisian American Chamber
of Commerce
09:45 - 10:00
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REVIEW OF THE DAY'S AGENDA
10:00 - 11:00
TEAMBUILDING EXERCISE I Utique Ballroom
Facilitators:
-- Mr. Rachid Ben Amor, International Management Consultant
-- Mr. Lee Jennings, Country Director, AMIDEAST/Tunis
11:00 - 11:30
COFFEE BREAK Around swimming pool
11:15 - 12:15
TEAMBUILDING EXERCISE II On grass near swimming pool
12:15 – 12:30
GROUP PHOTO Around swimming pool
12:30 - 13:30
LUNCH Palm Garden Restaurant (paid by conference)
13:30 - 14:30
LEADERSHIP THAT LASTS Thapsus Conference Room
Introduction: Mr. Faouzi Zaghbib, Founding President
of 21Com, a Tunisian IT firm
Speaker:
-- Dr. Raymond W. Smilor, Executive Director of the Beyster
Institute at the Rady School of Management, University of California,
San Diego.
-- Dr. Smilor is also the President of the Foundation for Enterprise
Development and past Vice President of the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial
Leadership at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
15:00 - 15:30
COFFEE BREAK Around swimming pool
15:30 - 16:30
BUSINESS AND CIVIL SOCIETY: PARTNERSHIPS THAT CREATE CHANGE
Thapsus Conference Room
Moderator: Ms. Sana Abdeljalil, Tunisian
BIP Alumnus
Panelists:
-- Ms. Sukeina Bouraoui, Executive Director of CAWTAR, the Center
of Arab Women for Training and Research
-- Ms. Ikram Makni, Executive Director of the Sfax Chamber of Commerce
-- Ms. Emna Soula, Director of Information and Communication, CREDIF
(Center for Research, Education, Documentation and Information on
Women funded by the Government of Tunisia
16:30 - 17:30
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS Carthage, Meninx, and Neapolis
Conference Rooms
17:30 - 17:45
WRAP-UP OF DAY 1
-- Ms. Farida Ait Kaci, Algerian BIP Alumnus
-- Mr. Lee Jennings, Country Director, AMIDEAST/Tunisia
Thapsus Conference Room
19:00
BUS LEAVES HOTEL FOR TUNIS
19:45 – 22:00
DINNER IN THE TUNIS MEDINA Dar Bel Hadj Restaurant in
the Medina
MONDAY MAY 23, 2005
07:00 - 07:45
BREAKFAST Palm Garden Restaurant
08:00 - 10:30
VISIONING YOUR BUSINESS FUTURE Where Do You Want to Be in
Ten Years and How to Get There?
Thapsus Conference Room
Introduction: Ms. Houda Sahri, Algerian
BIP Alumnus
Speaker: Mr. Rob Fuller, Director
of Entrepreneurial Programs Beyster Institute at the Beyster Institute
of the Rady School of Management, University of California San Diego.
He developed and managed the training operations for high-growth entrepreneurs
in the U/S/ Russia Center for Entrepreneurship in Moscow and the Middle
East Entrepreneur Training for the MEET U/S/ Program funded by MEPI.
10:30 - 11:00
COFFEE BREAK Around swimming pool
11:00 - 12:30
EXPANDING YOUR NETWORK: EXAMPLES FROM TUNISIA Thapsus
Conference Room
Moderator: Ms. Nidhal Kefi Hadiji,
Tunisian BIP Alumnus
Panelists:
-- Mr. Slim Chaker, Coordinator/Director of FAMEX 2 ("Fonds d'Accès
aux Marchés d'Exportation"), a World Bank funded project
providing financial and technical assistance to exporting companies
-- Mr. Taoufik Habaieb, Founder and General Manager of TH Com, one
of Tunisia's leading public communications/advertising agencies and
a member of the D'Arcy's world network. He participated in the Executive
Business Seminar of the MEPI MEET US Program in December 2004
-- Ms. Rym Bedoui, Founder and President of Bedoui & Co. Consulting
which represents the International Executive Service Corps and the
Global Trade and Technology Network of USAID
12:30 - 13:30
LUNCH in Palm Garden Restaurant (paid by conference)
13:30 - 14:30
Innovation and Entrepreneurship: TUNISIA'S NEW MODELS FOR
CORPORATE SUCCESS Thapsus Conference Room
Moderator: Ms. Leila Zahmoul, Educational
Advisor, AMIDEAST/Tunisia
Panelists:
-- Ms. Maha Meddeb, HR Director, and Ms. Sonia Ben El Khala, Internal
Communications Manager of TUNISIANA, an aggressive and successful
new mobile phone operator with many women in senior positions
-- Ms. Amina Ben Daoua, Marketing Manager of MOSAIQUE, the new private
radio station with many women managers that has captured much of the
market from GOT owned stations
-- Ms. Asma Ben Garja, GROUPE POULINA, a very large and diverse group
of companies in agro-business, tourism, etc. that has realized the
dream of creating a new Medina in the Tourist area of Yasmine Hammamet
15:00 - 15:30
COFFEE BREAK Around swimming pool
15:30 - 16:30
BUILDING YOUR ALUMNAE COMMUNITY Carthage, Meninx, Neapolis,
and Thapus Conference Rooms
Facilitators: BIP Alumnae from Algeria
& Tunisia
Participants meet in four groups to discuss
and propose specific ways to encourage communication and mutual assistance
to each other through:
Group 1: BIP News Editorial Committee:
recommendations for editorial board and planning of future issues
Group 2: Alumnae Summit Committee: discussion of
themes and topics for the next alumnae event
Group 3: Networking Action Plan: develop an action
plan to keep alumnae up to date on local organizations and upcoming
events of interest to alumnae
Group 4: Lessons Learned: where are we five months
after the end of the U.S. program and where are we going?
