School Board
Duties of the School Board
The School Board supports the Founding President and adopts strategic policies, priorities and plans to direct the operations of the Institution. It handles specific complaints or grievances supporting the President’s final decision.
The School Board develops the institution’s basic priorities. Long-term goals and priorities are stated in the Board’s Policy, and the School Board reviews and approves the plans to achieve them in the annual budget, as well as the annual review and adjustments of the Strategic Plan. In addition to the “what to do” priorities, the School Board’s policy also specifies a set of “what not to do” priorities in areas such as purchasing and employee relations.
TERMS: The founder is elected for a lifetime. All other members are elected for 7 years.
MEETINGS: The School Board meets twice a year, once before the yearly graduation and a second time in mid-April.
Dr. Al Khalafalla | Chairman of the School Board
Professor of Middle Eastern Affairs, Member of the Academic Senate, Head of GCC Operations
Dr. Al Khalafalla | Chairman of the School Board
Professor of Middle Eastern Affairs, Member of the Academic Senate, Head of GCC Operations
Dr. Al Khalafalla is a public policy expert with special expertise in the Middle East and Africa. He is the President of American Global Consulting and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI), an American non-profit organization with close ties to the U.S. Congress. While serving as President of American Global Consulting, Dr. Khalafalla has developed extensive ties with business and political leaders across the Middle East and Africa to advance economic development through education and training programs. Prior to leading HDI, Dr. Khalafalla led training and development programs at Virginia Commonwealth University for 10 years. In addition, he held numerous other leadership positions including President of the American Global Institute (AGI), President of the Bahrain American Council and IBN Cultural Center, and Vice Chair of A More Perfect Union at the University of Richmond.
Dr. Khalafalla has been recognized as a strong and passionate advocate for international peace. He received a Humanitarian Award from the Governor of Virginia is 2009 for his international humanitarian endeavors. In 2012, Dr. Khalafalla was honored by the U.S. Congress for organizing a series of Congressional Delegations to the Middle East which increased dialogue and engagement. In 2016, Ahfad University awarded an honorary doctorate to Dr. Khalafalla for his contribution to higher education, and in 2018, he received the Order of the Niles First Class. Dr. Khalafalla’s international initiatives have also been recognized by the University of Louisiana, the Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Bahrain, and the University of Richmond.
He regularly appears in the media and has delivered keynote addresses at Bahrain’s International Symposium, the International Law and Religion Symposium, and to diverse audiences across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Dr. Khalafalla’s opinion pieces have been published in the Daily Caller, Washington Times, Fox News, the Tribune, and Alayam, among others. He is also frequently called on to comment on Africa and the Middle East on broadcast media, including Alhurra, NBC, and al-Jazeera. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana, an MBA from the University of Maryland System, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Dr. Khalafalla is the author or co-author of a number of articles on immigration, the Middle East, international relations, interfaith dialogue, and religious tolerance. He is married and has two children.
At the Swiss School of Management, Dr. Khalafalla holds the important position of Chairman of the School Board, Senior Advisor, Member of the Academic Senate, and Head & Dean of GCC Operations.
Dr. Khalafalla has been recognized as a strong and passionate advocate for international peace. He received a Humanitarian Award from the Governor of Virginia is 2009 for his international humanitarian endeavors. In 2012, Dr. Khalafalla was honored by the U.S. Congress for organizing a series of Congressional Delegations to the Middle East which increased dialogue and engagement. In 2016, Ahfad University awarded an honorary doctorate to Dr. Khalafalla for his contribution to higher education, and in 2018, he received the Order of the Niles First Class. Dr. Khalafalla’s international initiatives have also been recognized by the University of Louisiana, the Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Bahrain, and the University of Richmond.
He regularly appears in the media and has delivered keynote addresses at Bahrain’s International Symposium, the International Law and Religion Symposium, and to diverse audiences across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Dr. Khalafalla’s opinion pieces have been published in the Daily Caller, Washington Times, Fox News, the Tribune, and Alayam, among others. He is also frequently called on to comment on Africa and the Middle East on broadcast media, including Alhurra, NBC, and al-Jazeera. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana, an MBA from the University of Maryland System, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Dr. Khalafalla is the author or co-author of a number of articles on immigration, the Middle East, international relations, interfaith dialogue, and religious tolerance. He is married and has two children.
At the Swiss School of Management, Dr. Khalafalla holds the important position of Chairman of the School Board, Senior Advisor, Member of the Academic Senate, and Head & Dean of GCC Operations.
Dr. Massimiliano Bracalé
Founding President
Dr. Massimiliano Bracalé
Founding President
Massimiliano Bracalè is the founder of the Swiss School of Management and currently serves as President. He received his Bachelor of Business Economics from the Zurich Business School in Switzerland. He also holds an MBA specializing in Marketing from Swiss Business School and earned a second MBA from the University of South Australia with a specialization in International Business. He earned his Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from the International American University in LA, USA. He is also Life & Business Coach and an International Coaching Federation member.
Before founding the Swiss School of Management, he gained experience in various business sectors and industries. His first job was at the Zurcher Kantonalbank in Switzerland, working as a VISA accountant and then changing to the Capital Markets and Securities Trading Department (Zurich Stock Exchange). He led Customer Service at Ascom Telematic AG and later became Head of Customer Service in Europe at Bally Management in Switzerland. Dr. Bracale also worked in the Debtor Department at the University Hospital of Zurich. He was also a consultant for of Direct Marketing Consultant at the Swiss Post. He worked as a Marketing Director of the Mobile Solutions AG in Dubendorf, Zurich, before finally founding the Swiss School of Management.
