Bilel is a venture capital professional, operator, and author with a strong focus on development economics, technology, and social entrepreneurship.

He currently advises tier-one venture capital funds, startups, and technology companies globally on go-to-market strategy, fundraising, divestment, and capital deployment. He previously served as COO of Cytomate, the first CyberTech company in the GCC, where he led the company’s commercial, operational, and strategic expansion as it addressed the region’s growing cybersecurity needs. Under his leadership, Cytomate became one of MENA’s most visible CyberTech firms and helped enterprises strengthen their security posture in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Before joining Cytomate as an operator, Bilel worked in venture capital at Qatar Development Bank and IMVentures, where he co-managed deep tech and fintech portfolios and oversaw more than 145 startups across different stages. His work covered investment execution, Governance, portfolio management, and ecosystem development across the region and beyond. He also contributed to the design of national investment instruments and capital programs aimed at directing funding toward venture capital, in line with Qatar’s 2030 economic vision.

Earlier in his career, Bilel worked as a strategy consultant at BCG, advising companies across corporate strategy, finance, and M&A mandates. Prior to that, he served as an economist working on capital flows and foreign direct investment as part of the Brexit negotiations, assessing how the economic landscape would shift following the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Bilel remains active in the regional startup ecosystem. He mentors early-stage founders through the Qatar FinTech Hub and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology’s TASMU Accelerator, supporting entrepreneurs on product-market fit, pricing strategy, agile development, and investment readiness.

He was also recognized by the UN’s AI for Good initiative as a Young AI Leader between 2025 -2026 for his work at the intersection of AI, public impact, and responsible innovation. Within the Global Shapers Community, Bilel served as Curator of the Doha Hub, where he pushed for research-driven initiatives addressing local socioeconomic challenges through collaboration with think tanks, universities, and public institutions, while helping restructure the hub’s operating model. Bilel was part of the Davos 50 delegates in 2025 advocating for investments and entrepreneurship.

Bilel is the author of Can Unicorns Walk on Sand, a book on startups, venture capital, and the structural realities of building and investing in technology companies in MENA. Drawing from his experience as both an investor and operator, the book examines how capital, talent, regulation, and market design shape the region’s ability to build globally relevant technology companies.