Our Board of Trustees and Museum Presidents
Our esteemed trustees and presidents come from a range of professional and academic backgrounds.
Her Excellency Mrs. Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater
Member of the Board of Trustees
Her Excellency Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed Al Khater has held numerous leadership positions throughout her distinguished career. She was appointed as the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in 2017 and later as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2019, concurrently serving as MOFA spokesperson. In 2023, she was named Minister of State for International Cooperation.
Currently, she serves as the Minister of Education and Higher Education, in addition to her role as the Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums and the Chairperson of the National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science.
Before assuming her current position, Her Excellency held the role of Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She also served as Director of Planning and Quality at the Qatar Tourism Authority and Director of Research Projects at Qatar Foundation. In addition, she was appointed as a board member of Media City Qatar in 2019 and serves as the Executive Director of the Doha Forum and Vice-Chairperson of the Qatar Fund for Development.
Beyond her official duties, Her Excellency is an active contributor to the academic and cultural sectors. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Georgetown University in Qatar. She has lectured at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and is a Research Associate at the Oxford Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Forum at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford. Additionally, she is a board member of the Institute for Palestine Studies.
As an independent public policy analyst, Her Excellency co-edited Policy-Making in a Transformative State: The Case of Qatar, published by Palgrave Macmillan, and authored Educational Outputs and Labor Market Needs: A Study on Labor Market Issues and Methods of Addressing Them, published by the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Her achievements have been recognised internationally: she was awarded the Legion of Honour at the rank of “Knight,” the highest French national distinction, and in 2024, she received the “Champion of Humanitarian Diplomacy” award from the General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM).
Her Excellency holds two master’s degrees—one in computer science and the other in public policy. Her research interests include Islam, modernity, and public policy development.
His Excellency Dr. Saad bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi
Member of the Board of Trustees
His Excellency Dr. Saad bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi is President of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal). He was appointed by an Emiri decree in early 2017 and succeeded in leading Ashghal through difficult challenges. Al Mohannadi managed successfully all pending issues, foremost of which was the delay in infrastructure and road projects. Through this department, he employed the potential available in Ashghal, and provided the best cooperation with contractors to complete the projects, reaching an average of one major project per month.
Al Mohannadi gave the private sector an opportunity to participate and contribute in Ashghal's projects through the "Ta’heel" initiative, and to obtain building materials with higher quality and competitive prices, without any significant impact on the number of completed projects. Al Mohannadi’s career is full of contributions, as he held many leadership positions in the country, the most important of which was the position of CEO of the Qatar Railways Company “Rail” in 2011.
His Excellency Mr. Saad bin Ali bin Saad Al-Kharji
Chairman of Qatar Tourism
His Excellency Mr. Saad bin Ali bin Saad Al-Kharji was appointed Chairman of Qatar Tourism on 22 October 2023. Before this, he served as Deputy Chairman earlier in 2023.
His distinguished career in public service includes roles as Director of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office and the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Director of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of State for International Cooperation Affairs.
Mr. Al-Kharji began his leadership journey in 2008 as Secretary to the Director of the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2004, he was appointed Director of the Office of the President of the National Council of Culture.
A graduate of Qatar University, His Excellency holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. His career exemplifies a commitment to advancing Qatar’s leadership, governance, and global standing.
His Excellency Mr. Mishal bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud
Board Member of Lesha Bank
His Excellency Mr. Meshaal Al Mahmoud has been a Board Member and member of the Board Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee in Lesha Bank LLC since 2024. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Suffolk University in Boston.
His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Al-Jaidah
Group CEO & Chief Architect of the Arab Engineering Bureau and IJAE
His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim M. Jaidah is Group CEO & Chief Architect of the Arab Engineering Bureau and IJAE. Moreover, he is a researcher and the author of the Qatari Style, History of Qatari Architecture and 99 Domes books. He ranks as a pioneer of a new architectural movement which combines the far-reaching influences of Islamic art with modern style, creating memorable landmark structures that are helping to shape the developing State of Qatar.
Mr. Jaidah graduated from the University of Oklahoma (USA) in 1988 and acquired AEB Qatar in 1991. Since then, his firm has completed more than 1500 projects, which he has overseen personally. In each project, His Excellency attempts to retain the identity of his culture, embrace the modern, and present the true potential and ambition of both Qatar and AEB. His focus on vernacular architecture has brought a new dimension to the architectural field in the region.
