Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar is the CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education. The Foundation is the Middle East’s largest privately funded education philanthropic organization. With over two decades of experience in strategic philanthropy, she has led initiatives to expand access to quality education. She also focuses on equipping young people with skills for rapidly evolving labor markets. Under her leadership, the foundation has strengthened partnerships with governments, global institutions, and the private sector.

This has driven system-level change focused on inclusion, digital readiness, and resilience to bridge the gap between education and employment.  She contributes to international dialogue on equity, innovation, and sustainability in education.