Mohammad Asfour

Jordan Green Building Council

Jordan Green Building Council

The mission of the Jordan GBC is to introduce, promote and advocate for appropriate green building concepts and practices in the Jordanian building & construction sector.

• Startup type: Social Enterprise
• Status: Active
• Stage: Just An Idea

Born, brought up and educated in Amman, the capital city of Jordan. Mohammad Asfour Chairs the Jordan Green Building Council and serves as an advisor to Asfour Investment and Management. He was part of the USAID funded SABEQ program where he covered water, energy and environment. In addition, he worked on enhancing the productivity of Jordan's Architecture and Engineering Sector. Prior to that, he served as an Advisor to the Board of Trustees at the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) and a Director for the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship. During that period he worked on conceptualizing and developing El Hassan Science City.

Mohammad's work in the government included several tasks such as:
- Promoting Jordans ICT sector
- Industrial development
- Other activities:
• The Jordan-US FTA coordination committee which is a Jordanian US Public-Private committee. He chaired the trade and investment team that produced 6 actions plans to enhance trade and investment between Jordan and the US. Several plans have been implemented.
• The Jordan national branding committee that aimed at giving a positive and realistic image of Jordan locally and internationally. In December 2002 Mohammad left the Jordan Investment Board to start a private technology incubator. He also started a business development company.

In 2004 he joined the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) where he managed Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship including:
- Jordan Technology Commercialization Program
- Princess Sumaya National Entrepreneurship Competition
- Connect Jordan Program

Asfour is also active several fields such as: protecting and studying nature and wildlife in Jordan, public policy advocacy for the cause of nature, intellectual property and entrepreneurship development.

Employer:	Jordan Green Building Council
Position:	Chairman
Time period:	September 2009 - Present
Description:	www.jordangbc.org

Employer:	Unknown
Position:	International Consultant(Self-Employed)
Time period:	January 2008 - Present

Employer:	USAID’s Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ)
Position:	Sector Lead
Time period:	January 2007 - December 2008
Description:	Responsible for setting the overall strategy and implementation of plans aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the Architecture and Engineering Sector. In addition to integrating issues of Energy, Water and Environment into the economic process of the country.

Employer:	Princess Sumaya University for Technology
Position:	Advisor to the Board of Trustees
Time period:	January 2004 - December 2007
Description:	Was involved in the conceptualization, strategic planning and development process of the Royal Scientific Society and The Higher Council for Science and Technology towards creating El Hassan Science City. My mandate included the following: Strategic development & fundraising. Established the first university development office in a Jordanian university. International relations. Entrepreneurship development. Founded the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship (www.qrce.org). The QRCE has the following components: TCP Jordan: A technology commercialization program that helps innovators capture IP. (www.tcpjordan.com) QRENC: First national technology business plan competition that was based on MIT’s 50 K (www.qrnec.com) Connect Jordan: a program based on the San Diego success story with a Swedish touch. It aims at bridging the gap between entrepreneurs and technical & financial resources. (www.jordanconnect.com) Business Incubation. Member of the evaluation team at the business incubator, Higher Council. I2FF: IP & Innovation forum of Jordan. DART: student entrepreneurship society. (www.dratjordan.com) Training and consultancy. Participated and spoke at several international and regional conferences and meetings such: MIT’s GSW – Abu Dhabi, Trondheim, Global Connect – London & Taiwan, etc. Organized with colleagues several workshops & conferences on: innovation, IP, Business planning, etc, Spoke at Turkey’s YASED FDI Summit. I later advocated for FDI there through interviews with: CNBC, NTV, SKY, Forbes and others.

Employer:	OECD – MENA investment Program
Position:	Advisor
Time period:	January 2004 - December 2006
Description:	Engaged in setting up the Program in 2004/2005 and helped develop the first work plan. Prepared a report on “Challenges Faced by MENA Investment Promotion Agencies” which was presented to the MENA Ministerial meeting in February 2006 in Jordan. Installed and led a team of 3 working in the Jordan Investment Board on the preparations of the first Ministerial Meeting under the MENA-OECD Investment Programme originally planned to take place in Amman, Jordan on the 17th November 2005. Attended and/or assisted in organizing and/or contributed to Steering & working group meetings in: France, Turkey, UAE, Bahrain and Jordan.

