Bassel Malaeb

Bassel Malaeb has been a trusted advisor to government institutions and businesses on food security, agrifood systems and environmental sustainability for more than a decade. Through his work, Bassel has led strategic and transformational programs for several ministries, authorities, funds, agribusinesses and family investment offices in the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council (“GCC”).Bassel is an experienced advisor on food security and the agriculture sector. He has led the development and implementation of innovative and effective long-term strategies aimed at improving food security and growing domestic agriculture sustainably. Additionally, Bassel has worked at the heart of major government transformational programs on environmental sustainability, helping shape sector institutional frameworks and developing enabling policies, plans and regulations.

Relevant Experience

• Led the development of the national food security strategy for a GCC country leveraging a scenario planning approach and covering programs for enabling agricultural technology (“AgTech”) adoption, boosting domestic production, optimizing agriculture investments abroad, diversifying food trade, reforming sector subsidy models, optimizing strategic food reserves and revamping institutional setup

• Led the large-scale transformation program for one of the largest environment and agriculture ministries in the GCC, including the design and implementation of a target operating model

• Led the development of a national research, development and innovation (“RDI”) strategy for the agriculture and environment sectors in a GCC country focused on revamping the RDI funding model, supporting entrepreneurship and creating an enabling environment for attracting investments in these sectors

• Formulated numerous national-scale strategies and plans with associated performance management frameworks, governance models and socioeconomic impact assessments

• Led the formulation of the strategy for one of the largest terrestrial and marine natural reserves in the GCC aimed at enhancing the conservation and development of biodiversity and promoting sustainable tourism activities

• Led the revamping of environmental monitoring and inspection services for a GCC country, including assessment of optimal public-private partnership models

• Led the design of a national program aimed at restoring ecosystems in a region of a GCC country through the adoption of advanced technologies

• Led multiple feasibility studies in the agriculture and food sectors for ministries and private sector organizations, including the establishment of special economic zones for agriculture product exports, edible oils market entry, oilseeds crushing business, animal feed market entry and AgTech acquisitions, among others