Nawaf Qassim Shahin

Nawaf Qassim Shahin is an Emirati entrepreneur and business leader with experience across investment, legal services and corporate governance. He began his career at Dubai Holding and is currently the CEO of Tawkeel Group, while also serving on the boards of Sella Tax and Vivra Technology.

A strong advocate for youth empowerment, Nawaf values the role of debate and public speaking in shaping confident, articulate and thoughtful individuals. He views debating as a meaningful foundation for leadership, critical thinking and effective communication beyond the competitive arena.

He also serves as a board member of the Equestrian Association for People of Determination, reflecting his commitment to inclusive community initiatives. Nawaf holds an MBA from the Canadian University of Dubai and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Higher Colleges of Technology.

Glenda Clark

Glenda began debating in school and continued through university before taking a sabbatical to raise her children. After moving to Dubai in 2007, she rediscovered her passion for debate through the World Scholars Cup and soon joined a group of coaches and teachers to establish the Dubai Debate League in 2009.

The league quickly grew to include more schools and additional Emirates, eventually incorporating Gulf Debates as an annual tournament that offered the winning team an automatic pass to the UAE national trials. In 2016, Glenda joined a team of three coaches responsible for selecting, training and managing the UAE debate team for the World Schools Debating Championship. By 2019, this became a solo role supported by dedicated coaches across the country.

In 2023, she moved to Thailand, confident that the team would continue to thrive under Bhavani’s leadership. Although there is no formal debate scene on the small island where she now lives, Glenda is gradually fostering interest among her students and remains closely connected with Bhavani to support the UAE debate team whenever possible.

Debate remains her lifelong passion. In a world shaped by uncertainty and quick solutions, she believes it is more important than ever for young people to learn how to build logical, coherent arguments and develop the listening skills needed for thoughtful engagement.

Hana Khalifa Abujamhoor

Hana is a marketing and communications professional whose career has been deeply shaped by her early experience in debate and public speaking. As a student, she actively participated in competitive debating, developing the clarity of thought, structured reasoning and confidence in expression that would later define her professional journey.

Those formative skills carried into her work across private banking, luxury brand marketing and digital strategy, including roles with Emirates NBD Private Banking, FP7 McCann and global brands such as General Mills. Debate sharpened her ability to think strategically, communicate with intent and craft narratives that resonate with diverse and high-value audiences.

Today, she brings her background in strategic communication and professional experience to the WSDC UAE advisory board. She values the long-term role of debate in shaping confident communicators and thoughtful leaders beyond competition.

Bhavani Kriplani

Bhavani is a leading voice in debate education in the UAE. As Founder and Lead Coach of Vocalize Dubai, she has coached hundreds of students since 2016, helping them build critical thinking, public speaking, and leadership skills through a blend of fun drills, live debates and tournament preparation.

Under her leadership, Vocalize has earned recognition in both local and international circuits and pioneered the revival of inter-school debate competitions in the UAE, establishing itself as a premier platform for young speakers.

As Manager for Team UAE at the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC), Bhavani oversees national trials and provides world-class, free of cost coaching and preparation for students representing the country. Through her guidance and the elite coaching team she assembled, Team UAE ranked 8th in the world in 2024.

She also serves as organiser and host for major debate events across the UAE, including annual junior and senior tournaments and the UAE WSDC Tryouts (2022 to ongoing). Her work continues to raise standards, broaden access and strengthen the national debate ecosystem.

Aryan Kundra

Aryan is a three-year veteran of Team UAE, remembered for his sharp analytical thinking, steady leadership and ability to bring depth to every debate round. With strong interests in philosophy, international relations and economics motions, he consistently added a multidisciplinary perspective that strengthened the team’s performance.

He first represented the UAE at WSDC 2022 as the youngest member of the squad. He went on to captain the team at WSDC 2023 in Vietnam and again in Serbia in 2024. During the 2024 championship, Aryan was recognised as the 6th Best ESL Speaker in the world, the highest placement ever achieved by a Team UAE debater. His discipline, competitive excellence and commitment to mentoring younger teammates made him a central figure in the team’s growth.

Now a freshman at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he is studying Economics and Computer Science, Aryan joins the advisory team ready to offer strategic insight, rigorous training and the mindset of a seasoned international competitor.