Behavioural Exchange™

AGENDA DAY 2 AGENDA DAY 1

TIME	RED THEATRE	BLUE HALL	BLACK BOX
08:00


	REGISTRATION & COFFEE
09:00

	09:30 - 11:00 NEP Pitch Lab
			09:45 - 10:15 Behavior Change to Fight Obesity
10:00			09:45 - 10:15 Behavior Change to Fight Obesity

		10:25 - 11:10 Social Capital & Mobility in the UAE	10:30 - 11:00 Behavioral Science to Eradicate Malaria
			10:30 - 11:00 Behavioral Science to Eradicate Malaria
11:00

	11:30 - 12:20 Turbocharging International Development	11:30 - 12:15 Are Machines the Research Participants of the Future?	11:30 - 12:00 The Future of Behavioral Science
			11:30 - 12:00 The Future of Behavioral Science
12:00

	12:30 - 13:15 Behavioral Science Opportunities for the Region		12:30 - 13:00 Shaping Choices
		12:45 - 13:30 Establishing a Behavioral Insights Unit	12:30 - 13:00 Shaping Choices
13:00



14:00

	14:30 - 15:20 Achieving Large Scale Transformation for the Climate		14:30 - 16:00 Workshop: Strategic Decision-Making for Leaders

15:00

	15:30 - 16:15 Shaping Sustainable Transport

16:00
	16:15 - 16:25 Closing Remarks
	END OF DAY 2

17:00



18:00

Honoured Guest Speaker: H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi CEO | Emirates Foundation

Presentations: Khulood Alawadi Education

Maryam AlFalasi Food and Water Security

Dr. Mohamed AlAmeri Health and Well-Being

Mohamed Alwahedi Community Development and Social Services

Mohammed Janahi Financial Services

Rawdha AlQubaisi Culture and Identity

Sumaya Al Hajeri Policymaking

Faisal Al Hawi Technology and Innovation

Judges: H.E. Homaid Al Shimmari Deputy Group CEO, Chief Corporate & Human Capital Officer | Mubadala

H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi CEO | Emirates Foundation

Rasha Attar Director | Behavioral Science Group

David Halpern President Emeritus | BIT

Lucia Reisch El-Erian Professor for Behavioral Economics and Policy | University of Cambridge

Developed under the direction of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and with the custodianship of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs at the Presidential Court, the National Experts Program (NEP) is a launchpad for Emirati experts to drive transformation across key future-focused sectors aligned with the UAE’s national priorities. NEP 4.0 brings together 25 outstanding Emirati professionals from government, business, and academia—united in their dedication to advancing the nation’s centennial strategy. Over the past year, eight participants received specialized training and mentorship from the Behavioral Science Group (BSG). In this special session, these NEP candidates will present their proposed behavioral interventions—each designed to tackle pressing national challenges—to a panel of internationally recognized experts. The expert panel will provide feedback and pose critical questions to guide the refinement of each proposal. Select interventions will be chosen for real-world implementation by the BSG, ensuring the program’s innovations contribute meaningfully to the UAE’s continued progress and prosperity.

Honoured Guest Speaker: H.E. Badr Jafar Special Envoy to the Foreign Minister for Business and Philanthropy | Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Chair: Mustafa Alrawi Group Director Editorial Partnerships | IMI Media

Speakers: Francis Meyo CEO, Busara

Neela Saldanha Executive Director at Y-RISE | Yale University

Shekhar Menon Behavioral Insights Lead | Gates Foundation, India

Mónica Wills Silva Director, International Programs | BIT

Behavioural science is increasingly reshaping how we approach international development challenges. Once viewed with skepticism, we now know that behavioral science has successfully improved outcomes in areas such as immunization, school performance, court attendance, and medical adherence. It has been rigorously tested and applied to address challenges as complex as gender-based violence, anti-corruption and peacebuilding. Yet delivering and testing context-specific interventions at scale remains a challenge. Panelists will be invited to share their experiences of using behavioral science to deliver impact at scale in international development programs - and consider what else behavioral science can achieve for international development in the future.

Chair: Dr. Mohammed Almazrouei AD Gov BeSci Network Member | Abu Dhabi Police

Speakers: H.E. Khuloud Al Nuwais Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer | Emirates Foundation

Dr. Munther Hilal Bader Deputy Head | Oman Vision 2040

May Bin Baz Director | Saudi Decision Support Center (DSC) Saudi Arabia

Zeina Afif Senior Social Scientist, World Bank

What are the specific policy challenges in the Middle East which lend themselves to a behavioral science lens? How do these differ from policy challenges in contexts where behavioral science has a more mature basis? And how should interventions and broader approaches be tailored to the Middle East? These will be the central questions of this panel. Speakers will be invited to share their experiences of applying behavioral science in the region, including what has surprised them. The panel will conclude by touching on future avenues of collaboration between behavioral science units based in the Middle East.

