IBIS Middle East 2023 – Agenda

8.00am to 9.15am – Arrival and Registration

Tea, coffee and light pastries available from 8.00am

Welcome and networking time


9.15 am – Welcome to IBIS Middle East 2023

Jason Moseley – CEO IBIS Worldwide welcomes delegates and introduces Robert Snook as the IBIS Middle East Conference Moderator


9.20 am – Robert Snook, IBIS Conference Moderator

Robert reviews the outcomes of the 2022 event and explains the agenda and objectives for this year’s event, explaining how the audience can get involved with the sessions and discussions.


9.25am – A Vision of Our Future – How AI Will Enable a Better Tomorrow for Us All

Morning keynote: Mr. Fareed Lutfi, Secretary General, Emirates Insurance Association

Technology will never ever again be as slow as it is today. It is driving and enabling change like never before. But where is it taking us? Mr. Fareed will provide a vision of our future, highlighting how digitisation, big data and AI will play an increasingly significant role and become standard operating procedure for collision repair in the region and the world. Mr. Fareed will then be joined on stage by a cross industry panel to discuss where the GCC collision industry is with Digitisation, Big Data and AI now and how we can successfully progress toward the future we face together.

Maher El Ghailani, Area Managing Director MENAT Region, Solera Audatex
Ayman Alajmi, Chairman & CEO, Braxtone Group


10.45am – Coffee and Networking Break


11.15am – Insurance Companies and Bodyshops

Interactive panel session with whole room discussion and debate

Digitisation, low touch, remote claims processes, self-serve apps, AI and more are bringing a new level of trust, transparency, automation and a prerequisite for us all to collaborate with each other. What are the opportunities we are yet to grasp, what are the remaining barriers we need to overcome together and what old world legacies do we finally need to leave behind us forever?

Mina Sahib, Insurance Business Director, XA Group, UAE
Samir Balchi, Regional Claims Strategic Support Manager, GIG Gulf
Byju Narayanan Panichikal, Bodyshop Manager, Ali & Sons Holding LLC, Abu Dhabi
Nithul Lakshman, Owner, PAL Auto Garages, UAE


12.30 pm – Lunch and Networking


1.45pm – New Vehicle Technology – Repair and Recalibrate, Not Resist and Regret

Interactive panel session with whole room discussion and debate

New vehicle technologies are changing repair processes forever. EVs and ADAS are already here, but we are only now finding out about how they are impacting accident, recovery and repair processes. We follow the repair journey from incident to handover to bust the myths, firm up the facts and understand how it works. What are the best practices, training needed, investment required and the opportunities it brings us… but what are the liabilities we also face by shortcutting best practice?

Richard Dunbar, Managing Director, Park Lodge International, UK
Jeff Mack, Special Operations, Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance, Europe
Ünal Ünaldı, Chairman of the Board, RS Automotive Group, Türkiye
Byju Panichikal, Bodyshop Manager, Ali & Sons Holding LLC, Abu Dhabi


3.00pm – Coffee and Networking Break


3.30pm – Improving Productivity – What Is It and How Does It Work in Practice?

Interactive panel session with whole room discussion and debate

Being efficient and being effective are not the same thing and do not produce the same results. Dr. Akbar, a renowned and respected efficiency expert, will discuss the concept of productivity, before being joined on stage by a cross industry panel to discuss where the GCC collision industry is with Productivity today and how we can implement the ideas to improve the repair journey for all stakeholders.

Dr John Mathew, Head of Talent, Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo, Bahrain
Salman Shahid, Regional Segment Manager, Transportation After Market for Europe Middle East & Africa, 3M


4.45pm – Closing Remarks

Robert Snook summarises the event and reviews key points and take away actions. Confirms IBIS activity for 2023 and how the region can attend other IBIS events by livestream or in person.


4.55pm – IBIS Middle East 2023 Closes

Delegates continue with networking and depart at leisure