14:40 – 15:50
History and Future of the Semiconductor Industry in the MENA Region: A Benchmark From the Semi Ecosystem in Egypt
Moderator
Salah Nasri
I.S.E.S.
Salah Nasri is the CEO & Co-Founder of the International Semiconductor Executive Summits (ISES), a division of the International Semiconductor Industry Group Ltd. an influential organization within the semiconductor industry. With extensive experience in the sector, Nasri has played a pivotal role in fostering global collaboration among semiconductor leaders. Under his leadership, ISES has become a premier platform for industry executives to connect, share insights, and drive innovation across various regions including the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Salah Nasri has been instrumental in expanding the reach and impact of ISES, organizing significant events that bring together decision-makers from across the semiconductor ecosystem. These events provide opportunities for networking, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas crucial for advancing the industry in areas such as semiconductor manufacturing, MEMS, AI, automotive electronics, and more.
His leadership has not only enhanced the visibility of ISES globally but also strengthened partnerships with key industry players, ensuring that ISES remains at the forefront of semiconductor innovation and development. Salah Nasri has previously worked at Goldman Sachs’s, Credit Suisse and International Business Development Group. Salah Nasri graduated from Oxford University and Loughborough University in International Relations and Economics. In 2024, Salah Nasri became a Stanford University Alumni after completing the Stanford Executive Program.
Company Profile
Established in 2010, the International Semiconductor Industry Group (I.S.I.G.) is a prestigious and trusted association within the semiconductor industry, renowned for orchestrating major regional summits across the globe, ranging from the U.S, the Middle East & Asia via our division, the International Semiconductor Executive Summits (I.S.E.S.). Our summits, are fully endorsed by local governments and leading companies in all areas of the semiconductor supply chain.
Moreover, I.S.E.S. serves as the Premier platform for senior executives in technology, manufacturing, and R&D from diverse semiconductor companies, technology providers, and affiliated industries. Our events are instrumental helping to shed light onto key industry trends, drive innovation and influence key decisions to help shape, and advance the growth of the semiconductor sector. Join us today!
Panelist
Dr. Hisham Haddara
SiWare Systems
Hisham Haddara is the founder of Si-Ware Systems (SWS), a leading fabless semiconductor company in Egypt. Prior to founding SWS in December 2003, he was with MEMScAP from May 2000 as EVP and President of MEMSCAP Egypt and was co-founder and first GM of ANACAD Egypt in 1994. By the end of 1994, ANACAD was acquired by Mentor Graphics Corporation (MGC) where he worked till May 2000 as GM of Mentor Graphics Egypt.
Hisham has been a professor of microelectronics at Ain-Shams University, Cairo till 2016. He has authored and co-authored two books, several patents and more than 100 scientific publications in International Journals and Conferences. He received his Ph.D. degree in Microelectronics from the National Polytechnic Institute, Grenoble, France in 1988. His Ph.D. research work won the best Ph.D. thesis award for the years 1987-88, awarded by the French National Scientific Research Center (CNRS).
Hisham is the founding chairman of the GSA-Egypt chapter and board member of EITESAL, (Egyptian Information, Telecommunications, Electronics & Software Alliance), the biggest technology NGO in Egypt. He is also a board member of the IT Industry Development Agency, ITIDA.
Hisham is currently leading a team to develop a national strategy for the semiconductors industry in Egypt under the umbrella of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
Hisham serves as advisor to the Minister of Scientific Research on innovation and heads a team to develop a national innovation policy for Egypt. He has been an expert on innovation with the ESCWA UN organization and is currently enrolled in the MIT REAP program at the MIT Sloan school of management as part of a national team to accelerate the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cairo.
He currently serves on the board of directors of the National Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority and the board of and Zewail City for Science and Technology. He has also served as a member of the steering committee of Egypt-Japan University for Science and Technology as well as a member of the Engineering Education committee of the Supreme Council for Universities.
Hisham is chairman of the board and co-founder of Si-Ware Systems, Pearl Semi and Fab-Minds.
Company Profile
Si-Ware was founded in 2004 by leading-edge scientists and entrepreneurs who developed the world first alignment-free, calibration-free, and shock-resistant MEMS based Fourier Transform Near Infra-Red (FT-NIR) spectrometer on a chip. This was and still is the smallest FT-NIR MEMS spectrometer in the world.
In 2014, Si-Ware won the prestigious Prism Award from the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) for our first-generation technology. Since then, Si-Ware has continued to innovate scoring more than 100 patents and a large number of research papers that represent our technical advancements in FT-IR spectroscopy.
