Mrs. Susan Steffen currently serves as the Director General for West Africa and the Maghreb at Global Affairs Canada. Previously, she was the Director General of Pan-African Affairs, in charge of foreign relations, development, and trade initiatives across the continent.

Mrs. Steffen holds a degree in economics from Queen’s University and a law degree from McGill University. Her educational background has provided her with a strong foundation in understanding the economic and legal complexities of international relations.

With a focused career spanning over 25 years, primarily centered on Sub-Saharan Africa, Mrs. Steffen has held various political and operational roles. She has also worked in NGOs and at the United Nations, with assignments in Tanzania and Rwanda for the UN. This experience has given her deep insights into crisis management, diplomacy, and economic and social development.

In her current role, Mrs. Steffen focuses on strengthening diplomatic ties, economic development, and development cooperation between Canada and the nations of West Africa and the Maghreb. She is dedicated to implementing initiatives that promote stability, economic growth, and regional integration.

Mr. Boutara is a holder of a PHD in American Civilization, a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy and a Degree of Deepened Studies in American Civilization. He is also a graduate from the National School of Administration (ENA) in Tunisia.

Before being nominated as Ambassador of Tunisia to Canada, Mr. Boutara held several significant positions within the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as the Director of Relations with European Mediterranean countries, as Director Inspector at the General Inspection, as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and as Director of Relations with Northern and Central Europe, Russia, and the Caucasus. He also served as Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Tunisia in France in charge of economic and multilateral matters and First Counselor at the Embassy of Tunisia in Malta.

Mr. Boutara has given lectures in American Civilization and Regional Studies at the Higher Institute of Human Sciences of Tunis. He has also taught at the Diplomatic Institute for Training and Studies and has supervised a score of junior diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As Ambassador, Mr. Boutara is committed to enhancing the long-standing bonds of friendship and cooperation between Tunisia and Canada with a particular focus on economic, cultural, and scientific exchanges as well as mobility.

(BBA, University of Ottawa, 1989; BA [Political Science], University of Ottawa, 1990). She joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1992. At Headquarters, she has worked in many areas, including audit, finance, human resources, international security and consular and crisis management.

She has served as Director of the Peace Operations Policy and Deployments Division and Director of the Education and Social Development Division.

She supported Canada’s role in the evacuation during the war in Lebanon in 2006 and Canada’s response to the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. She has served abroad in South Africa, Haiti, the United Kingdom and, more recently, Belgium, where she was part of Canada’s mission to the European Union.

Director of Digital Economy, is General Inspector of Communications, at the Ministry of Communication Technologies.

Lawyer by training, he si holder of a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) in Public and Financial Law from the Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences of Tunis.
Among the main files for which he is responsible are the Permanent secretariat of the two steering committees within the Ministry and in coordination with the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) for the regulation of the issuance of the International Technology Card and the revision of the regulatory framework for the provision of payment services via Mobile (M-payment).

He is Member of several working groups such us the working group in charge of the negotiation file with Paypal and the implementation of the Decashing project and the file of the development of the national strategy for Financial Inclusion, the Task force which participated in the development of the Startup Act, the Digital Code Project Drafting Committee and the National Export Facilitation Commission as part of the implementation of the “Easy Export” pilot project.

Director General of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA Tunisia), plays a key role in the economic development of the country. He holds a master’s degree in management and a specialized master’s in Tax Law. Additionally, he has a diploma from the Higher Cycle of the National School of Administration of Tunis and a Taxation Diploma from the National School of Taxes in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Joining the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency in 2008, he has held various responsibilities, including those charged with General Promotion and the Promotion of Advanced Technology Sectors. He led the agency’s representations in London in 2014 and in Cologne in 2017. With more than 15 years of experience at FIPA-Tunisia, Mr. Tebib has developed significant expertise in promoting investment, framing, and supporting foreign investors.

Mr. Kais Sellami is a distinguished leader in the field of information and communication technologies in Tunisia and beyond. A graduate engineer from École Centrale Paris with an Executive MBA, Mr. Sellami has been the CEO of Discovery Group since 1995. The group is recognized as a leader in integrating and developing solutions for the digital transformation of companies, actively operating in markets across the Maghreb, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Currently, as the President of the National Federation of Information and Communication Technologies within the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts (UTICA), Mr. Sellami is pivotal in the development and promotion of the ICT sector in Tunisia.

Born in Toronto, Richard Kempler moved with his parents to Paris during his childhood. After graduating from ESSEC, one of France’s leading business schools, he embarked on a career in international trade, initially dealing with tea and later iron ore commodities. He lived Switzerland from 1990 to 2002, where he honed his expertise in the global commodities market.

In 1998, Richard shifted his professional focus back to his passion for entertainment. He founded Shaoline Music in 1999, a label and music publishing company. Alongside his music endeavors, he developed a business in producing and promoting shows across Europe, including a significant stint in 2007-2008 with the Consortium Stade de France, enhancing large-scale entertainment projects.

Mr. Mourad Ben Hassine, CEO of the Tunisian Export Promotion Center, was appointed in April 2022. An engineer, Mr. Ben Hassine has served in several departments before leading CEPEX, whose mission is to enhance the positioning of Tunisian products and services on international markets and foster new export markets. Prior to this role, he was the General Director of the Tunisian National Institute for Domestic Consumption and served as Senior Advisor to the Minister at the Cabinet of the Minister of Commerce, tasked with overseeing EU twinning programs and World Bank projects for export development.

