Aref is a distinguished executive and strategist with over twenty years of experience in Digital Transformation and Strategy in multinational corporations. His leadership roles span the World Economic Forum as a Strategy Officer, consultancy groups at the UN GlobalABC, OECD Blue Dot Network, the First Movers Coalition, and board memberships in technology and innovation startups. His advisory roles extend to universities, international research groups, and expert networks.

At CCC Group, a leading infrastructure and construction company, Aref’s significant contributions have included implementing Third and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in operations of turnover values exceeding $70 billion. He has strategically improved the company’s revenue, competitiveness, and business value, all while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As the CEO of CCC Startup, Aref has fostered innovation by establishing strategic partnerships between large corporates and startups. Under his leadership, numerous breakthroughs have been achieved, including pioneering advancements in the application of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and the introduction of carbon neutrality solutions, among others.

Aref is a respected contributor to studies on Global Megatrends and has authored several white papers, such as ‘Future of Construction,’ ‘Infrastructure 4.0,’ ‘Globalization 4.0,’ and ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution.’ His work in these areas has been instrumental in shaping corporate alignment with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators and tracking their contributions towards the UN SDGs.