Her Excellency Shaima Al Zarooni is the Founder and President of Camp01, a Public Benefit Corporation based in Minnesota, USA, whose mandate encompasses enabling partners and clients to effectively design, implement, and evaluate humanitarian and development projects that address pressing needs and challenges for the benefit of the most vulnerable people around the world. She is also the Vice- President and a board member of the August Medical Foundation, also based in Minnesota, whose mandate is to provide services and grants relating to healthcare and education in communities that lack the necessary resources. In 2016, she was appointed Director of Special Initiatives by HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to assist HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein in Her capacity as UN Messenger of Peace till March 2017. In addition, Her Excellency was the Chief Executive Officer of International Humanitarian City (IHC) based in Dubai till Sep 2016.

Her Excellency was appointed to the IHC by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in September 2011, making her the youngest Chief Executive Officer in the Government. Her appointment was based on her exemplary track record, and led to IHC’s subsequent growth and success. Under her leadership, the IHC has become the largest and most utilized humanitarian logistics hub worldwide due in large part to the structures, policies and programs initiated by Her Excellency.

Additionally, she has had a pivotal role in designing IHC’s 2015-2021 strategy, from a domestic and international perspective. Under Her Excellency’s leadership, the IHC has grown threefold in both capacity and membership and fivefold in funding (from USD $5.67 million in 2011 to USD $26.8 million in 2015) for humanitarian aid provided through the IHC itself, all whilst maintaining the same effective annual operating budget.

The structures, policies, programs, and infrastructure developed under her leadership has attracted more than 60 international humanitarian agencies and not-for-profit organizations such as those within the United Nations system including FAO, WHO, WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP, UNDSS, as well as organizations outside of the UN sphere such as the IFRC, DIFD, NRC, ARC, Smile Train, Save the Children, Care Intl., MSF, etc. Concurrently, Her Excellency also managed a number of joint humanitarian taskforces responding to emergencies around the world, including Gaza, Greece, Nepal, Syria and Vanuatu.

In 2015, she was named The Emirates Woman of the Year; and in 2016 she won the FEMINA ME Women Award for her efforts in Government Outreach. In 2017, she was awarded the “the Leading Woman in the Public Sector” by The Women in Leadership Economic Forum.

Her Excellency holds leadership positions in various local and international institutions and bodies. She is a member of the: World Refugee Council, Board of Trustees of the UK Start Network, Board of Blue Rose Compass, and External Advisory Council of the University of Wollongong in Dubai. In addition, Her Excellency was member of: the Executive Office of the UAE National Olympic Committee, the Steering Committee of the Annual Conference for Effective Partnership and Information Sharing for Better Humanitarian Action, DIHAD Scientific Advisory Board, and the Secretary General of the International Humanitarian Advisory Council (H10), an initiative she started under the chairmanship of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which brought together nine senior leaders to meet annually to discuss the challenges facing the humanitarian sector and provide strategic advice to improve emergency response globally. She has been a judge for the prestigious Hult Prize since 2013 for three consecutive cycles.

Prior to joining IHC, Her Excellency was the Director of Projects and Planning in the private office of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. Earlier, she was appointed to the post of Special Projects Manager of the Executive Council of Dubai, where she managed the development of its organizational strategy. Before her post at the Executive Council, Her Excellency was the Deputy Head of Protocol and International Relations for HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Dubai Ruler’s Court.

Her Excellency received two Masters Degrees. The first in International Business from the University of Wollongong and the other in Public Administration from The Dubai School of Government. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Sciences with a concentration in Finance from Zayed University. She also graduated from The Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development.

Her Excellency is a UAE national born in Dubai. She is fluent in both Arabic and English.