Chief Executive Officer
Samiya Gaid, a founding director of Balqiis, is a seasoned program design expert and gender specialist with over twenty years of experience. She provides strategic and commercial oversight across the company, driven by her passion for contributing to positive change.
Throughout her career, spanning the public sector, private enterprise, and international development across four countries, Samiya has led initiatives addressing key social challenges such as gender-based violence, land rights, girls’ education, and youth empowerment.Her deep commitment to gender and social justice has anchored her work, inspiring systemic change in policy and programming with organizations like Mercy Corps and the Federal Government of Somalia. As an experienced leader with a resolute commitment to change, Samiya is determined to transform societies and achieve sustainable progress through collaborative efforts.