WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
WT/GC/INF/15/Rev.1 
27 December 2012 
 (12-7065) 
 Original:   English 
  
 
APPOINTMENT OF THE NEXT DIRECTOR-GENERAL 
 
Nomination Process 
 
Revision 
 
  The following communication, nominating Dr. Ahmad Thougan Hindawi for the position of 
Director-General, has been received from the Delegation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 
26 December 2012 . 
 
 In keeping with the procedures set out in WT/L/509 this nomination, together with supporting information, is being distributed as received to all Members.  
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Dr. Ahmad Thougan Hindawi Bio (Jordan) 
Former Minister of Industry and Trade of Jordan 
Dr. Ahmad Hindawi has 25 years of experience  in the government  and private sectors. Between 1989 
and 2005, He assumed leading positions in the government  of Jordan including Minister of Industry 
and Trade (2004‐2005), Director General of Jordan’s Standards  Institution  (2000‐2004), Assistant 
Secretary  General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (1999‐2000), Director of the Industrial  
Development  Department  (1997‐1999), and Industry and Telecommunications  Sectors’ Head at the 
Ministry of Planning (1992‐1994). During all of his leading positions in the government,  Dr. Hindawi 
developed  and oversaw the implementation  of economic  policies that excelled Jordan’s economic  
liberalization  and integration  into the world economy,  as well as significantly  advancing  Jordan’s 
trade and industry sectors. He led the development  of Jordan’s Industrial  Policy, oversaw the 
amendment  of numerous  Jordanian  legislations,  and development  of new ones, to insure their 
compatibility  with WTO requirements  including competition,  IPR, anti‐dumping and safeguard  laws 
and regulations.  His visionary and energetic  leadership,  involvement  and contribution  during his 
work at the Ministry of Industry and Trade played a very conducive  role in Jordan’s accession  to the 
WTO, signing of the European  Partnership  Agreement,  Arab Great Free Trade agreement,  Free Trade 
Agreement  with the United States of America and many other bilateral agreements  with other 
countries.  During his leadership  of Jordan’s Standards’  Institution,  Dr. Hindawi lead the process of 
amending  1200 Jordanian  standards  to insure that they are fully harmonized  with international  
standards  and that they do not constitute  any barrier to trade. Dr. Hindawi personally  introduced  
many innovative  national programs  aiming at enhancing  the national and international  
competitiveness  of Jordanian  manufacturing  and service industries,  one of which has been the King 
Abdullah II Award for Excellence  for the Private Sector which was launched by the Industrial  
Development  Directorate  headed by Dr. Hindawi in 1998. It is based on excellence  and strategic 
planning concepts.  It has been playing a role of paramount  importance  in encouraging  Jordanian  
industries  to continuously  improve their products,  services, systems and organizational  
performance,  achieving  customer  satisfaction,  and thus enhancing  their national and international  
competitiveness.  Dr. Hindawi’s  leadership  and management  style as evident from the major 
organizations  that he headed was impeccable.  It led to significantly  improving  the performance  of 
such organizations.  As a result, and under his leadership,  the Ministry of Industry and Trade WT/GC/INF/15/Rev.1 
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(1200 employees)  and the Jordan Institution  of Standards  (400 employees)  were awarded the first 
position in the King Abdullah II Award for Government  Excellence  in 2005 and 2003 respectively.  
Since 2006, Dr. Hindawi established  his regional management  consultancy  firm, Hindawi Excellence  
Group (HEG), operating  from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  
HEG specializes  in total quality 
management,  strategic planning,  human resources  management  and development,  process 
management,  financial management  and related fields. During the past seven years, HEG, under 
Dr. Hindawi’s  leadership,  provided specialized  consultancy  and training services for more than fourty 
major government  and private sector organizations  within the UAE and the region. During that 
period, he also chaired the Executive  Committee  of SAMA Dubai for three years, which is and 
international  real estate development  company and a member of the Dubai Holding Group.  
Dr. Hindawi has also been the head and member of boards of directors of several organizations  and 
companies  including the Arab Industrial  and Mining Organization,  Jordan Agency for Economic  
Development,  Jordan Upgrading  and Modernization  Program, Jordan Export Promotion  Corporation,  
Jordan Industrial  Estate Corporation,  Natural Resources  Authority  and Jordan Iron and Steel 
Company.  
Dr. Hindawi is a regionally  recognized  reference  expert in the field of total quality management  and 
strategic planning.  He headed the Board of Examiners  of the Dubai Award for Government  
Excellence  (UAE) and King Abdullah II Award for Private Sector Excellence  (Jordan) for several cycles. 
He was also a senior consultant  for the Sheikh Khalifah Award for Excellence  (UAE) and the Egypt 
Award for Excellence.  He is also a certified ISO 9000 Quality Management  Systems’ Lead Auditor, 
and a certified ISO 14000 Environmental  Management  Systems’ Lead Auditor. 
Dr. Hindawi has a Ph.D in Manufacturing  Engineering/  Management  from Birmingham  University  
(UK) specializing  in restructuring  sectoral policies for productive  sectors in developing  countries.  He 
has a M.Sc. in Industrial  Engineering/  Management  from the University  of Jordan and a B.Sc. in 
Aeronautical  Engineering  from Purdue University  (USA). 
He is 47 years old, married, with three children.  WT/GC/INF/15/Rev.1 
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Strengths  in Dr. Ahmad Thougan Hindawi 
 
