Khaled Jamal Alkour is a Jordanian entrepreneur based in Dubai, with more than 25 years of business experience spanning Dubai, Amman, and China. He is the Managing Director of META ART LOUNGE, where he leads the company’s strategic direction, operations, partnerships, and growth across the art, design, décor, and lifestyle sectors.
Throughout his career, Khaled has developed extensive experience in product sourcing, custom manufacturing, gifting, commercial partnerships, and international business development. His entrepreneurial approach combines strategic thinking with practical execution, supported by a strong regional and international network.
Khaled focuses on building sustainable businesses, developing strategic partnerships, and creating opportunities that connect people, products, and markets. His experience across multiple markets has given him a practical understanding of international business, cross-border sourcing, and commercial development.
Based in Dubai, Khaled brings a pragmatic, relationship-driven, and results-oriented approach to entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on creating meaningful partnerships and developing businesses across the art, design, décor, and lifestyle sectors.
Quentin Newton is the founder of Quencode, a software company creating digital products, websites and mobile applications, and the creator of Jobbly, a platform designed to make finding work more straightforward and accessible.
With a background in computer science and early experience in virtual-reality development, he brings a practical, human-centred approach to technology. As an advisor to Everyday Refugees Foundation, Quentin supports the organisation’s digital development and helps create accessible online experiences that connect more people with its stories and mission.
Jasper van der Zee worked as a manager at the municipality of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Among other responsibilities at the municipality of Amsterdam, Jasper coordinates housing distribution, allocations and provides vulnerable people with appropriate housing. He also volunteers to help refugees in the Netherlands since the refugee crisis in Europe.
Website: https://www.amsterdam.nl/wonen-leefomgeving/wonen/
Sonia Ben Ammar is a French 27-year-old model and artist. Starting at a young age she has featured in many variety TV shows in France, starred in French movie Jappeloup and performed in the Frenchbroadway musical Les Amants de la Bastille. Since 2016, she is signed at IMG models’ agency and has worked with the likes of brands such as Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, MiuMiu, Carolina Herrera, Top Shop. Sonia has been working on her debut music album for two years. She is currently studying Music at USC.
Until 2019, Bas van Voorst had his own legal practice and held a number of positions in the social field. After he got his masters degree in corporate law, he joined De Roos Advocaten. This modern Amsterdam-based law firm focusses on growth, tech and social enterprises, varying from start-ups to larger international corporations. Their lawyers specialize in corporate law, intellectual property law and privacy law.
With his legal expertise and experience, Bas advises and assists Everyday Refugees Foundation on legal issues, ranging from the fiscal ANBI status to the contracts and corporate structure of the foundation.
Kathy Gannon served as special regional correspondent for Pakistan and Afghanistan for The Associated Press.
She has covered the region for the AP as a correspondent and bureau chief since 1988, a period that spans the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Afghanistan, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the bitter Afghan civil war between Islamic factions and the rise and fall of the Taliban. Gannon was the only Western journalist allowed in Kabul by the Taliban in the weeks preceding the 2001 U.S.-British offensive in Afghanistan.
In April 2014 Gannon was seriously wounded while covering preparations for Afghan national elections when an Afghan police officer opened fire on the car in which she was riding. Her colleague and close friend, AP photographer Anja Niedringhaus, was killed in the attack.
A native of Timmins, Ontario, Canada, she was the city editor at the Kelowna Courier in British Columbia and worked at several Canadian newspapers before her career took her overseas. She has lived in Israel, Japan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
She is the recipient of numerous awards, including:
- International Women’s Media Foundation Courage In Journalism Award
- Overseas Press Club Award for best newspaper or wire service reporting from abroad
- Edward R. Murrow Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
- AP Oliver S. Gramling Award in Journalism
In 2005 Gannon authored “I is for Infidel: From Holy War, to Holy Terror, 18 Years Inside Afghanistan,” an examination of the Taliban and post-Taliban period, published by Public Affairs.