Employer:	UNIDO investment promotion unit/ JIB
Position:	National Investment Promotion Expert
Time period:	January 2001 - December 2001
Description:	Assisted in launching the investment promotion unit at the JIB. Lead a wood working sector delegation to explore the possibility of establishing joint ventures between Italian and Jordanian companies. The delegation included 11 members. (Pordenone - Northern Italy) Joined two workshops for the Ministry of Education about introducing ICT in Jordan through education. The AMIR program sponsored the workshops. Introduced the new unit to the industrial sector stakeholders. Arranged meetings with local entrepreneurs to discuss the possibility of upgrading their capabilities through JV’s and technical assistance especially in the following sectors: Garments and textiles (12 companies) Wood working industry (9 companies) Pharmaceutical (2 companies) Other Worked on introducing the EDP program to Jordan through meetings with presidents of several Jordanian universities.

Employer:	Jordan Investment Board (Government)
Position:	Unknown
Time period:	January 2000 - December 2002
Description:	Formed a National Backward Linkages’ Committee that included the main industrial sector stake holders in Jordan from both the Public & Private sectors in addition to the AMIR program. Represented the JIB in Romania during a four-day mission. The objective was to attract Romanian investors to Jordan. The visit came earlier to HE the Romanian Prime minister to Jordan and included 2 main cities. Worked with team on entering an HS code for all items exempted by the JIB. This will enable investors from all over the world to use the Internet to receive JIB’s exemptions. Participated as a facilitator in the E-Gov workshop that was held by the Ministry of ICT and the AMIR program for 24 different government agencies. Prepared with team and RFP for an interactive website that should promote Jordan to investors. Member of the Jordan Branding Committee at the Ministry of Planning. Represented the JIB at the fourth Euro-Mediterranean conference for Ministers of Industry that was held in Malaga. Also gave a presentation to the audience about JIB’s experience in promoting Jordan and also its role in industrial development. Arranged a mission to Sweden to promote ASEZ, IT and pharmaceutical sectors. The delegation was split into three components and was lead by HE Dr. Zu’bi Minister of ICT and HE Mrs. Reem Badran, Director General, JIB. The delegation was arranged for 24 participants.

Employer:	Jordan Investment Board
Position:	IT Promotion Officer
Time period:	January 2000 - December 2001
Description:	Short term assignment to JIB under the UNDP Project: JOR/97/008 “ Investment promotion support strategy development and institutional building” IT Promotion Officer Built a database of local IT companies. (Gathered information for about 80 companies). Worked on and updated Organizational web site that received 60000 visitors by the third month. www.jordaninvestment.com Worked on and updated a CD that gives an investor a comprehensive idea of investing in Jordan. Prepared a cost of doing business in Jordan guide. Represented Jordan and JIB in local and regional events. (UNIDO roundtable meeting for Investment promotion agencies, Bahrain. GITEX, Dubai. WIPO conference, Amman. Etc) Worked on an IT sector study (REACH 2.0) as a member of the Government team. The study was presented to His Majesty King Abdullah II in a glamorous ceremony. The team was in charge of presenting regulatory amendments and recommendations on IT export promotion and E-Gov implementation. JIB’s officer responsible for promoting the IT sector. JIB is responsible for facilitating and promoting investment in Jordan. Assisted Mr. David Lovegrove on a study on a Backward Linkage Program for Jordan. Mr. Lovegrove conducted a similar program in Ireland, which was very successful. He is currently serving as Secretary at Forfas. Arranged and participated in the first IT promotional Government delegation to Malaysia to promote Jordan’s IT sector. Participate also in a mission to Indonesia. JIB’s representative in dealing with: JICA. UNIDO.

Employer:	Investment Promotion Corporation
Position:	Promotion Officer / Airport Office
Time period:	January 1999 - December 2000
Description:	Dealt with investors and built a database for all office visitors. Assisted Nokia in recruiting 27 Jordanian professionals to work in Finland Served as a facilitator at the USAID - AMIR program’s retreat for all its stakeholders.