Robert is the Director of the Economist Corporate Network based in Dubai and covering the MENA region. Robert works closely with network members to help inform their business strategies through political, economic and operational insight and to connect them with their senior leadership peers.

Robert is a business journalist, editor and publisher with 25 years of experience covering a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality, retail, construction, energy and transport, and a particular interest in human capital management.

He is an accomplished event chairman, moderator and speaker.

Robert completed an MBA at the University of Leicester School of Business in 2012 and holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Nottingham.

Pat Thaker provides the intellectual leadership necessary to ensure that the Economist Intelligence Unit’s analysis and forecasts for the Middle Eastern and African markets are the most insightful available to international decision-makers. Her deep knowledge and regional experience means she frequently chairs and speaks at conferences in the MEA region on subjects such as the business case for Africa, the impact of low oil prices for the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), global food security, urban sustainability and corporate social responsibility. She leads the EIU’s Middle East and Africa team, ensuring that its regional forecasts are integrated with its global macroeconomic outlook, and developing the regional expertise required to diagnose problems and devise viable solutions for EIU clients.

Melanie is a senior research manager at Economist Impact and the general manager of The Economist office in Dubai. She has over ten years of experience delivering consulting and thought leadership projects to public, private and non-for-profit organisations. Based in Dubai, she leads the Middle East and Africa team on research across food sustainability, recycling and the circular economy, renewable energy, fintech, trade and supply chains. She is a specialist in advanced recycling technologies and international trade.

Melanie is a seasoned moderator; she has chaired numerous panel discussions and presented Economist Impact's research at global in-person and virtual conferences.

Before joining The Economist Group, she was a senior analyst at MEED Insight, a research and consulting firm serving clients in the Middle East and North Africa. At MEED, she developed her expertise in delivering bespoke market studies and financial modelling across a range of sectors spanning construction, finance, power and water, oil and gas and renewable energy. She held previous posts at the Office of the Chief Economist at the Dubai International Financial Centre and at the San Francisco Center for Economic Development. Melanie has an MSc in International Strategy and Economics from the University of St Andrews and a bachelor’s degree in business administration.