Jawaher Almheiri
UAE Commercial Attaché to the United States and Head of Economic Policy, UAE Embassy in Washington
Jawaher Almheiri has spent her career building bridges among governments, the private sector, capital markets, and industry, turning national economic priorities into partnerships that create real, measurable value. As the United Arab Emirates’ commercial attaché to the United States and head of economic policy at the UAE Embassy in Washington, she works to deliver on the UAE’s commercial and economic diplomacy priorities with U.S. federal agencies, Congress, sovereign wealth funds, global asset managers, and Fortune 100 leaders. Her work spans tracking U.S. trade and economic policies, artificial intelligence policy, and export controls; facilitating investment across different economic sectors; advocating for the elimination of trade barriers; and representing the UAE and its stakeholders’ interests in the United States – always with an eye toward translating big-picture strategy into deals, memorandums of understanding, and joint ventures that strengthen UAE-U.S. economic, trade, and investment relations.
With over 16 years of professional experience, spanning seven years in the private sector and nearly a decade in government, diplomacy, and a board role, Almheiri brings a rare blend of commercial and public-sector perspective and strategic advisory. Before Washington, she managed the UAE’s bilateral economic affairs across the Asia region within the Economic and Trade Affairs Department at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, covering files such as China, India, Japan, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries, including the UAE’s bid for ASEAN membership. She also contributed to the World Economic Forum’s urban transformation research and was a graduate consultant for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, modeling digitalization pathways and spillovers in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s select investment destinations.
She was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Middle East alumna in 2021 and received the Distinguished Diplomat medal from Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan in 2018. Almheiri holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University in international finance and economic policy and is currently pursuing her CFA Level I candidacy. Outside of diplomacy, she writes and analyzes across financial markets and broader monetary and economic policy trends.