Supporting  his WTO DG Application  
1. Well proven track record through his robust public sector experience  of approximately  
twenty years in the economic  field. Dr. Hindawi’s  work in top government  positions 
significantly  contributed  to advancing  Jordan’s economy  and integrating  it within world 
economy.  
2. Strong private sector experience  of approximately  eight years in leading international  
organizations,  as well as owning and leading a regional management  consultancy  firm that 
delivered  professional  consultancy  and training services to prominent  public and private 
sector organizations  in the Middle East. 
3. A regionally  recognized  expert in the field of strategic planning,  reorganization,  institutional  
performance  development,  process management,  financial management  and related fields. 
4. Strong networking  among key decision makers in the economic  sector in the world 
especially  in the Arab, Muslim, and developing  countries.  
5. Strong academic  qualifications  with a Doctorate  degree specializing  in restructuring  sectoral 
policies of productive  sectors in developing  countries  with the aim of enhancing  their 
national and international  competitiveness  as well as integrating  them within world 
economy.  
6. Superior leadership  and managerial  skills. Such skills have excelled the performance  of the 
organizations  that Dr. Hindawi managed,  and led to their national and regional recognition.   
  WT/GC/INF/15/Rev.1 
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Dr. Ahmad Thougan Hindawi 
 
 
Education: 
  
Aug. 1994 – Dec. 1998  Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) 
Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering 
University of Birmingham Birmingham, United Kingdom. Project: The Development of a Comprehensive and 
Integrated Total Quality Management / Strategic Planning Assessment and 
Adoption Model for the Productive Sectors in Developing Countries.  
Aug. 1992 – Aug. 1994 Masters of Science (M.Sc.) 
Industrial Engineering and Industrial Management University of Jordan 
Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 
Project: Strategic Planning as a Tool for Restructuring Sectoral Policies of the Telecommunications Sector in Jordan.  
Accumulated Average 84.4/100 (Excellent) 
Aug. 1984 – July 1988 Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) 
Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.  
Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America. 
Aug. 1983 – June 1984  Secondary School Certificate  
The National Orthodox School 
Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Accumulated Average 93.2/100 (Excellent) 
 
Experience: 
  
September 2005 – Present 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 Chairman & Chief Execu tive Officer (CEO) 
Hindawi Excellence Group (HEG) 
Dubai, United Arab Emirates 
Advisory and Executive Role during the period include: 
 HEG clients include: Abu Dhabi Authority Transport, Dubai Municipality, 
UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dubai Customs, Emirates Identity 
Authority, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Federal National Council, 
Emirates Standards and Metrology Authority, Dubai Roads and Transportation Authority, RAK Muni cipality, RAK Chamber of Industry 
and Trade.  
 Chairman of the Executiv e Committee and Senior Director for Business 
Excellence, SAMA Dubai, A member of Dubai Holding, Dubai-UAE 
(2006-2009).  
 
Emirates Towers, Level 41, Sheikh Zayed Road – P.O.: Box: 31303, Dubai, UAE – Tel.: +971 4 319 9368 – Fax: +971 4 330 3365 
e-mail: info@hindawigroup.com – Website: www.hindawigroup.com 
 
WT/GC/INF/15/Rev.1 
Page 10  
 
 
Dr. Ahmad Thougan Hindawi 
Experience: 
  
Oct.2004 – April 2005 
 Minister of Industry and Trade 
Ministry of Industry & Trade Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 
 
Aug. 2001 – Oct.2004 
 Director General 
Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology 
Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan  
 
Nov.2000 – Aug. 2001 
 Assistant General Director 
Ministry of Industry and Trade Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 
 
Oct.1997 – Aug. 2001 Director 
Industrial Development Directorate 
Ministry of Industry and Trade 
Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan  
 
Aug. 1992 – Sept. 1994 Sector Head 
Telecommunications Sector and Industry Sector Ministry of Planning 
Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 
Nov. 1991 – Oct. 1997 Researcher 
Information Technology Sector 
Higher Council for Science and Technology Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 
Nov. 1988 – Oct. 1991 Section Head – First Lieutenant 
Quality Control Section 
Royal Jordanian Air Force Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  
Professional Consultancy: 
  
