Rasha Al-Turki has been the CEO of Alnahda Society since 2013. Prior to this role she was the society’s chief projects officer for more than three years, overseeing the running, development and evaluation of projects in the fields of finance, education and social development, professional and vocational training, and employment.
She was appointed in 2016 by royal decree to the board of trustees at the Human Rights Commission where she serves on a part-time basis. Her career interests lie in positively contributing to Saudi Arabia’s development, with a particular focus on women’s empowerment.
Al-Turki is a founding board member of CellA+, a women’s professional network aimed at empowering professional women in the Kingdom.
She has a bachelor’s degree in history from Wellesley College and a master’s in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard. She has also done extensive research into the history of female entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia.
In 2019, Alnahda gained consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council and was appointed by royal decree to lead the Women 20 (W20) Summit and its related activities as part of the Kingdom’s G20 presidency.
During an interview with Arab News, Al-Turki said that Alnahda provided a space to be creative, to try out new things and to come up with new solutions without the heavy burden of bureaucracy.
“I think for people who are dedicated to a cause, it’s important to be in such an environment that fosters new ways of thinking and encourages employees to be nimble and to react to changing realities or become proactive with solving issues,” she said.