Dr. Bracalè is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Institute of Higher Studies on Women and a Professor of Leadership and Female Entrepreneurship at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. Further, he has been appointed a Member of the Advisory Board of the Chandigarh Business School in Mohali, India. Today Dr. Bracale travels the world throughout the year by participating in conferences and seminars, presenting the new trends in Women Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management in the 21st century. At the Swiss School of Management, he teaches the MBA subjects of International Negotiation Skills, New Venture Creation, Leadership, and Global Management. He has recently introduced “Swiss Coaching” – a life coaching service for all SSM students around the globe and founded the International SSM Rotaract Club. He is also a founding member of the Rotary International Club Rome Cristoforo Colombo member. Dr. Braclae enjoys playing tennis, diving, and playing music as a drummer.
Before founding the Swiss School of Management, he gained experience in various business sectors and industries. His first job was at the Zurcher Kantonalbank in Switzerland, working as a VISA accountant and then changing to the Capital Markets and Securities Trading Department (Zurich Stock Exchange). He led Customer Service at Ascom Telematic AG and later became Head of Customer Service in Europe at Bally Management in Switzerland. Dr. Bracale also worked in the Debtor Department at the University Hospital of Zurich. He was also a consultant for of Direct Marketing Consultant at the Swiss Post. He worked as a Marketing Director of the Mobile Solutions AG in Dubendorf, Zurich, before finally founding the Swiss School of Management.
Dr. Bracalè is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Institute of Higher Studies on Women and a Professor of Leadership and Female Entrepreneurship at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. Further, he has been appointed a Member of the Advisory Board of the Chandigarh Business School in Mohali, India. Today Dr. Bracale travels the world throughout the year by participating in conferences and seminars, presenting the new trends in Women Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management in the 21st century. At the Swiss School of Management, he teaches the MBA subjects of International Negotiation Skills, New Venture Creation, Leadership, and Global Management. He has recently introduced “Swiss Coaching” – a life coaching service for all SSM students around the globe and founded the International SSM Rotaract Club. He is also a founding member of the Rotary International Club Rome Cristoforo Colombo member. Dr. Braclae enjoys playing tennis, diving, and playing music as a drummer.
Dr. Serena Magnanti
Vice-President, Senior Partner, Head of Corporate Communication
Dr. Serena Magnanti
Vice-President, Senior Partner, Head of Corporate Communication
Dr. Serena is the Vice President, Senior Partner and and of Communication, Marketing and Global Outreach at the Swiss Schoolof Management.
Dr. Robert Gharios
Executive Dean, Member of the School Board, Member of the Academic Senate
Dr. Robert Gharios
Executive Dean, Member of the School Board, Member of the Academic Senate
Robert T. Gharios is an associate professor and member of the Academic Senate, occupying the position of Quality and Accreditations Director at the Swiss School of Management. Dr. Gharios has occupied prominent academic positions for several years, such as Dean of the Faculty of Business & Economics at the American University of Science & Technology (AUST). He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the “Université de Bourgogne” in Dijon, France. He is a Board member of the International Accreditation Council of Business Education (IACBE) and is highly active in rendering peer review site visits. R. Gharios has several academic and research publications and is the author of real business cases and book reviews of well-known global publishers such as Pearson and Palgrave Macmillan. In addition, he is highly active in the Business community in consulting and professional training. Dr. Gharios is certified by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) as a Financial Risk Manager (FRM) as well as a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) by the Institute of Management Accountants and last but not least, a Professionally Certified Marketer (PCM) by the American Marketing Association.
Dr. Vasileios Margaritis
Dean of Research Center and Member of the School Board and of the Academic Senate
Dr. Vasileios Margaritis
Dean of Research Center and Member of the School Board and of the Academic Senate
Dr. Vasileios Margaritis is an accomplished academic and research methodology expert with a strong background in quantitative and qualitative research methods. With an impressive career that spans across various academic institutions, he has been recognized for his contributions to the field of research and education.Prior to joining SSM, Dr. Margaritis held academic positions at prestigious institutions such as Walden University in the United States and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece. His role as the Vice Chair of Walden University's Research Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee highlights his expertise in research methodology and academic leadership.At SSM, Dr. Margaritis plays a pivotal role in teaching research courses and providing guidance to doctoral students. His passion for research is not limited to the classroom; he has also collaborated with national and international organizations, including UNICEF and KMOP, as a research methodology consultant.
Dr. Trefor Murphy
CEO and Founder, Cooper Fitch - Member of the School Board
Dr. Trefor Murphy
CEO and Founder, Cooper Fitch - Member of the School Board
Trefor Murphy is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of one of the Gulf’s most successful executive search and HR advisory firms. He started his recruitment career in 2002 in Ireland, after graduating with an engineering degree and spending two decades working with some of the most admired technology companies in the world. In 2016 after a management buy-out of a firm that was established in 1997, Trefor founded Cooper Fitch, with the vision to “redefine recruitment expectations”. The firm has a reputation for delivering world-class people solutions to its clients, through our talent acquisition and retention initiatives along with developing insightful market data on compensation trends in the region, and regular updates on the job market data. He is a regular contributor to The Business Breakfast Show on Dubai Eye, CNBC, Bloomberg, Forbes, and Dubai TV. His mission is to become a trusted advisor on the talent and employment market in the GCC. Trefor completed his Doctorate in Business Administration from the Swiss School of Management in 2022, his thesis was based on Cultural Intelligence and Corporate Culture, a study in the Gulf. He moved to Dubai in 2012 where he has been a permanent resident ever since. He sits as an advisor to several tech start-ups as well as human capital advisory board