ASFARI FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Adeeb Asfari is an investment professional at First Reserve Momentum, a platform with a focus on upstream equipment and services. He previously spent five years with Simmons & Company, a corporate finance advisory, having worked in Aberdeen, Oslo and Dubai previously. Adeeb holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA in Economics from the University of Nottingham. He is a co-founder of Tuuum, an artist-run community for discovering, buying and collecting art.
Job Titles:
- Director: Civil Society, Partnerships & Engagement
Anas joined the Foundation in 2015. He has over 10 years of experience with NGOs in Syria in particular, and in the Arab world and the UK more broadly, focusing on youth participation, civil society and communication. Anas has a BA in Economics from Damascus University, an MA in Youth and International Development from Brunel University and an MSc in International Management from Exeter University.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Founder & Executive Chairman of Venterra Plc
Ayman Asfari is Founder & Executive Chairman of Venterra plc, having previously led Petrofac Ltd from a small US-based engineering business to a FTSE 100 multinational company. Awarded Ernst & Young's UK Entrepreneur of the Year, 2010, and formerly appointed a Business Ambassador to the UK Government. Ayman is co-founder and Chairman of the Asfari Foundation, and in addition a member of the Board of Trustees for both the American University of Beirut, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He sits on the Panel of Senior Advisors for Chatham House.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Formerly Financial Director of Shell Syria
Formerly financial director of Shell Syria, John Ferguson has extensive experience of senior financial management. Now retired, he is a trustee of several charities working in the Arab world and is a member of the Charity and Voluntary Group of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Marwan Muasher's career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society and communications. He began his career as a journalist, and served the government of Jordan, inter alia, as minister of foreign affairs and ambassador to the US and to Israel. More recently, Marwan was senior vice president of external affairs at the World Bank and a senior fellow at Yale University. He currently serves on the Board of AUB. He has authored two books on the Arab world and democracy. He is Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment, focusing on the Arab world.
Mohamed joined the Foundation in this role in 2019, having previously worked with the Foundation as a consultant. He has a varied background, having worked as a medical doctor in the NHS, a private tutor and, prior to joining the Foundation, as a Corporate Social Responsibility and Communication Specialist in a technology start-up company. Mohamed has previous experience of the UK third sector having served as a trustee for a youth performing arts charity (Albert & Friends Instant Circus) for 5 years.
Momodou joined the Foundation in 2020. An experienced member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), with an MSc in Accounting with Finance from London South Bank University, he has over seven years of extensive experience and a strong background in all areas of accounting systems, acquired through managing the financial affairs of both private and third sector organisations in West Africa and the UK. His role involves maintaining proper financial systems, day-to-day bookkeeping, overseeing spending on project budgets, financial management, reporting and compliance. Momodou has also volunteered and served as a trustee, board member and Honorary Treasurer overseeing the finances for the Restorative Justice Council (RJC, a UK registered charity).
Muna Abbas has more than 25 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors. Prior to joining The Asfari Foundation as Chief Executive Officer, Muna was the Country Director for Plan International in Jordan. She built programs to support both Jordanian and refugee communities across the country. Muna established a wide network of International Organizations, including Civil Society Organizations and Government Institutions with strong links to regional and global efforts playing a strong role in advocating for gender equality, girls' and women's rights, and youth empowerment. She also worked with Save the Children and UNRWA to design and lead programs responding to humanitarian needs of refugees and affected crises populations in the Middle East. Muna had a key role in the development of Jordan's ‘Economic Modernisation Vision 2030'. She recently received a commendation from King Abdallah of Jordan to recognise and honour her outstanding contributions.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Independent Jewellery Designer
Rasha Elmasry is an independent jewellery designer. She earned a BA in Journalism from New York University and worked at various magazines before leaving the corporate world to focus on her family. In addition to helping establish Human Rights Watch London's annual auction fundraiser, she partnered with the Karam Foundation to sell over 1,000 specially designed bracelets in support of education programmes for Syrian children in Turkey. Rasha has a strong affinity to Syrian culture and heritage and has been supportive of several organisations that help Syrian refugees.
Saba Almubaslat was CEO of the Asfari Foundation from May 2019 until March 2022, and has over 25 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sector. Prior to joining the Asfari Foundation Saba was CEO at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, where she established a global network of Academy Centres and over 80 organisational partners committed to leading the localization agenda for the humanitarian sector. Before this, Saba was the Country Director for Save The Children International in Jordan, where she was a strong advocate for disadvantaged communities and ensured the rights and futures of children and young people were at the forefront of the humanitarian agenda. During this period Saba also played a crucial role in coordinating the response of 45 humanitarian organisations to the Syrian crisis.
Sawsan Asfari is a trustee and co-founder of the Asfari Foundation, and is an executive director of the Galilee Foundation, which supports the development of the Palestinian community in Israel. Sawsan is active in various other charities and is a board member of the US Middle East Project. She co-founded the film production company Cactus World Films.
Shereen joined the Foundation in 2017. She has more than 20 years' experience in business administration, operations, and project management working in various sectors including corporate and higher education. At the Foundation, Shereen is responsible for development and oversight of business governance framework for effective management of daily operations and regulatory compliance.