Dr. Julia Glidden is an online strategist and communications expert with extensive experience in the design and delivery of global eParticipation initiatives.

An internationally recognized expert in the field of citizen-centric Government, Dr. Glidden is a frequent keynote speaker, lecturer and seminar leader for public and private sector organizations around the world. Most recently Dr Glidden delivered a keynote speech at the 5th Ministerial eGovernment Conference in Malmo, Sweden championing the importance of Web 2.0 technologies to the democratic process. She has authored numerous articles on enhancing citizen engagement, including a Council of Europe sponsored volume on eParticipation, a review of the evolution of the British Government’s eDemocracy policy, and a case study with Andrew Pinder, former UK e-Envoy, on the UK’s Knowledge Economy Strategy.

Dr Glidden is currently active in several pan-European projects aimed at reconnecting citizens and governments. She recently oversaw all aspects of bid management, from writing to presentation, to help a client win a major multi-million pound Public Sector ICT transformation programme, and has been active in an initiative to improve local government in Southern Africa.

Prior to launching 21c Consultancy, Julia served as Managing Director for Accenture eDemocracy Services where she oversaw major ICT projects for countries ranging from the United Kingdom to the Philippines. A former strategic advisor to the International Centre of Excellence for Local eDemocracy (ICELE), Julia is currently a Non-Executive Director of the European Centre of Excellence for Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC).

Dr. Salah Alnajem is an associate professor of Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing at Kuwait University (1998 till present). He received his Master’s and PhD degrees in Computational Linguistics from Essex University in England. He is a Consultant in the Central Agency for Information Technology (from 2006 till present). He is also a Consultant in the Office of Consultative Studies and Research at the Amiri Diwan (from 2000 till present). Dr. Salah is also a producer and host of Information Technology shows at Kuwait TV (from 2004 till present). His weekly IT Awareness TV segment is being broadcasted online on the Official Portal of Kuwait (e.gov.kw/awareness).

During his work in the Central Agency for Information Technology, he worked as a member in a number of committees supervising a number of Information Technology and E-Government projects. These committees include: Steering Committee for Designing and Developing the Official Portal of Kuwait (e.gov.kw), Committee for Establishing and Administrating Comprehensive and Self Service Centers in Kuwait Governates, and the Committee for Media Awareness and National Human Capacity Building in the Field of Information Technology.

He also worked as a member in a number of committees supervising the implementation of projects related to E-Learning. These committees include, Committee for Using Information and Communication Technology in Education (Ministry of Education), Academic Committee for E-Learning (Kuwait University) and the Committee for Establishing Smart Classes used in Applying E-Learning (Kuwait University)

His scientific interests and research papers are focused on the following main areas: Computational Linguistics, Natural Language Processing, Text Processing, Information Retrieval, E-Government, E-Learning

With more than 150 articles published in professional journals/magazines, Mr. Abdul Kader Kamli is an authority on information and communication technology in the Arab world, who is often quoted by regional and international media organizations on the digital migration of the region.

In his current capacity as President and Research Director of Madar Research Group, which he founded in 2002, Mr. Kamli has pioneered regional research and consultancy in the various fields of the emerging knowledge economy; from ICT adoption by governments, industry sectors and individuals, to e-learning, e-banking and other applications of ICT.

Prior to founding Madar Research Group, he co-founded Ajeeb.com, the largest Arab horizontal web portal at that time (based on Sakhr Software technology). In 2001 and while serving as General Manager of Ajeeb.com, Mr. Kamli founded the Ajeeb Research Unit, which specialized in researching the Arab knowledge economy and coined the idea for the first-ever Arab news aggregation services; Johaina.

Mr. Kamli is also co-founder of the Middle East edition of PC Magazine and founder of Internet Arab World magazine, published by the Dabbagh Information Technology Group (DIT), and he served a long tenure as Editor-in-Chief for both publications.

Mr. Kamli holds a Master’s degree in Engineering, and has an experience of about 30 years in the ICT, media and research industries.

