Dr. Ra’ed M. BenShams has spent more than four decades asking one question that now sits at the center of the AI era: how do organizations — public or private — sustain performance, legitimacy, and trust as the systems around them grow more complex?
That question has shaped a career that spans both sides of the public-private divide: from leading a private-sector ICT systems integrator through digital transformation and enterprise change, to founding Bahrain’s national institute of public administration, to the presidency of a global association spanning over 100 countries, to his current role advising on governance reform at the highest levels of government in Bahrain.
He currently serves as Advisor to the Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Public Service Development in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and previously served as President of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), where he steered the organization through a significant institutional and financial turnaround. He also serves on the board of the Afro-Asian Council for AI and Cybersecurity, is Managing Partner of Palinoia Consulting, and holds several distinguished international fellowships.
Among his contributions: founding and leading the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA) for sixteen years, expanding its mandate beyond government to serve banks, oil and gas companies, healthcare organizations, and large family-owned enterprises across leadership development and organizational transformation — and founding the Middle East and North Africa Public Administration Research (MENAPAR) Network, connecting regional expertise with global practice.
His work in systems thinking, ethical leadership, and institutional resilience has been recognized with the Medal of Achievement (First Level) from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the GCC Youth Medal, and the O.P. Dwivedi Global Award from IASIA, a constituent body of IIAS.
As a member of the Advisory Board of the AI in Washington Conference 2026, Dr. BenShams brings this cross-sector lens to one of the era’s defining questions: not whether AI will reshape organizations, but whether they — corporate or governmental — are ready to absorb it without losing what makes them trusted.
“Dr. Ra’ed BenShams has spent a lifetime building institutions, developing leaders, and advancing the principles of ethical governance. His deep understanding of leadership, systems thinking, and public-sector transformation will provide an essential perspective as we explore how artificial intelligence can strengthen institutions, empower citizens, and create more resilient societies.”
— Dr. Hikmat Beaini, President, AI in Washington Conference 2026