Honoured Guest Speaker: H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan President & CEO | UICCA

Chair: Evan Nesterak Editor-in-Chief | Behavioral Scientist

Speakers: Elke Weber Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor in Energy and the Environment | Princeton University

Toby Park Director of Climate, Energy and Sustainability | BIT

Lucia Reisch El-Erian Professor for Behavioral Economics and Policy | University of Cambridge

This session will focus on understanding how individual actions can drive meaningful change for the environment at scale. Speakers will explore their work using behavioral interventions to change individual behaviors, and explain how individual behavior change can lead to the transformation of whole systems, such as markets. The session should also consider the limitations of programmes for individual behavior change, examine the barriers to scaling individual actions, and explore strategies for overcoming these obstacles. Particular focus will be placed on sustainability challenges in the Middle East, and suggest ways behavioral science can help provide solutions to these challenges.

Chair: Evan Nesterak Editor-in-Chief | Behavioral Scientist

Speakers: Sebastien Mangeant Chief Operating Officer | Abu Dhabi Transport

Michael Hallsworth Chief Behavioral Scientist | BIT

Lucia Reisch El-Erian Professor for Behavioral Economics and Policy | University of Cambridge

Transportation sits at the heart of the climate challenge. Globally, the transport sector accounts for around a quarter of energy-related carbon emissions, the vast majority coming from road vehicles. Even modest changes, scaled across millions of trips, can yield big results for the climate. A big piece of the puzzle is how to shift transport choices in car-dominated cities – and building sustainable infrastructure alone isn’t enough if commuters stick to ingrained habits. This session explores how behavioral and data-driven interventions can transform urban mobility – improving not just the environmental impact of transport but also the user experience of getting around. We’ll discuss strategies to nudge individuals toward public transit, ridesharing, walking or cycling, and to encourage institutions to support these shifts. Using practical examples, we will explore the challenges of changing transport behaviors in different urban and cultural contexts and climates.

Introduction & Chair: Barbara Fasolo Director, Behavioral Lab for Teaching and Research | London School of Economics

Speakers: Fatima Koaik Behavioral Science Lead | Ideation Center, Strategy & Middle East

Rasha Attar Director | Behavioral Science Group

In this session, two LSE MSc Behavioral Science Alumni present cutting edge behavioral research using synthetic audiences. Their presentations will show that using AIs as well as human research participants can rapidly speed up research in public policy - while yielding equally useful insights. For example, they will demonstrate that synthetic audiences can be used to quickly narrow down a long-list of policy proposals before testing fewer proposals with human participants, thus accelerating the process of policy innovation and implementation.

Introduction & Chair: Serene Koh Director, Singapore | BIT

Speakers: Rasha Attar Director | Behavioral Science Group

Ivan Fernando Budassi Former Director of Behavioral Sciences & Public Policy | Ministry of Economy, Argentina

Faisal Naru Founder and Director | Think Test Do

This breakout session offers an exploration of what it takes to set up a Behavioural Insights (BI) Unit within governments and other organizations across different continents. Drawing on global experiences, participants will explore effective strategies for building support, overcoming initial challenges, and ensuring the unit’s long-term success. The session will also discuss future trends in BI and opportunities for regional collaboration between units.

Discussion: H.E. Dr. Ahmed Abdulhadi AlKhazraji Executive Director, Healthy Living Unit | Abu Dhabi Department of Health

Hugo Harper Director, A Healthy Life Mission | Nesta

GCC countries suffer from some of the world’s highest obesity rates. This prevalence in obesity is driven by the region's rapid urbanization, economic prosperity, and lifestyle factors. This session will focus on what does and doesn’t work for long-term weight loss, and what policymakers and industry can do to encourage healthier eating. Drawing on lessons from around the world, this session will highlight a range of policy options to incentivize healthier manufacturing practices, foster lifelong healthy behaviors, and promote better food choices. The session will discuss the interlinking roles of policy, industry and investment, and highlight how evidence-based interventions can lead to meaningful public health improvements.

Introduction: Tala Al-Ramahi On behalf of Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity

Discussion: James Tibenderana CEO | Malaria Consortium

Rachel Coyle CEO | BIT

The advent of malaria vaccines has given the global effort to eradicate malaria a new boost. While medical advancements in prevention and treatment have made significant strides, success ultimately depends on key behavioural challenges - the appropriate use of bed nets, the uptake of vaccines, timely diagnosis, and adherence to treatment protocols. This session will explore how behavioral science could be applied by governments, healthcare systems and communities to help design more effective public health campaigns and interventions. By understanding and influencing human behavior, we can accelerate the fight against vector-borne diseases and ensure these life-saving tools are delivering to their fullest potential.

Facilitators: Barbara Fasolo Director, Behavioral Lab for Teaching and Research | London School of Economics

Umar Taj Associate Professor of Behavioral Science | London School of Economics / Warwick Business School

Strategic decisions come with risk, conflicting objectives and no clear options. In this context, choice architecture and nudges cannot be applied, as what is best or nudged is not yet determined. From this specialist workshop you will learn how to improve the quality of strategic decisions. The workshop will be structured as an interactive dialogue, blending the latest insights from decision science with practical applications and your experience. The workshop will be co-led by two experts working at the intersection of decision science and behavioral science, and with experience of supporting 350+ strategic decisions across the public and private sector: Dr Barbara Fasolo, specializing in the theoretical underpinnings of cognitive bias and decision-making processes, and Dr Umar Taj, specializing in applying these concepts to real-world policy and corporate settings.

Click here to download the agenda