Resilient & Circular Solar Infrastructure: O&M, Recycling & Asset Lifecycle

Rashed Hanieh, Business Development Manager for Middle East at Stäubli Renewable Energy With more than a decade of experience in the solar PV and energy storage industry, Rashed Hanieh has built an extensive track record of developing high-growth markets, expanding distribution networks and establishing long-term partnerships with EPCs, developers, utilities and leading renewable energy companies across the Middle East. Throughout his career, he has successfully contributed to the delivery of large-scale utility and commercial solar projects while supporting the adoption of advanced technologies and international quality standards across the region. In his current role at Stäubli, Rashed is focused on strengthening the company's regional presence and accelerating the Middle East's energy transition through reliable electrical solar connection solutions.

Dr. Nabih Cherradi is Desert Technologies' Chief Technology Officer. Has spent over 34 years building on a long track record of equipment's/production lines as well as business development in the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries. Prior to joining Desert Technologies, Nabih is also the CEO of EmpowerSun, a Swiss based photovoltaic energy consultancy, which he founded in 2009. In the meantime, he also co-founded ISWT a French solar developer company. From 2007-2009, as a Vice President/CTO, he accompanied Yingli Green Energy in its fast expansion with responsibility for the technology and manufacturing. He also participated in its IPO in New York (NYSE). As operations & process director at Applied Materials from 1997 to 2007 Nabih was responsible for installing turn-key semiconductor and photovoltaic production lines throughout the world, installing multiple GWs of production capacity across a ten year period. As a scientist, he focused on advance materials for different applications working with different industries (Semiconductor, Photovoltaic and Hard tools) He holds a PhD on materials sciences from the University Henri Poincaré, Nancy as well as an MBA, from the Business School of Nancy, (France).

Carlos León Worner is a renewable energy leader with over 13 years of international experience across APAC and the Middle East, specializing in solar PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS). He currently serves as Renewable Energy Manager at Enertis Applus+, where he leads regional strategy, technical advisory, and quality services for utility-scale projects.Carlos has extensive hands-on experience in PV and BESS manufacturing, QA/QC, factory audits, supply chain oversight, and project execution, having supported developers, IPPs, EPCs, OEMs, and financial institutions worldwide. Between 2020 and 2025, he has been directly involved in 500+ global audits and manufacturing assessments, providing deep insight into quality risks, reliability challenges, and best practices across advanced technologies such as TOPCon, HJT, BC cells, and large-scale energy storage.Having lived and worked in China, Singapore, and now UAE, Carlos brings a unique perspective on global manufacturing trends, technology evolution, and asset reliability. His work focuses on improving long-term performance, bankability, and risk mitigation for renewable energy assets in rapidly growing markets.