Hessa Al Jaber

Hessa bint Sultan Al Jaber (Arabic: حصة الجابر‎) is a Qatari engineer, academic and politician. She was the first-ever Minister of Information and Communications Technology in Qatar following the formation of a new cabinet by the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani in 2013 and was the third Qatari woman to assume a ministerial position in the state. In 2017 she was one of four women appointed to the Consultative Assembly, becoming one of the country's first female parliamentarians.

Hessa Al Jaber
Minister of Information and Communications Technology
In office
26 June 2013 – 26 January 2016
MonarchTamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Prime MinisterAbdullah bin Nasser Al Thani
Preceded bynew Ministry
Succeeded bynone (Ministry merged)
Member of the Consultative Assembly
In office
2017–
Personal details
NationalityQatari
Alma materKuwait University
George Washington University

Education

Dr. Hessa holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Kuwait University, and a master's degree and Ph.D in Computer Science from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.[1]

Career

Prior to becoming a minister, Al Jaber held the position of Secretary General of The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) since its inception in 2005. During her tenure as Secretary General, Al Jaber oversaw the liberalization of Qatar's telecommunications market, ushering in an era of choice and competition. Passionate about ensuring that the benefits of technology reach all sectors, Al Jaber led numerous initiatives to make Qatar a more inclusive society through ICT.[1]

She spearheaded the efforts aimed at modernizing Qatar's ICT infrastructure, including the plans for founding the country’s national broadband network, Qatar National Broadband Network (Q.NBN). Additionally, she played an integral role in foundation of Qatar Satellite Company (Es’hailSat), which successfully launched Qatar’s first-ever satellite, Es'hail 1, on 29 August 2013. In addition, she also led the efforts of the modernization of Qatar's government through ICT, streamlining processes, making government more transparent and accessible to its people.[1]

Al Jaber has been instrumental in the creation of the Qatar Assistive Technology Center (Mada), which serves people with disabilities in Qatar, and Malomatia, a provider of professional technology services.[1]

Currently, she is United Nations ITU Broadband Commissioner for Digital Development, Commissioner for the WHO/ITU Commission on Information and Accountability for Women and Children's Health, and a member of several boards of directors, including; Qatar University’s Board of Trustees, the Board of Governors of the American School of Doha, Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals, Qatar Foundation National Research Forum, the Qatar Financial Markets Authority, and the Network of Global Agenda Councils of the WEF. She is also the Deputy Board Chairperson of Qatar Satellite Company (Es’hailSat) and the Chairperson of Mada’s Board of Directors.[1]

Al Jaber was appointed to the Consultative Council in November 2017 by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.[2]

With wide knowledge of ICT development, Al Jaber is a contributor to several working papers, studies, and researches at relevant Arab and global conferences and symposiums.[1]

Awards and recognition

In recognition of her public service, Al Jaber was honored by the ministry of interior as the "National Figure of the Year" on 24 December 2008 to honor key Qatari figures which made significant contributions during that year. In 2012, she was also named the 30th most powerful Arab woman by Arabian Business.[3]

In 2013, she was listed among the 500 most powerful Arabs in the world on Arabian Business magazine, then ranked 20th on the 2013 Arabian Business’ list of 100 most powerful Arab women and, most recently, the Internet Society inducted her as one of eight international Internet leaders to the 2013 Internet Hall of Fame Advisory Board.[4][5] Moreover, Mashable, which covers global social media news, named her among the eight most impressive women working in technology throughout the world during the 2000s.[6]

References
  1. "About the minister". ictQATAR. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015. This article incorporates text from this source, which uses the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
  2. Qatar appoints four women to Shura Council Al Jazeera, 9 November 2017
  3. "100 most powerful Arab women 2012". ArabianBusiness.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  4. "100 most powerful Arab women 2013". ArabianBusiness.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  5. "Distinguished International Panel of Internet Leaders Join 2013 Internet Hall of Fame Advisory Board". Internet Society. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  6. Fox, Zoe (16 October 2020). "From Ada Lovelace to Marissa Mayer: The Rise of Women in Tech [INFOGRAPHIC]". Mashable. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  1. "Dr. Hessa Al Jaber". ICT. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  2. "New Emir appoints female Cabinet member in Qatar government shake-up". Doha News. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  3. "Hessa Al Jaber". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  4. "Qatar: woman appointed to key communications ministry". ANSAmed. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  5. Attwood, Ed (30 June 2013). "Introducing Qatar’s new Emir". Arabian Business. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
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