Leadership Team

Leading a 20-strong team of seasoned professionals, Sesam is managed by two Partners committed to the establishment, growth and acceleration of client business development activities in the UAE and neighbouring Gulf states.

Boris Ritter

Managing Partner

Boris set up the SESAM operations in Dubai in 1999. He has over 20 years’ experience promoting trade throughout the Middle East. Trusted as an honest broker by both clients and his enviable network of high level contacts throughout the region, Boris is a highly accomplished business leader who believes that trade promotion is critical to furthering international cooperation and cross-cultural understanding.

In 1997 Boris received his Diploma from the University of Applied Sciences, Bremen, Germany in Applied Business Languages and International Business Administration, with a focus on Business Arabic and Middle Eastern Economies.

Philipp von Zitzewitz

Managing Partner

Philipp has been part of the SESAM management since 2006. He looks after many of Sesam’s B2B conferences and trade promotion projects and has been instrumental in developing the wider service portfolio of the company. Prior to joining Sesam he worked for the Government of Dubai, Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing.

He holds a Diploma from the University of Applied Sciences Bremen, Germany in Business Administration with a focus on Arabic and Middle Eastern Economies.

Derek MacFarlaine

Business Development Director

Derek has over 20 years’ experience working in the MENA region. He has held senior positions with some of the GCC’s largest family owned companies and brings a wealth of practical insights into marketing and getting businesses up to speed. He focuses on telecommunication, cleantech, ICT, retail, beauty, FMCG , food & beverage sectors. Derek supports the Ontario Ministry of Trade key account under which he manages export programs for Ontario based companies and delegations.

Derek holds a B Com from the University of Western Australia.

Yasmin Isar Muñoz

Trade Consultant

Yasmin is a registered Attorney-at-Law at the Biscay Bar Association (Spain). Prior to joining the Sesam team she has held lawyer positions with the private and public sector in Spain.

At Sesam Yasmin manages the Basque Government key account supporting business and trade development projects from the Basque Province to the GCC. She holds a Degree in Spanish Law and Diploma in Anglo American Law, a Master’s Degree in Law as well as a Diploma in International Trade, Commerce & Access to Foreign Markets.

Mohamed Intikab Bin Ali

Director - Management Consulting & Training

Intikab accounts for 20 years of experience working in BIG 4 companies. He specialises in the areas of strategic management, business transformations, risk and financial management.

Intikab has served in many managerial roles in the USA, UK, Middle East, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka. He’s a certified Trainer from a leading BIG 4 in MENA and WNS Global Services India training executives to the C-Level/ Board of Directors.

Anil Kumar

IT & Online Campaigns Manager

Anil is Sesam’s IT Manager overseeing and developing service portals, webpages and electronic marketing campaigns for the company’s key accounts and clients under toughest security considerations. Anil has held software development and IT management positions in the UAE before joining Sesam.

He holds a B.Sc. (Information Technology) from the Kalinga University, India and PGDCA, ACARE from the Andhra Pradesh Institute along with countless Microsoft certifications.

Raquel Petty

Freelance Consultant

Raquel has a background in communications, marketing, project management, training and market research. She has been applying these skills practically across a variety of fields in her current consulting role with SESAM. Her training in human factors, advanced PowerPoint presentology and project management, paired with the experience that comes with living in the UAE for over a decade, provides her the ability to contribute across industries.

Raquel holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism, specialising in Public Relations from the United States International University Africa (USIU-A). She has also earned a Diploma in Safety Management Systems from International Air Transportation Association (IATA).

Sarah Salera

Campaign Manager

Sarah joined IIR in 2006 as Special Events Manager, where she was leading large scale events, features, Awards and special events for the whole Cityscape portfolio (CS Dubai; CS Abu Dhabi; CS Singapore; CS China; CS India; CS New York and Retail City), the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show; Middle East Event Show; Arab Health Awards and the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Bride Shows.

Before joining SESAM Connect in 2020, Sarah worked at Messe Frankfurt (2011-2019) as not only as the Conference Event Manager but to also manage the group’s side events as well as create and execute Awards across Messe Frankfurt ME’s portfolio.

Fajr Sulaiman Al-Zubair

Freelance Consultant

Fajr looks back at developing business relationships for her clients for close to a decade. A professional research analyst she has worked with Emirati investment firms and the Japanese trade promotion body JETRO in the UAE before joining Sesam. Fajr possesses extensive knowledge about the regions’ market trends, economies and stays up to date with laws and regulations. Supporting the Ontario Ministry of Trade key account she builds trusted relationships with the government and private sector in the UAE and KSA.

Fajr holds a BSc from the University of Khartoum, Sudan.