People who've stood in the pit,
not just modeled it.

Shahrad is the Founder & CEO of MaadenX, where he leads the company's vision, strategy, and global partnerships. He founded MaadenX to elevate the role of the Middle East and North Africa in the global critical minerals economy — building next-generation intelligence infrastructure that transforms complex geological, market, and supply chain data into actionable insight for smarter decisions and greater transparency across mineral supply chains.

An entrepreneur with a background in early-stage ventures, Shahrad brings together business strategy and technology operations in building MaadenX — spanning product development, go-to-market strategy, and partnership growth across the region. His work sits at the intersection of two defining forces of the coming decade: the global race for critical minerals and the rise of data-driven decision intelligence.

Shahrad holds a B.S. in Management, Leadership, and Innovation from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

Negar Zahiri is the Co-Founder & COO of MaadenX, where she leads operational strategy, organizational development, and execution — building the systems and foundation behind the company's AI-powered critical minerals intelligence platform, with a deep commitment to the MENA region at the heart of her work.

Prior to MaadenX, Negar was Chief Operating Officer of a Dubai-based private investment firm, where she oversaw operations across the firm's portfolio and led the creation, launch, and expansion of new businesses and brands across the Middle East. Earlier in her career, she managed programs and operations at Georgetown University and served in private wealth management at Merrill Lynch — a foundation that bridges institutional leadership, finance, and cross-border operations.

Negar holds a B.S. in Finance & Marketing from George Mason University and an M.A. from the University of Minnesota.