Mr. Walid Siala is an accomplished professional with extensive expertise in logistics and supply chain management. He holds an M.Sc. in Logistics from HEC Montréal and lived in Canada for 10 years, where he completed his academic studies and began his professional career. With over 17 years of experience, he has held several top management positions in Canada and Tunisia across diverse sectors such as agri-food, pharmaceuticals, and the chemical industry. Currently, he is the founding president of the Tunisian Canadian Business Network (RTCA), a non-profit association aimed at strengthening economic, scientific, and cultural exchanges between Tunisia and Canada. He is also engaged in sustainable development and innovation initiatives and works to enhance cooperation between the two countries in key sectors such as information technology, agribusiness, and renewable energies, contributing to his profile as an influential leader in international trade and business management.

Michel Alary is the President and CEO of WECO Electrical Connectors, a renowned company specializing in the design and manufacturing of electrical connector solutions. Under his leadership, WECO has established itself as a leader in its field, providing high-quality products for a wide range of industries, including electronics, industrial automation, and renewable energies.

Mr. Alary has an academic background in electrical engineering and industrial management, acquired from leading institutions. His education has enabled him to develop in-depth expertise in engineering, production management, and product development, which are crucial for the industry in which WECO operates.

Before becoming CEO of WECO Electrical Connectors, Mr. Alary held various leadership positions in technology and engineering companies, where he gained valuable experience in managing engineering teams, product innovation, and optimizing production processes. He was also involved in international development initiatives, contributing to the company’s expansion into new markets.

As CEO of WECO, Mr. Alary focuses on continuous innovation, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction. Under his direction, WECO continues to strengthen its market position by offering cutting-edge electrical connector solutions that meet the specific needs of its customers while anticipating future industry trends.

Mr. Mohamed Guetat is the CEO of Momentum Technologies, a leading company in technology solutions that include data management, software development, and digital transformation. Under his leadership, Momentum Technologies has played a critical role in empowering businesses through innovative technology solutions that drive efficiency and growth.

Mr. Guetat has a solid academic background in computer science and information technology management, which provides him with the skills necessary to lead a technology-focused organization.

Mr. Guetat has spent many years in the technology sector, gaining a wealth of experience in software development, IT project management, and business development. Before becoming CEO, he held various leadership roles within the industry, where he was instrumental in steering companies toward technological advancements and market leadership.

Ridha Ben Mrad P.Eng., FCSME, is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto. He joined the University in 1997, having previously held research positions at the National Research Council of Canada in Vancouver, BC, and the Ford Research Laboratory in Dearborn, Michigan. He received a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1994.

Professor Ben Mrad’s research interests are Mechatronics and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) with a special focus on the design of pieozceramic actuators and sensors, microactuators and microfluidic systems, MEMS fabrication, thin film pieozoelectrics and development of smart materials based devices. His research led to a number of patents and inventions including 9 US patents/patent applications. He has supervised the research of over 55 graduate students and researchers, received the Faculty Early Career Teaching Award in 2002, and the Connaught Innovation Award in 2013 and 2015.

He serves on the NSERC Mechanical Engineering Grants Committee (2008-2011), chairs the IEEE Industrial Electronics Committee on MEMS and Nanotechnology, and serves on the Executive Board of the CanSmart Group. He is currently a Technical Editor of the IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, Editor of IE Tech News, and serves on the Steering Committee of the IEEE/ASME JMEMS. He was also a Guest Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. He also served as a founding Director of the Institute for Robotics and Mechatronics at the University of Toronto (2009-11).

Cathy Séguin is President and Executive Director, Canada Arab Business Council. She co-founded and was appointed Vice-President of SickKids International (SKI) in 2005. She leads SKI’s strategy, enabling SickKids to further its international leadership goals in patient care advisory, education and research.

Cathy has more than 25 years of hospital management experience, both in community and academic hospitals. At SickKids, she has held a number of leadership roles, including that of Vice-President of Child Health Services, Vice-President of Surgical Services and Professional Services, and Director of Diagnostic Imaging. Previous leadership roles have also extended to executive responsibility for Safe Kids Canada, a unit of SickKids until 2012.

Externally, Cathy has chaired the Ontario Paediatric Surgical Wait Times Expert Panel through the Wait Time Strategy at the Ministry of Health in 2006, as well as the Paediatric Subcommittee of the Critical Care Expert Advisory Panel in 2007. She was also Chair of the Provincial Council for Children’s Health Surgical Services Wait Time Task Force.

She holds a Master’s degree in business administration from The Richard Ivey School of Business. She is a member of the Canada Arab Business Council Board of Directors, and the Richard Ivey School of Business Health Sector Advisory Council. She is also former Chair of the Board of Directors for Parachute, a national organization dedicated to injury prevention in Canada. Cathy Séguin is President and Executive Director, Canada Arab Business Council. She co-founded and was appointed Vice-President of SickKids International (SKI) in 2005. She leads SKI’s strategy, enabling SickKids to further its international leadership goals in patient care advisory, education and research.