1998 – 2004 Head of the Board of Examiners of the King Abdullah II Award for 
Excellence, Amman, Jordan. 
2003 Head of the Board of Examiners of the Dubai Government Excellence Program 
(DGEP), the Executive Office, D ubai, United Arab Emirates. 
1998 – 2002 A member of the Board of Examiners of the Dubai Government Excellence 
Program, the Executive Office, D ubai, United Arab Emirates. 
2004 Senior Consultant of the Egypt Ex cellence Award, Industrial Modernization 
Program (IMP), Cairo, Egypt. 
Emirates Towers, Level 41, Sheikh Zayed Road – P.O.: Box: 31303, Dubai, UAE – Tel.: +971 4 319 9368 – Fax: +971 4 330 3365 
e-mail: info@hindawigroup.com – Website: www.hindawigroup.com  WT/GC/INF/15/Rev.1 
 Page 11 
 
 
 
 
1999 Senior consultant of the Sheikh Khalifah Award for Excellence, Abu Dhabi 
Chamber for Industry and Trade, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 
1992 Senior Consultant for the Managing El ectrical and Electronics Industries in the 
Arab World Study, the Higher Council for Science and Technology, Amman, Jordan. 
 
Board Memberships: 
  
2004 – 2005 Member of the Ministerial Council for the Arab Industrial and Mining Organization 
(AIDMO). 
1997 – 2004 Member in the Ministerial Council for the Arab Industrial and Mining Organization 
Executive Council and Consultative Council. 
2004 – 2005 Member of the Executive Council of the International Standards Organization (ISO).. 
2004 – 2005 Head of Board of Directors of the Jordan Investment Board (JIB). 
2004 – 2005 Head of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Agency for Economic Development (JAED). 
2004 – 2005 Head of the Steering Committee for the Jordan Upgrading and Modernization Program 
(JUMP). 
2004 – 2005 Head of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Export Promotion Corporation (JEDCO). 
1997 – 2004 Member in the Board of Directors of the Jordan Export Promotion Corporation (JEDCO). 
2004 – 2005 Head of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation (JIEC). 
2004 – 2005 Head of the Board of Directors of Jordan Institute for Standards and Metrology. 
1997 – 2004 Member in the Board of Directors of Jordan Institute for Standards and Metrology. 
2003 – 2004 Member of the Board of Directors of the National Commission for Industrialization. 
1997 – 2004 Member of the Board of Directors of the Natural Resources Authority . 
1997 – 2004 Member of the Investment Promotion Committee. 
1998 – 1999 Member of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Iron and Steel Manufacturing Company. 
 
 
 
Emirates Towers, Level 41, Sheikh Zayed Road – P.O.: Box: 31303, Dubai, UAE – Tel.: +971 4 319 9368 – Fax: +971 4 330 3365 
e-mail: info@hindawigroup.com – Website: www.hindawigroup.com 
 WT/GC/INF/15/Rev.1 
Page 12  
 
 
Dr. Ahmad Thougan Hindawi 
 
Main Committees:: 
  
1998 – 2001 Head of Small and Medium Sized I ndustries Development Committee, Amman, Jordan. 
1997 – 2001 Industrial Policy Un it of the Higher Council for Sc ience and Technology, Amman, 
Jordan. 
1998 – 1999 Head of the I ndustrial Inputs Tax Exemptions Committee, Amman, Jordan. 
1997 – 1998 Five Year Plan Committee for the Industrial and Mining Sectors 1999/2003, Amman, 
Jordan. 
April 1994 Jordanian Government Negotiating Team with World Bank for Telecommunications 
Loans, Washington D.C., Unite d States of America.  
Sept. 1993 Integration of Science and Technol ogy in Development Planning and Management 
Process, Amman, Jordan.  
July 1993 Jordanian Government Negotiating Team with European Investment Bank for 
Telecommunications Loans, Luxembourg.  
 
Main Courses attended: 
  
March 1996 ISO 9000 Assessor / Lead Assessor 
Lloyds Register Quality Assuran ce Ltd., Birmingham, United Kingdom. 
May 1997 ISO 14001 Auditor / Lead Auditor 
Lloyds Register Quality Assuran ce Ltd., Birmingham, United Kingdom. 
May 1997 Developing Quality Management System (QMS) in the Service Sector 
Lloyds Register Quality Assuran ce Ltd., Birmingham, United Kingdom. 
January 1997 ISO 14001 Appreciation 
Lloyds Register Quality Assuran ce Ltd., Birmingham, United Kingdom. 
 
Professional Memberships:  
  
1996 – Present Member of the Jordan Businessmen Society. 
1996 – Present Founding member for th e Jordan Society for Quality. 
1988 – Present Member in the Jordan Engineers Association. 
Emirates Towers, Level 41, Sheikh Zayed Road – P.O.: Box: 31303, Dubai, UAE – Tel.: +971 4 319 9368 – Fax: +971 4 330 3365 
e-mail: info@hindawigroup.com – Website: www.hindawigroup.com 
__________