Dr Adel Al-Alawi is an Associate Professor, Head Of Business Department and Director of Continuing Education Program at Royal University for Women. Dr Adel holds a PhD from University of Leeds, UK. Previously he was Dean of School of Business and Advisor to the President for Academic Affairs at the University College of Bahrain and the Chairman of Management Information System (MIS) Department at the University of Bahrain (UoB). He served UoB for more than 20 years. Dr Al-Alawi founded MIS Department in the University of Bahrain. He is also one of the founders and Board members for Bahrain Information Technology Society (BITS); Bahrain Academic Society and a Vice President of Information Systems Audit & Control Association, Bahrain Chapter. Dr Al-Alawi intensively participated in the Board formed by a decree from HH the Prime Minster for the development of Bahrain Internet Exchange (BIX) and substantially contributed in the Committee founded by HH the Prime Minster for the Preparation of the Government Program for Parliament. Dr. Al-Alawi's research has been published in several international journals. His main interest of research is in management in general and is more specifically in MIS.

Dr. Tariq Mohamed Al-Sindi currently serves as the Director in the Higher Education Review Unit at the Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training (QAAET) in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Before moving to QAAET in June 2007, he worked with the University of Bahrain, as an Assistant Professor and Chairman of Information Systems Department, College of Information Technology.

Tariq holds a Bachelors degree in Computer Sciences, Post Graduate Diploma in Education, Masters Degree in Information Systems, and PhD degree in Computer Sciences. He has 22 years experience in teaching, research and academic administration.

Dr. Al-Sindi is currently the Secretary General of the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE) and a Board member in the Society of Academics, and the MENA-AIR. Dr. Al-Sindi organized and facilitated many seminars and workshops in the area of Quality Assurance, supervised many students at Master and PhD level, conducted many projects for the private and government sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and published many papers in the area of Information Systems.

Ahmed Azzam Elmasri was born in Tripoli, Lebanon. To pursue his studies, he migrated to Canada in 1975 and graduated from Montreal University (Canada) in 1980 holding an Engineering degree in Electronics and Communication.

He joined the University of Bahrain as a lecturer in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He taught many computer courses and was a member of the consultants’ team of the Engineering Collage. From 1980 to 1985, Dr. Elmasri worked at developing Computer interface devices that allow computer screens and printers to use Arabic scripts.

In 1985, Dr. Elmasri was appointed as Director of the Computer Center in Ajman University (UAE). He got his PhD from Bradford University (UK) in Digital Signal Processing and Computer Control of Biomedical Signals in 1993. During the same year, he was appointed as IT Advisor in Ministry of Education Bahrain. Following that, he was appointed as an IT Advisor to the Ministry of Information, where he was involved in major developments of the IT projects for both Ministries.

In 2003, Dr. Elmasri was appointed as Head of the IT department and later as a Deputy Director for Academic affairs at the Arab Open University.

Dr. Elmasri attended many training courses in IT and Management. He has published more than 10 papers in these fields. He was also selected as Honored Member of International Who's Who for Information Technology for Year 2000.

Dr. Mohamed Baqer is an IEEE and ACM member and an Assistant Professor at the University of Bahrain. He joined the University of Bahrain in 2001 after graduating from King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals with a BSc. in Computer Engineering.

He is currently teaching computer networks and security courses at the Department of Computer Engineering, College of Information Technology. Dr. Baqer’s current research focuses on: eServices, Internet safety and security, Internet of Things, social networks, and artificial intelligence among others.

Dr. Baqer researched Peer-to-Peer, Mobile IP, and Wireless systems during his Master and Doctorate degrees from Monash University where he was awarded numerous scholarships.

Professional effective leader with over 16 years of experience with particular strengths in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) operations management, telecoms deregulation process, strategic planning and business development.

In the recent years he added up to his proven track record of achievements in the developing of true Next Generation top class ICT Networks and the latest one of its kind in the region at Amwaj Islands utilizing the potential of emerging access technologies to deliver services via a converged networks for voice, video and data over FTTx Network, and lately engaged in introducing Mobile Virtual Network Enablers (MVNE)for the first in the region with Elephant Talk Communications (NASDAQ ETAK)

Also, he has been elected by the OLO’s as a Board Director at the Bahrain Internet Exchange (BIX) representing the service providers, and he also serves as a Board Member of Bahrain Internet Society (BIS) and the Director of International relationships, and actively member at the ISOC (Internet Society) under the Bahrain Cheaper.

His professional attentions have increasingly focused on the future of information’s and communications transformations and conversions from the legacy technologies to the emerging technologies of multiple services over one core single infrastructure on fix and mobile.