Ghada Kabesh

Ghada Kabesh is Co-Founder and Global Technical Director of the Business Development Institute (BDI), MENA's first specialized online business development institute. Built on a technology- and AI-driven model, BDI has grown to a team of 80+ and a network of over 10,000 practitioners across 12+ countries in MENA and Africa, and is a Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship (Cohort 3) company, delivered in collaboration with EdVentures.

As a senior technical advisor with 25+ years in MSME and startup finance, microfinance, and business development, Ghada has supported entrepreneurship and innovation programs for USAID, Habitat for Humanity International, Global Affairs Canada, UN Women, UN-Habitat, and the Aga Khan network. She led USAID SEED and the Sustainable Services Activity, overseeing a national network of business development organizations, advising incubators and accelerators, and mentoring startup cohorts on investment readiness. She has led 30+ market studies across Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen and is a frequent speaker and panel moderator at regional platforms including the MENA Housing Forums.