Who is Afnan Al-Shuaiby, the 1st executive director of WDO?

CAIRO – 23 February 2022: Afnan Al-Shuaiby was recently elected as the first executive director of the Women Development Organization (WDO) that is affiliated with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

About Afnan Al-Shuaiby

Born in Saudi Arabia, Al Shuaiby has held various positions in Saudi Arabia in education, and foreign companies in the USA.

She is the former Secretary General and Chief Executive of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce in London, England.

In January 2021, Al-Shuaiby was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Arab International Women's Forum.

She is the Founder and CEO of FNN International, and a senior manager executive with over 20 years of comprehensive large-scale management and a successful track record providing fiscal, strategic and operational leadership in uniquely challenging situations in Saudi Arabia, the wider Arab world, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to OECD website.

Dr Alshuaiby has held the position of Director General of International Relations in the Ministry of Culture. Prior to that she held the position of Secretary General & CEO Of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, London, United Kingdom. She was Advisor to the President of the US Saudi Business Council in Washington DC, USA.

She also served as Advisor for Government Affairs and Business Development at Qorvis Communications, and was Assistant Advisor at the Abu Dhabi Investment Agency.

Dr Alshuaiby has a PhD In Leadership Administration from the George Washington University, a Masters degree in Educational Administration from the American University Washington DC, a bachelors degree in English Literature from King Saud University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a Certificate in Executive Education from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a Certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the American University Washington DC.

Dr Alshuaiby is a Member of the Advisory Commission at Khalid University, was an Executive Committee Member of B20 Saudi Arabia, and has served as a Board Member of the Arab International Women’s Forum since 2009.

Reactions to the appointment

After the appointment, Al-Shuaibi thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for her nomination and support for her appointment as the first executive director of the Women's Development Organization.

Al-Shuaibi expressed her deep gratitude to the Arab Republic of Egypt for its support of the organization by all means.

“The generous support was clearly manifested in the decision of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who has been supportive of the organization since day one,” Al-Shuaibi said. 

For her part, Dr. Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women and the Executive Office and Ministerial Council of the WDO congratulated Dr. Al-Shuaibi, stressing her full support for Dr. Al-Shuaibi in her capacity as President of the Ministerial Council of WDO, and as a representative of the Republic of Arab Egypt inside the council.

Dr. Ahmed Sangendo, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs of the OIC, thanked the Egyptian state for its unremitting efforts to enhance the status and empowerment of women in all fields and for its effective activity, and its role in supporting the goals of the OIC. He called on more countries to join the WDO and benefit from its programs that support women.

The WDO is currently preparing to announce a set of important programs and activities in the field of protection and empowerment of women, after the appointment of

About WDO

WDO, as a specialized intergovernmental organization within OIC system is committed to empower, integrate, and support women and girls and play a role in leading, coordinating and seeking their advancement with capacity, skills and competence building in the priorities relevant to women and girls in WDO member states.