Sultana Afdhal Appointed as CEO of WISH

Sultana Afdhal has been appointed as CEO of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), having previously served as acting CEO. Sultana joined WISH in 2015 as Partnerships and Outreach Manager. In this capacity, she forged strong relationships between WISH and major local stakeholders including Hamad Medical Corporation, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. In particular, Sultana has put significant effort into the creation and implementation of innovative learning programs for children in Qatar with autism and other special needs.

Commenting on Sultana’s appointment, Omran Hamad Al Kuwari, acting CEO and Executive Director, CEO Office, Qatar Foundation, said: “Sultana’s vast expertise and passion for community outreach and development make her a valuable asset to Qatar Foundation, and I am confident that she will play a key role in further enhancing Qatar’s contribution to global healthcare initiatives.”

Outside Qatar, Sultana has been instrumental in creating fruitful new partnerships with a diverse range of organizations that have an interest in the health and wellbeing of societies, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Carter Center, an organization founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to improve global health and to promote peace. In 2016, Sultana presented WISH research outcomes to ambassadors at the United Nations in Geneva and in 2017 her efforts led to the setting up of a unique collaboration between WISH and the Liverpool Football Club Foundation to explore ways to deliver impact at the intersection of health and sport in Qatar.

Sultana is also a published novelist, with the proceeds of her first book The Mango Tree donated to the Fight for Sight charity.