Meet the team

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan is an entrepreneur, founder, and sustainability and climate change expert. She is on a mission to steward the natural environment and secure equal opportunities for women. She is driven by the belief that creating change requires collaboration.

As the President and CEO of UICCA, Sheikha Shamma provides vision and strategic leadership to propel the growth of a thriving green economy in the UAE. 

Beyond her work at UICCA, Sheikha Shamma is the Founder of Reset MENA, an energy services business, and Chairperson of Alliances for Global Sustainability, a sustainability consulting business. She is also the Co-Founder of Aurora50, an enterprise that promotes inclusive workplaces and diverse leadership.

Sheikha Shamma is a senior advisor to and active member of many global institutions, including the Atlantic Council, the World Economic Forum, Yale University, the Centre for Multilateral Negotiations (CEMUNE), and the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW). She is the Honorary President of the Emirates Green Building Council and a member of the UAE Circular Economy Council.

Sheikha Shamma holds an MSt in Sustainability Leadership and an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Cambridge, as well as a degree in Business Administration from Zayed University.

Ahmed is a seasoned event operations specialist with a decade of experience across the GCC in event management and marketing. He values the transformative power of well-executed events for building connections and achieving organisational goals, which fuels his dedication and meticulous approach.

As Event Manager, Ahmed develops comprehensive event plans, oversees logistics, negotiates contracts, and ensures the successful execution of events. He also manages budgets, coordinates with vendors, and implements marketing strategies to maximise event impact. At COP28, Ahmed led the UICCA Pavilion, ensuring all operations ran smoothly and facilitating seamless communication as the primary liaison.
 
Previously, Ahmed was a Project Manager at RED Event Services and Head of Events at GL Events Middle East for COP27. He managed guest relations at the Kuwait Pavilion during Expo 2020 and sports presentations at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi.

Ahmed holds an International Business Administration degree from the Sadat Academy for Management Sciences in Cairo. His expertise is enhanced by strong project planning, leadership, negotiation, and communication skills. 

Priya is a finance professional with extensive experience in taxation, and audits. She is deeply committed to lifelong learning, sustainability, and social equity, believing in the transformative power of collaboration for societal change.

As Senior Financial Advisor at UICCA, Priya supports research on green mobility and industrial decarbonisation, developing policy notes on fiscal incentives to boost the UAE's green economy. She played an important role in forming the UAE Carbon Alliance, established by UICCA to enhance carbon market awareness and demand within the UAE.

Before joining UICCA, Priya advised on taxation matters in both the UAE and India, with expertise spanning industries such as manufacturing, construction, real estate, and services.

Priya is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and a Certified Management Accountant. Her professional qualifications and commitment to sustainability and equity underscore her dedication to driving positive change through financial expertise and collaborative efforts.
 

Ruth Mpofu is an Operations & Culture Coordinator with over five years of experience in operations management, office coordination, and human resources. She expertly integrates her passion for fostering a positive and inclusive workplace with the efficient management of business operations.

At UICCA, Ruth excels in building relationships and fostering a culture of wellbeing. She is responsible for planning and executing a range of employee experience initiatives, including team events, recognition programmes, wellness activities, and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Outside of her operational responsibilities, Ruth is driven by a personal mission to create a better world for her two boys. She is committed to nature and sustainability, advocating for practices that strengthen the health of our ecosystem.

Ruth is presently pursuing certification with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP) and holds an International Diploma in Hospitality Management.

Tara is an environmental advocate and youth leader, driven by a passion for sustainability from a young age. Her vision is to create an inclusive and optimistic environmental atmosphere.

As an Associate in Technology and Innovation and a Youth Ambassador at UICCA, Tara supports programming and public engagements, focusing on managing stakeholder and innovation portfolios. Her engagement in sustainability deepens her passion for empowering youth.

Tara has demonstrated leadership through her educational and professional pursuits. She led a World Challenge Expedition to Mongolia, raising over $4,500 for community initiatives, and actively participated in Model United Nations. Professionally, she has worked as a researcher at Shearman & Sterling Law Firm and is a UAE Gold Champion in golf.

Tara holds an honours degree in Environment and Planning from the University of Liverpool, supplemented by sustainability courses and a Leadership Programme at New York University Abu Dhabi, where she focused on public speaking and critical thinking.

Zayed Shah is a climate-tech professional with a keen interest in applying technology to address climate change challenges. A strong believer in the power of innovation for climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience, Zayed works in the Innovation Department, focusing on bridging the gap between scientific research and practical application of technologies to create viable climate solutions.

Through the Launchpad Programme, Zayed supports green startups by providing mentorship, networking opportunities, market access, and funding, helping them scale their operations.

Passionate about agroforestry and permaculture, Zayed contributes to the development of his family's farms and gardens and promotes agro-ecotourism initiatives.

Zayed holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from the American University of Sharjah (AUS), specialising in sustainability and climate change.

Dr. Soundouss Bouhia is an expert in strategy, finance, trade economics, environmental technology, and risk management. She uses her experience across the public and private sectors to advance climate action in the UAE and MENA region. 

As the Director for Finance and Policy at UICCA, Soundouss [INPUT REQUIRED]…

Previously, Soundouss was a Senior Strategic Officer at the Royal Cabinet of the Kingdom of Morocco, an executive at Ithmar Capital (Morocco's Sovereign Wealth Fund), and an executive at an advisory and management firm specialising in green investments and businesses. She also served as an advisor to the Moroccan Minister of Industry and Investment, where she coordinated the implementation of strategic policies to stimulate foreign direct investments. Before entering the realm of public policy, Soundouss worked as a Senior Consultant at McKinsey & Co and as Corporate Bank Head at Citibank Maghreb. 

Soundoss graduated from Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and holds an MS and PhD from Harvard University in Financial Engineering and Operations Research. She has held several teaching positions throughout her career, at Harvard University and top institutions across Morocco.

Samantha Shin is a dedicated finance professional with over a decade of experience scaling private capital for climate projects. She combines a robust academic foundation with a personal passion for innovative climate finance and technology solutions in the energy sector.

As the Senior Manager of Finance and Research at UICCA, Samantha works with investors and funds to source capital and conduct climate finance research.

Prior to her role at UICCA, Samantha worked at a US-based climate think tank, leading projects related to climate finance transparency and sustainable finance taxonomies. She also led international energy projects as a gas power performance engineer at General Electric (GE) Power. 

Samantha holds dual master's degrees in Environmental Policy and Energy Systems Engineering from Sciences Po and Seoul National University and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Inha University.