H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani

Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is engaged in the fields of formal and informal education. She is chairperson of Qatar Museums, the Doha Film Institute, Reach Out to Asia and the Qatar Leadership Center. In having the privilege to serve her country in multiple fields – among them culture, leadership, education and philanthropy – she has been able to facilitate conversations across borders and fields. As a public servant, her objective is to invest in Qatar’s local community and celebrate the country’s diversity using the visual arts as a vehicle for communication. Her current interests are in human development, cultural regionalism, and environmental stewardship and sustainability, as well as economic growth using culture as a catalyst for education, dialogue and exchange. Through her public work and support of Qatar Vision 2030, she is building an exciting creative future for the country that will connect artistic communities in all areas of culture.

Through her work as chairperson of Qatar Museums (QM), Sheikha Al Mayassa connects and amplifies the nation's growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations and programs. QM provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences, spearheads innovative research and environmental education through exhibitions and programming and preserves and expands the nation’s cultural offerings, sharing art and culture from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents and visitors. QM also initiates and supports projects that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.

Sheikha Al Mayassa founded the Doha Film Institute (DFI) with the aim of building a dynamic film industry in Qatar and nurturing regional storytellers. DFI is dedicated to film appreciation, financing and education. Recognizing the importance of film as a form of creative expression and community solidarity, she has conceived of the DFI as an all-encompassing hub for the art of cinema. DFI hosts the annual Ajyal Film Festival in Katara Cultural Village, the mentorship program Qumra and workshops for both professionals and amateurs, while serving as a resource that is global in scope.  

Sheikha Al Mayassa is chairperson of the board of directors of the Qatar Leadership Center (QLC). Established in 2010 by Amiri decree as a national platform for leadership excellence, its mandate is to advance the achievement of development goals by providing customized executive education to Qatari professionals from a range of public institutions and private-sector enterprises across Qatar. More than 700 alumni have completed QLC’s National Leadership Program, conducted in partnership with leading universities. Its Institutional Programs have provided specialized managerial training for major governmental organizations since 2014. An executive master’s degree in leadership completes the center’s offerings.

In addition to her domestic focus, Sheikha Al Mayassa works to provide quality education to those in need farther afield. She serves as the chairperson of Reach Out to Asia (ROTA), which envisions a world where all young people have access to the resources they require to realize their potential. With its partners, ROTA works to ensure that people affected by crisis across Asia have continuing access to high-quality primary and secondary education. 

Among her other leadership roles, Sheikha Al Mayassa is co-chairperson of the Joint Advisory Board of Georgetown University Qatar, co-chairperson of Fashion Trust Arabia, vice chairperson of Education Above All and a member of the Qatar Foundation Board of Trustees. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Rhode Island School of Design; a founding member of the Environmental Council of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; a member of the Collections Council of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and a member of the Board of Advisers of Common Sense Media.