The School of Engineering is pleased to announce the launch of the upcoming major event, AI-driven Data Engineering: Building the Lebanese Digital Infrastructure, part of the Mounir Khatib Endowed Engineering Lecture Series.

 

This prestigious gathering will bring together industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers to discuss the evolving role of AI-driven data engineering in shaping Lebanon’s digital infrastructure. We are privileged to have Ms. Fadwa Mohanna and Ms. Ghada Richani as keynote speakers and panelists, sharing their expertise on Lebanon’s digital transformation. The panel discussion will focus on the challenges and opportunities related to digitization, with panel members representing government, universities and industry.

 

 

Fadwa Mohanna is the Founder of One37 ID and a pioneering force in digital identity and trust frameworks for the AI era. With a background in computer and communications engineering, she is leading next-generation solutions that redefine how identity, privacy, and data security are handled across digital ecosystems. Her work bridges the gap between innovation and public trust—an essential pillar in building national digital infrastructure. Fadwa’s leadership and vision have been recognized with prestigious honors, including being named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by WXN in 2023 and receiving the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur “Ones to Watch” Award in 2022.

 

Ghada Richani is an award-winning executive with deep expertise in data and technology strategy, project and program management. She currently serves as Managing Director of Data & Technology Strategy and the Project Management Office within the Risk organization at Bank of America, where she leads transformation initiatives aligning with enterprise goals. Since joining the bank, Ghada has held leadership roles spanning technology, compliance, credit risk, analytics, and more. Her earlier consulting work with Oracle and Microsoft strengthened her cross-industry technical and business skills. Ghada holds an M.S. in Software Engineering from the Lebanese American University and a Project Management Master Certificate from Villanova. Beyond her corporate role, Ghada mentors women in tech through Grace Hopper, contributes to industry panels and podcasts, and is the author of The Data Universe Chronicles. 

 

Time	Session	Details
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.	Welcome and Breakfast
9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.	Opening Remarks	LAU President: Dr. Chaouki T. Abdallah
10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.	Keynote Session	The Backbone of Progress: Data Engineering for Scalable National Systems - Ms. Ghada Richani  Infrastructure Engineering in the Age of AI: Lebanon’s AI Transformation - Ms. Fadwa Mohanna
11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.	Coffee Break
11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.	Panel Discussion	Lebanese Digital Infrastructure: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Prospects Panelists: Eng. Jihad Chahine, Board member and treasurer at the Order of Engineers and Architects in Beirut. Mr. Wissam Youssef, Founding partner and CEO of CME. Ms. Ghada Richani, Managing Director of Data & Technology Strategy at Bank of America Ms. Fadwa Mohanna, Founder of One37 ID Ms. Ghinwa Baradhi, CEO & Founder of Forethought Consultancy Dr. Linda F. Kassem, Senior advisor to the Minister of State for Administrative Reform  Moderator: Dr. Joe Tekli, LAU Assistant Provost and Associate Professor of Computer Engineering
12:45 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.	Closing Remarks	School of Engineering Dean: Dr. Michel Khoury
1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.	Lunch Cocktail