Mishaal Ashemimry

Managing Director

Mishaal Ashemimry is Managing Director of the Center for Space Futures, a collaboration between the World Economic Forum and the Saudi Space Agency within the Forum's Centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution network, a post she has held since April 2024. She is an aerospace engineer and commercial pilot, and serves as Vice President for Diversity Initiatives at the International Astronautical Federation. She earned a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering and two Bachelor of Science degrees, in Aerospace Engineering and in Applied Mathematics, from Florida Institute of Technology. She worked as an aerodynamics engineer at Raytheon Missile Systems on 22 rocket programmes, founded MISHAAL Aerospace to design rockets for small satellite launches, has consulted for Northrop Grumman on space nuclear power technologies, and has served as a special advisor to the CEO of the Saudi Space Agency. Her honours include a scientific achievement award from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2018, the Arab Women Awards Inspirational Woman of the Year 2015 and Arabian Business Science and Technology Leader of the Year 2024.