The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has added two new consultants in the Middle East and North Africa region this fall, increasing its presence in an area of the world with significant potential for future demand.
Shakeb Elahi joined the Council in September and will be working to expand the sales portfolio of U.S. exports to the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Pakistan. Elahi is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

He previously served as a trade servicing consultant for the Council in Pakistan in 1999 to 2000. During that time, he worked with the government of Pakistan to reduce import duties and open the market for U.S. feed grains. He also organized feeding trials for U.S. corn and published an overview of feed formulations and requirements for the livestock and poultry sectors in Pakistan.

He studied geology at the University of Karachi before entering the grains industry.

Jad Wakileh joined the Council as a consultant in Jordan on Oct. 1 to support ongoing programs in organized by the Council’s regional office in Tunis, Tunisia.
Wakileh previously worked as the business development manager for Aqaba Vegetable Oils Co., a Jordan-based business that manufactures and refines vegetable oils. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from the University of California-Los Angeles.

Although based in Jordan, Wakileh will serve in a regional capacity to address U.S. grain marketing opportunities throughout the Middle East region seeking to connect U.S. exporters to regional importers and to address trade restrictions as they arise.

“Given the size of our region, having Council representatives who can respond quickly to trade issues is vital,” said Ramy Hadj Taieb, USGC regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. “With Wakileh and Elahi in place, the Council is positioned to be even more effective in marketing and market development activities.”