Now, Si-Ware provides end-to-end FT-NIR solutions under the brand name NeoSpectra. This combines portable FT-NIR Analyzers with intuitive software and a powerful cloud to quickly analyze samples with speed and precision across almost all industries. Si-Ware brings highly accurate, on-site material analysis within reach for all through affordable and accessible technology. We have redefined NIR performance and use through unique FT-NIR technology that enables simultaneous analysis of multiple parameters with greater accuracy, across practically all industries and scientific applications.
Si-Ware, an independent fabless semiconductor company that fosters silicon innovation, employs more than 100 engineers, and has commercial sites and development centers in Cairo, Egypt and Paris, France as well as in California and Boston area in the USA.
Panelist
Ayman Ahmed
Pearl Semiconductor
With a genuine passion for entrepreneurship, Ayman accumulated +28 years of engineering and managerial experience in the semiconductor industry. As one of the co-founders of Si-Ware Systems in 2004, he assumed several roles including VP of ASIC Engineering and VP of ASIC Marketing & Business Development before starting the Timing BU and then spun it out as Pearl Semiconductor in 2020. Ayman has notable contributions in the Timing industry such as leading the MEMS-Based Programmable Clock Generator Development program for Discera (Microchip) and a CMOS only LC-Based Self-Compensated Oscillator (SCO). Ayman holds 10 patents and received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in electronics and communication engineering from Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt in 1994 and 2002 respectively.
Company Profile
Coming soon…
Panelist
Mohamed Mohsen
Si-Vision
Mr. Mohamed Mohsen is an entrepreneur and semiconductor professional holding BSc and MSc degrees in Electronic & Communication Engineering; with strong business, management, and entrepreneurial expertise in the semiconductor for more than 18+ year.
Mohamed is the Co-Founder & CEO of Si-Vision LLC; founded in 2007, delivering state-of-the-art Intellectual Properties (IPs’) to Tier-1 customers across the globe; including but not limited to low power wireless, high speed interfaces, high speed memory interfaces and other advanced solutions and serving customers across the globe delivering cutting-edge semiconductor ASICs and IPs.
In July 2015 Mr. M Mohsen and the team were able to achieve one of the remarkable an success stories in region for the technology and semiconductor industry, when Synopsys, Inc. the world’s leading provider of EDA and Interface IP acquired Silicon Vision leading Bluetooth® Smart wireless technology enabling Synopsys today to be leading IP provider for the LP wireless across the globe, while starting a new era for Si-Vision as the exclusive IP strategic partner of Synopsys Inc. [Nasdaq:SNPS] in the region.
Today Si-Vision fast growing team is the biggest Analog/Mixed Signal and RF team in the Middle East with more than 550+ designers delivering of state-of-the-art technologies and serving customers across the globe.
In addition to his role in Si-Vision LLC, Mr. M Mohsen is the CEO & Chairman for SiVT LTD in Hong Kong, delivering innovative Electronic Systems to the education market with strategic partnership with the No.1 Tech-education leader Promethean Limited (UK).
Mr. M Mohsen is also Board Member & Managing partner for couple of Private Equity ventures in the UK & UAE in addition being Mentor/Board member for multiple technology startups in MENA and Asia. Mr. M Mohsen has been always a major stakeholder in the electronics community in Egypt, where he is currently severing as Board Member for Eitesal NGO since March 2022. In addition to being on the MCIT advisory committee working together to shape the strategic path of the electronics industry in Egypt.
Panelist
Ahmed El-Shennawy
Pulsar Microelectronics
Ahmed is a technology professional with more than 15 years of experience in the semiconductors industry. As one of the first employees in Si-Ware Systems, he contributed to the company’s development throughout its different growth stages until it successfully grew in value and scale. Ahmed started his career as an A/MS designer and was part of a talented team who developed several high-performance ASICs and IPs. In 2011, he initiated the Application Engineering function to support the business development of the ASIC business unit and managed his team to sell to over 30 customers across the globe. After the acquisition of the Si-Ware ASIC business unit in 2019 by Goodix, Ahmed led the application engineering team serving products targeting smartphones.
In 2021, Ahmed co-founded Pulsar Microelectronics, a company that offers A/MS design services leveraging two decades of deep expertise in several domains, including power harvesters, SerDes, timing solutions, and sensors interfacing.
Ahmed has an MBA from China Europe International Business School in Shanghai and B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Electronics Engineering from Ain Shams University in Cairo and holds 4 US patents.