Lead, Strategic Integration, Artificial Intelligence, MENA

About the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

About the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR)

This position is part of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR). The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) helps leaders anticipate exponential technologies and drive responsible sectoral and industry transformation. The C4IR brings together leaders from business, government, international organizations, academia and civil society to shape the global agenda on technology governance and technology applications for industries and society.

About the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network (C4IR Network)

The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network accelerates the responsible adoption of technology and transformation of industry at the national, subnational and global levels via policy-making, pilots and partnerships. In just six years, the Network has grown to 19 centres across five continents, with measurable impact at local and global levels.

Why we are Recruiting

Technology has long been a driver of national development, with advancements from industrialization to wireless connectivity transforming economies and enabling progress.
Today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies are reshaping the digital economy, offering unprecedented potential to address regional priorities such as energy efficiency, education, and sustainable development.

In the MENA region, these advancements have opened pathways to accelerate economic growth, overcome development challenges, and harness AI’s transformative potential. However, the adoption of AI across the region highlights the need for tailored, region-specific approaches to fully unlock its benefits.

The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) is committed to addressing these challenges by fostering partnerships across the MENA region through its growing network of Affiliate Centres . These centres play a critical role in advancing responsible and inclusive AI adoption while addressing the unique needs of governments, industries, and communities. The Lead, Strategic Integration, Artificial Intelligence, MENA will drive this mission forward by supporting AI Governance Alliance (AIGA) initiatives, collaborating with Affiliate Centres in the region, and promoting AI-driven innovation tailored to the region’s priorities and opportunities.

Reporting Lines and Interactions

The Lead will report to the Head, AI Applications and Impact, based in Geneva. Operating within an entrepreneurial and dynamic environment, the Lead will navigate multiple teams and geographic locations to effectively fulfil the responsibilities of the role.

This role entails close collaboration with various stakeholders, including the broader AIGA team located in Geneva, San Francisco, New York, China, and Japan. Additionally, there will be interaction with the C4IR Network and Partnerships team, as well as direct engagement with staff from these affiliate centres.

Breakdown of main responsibilities

The Lead position is of critical importance for advancing Forum’s work on AI, expanding the C4IR network, and increasing the engagement of Affiliate Centres by ensuring their deeper and strategic integration into global  Forum initiatives.

The main responsibilities include:

Strategic integration and thought leadership

• Stay abreast of the latest developments in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and related fields, providing thought leadership within the organization and externally

• Lead the design and implementation of initiatives aimed at increasing AI competitiveness and accessibility for nations, with a focus on the MENA region while integrating global perspectives.

• Generate insights and frameworks to help leaders anticipate the societal and economic impact of AI, ensuring inclusivity and equitable participation.

• Manage complex, cross-regional initiatives from conception to execution, ensuring timely delivery and measurable impact.

• Contribute to reports, white papers, and other publications to disseminate best practices and policy recommendations.

• Develop and implement the strategic integration strategy with the C4IR affiliate Centres to ensure seamless collaboration with the World Economic Forum on the topic of AI and digital technologies and Centres in MENA region – connecting them at the global level end enabling them to drive their regional agendas

• Incubate and kick off new projects where needed and ensure outputs and ambition levels are aligned with the other Forum’s activities

• Collaborate with C4IR Network and Partnerships team to ensure the successful delivery of relevant joint AIGA-C4IR independent centres events and other deliverables in MENA region where network members actively contribute, to strengthen the C4IR agenda and community, and advance AIGA objectives and deliverables.

Community engagement

• Act as a key liaison for MENA and other relevant regions, identifying and addressing regional needs and opportunities for AI growth and competitiveness.

• Build and mobilize multistakeholder coalitions, including policymakers, industry leaders, academia, and civil society – both at the regional level and global level

• Operate across multiple teams and geographies in an entrepreneurial and fast-paced environment; actively engaged in building and maintaining productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders including C4IR network. 

• Manage and animate multistakeholder communities by communicating updates regularly, lead working group meetings, onboarding the relevant stakeholders

• Connect regularly with community members to stay at the forefront of the applications, impact and implications of digital technologies

• Cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with key C4IR Affiliate Centres, relevant organizations, governments, and industry leaders to advance the goals of the C4IR

Team and resources

• Work with Forum partner organizations to onboard new fellows to support with the work, and work closely with project fellows to drive the initiatives forward

• Work closely with the Forum AI teams across all offices

• Drive cross-functional collaboration within the Forum ecosystem to leverage resources and expertise for maximum impact

Preferred Requirements and Experience

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., business, technology, policy, international relations, or technology management, etc.).

• 7+ years of experience on technology’s impact on regions and economies, with a focus on driving technology adoption in diverse regions, particularly MENA.

• Deep understanding of AI ecosystems and challenges.

• Proven track record of designing and leading large-scale, cross-border AI or innovation initiatives, including experience in multistakeholder coalition-building.

• Experience working in or with MENA countries on technology-related projects, understanding regional dynamics and challenges.

• Strong organizational and leadership skills in high-pressure, fast-paced environments.

• Cross-cultural competency with experience engaging high-level stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.

• Excellent organizational skills: able to juggle multiple tasks and assignments simultaneously and derive energy from high-pressure work settings. 

• Comfort in driving entrepreneurial initiatives, starting new teams, and identifying opportunities for impact. 

• Demonstrated ability to work across different cultures and with high level officials and executives in highly collaborative work environments. 

• Excellence in written and spoken English. Strong communication and presentation skills, and experience designing, managing and facilitating communities, workshops, and meetings both virtually and in person. Strong ability to write informative and insightful content.

• Proficiency in Arabic is an asset.

• Proven excellent project management skills; attention to detail; capacity to apply critical thinking, synthesize various viewpoints, consult broadly, communicate clearly, turning ideas into tangible action and impact, and manage both long- and short-term objectives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Excellent ability to manage relationships externally and internally.

• Collaborative, agile, and results oriented, self-starter, and team player. 

Why work at the Forum:

The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change!