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Najla Al-Midfa
Vice-Chairperson at Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa)
Najla Al-Midfa is a prominent figure in the UAE's entrepreneurial landscape. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairperson of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), a government-supported entity launched in 2016.123 Sheraa's mission is to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Sharjah and support entrepreneurs in developing innovative startups that contribute to the region's economy.23
Under Najla's leadership, Sheraa has achieved significant milestones:
- Built a portfolio of over 150 startups
- Helped startups raise approximately $161 million in investment
- Created over 1600 jobs
- Generated over $247 million in cumulative revenue3
Najla also spearheaded the creation of the annual Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF), which has attracted over 18,000 attendees from around the world.4
In addition to her role at Sheraa, Najla holds several other prominent positions:
- Board member of United Arab Bank, Emirates Development Bank, and Dana Gas23
- Vice-Chairperson of Young Arab Leaders23
- Board member of Endeavor UAE23
- Co-Chair of the 4th Industrial Revolution Working Group in the UK-UAE Business Council2
Najla's professional background includes:
- Senior position at Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development
- Consultant at McKinsey and Company's New York office
- Roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Shell4
She is also the founder of Khayarat, a platform that empowers young Emiratis to make informed career choices and succeed in the private sector.1
Najla holds an MBA from Stanford University and is a fellow of the Aspen Institute's Middle East Leadership Initiative and an Eisenhower Global Fellow.23