Contributor

Ahmad Ashkar

CEO and Founder at the Hult Prize

Mr. Ahmad Ashkar is the Founder and CEO of the Hult Prize, which was recognized by President Clinton and TIME Magazine as one of the top five ideas changing the world. At the Prize, he leads a diverse and international team, with staff spanning across six cities world-wide. Ahmad has held senior level positions as a management consultant, banker and real estate executive specializing in innovation and strategy, new market entry and global expansion. Ahmad is also a World Economic Forum Global Shaper.

Ahmad serves on the board of advisers and directors of multiple socially responsible investment funds and finance companies including Foundation Stone, Ltd, a company dedicated to the establishment of the first socially responsible and faith-based US Bank. With a total career deal book of over half a billion dollars, Ahmad brings a seasoned track record of managing processes, execution and implementation to the organization.

Prior to his post as CEO, Mr. Ashkar worked as a management consultant for one of the world’s top innovation-focused consultancies. As a consultant, Ahmad focused on the financial services sector and developed new innovation capabilities around sales and distribution platforms for banks across the Middle East including HSBC and Emirates NBD – two of the largest Banks in the region.

As a Palestinian-American, Ahmad enjoys traveling throughout the Middle East for both business and pleasure. Ahmad is regularly engaged in projects and dialogue which aim to bridge the gap between the Arab world and the West and is a recognized speaker on Arab youth engagement and empowerment. He holds a MBA from the Hult International Business School and has undergraduate degrees in Finance and Marketing from Avila University.