• Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Chairman of Alsara Group and Chairman of Bidayat; Patrick Chalhoub, Executive Chairman of Chalhoub Group; and Mounaz Abdel Raouf, Co-founder of Okhtein, will chart the trajectory of the luxury segment’s rise from regional to global brands.
  • The former Chief Business Officer of Alphabet’s ‘X moonshot factory’ (Formally Google X) Mo Gawdat will explore innovation and will bridge the gap between human potential and technological advancement.
  • Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises, will explore how organisations are evolving in response to global challenges
  • Sessions to address leadership and enterprise, culture and identity, the future of regional AI startups, and the role of performance, creativity, and resilience in long-term growth

Sharjah:  The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) is set to return for its ninth edition with a diverse lineup of over 300 global leaders in business, culture, technology, and sport, bringing together influential entrepreneurial voices.

The headline speakers for SEF 2026 include Khabib Nurmagomedov, the retired mixed martial artist from the UFC who is now an entrepreneur; Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Chairman of Alsara Group and Chairman of Bidayat; Mounaz Abdel Raouf, Co-founder of Okhtein; Patrick Chalhoub, Executive Chairman of Chalhoub Group; Mo Gawdat, The former Chief Business Officer of Alphabet’s ‘X moonshot factory’ (Formally Google X); Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises; Kartik Renjen, Head of Startups, AWS, and Anas Bukhash, founder of Bukhash Brothers, alongside a notable group of industry leaders and innovators.

Business leaders to demonstrate resilience across diverse sectors

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s in-conversation session ‘The Making of a Champion: What it Takes to be Undefeated’ will be moderated by Anas Bukhash, drawing on the former’s experience transitioning from elite sport to business and mentorship. The UFC Hall of Famer’s participation reflects the festival’s focus on long-term thinking, discipline, and leadership.

SEF 2026 will also welcome Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Mounaz Abdel Raouf and Patrick Chalhoub. Together, they will examine how luxury, identity, creativity, and commerce are impacting the next generation of region-born global brands.

The former Chief Business Officer of Alphabet’s ‘X moonshot factory’ (Formally Google X), Mo Gawdat, is an authority on technology, innovation and mental wellness who has inspired millions globally, will bridge the gap between human potential and technological advancement, offering a blueprint for creating impactful ventures.

Meanwhile, technology and the fate of entrepreneurship in the region will be addressed in a session led by Kartik Renjen. Titled ‘What’s Next for AI Startups in MENA’, the session will study emerging opportunities and responsibilities for founders in one of the world’s fastest-growing innovation ecosystems.

Addressing enterprise at scale, Badr Jafar will join the programme to share insights shaped by global business, investment, and social impact. His session will explore how organisations are evolving in response to global challenges and interconnected markets.

Under the theme ‘Where We Belong’, SEF 2026 will take place on January 31 and February 1 at Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK).

Organised by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), SEF 2026 will convene founders alongside investors, creatives, policymakers and industry leaders for two days of dialogue. With an expected audience of 14,000 attendees, the festival continues to evolve as a platform where entrepreneurship intersects with culture, leadership and ingenuity, creating a space for knowledge exchange across markets.

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival is the region’s largest platform for entrepreneurial exchange, providing a programme of talks, interactive sessions, and curated experiences designed to inspire, connect, and inform. Further speaker announcements and programme details will be revealed in the lead-up to SEF 2026.

For more information and registration details, visit sharjahef.com.