"{{ovation.quote}}"
-{{ovation.company}}
The Future of the Middle East: Opportunities in an Expanding Era
With the potential expansion of the Abraham Accords and normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia on the horizon, the Middle East is poised for a paradigm shift—one ripe with opportunity for forward-thinking business leaders. AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and a key architect of Middle East diplomacy, offers an insider’s perspective on what this evolving landscape means for global markets. In this engaging session, Ambassador Shapiro breaks down how new alliances, economic collaborations, and open markets can translate into tangible business opportunities. He provides actionable insights on sectors primed for growth, from technology and infrastructure to energy and tourism, and shares strategies to navigate this new era of stability and cooperation. Learn how to position your business at the forefront of a historic shift—and capitalize on the promise of a more interconnected, prosperous Middle East.
The U.S. Response to October 7
AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO was at the center of the U.S. government's response to the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. He will describe the unprecedented U.S. military support for Israel's war against Hamas; the challenging discussions over humanitarian aid, hostage negotiations, and planning for the day after; the U.S.-led defense of Israel against Iranian attacks on April 13, 2024; Israeli actions to dismantle Hizballah; the U.S. campaign against the Houthis; and U.S. support for Israel's retaliatory attack on Iran. The sum total of these events was a dramatic weakening of Iran and its proxies—the so-called Axis of Resistance—which was a major joint U.S.-Israeli accomplishment.
The Secret Sauce of Middle East Regional Integration
AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO describes his relentless pursuit of Middle East regional integration as the focus of his work since the signing of the Abraham Accords, through leading the N7 Initiative at the Atlantic Council to convene experts from Israel and Arab countries around joint projects in education, water, agriculture, and commerce; heading the State Department's efforts to expand the Negev Forum and encourage additional countries to normalize relations with Israel; and moving to the Pentagon, where he coordinated major advances in Middle East security integration, including during Iran's attack on Israel on April 13, 2024. As a leading proponent of a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Shapiro recounts the negotiations that have approached that goal, the steps still ahead to achieve it, and the integrated future of the Middle East it can help unleash.
U.S.-Israel Relations: Obama, Trump, & Biden Administrations
AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO lived in Israel for 12 years from 2011 to 2023—half of that time as U.S. Ambassador, half as a private U.S. expat. He was at the center of two administrations' conduct of relations with Israel and has watched the Trump Administrations up close from Tel Aviv and Washington. He recounts the dramatic examples of cooperation—from the funding of Iron Dome and the signing of a $38B military assistance package, to the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and the signing of the Abraham Accords, to the dramatic U.S. support for Israel after the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks. He also examines key points of friction, from the Iran nuclear deal and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, to the removal of U.S. troops from Syria and disagreements over operations in Gaza. Ambassador Shapiro explains how, through these ups and downs, the U.S.-Israel relationship remains essential to the interests of both countries and durable enough to grow stronger over time.
.svg)
Ambassador Daniel Shapiro Receives Rave Reviews
A sought-after speaker and media commentator, AMBASSADOR DANIEL SHAPIRO engages global audiences on critical issues concerning U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East.
Watch Ambassador Daniel Shapiro's keynote at the Israeli Policy Forum >>
Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro is a distinguished diplomat and foreign policy expert with over two decades of experience in senior U.S. government positions. Most recently, he was the top Middle East policy official at the Pentagon, serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, where he coordinated the Department of Defense's response to the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks and the multi-front war that followed.
Shapiro served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel for over five years during the Obama Administration. Under President Biden, prior to joining the Pentagon, he was the U.S. State Department's Senior Adviser on Middle East Regional Integration, the first senior official dedicated to expanding the Abraham Accords. His government tenure has also included two tours of service on the National Security Council as Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa, and earlier, as Director for Legislative Affairs.
He previously served in senior advisory positions to U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, and on the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East.
In addition to his government service, Shapiro served as a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, where he spearheaded the N7 Initiative focused on regional integration and as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. He has also taught as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. A sought-after speaker and media commentator, he engages global audiences on critical issues concerning U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East.
A graduate of Brandeis University, he holds a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University. He speaks Hebrew and some Arabic.
My Speaker List
