Open Forum – Social Sector PPPs Chapter

Meet the panel!

Nasser Massoud
Social Sector PPP Chapter Chair,
WAPPP
Founder & MD, Concept Realisation

Nasser Massoud specializes in structuring, negotiating, and financing healthcare and education transactions via public-private partnerships (PPPs), privatizations, and joint ventures. He has led teams across all stages of PPP development—from strategy and policy formulation to procurement and financial close—including feasibility studies, value for money assessments, risk modelling, and documentation. Nasser has advised both governments and sponsors, often through MDB engagements, and has overseen projects post-close on behalf of both public and private sectors. He also conducts capacity building, coaching, and training. He has been appointed to the ADB Healthcare Panel of Consultants, named a Global Healthcare Key Opinion Leader by Korea’s Ministry of Health, and contributed to the UNECE Global Standard for Healthcare PPPs.

Gazmir Vehbi
Former Director,
PPP Unit Albania

Gazmir Vehbi is a distinguished expert in Public-Private Partnerships with about 17 years of experience in public administration in Albania and other entities. He is a certified PPP expert by APMG with a comprehensive experience encompassing every stage of the PPP process. Lately, he has made significant contributions to social sector PPP projects in healthcare and education, driving remarkable improvements in school PPPs and medical service PPPs throughout Albania, Eastern Europe etc. He has extensive experience cooperating with IFC, USAID, UNECE, EPEC-EIB, and many other international institutions.

Thiago Grego
Senior Fellow for PPP
ICLEI South America

Thiago Grego is a specialist in concessions and public-private partnerships. He has worked in the infrastructure sector for just over 17 years, having been Belo Horizonte’s Municipal Secretary for Planning, Budget and Information, as well as having served as Undersecretary for Innovation and Logistics at the Minas Gerais State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Minas Gerais State Secretariat for Social Defense. Has worked as a senior consultant in several private companies and currently work as Senior PPP Fellow at ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.

Mosaab Alburih
Chief PPP Officer,
Tatweer Buildings Company, KSA

Mosaab Alburih is a seasoned infrastructure leader with expertise in Utilities and Social Infrastructure. His PPP journey began with Saudi Arabia’s water sector transformation, where his strategic acumen stood out. He later shaped foundational healthcare PPP models at the Ministry of Health. At Tatweer Buildings Company (TBC), he leads PPP initiatives, launching the Kingdom’s first social infrastructure programs exceeding SAR 9 billion—setting international benchmarks and positioning TBC as an emerging developer. Mosaab now drives TBC’s expansion into non-educational PPPs, leveraging integrated technical, financial, and legal expertise to align public objectives with private-sector delivery.

Arun Kumar
Principal Investment Officer
African Development Bank Group

Arun Kumar is an investment and strategy professional with nearly two decades of experience in developing, financing, and executing high-impact projects in emerging markets. He holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Currently, as a Principal Investment Officer at the African Development Bank Group, he manages social sector investments across Africa.

Arun’s expertise includes policy advisory, PPP models, risk assessment, innovative financing, project preparation facilities, co-financing, partnerships, and blended finance products. He also has a deep understanding of infrastructure financing at various stages and extensive experience in management consulting.

Michael Palassis
Founder & Managing Director,
Paxon Group
Michael Palassis is the Founder and Managing Director of Paxon Group, a specialist infrastructure advisory firm with offices across Australia. He leads a large advisory team providing expertise in business cases, feasibility studies, financing, structuring, procurement, and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). A trusted adviser to governments, Michael is recognised for his role in developing and reviewing major infrastructure projects. He also advises private sector participants, offering insight into financing and delivering projects in partnership with government. His specialist expertise spans healthcare, education, social and affordable housing, urban redevelopment, corrections, and ports sectors.

Andrew Thomas
Strategic Advisor
WSP Middle East
Andrew Thomas, originally from South Wales, UK, has over 44 years of experience in the construction industry. His career began with Balfour Beatty, where he worked on major building projects across the UK, USA, and the Caribbean. He later took on regional management roles, gaining valuable experience with PFI/PPP models in healthcare, education, and law projects.

In 2007, he moved to the Middle East, leading projects for CCC in Saudi and North Africa. He also worked as an Associate Director with MACE in Qatar and for the Leighton Group in Indonesia. For the past six years, Andrew has focused on PPP projects in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including a role with AECOM as a PPP Lead Advisor. In 2022, he joined WSP to lead a new PPP division, which has achieved notable success, including being named IJGlobal Technical Advisor of the Year for the MENA region in 2023.