16:30
REPORTS AND DISCUSSION IN PLENARY SESSION Thapsus Conference
Room
17:30 - 18:00
CLOSING REMARKS Thapsus Conference Room
Speaker: Ms. Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Assistant
Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department
of State
FREE EVENING
MEPI MEET US Leading
Growth Companies; Business Women’s Summit
Renaissance Tunis Hotel
May 24-26, 2005
DAY ONE TUESDAY, MAY 24
07:30 - 09:00
Breakfast Palm Restaurant
07:00 - 12:00
Registration Lobby
09:15 - 09:45
Opening Session – Welcome to Participants Utique
Ballroom
Honorable William J. Hudson, U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia Tunisian Government
Representative
09:45 - 10:00
Summit Overview Utique Ballroom
Dr. Ray Smilor, Executive Director, Beyster Institute
at the Rady School of Management, University of California, San Diego
10:00 - 11:30
Plenary Session Utique Ballroom
CEO PANEL: LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM
SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS IN THE MENA REGION
Moderator: Dr. Ray Smilor
Panelists:
-- Randa Abdou, Managing Director, Marketing Mix/Creative Lab, Egypt
-- Imen Bakhouche, General Manager, Net Concept, Tunisia
-- Lina Hindeleh, Founder, Philadelphia Chocolates, Jordan
11:30 - 13:30
Networking and Lunch Palm Restaurant
13:45 - 15:45 Workshops:
-- BUILDING PERSONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS (RED GROUP) Thapsus Room
Dr. Kim Leahy, Senior Associate Center for Creative Leadership
-- ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING (BLUE GROUP) Utique Ballroom
Dr. Minet Schindehutte, Associate Professor, Whitman School of Management,
Syracuse University
-- RECRUITING, RETAINING, MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES (YELLOW GROUP) Salon
Meninx
Metin Mitchell, Managing Director, Middle East Korn/Ferry International
15:45 - 16:15
Break
16:15 - 17:00
Keynote: “Business Women as Reform Leaders” Utique
Ballroom
Paula J. Dobriansky, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs
17:00 - 18:00
Break
18:00 - 19:30
Reception and Resource Bank Poolside
Introduction by Alina Romanowski, Director of the Office of the Middle
East Partnership Initiative, U.S. Department of State
DAY TWO WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
07:30 - 08:30
Breakfast and Networking Palm Restaurant
08:30 - 10:30
Plenary Session Utique Ballroom
KEYNOTE: Ms. Patricia de Stacy Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department
of State
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE U.S. PERSPECTIVE
Moderator: Karen Kerrigan, President
and CEO, Women Entrepreneurs, Inc. (WE, Inc.)
Panelists:
-- Beverly Holmes, Board Member, Center for Women’s Business
Research; Senior Vice President, MassMutual Financial Group
-- Ms. Patricia de Stacey Harrison, Assistant Secretary for Educational
and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
-- Mary Cantando, Board Member, Women Presidents’ Organization
and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
10:30 - 11:00
Break
11:00 - 13:00
Workshops:
-- BUILDING PERSONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS (YELLOW GROUP) Thapsus
Room
Dr. Kim Leahy
-- ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING (RED GROUP) Utique Ballroom
Dr. Minet Schindehutte
-- RECRUITING, RETAINING, MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES (BLUE GROUP) Salon
Meninx
Metin Mitchell
13:00 - 14:30
Roundtable Topic Lunch Palm Restaurant
14:30 - 16:30
Plenary Session Utique Ballroom
RECOGNIZING WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP:
ENHANCING THE ROLE OF BUSINESSWOMEN’S ASSOCIATIONS
Moderator: Jean Rogers, Deputy Director,
Programs Center for International Private Enterprise
Panelists:
-- Chafika Chamas, Arab American Businesswomen’s Council
-- Afnan Al Zayani, Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society
-- Karen Kerrigan, WE, Inc.
16:30 - 18:00
Break
18:00 - 20:00
Dinner: A Traditional Berber Experience Garden
21:00 - 23:00
“Soiree Musicale” hosted by Tunisian government Offsite
DAY THREE THURSDAY, MAY 26
07:30 - 08:30
Breakfast and Networking Palm Restaurant
08:30 - 10:15
Plenary Session Utique Ballroom
KEYNOTE: Sameena Nazir, Senior Research
Coordinator; Director, Survey of Women’s Rights in the Middle
East and North Africa Freedom House, New York
HOW TO RAISE CAPITAL
Moderator: Dr. Ray Smilor
Panelists:
-- April Foley, Vice Chair, U.S. Export-Import Bank
-- Marina Theodotou, Country Director, Financial Services Volunteer
Corps., Jordan
-- Khaled Ben Jilani, Senior Manager, Tuninvest Finance Group, Tunisia
-- Joumana Cobein, Country Director, International Finance Corporation,
Morocco
10:15 - 10:30
Break
10:30 - 12:30
Workshops:
-- BUILDING PERSONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS (BLUE GROUP) Thapsus
Room
Dr. Kim Leahy
-- ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING (YELLOW GROUP) Utique Ballroom
Dr. Minet Schindehutte
-- RECRUITING, RETAINING, MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES (RED GROUP) Salon
Meninx
Metin Mitchell
Action Planning Session: Businesswomen’s
Coalition TBD
12:30 - 13:00
Closing Plenary Session Utique Ballroom
Alina Romanowski, Director of the Office of the Middle East Partnership
Initiative, U.S. Department of State
