Chapters & Global Ambassadors
Alumni chapters groups offer a wide variety of activities for local alumni and students abroad on co-op and exchange terms.
India
Ekta
BA '12
Global Ambassador
Ekta works in research consulting, providing advice to CxOs of Fortune 500 firms. She is interested in helping alumni connect and building the alumni network in India.
Shaurya
MBET '22
Global Ambassador
Israel
Avi
BMath '05
Global Ambassador
Avi has lived in Israel for the past three years. His experience living in Israel, Canada, US, Switzerland, and travelling throughout Europe and Asia has given him the opportunity to meet diverse peoples living in different situations with differing outlooks on life. As a proud Waterloo alumnus, Avi likes to keep in touch with the university and with Tamer Ozsu, the former head of the school of computer science.
An avid mountain biker and road cyclist, Avi also likes to drive his Jeep off-road. Avi volunteers with StandWithUs fellowship, a non-profit program that teaches young Israelis about the ongoing Middle East conflict, and how to speak about it. Avi looks forward to helping alumni who are visiting Israel to get the best of what the country has to offer.
Shmuel
DGOGY '89
Global Ambassador
Shmuel has helped Israeli causes since 1993, by strategically transforming ideas and vision into concrete and tangible results.
Shmuel hails from Toronto, Canada. He studied at University of Waterloo, and received a Diploma in Gerontology in 1989. As a Gerontologist by profession, his priorities have always been to lift barriers to improve quality of living. Shmuel’s career in senior positions at notable organizations in Israel has brought him to work closely with an array of leaders in politics, education, security, and faith.
Shmuel is an Experiential Jewish Educator, and communicates on a broad spectrum of topics related to current, relevant issues. As a Torah Scribe (Sofer STaM) he teaches on the wisdom of the sacred letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Shmuel joined Operation Lifeshield at the time of it’s founding in 2006. As Executive Director of Operation Lifeshield (and the Canadian sister organization, Project Life Initiatives), Shmuel raises funds and awareness globally, supervises an international network of volunteer pro-Israel activists, and is responsible for OL activities in Israel – including placement of accessible bomb shelters, as well as briefings with mayors & security chiefs of towns & cities threatened by enemy rockets. Hundreds of shelters have been deployed under his watch, and thousands of Israeli lives protected. Shmuel Bowman is regarded as an expert in the field of passive defense and humanitarian NGO relief efforts.
Shmuel and his wife Leah (a licensed Israeli Tour Guide) have five children and a cat.
Pakistan
Mahmood, BMATH ’05
Mahmood is a brand strategist and management systems consultant. In 2011 he set up his own small business consultancy to work with high potential startups and SMBs to develop amazing products and scale business. In parallel, Mahmood spends a lot of time mentoring and coaching young founders and CEOs.
Mahmood is a founding member of the Insaf Professionals Forum - a global network of Pakistani professionals focused on building a more peaceful and prosperous Pakistan. He is also co-founder of "The Good News" - a community driven news website that aims to spread positivity and optimism in and about Pakistan.
He is also involved with several non-profit ventures working in education, health and community building.
Mahmood was born in London, UK and grew up in Karachi, Pakistan. He went to school at the prestigious Karachi Grammar School from 1985-2000. He re-settled in Karachi after graduating from the University of Waterloo (2000-2004) with a honours degree in Operations Research (B.Math) and a minor in Computer Science.
Mahmood is easily accessible and happy to help with advice and connections. He enjoys connecting with high school and university students as much as he does with professionals and entrepreneurs. He is committed to developing a thriving UW alumni community in Pakistan and to leverage the Waterloo brand for the betterment of Pakistan and Pakistanis.
Qatar
Salman, BA ’11
Salman Shaban is a third-generation family business owner and the Director of Lucky Group, a leading metal recycling and manufacturing company established in 1973, with its global headquarters in Dubai, UAE. Currently based in Doha, Qatar, Salman oversees his family business operations, working alongside a skilled team to drive sustainable manufacturing and decarbonization in the metal industry.
Since 2014, Salman has proudly represented the University of Waterloo as a Global Ambassador, first for the UAE and now for Qatar, fostering meaningful connections between the university, alumni, and prospective students. He applied for this role to add value to the international community by sharing his experiences and discussing engagement opportunities. As a strong advocate for mentorship, Salman is also a mentor on the Ten Thousand Coffees UWaterloo Arts Café platform, where he engages in meaningful career conversations with students and alumni who share his interests. This initiative enables him to learn, share, and grow while guiding the next generation through career advice over ‘coffee’—either online or in person. Additionally, he volunteers as an alumni reader and evaluator for Admissions Information Forms (AIFs) for UWaterloo’s Math and Engineering programs.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Salman serves on several esteemed committees across the education, medical, and sustainability sectors. His dedication to community engagement extends to major global events, including volunteering at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
United Arab Emirates - Dubai
Alex, BASc '09
Alex Scott leads Solana Superteam MENA. His goals are to grow web3 talent, deal flow and new tech adoption across the Middle East & Africa. Previously, Alex led product and data engineering teams at Amazon International Retail. He also co-founded TransFi, a web3 company in Dubai and worked with Ledger the hardware wallet company where he launched a smart contract security API. Alex helped launch the UK Alumni Chapter and is excited to activate his second alumni region in the UAE.
Ahmed, BA ’10
Ahmed is the Country Head of Digital at Emirates Transport, leading digital transformation across automotive services, MRO, and auctions. He brings experience from Viral Nation, Aleph Group, Xaxis (GroupM), and AOL, with a strong background in performance marketing and growth. A proud Waterloo alum, Ahmed is passionate about entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and building a vibrant alumni network in the Middle East.
Samarth, BASc ’17
Samarth studied Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo from 2011 to 2017. His co-op experience included roles at Apple, Tesla, and BlackBerry in the U.S., as well as with small Canadian firms in product design and manufacturing. Raised in Abu Dhabi before moving to Canada, he is now based in Dubai, where he works as Mechanical Lead at a company developing facade-cleaning drones. Outside of work, Samarth enjoys ultimate frisbee, cycling, traveling, and connecting with others to explore innovative ways to improve everyday efficiency.
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