His projects are considered to reflect the cultural, historical, and environmental context in which they exist. Mr. Jaidah is a dedicated advocate for sustainability and is a cofounder of Qatar Green Building Council.
Mr. Abdullah Ahmad Al Najjar
Member of the Board of Trustees
As Executive Director of Global Brand and Communications at Al Jazeera Media Network, Al Najjar currently spearheads the Network’s global brand expansion and multi-platform distribution efforts. Al Najjar started his tenure in Al Jazeera in 2007, being appointed as Director of Commercial Affairs for Al Jazeera. His expertise in brand development, strategic planning, international relations, organizational excellence and leadership has contributed to the development and growth of Al Jazeera into one of the world's top media networks. Under his leadership, Al Jazeera has won a range of leading industry awards for brand, marketing, and communications including the Global SABRE, PRWeek Global, Red Dot, the Pencil and The One Show awards. As an accomplished leader, he has led a range of global initiatives in other posts: Al Najjar served as the Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Museums Authority, which made history with the launch of the Qatar's iconic Museum of Islamic Art, alongside with Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art, the QMA Gallery in Katara, Al Riwaq Gallery, and many others.
He has also served as the CEO of the Qatar–Sudan Archaeological Project, a partnership that has established cultural cooperation between both countries. Al Najjar is also widely recognized as the driving force behind the success of the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006.
Al Najjar is known as a strategic leader with the ability to inspire and influence. He is a graduate in Engineering and holds an Executive MBA with merit from Plymouth University in the United Kingdom.
Museum Presidents
His Excellency Mr. Mansoor bin Ibrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud
President of the National Museum of Qatar
His Excellency Mr. Mansoor bin Ibrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud was appointed as Minister of Public Health on 12 November 2024. He has held several prominent positions, including serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) from September 2018 until his appointment as Minister of Public Health. During his tenure, the QIA focused its investment strategy on diversification efforts and investments aligned with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Previously, His Excellency held the positions of Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Museums, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Development Bank, and Director of the Investment Affairs Office for His Excellency the former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of Qatar Airways Board of Directors, Chairman of Katara Hospitality, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council (QRDI), and the Board of Directors of Qatar National Bank (QNB).
His Excellency holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance from George Washington University in the United States.
Sheikh / Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Thani
President of the Museum of Islamic Art
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ahli Bank
His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammad bin Ali Al Thani
President of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani is a Qatari artist, collector, researcher, and educator in the field of modern art from the Arab world, India and Asia. Sheik Hassan studied "Art of the 20th Century" in a course at Qatar University in the mid-1980s. At that time, there was little information about Arab modern art, and there was not one single institution dedicated to Arab modern art in the whole region of the Middle East and North Africa. He then decided to build his own collection and expand his knowledge of Arab modern art by sponsoring and promoting Arab artists. Now his multi-billion-dollar art collection is one of the most valuable and extensive in the Middle East. He is Vice Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Advisor for Cultural Affairs at Qatar Foundation, and founder of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani
President of 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
Goodwill Ambassador of Reach Out to Asia (ROTA), and the first Qatari to climb Mount Everest in 2014
His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Ali bin Saud Al Thani
President of the Orientalist Museum
His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Thani, Ph.D., serves as Advisor in the Amiri Diwan in Doha, Qatar. He is Chair of the Executive Board and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Qatar University. He is a member of the Board of Directors and Managing Director of Qatar Leadership Centre, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies –Tarsheed.
Dr. Al Thani held many positions at Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, where he served as Vice President for Education for 10 years (2005-15), laying the strategic foundations for higher education and research. From 2010 to 2015, Dr. Al Thani served as the founding President of Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, an emerging research university built upon unique collaborations with local and international partners.
His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada
President of Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar
Former Minister of Energy and Industry
Her Excellency Dr. Hessa bint Sultan Al Jaber
President of the Qatar Auto Museum
Her Excellency, Dr. Hessa Al Jaber is the first Minister of Information and Communications Technology in Qatar, following the formation of the new cabinet in 2013 by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar. Her Excellency is the third Qatari woman to hold a ministerial portfolio in Qatar.
Prior to becoming the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Hessa Al Jaber was Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Information & Communication Technology (ICT Qatar) since its inception in 2005.
