Sheikh Dr. Majid Al Qassimi
CEO & PRESIDENT
Sheikh Dr. Majid Sultan Al Qassimi qualified as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Saint Istvan University in Budapest, Hungary. He started his work as a veterinarian in the zoo and conservation field and moved into an administration role in 2013 as a Director to oversee the Terrestrial Biodiversity and conservation activities at the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi. From 2015 to 2021 he was the Chief Veterinary Officer of the UAE and Advisor to 2 Ministers regarding all things Food and Agriculture, at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, UAE.
His work as a policy maker brought him to the center of Food Security, Sustainability and Biodiversity for the UAE and the Arab world, looking to create clear direction for the UAE and the Middle East on how technology, sustainable agriculture and traditional practices can create a food production revolution in the region. After Developing the Food Diversification strategy for the UAE with the Food and Agriculture Organization, Sh. Dr. Majid has the ability to see both a holistic “all of country” approach to Food Security, as well as dive down into specific technical subjects to navigate challenges and opportunities. He sits on multiple boards of Accreditation Authorities, UAE Food Safety Committee, and on multiple other Food, Animal and Agriculture Boards.
He is a founding partner at SOMA MATER where he continues to develop Food Security and Sustainability strategies and solutions for private sector and governments. He has a keen interest in engaging the youth to further career choices in STEM subjects, and as one of the first veterinarians from his country, he plays a vital role in supporting
veterinary education and awareness, through public speaking, advising the university curriculum.
Sheikh Dr. Majid Al Qassimi
CEO & Founder
Sheikh Dr. Majid Sultan Al Qassimi qualified as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Saint Istvan University in Budapest, Hungary. He started his work as a veterinarian in the zoo and conservation field and moved into an administration role in 2013 as a Director to oversee the Terrestrial Biodiversity and conservation activities at the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi. From 2015 to 2021 he was the Chief Veterinary Officer of the UAE and Advisor to 2 Ministers regarding all things Food and Agriculture, at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, UAE.
His work as a policy maker brought him to the center of Food Security, Sustainability and Biodiversity for the UAE and the Arab world, looking to create clear direction for the UAE and the Middle East on how technology, sustainable agriculture and traditional practices can create a food production revolution in the region. After Developing the Food Diversification strategy for the UAE with the Food and Agriculture Organization, Sh. Dr. Majid has the ability to see both a holistic “all of country” approach to Food Security, as well as dive down into specific technical subjects to navigate challenges and opportunities. He sits on multiple boards of Accreditation Authorities, UAE Food Safety Committee, and on multiple other Food, Animal and Agriculture Boards.
He is a founding partner at SOMA MATER where he continues to develop Food Security and Sustainability strategies and solutions for private sector and governments. He has a keen interest in engaging the youth to further career choices in STEM subjects, and as one of the first veterinarians from his country, he plays a vital role in supporting
veterinary education and awareness, through public speaking, advising the university curriculum.
Nura Adi Al Ahmad
Operations and Project Manager
Nura always enjoyed doing things to perfection and learned at a very young age of her organized nature. She was born in Germany to a Syrian/German family but spent most of her childhood in the UAE.
She went to an international school (Dubai International School) and enjoyed her education journey, which enabled her to learn three new languages at a very young age (Arabic, English and French) besides her mother tongue, German. Continuing her University Degree “Bachelors in Marketing”’ in the evenings while working full time at the age of eighteen taught her how fun multitasking could be and how proficient she was at organizing.
Nura quickly discovered her love for supporting, leading and managing people when she was asked to build the Siemens MENA team alongside the VP at the age of twenty-two and was chosen as a “Top Talent”. After joining SOMA MATER three years ago, she got the opportunity to fully manage a project which was a proof to herself of where her passion and career truly lies.
Karine Salibi
Research Analyst
Since the early age of thirteen, Karine had always been interested in protecting the environment and becoming a champion for sustainability. Karine grew up in the UAE, her family moved from Abu Dhabi, to Sharjah to Dubai where she graduated from the French School, before continuing her higher education in Canada.
Her deep concern and passion for change in food policy sparked when she enrolled in a Global Food Security class and later during her experience as a cook in a professional kitchen in Dubai, where she witnessed large amounts of food discarded on a daily basis. She eventually got a Masters in Food Policy and was eager to work in the UAE where she felt she needed to be part of the movement. Today Karine works in research, and supports with client advisory at SOMA MATER. She is excited to see her passion lead to achieving big goals for the region.
Maria Clara Sousa
Research Assistant
Maria discovered her passion for writing early in life, spending hours crafting novels and stories. This interest for writing evolved into a powerful medium through which she could advocate for topics she deeply cared about, particularly politics and regional studies.
During her internship at SOMA MATER in the summer of 2022, Maria found her ideal environment—one where she could pursue her love of research. Originally from Brazil, she moved to the UAE at an early age and embarked on a journey of learning Arabic, forming cultural connections, and becoming deeply integrated with the region.
After completing her undergraduate degree in International Studies at the American University of Sharjah, where she authored research papers exploring the interconnections between politics, history, economics, law, and environmental studies, she aspired to contribute to the UAE through her research—a goal that SOMA MATER has helped her achieve.
