Meet Our Team
MENA-can is led by a distributed, multidisciplinary team bringing together experience in social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, programme leadership, fragile contexts, media and technology.
We collaborate remotely and through trusted local partnerships, allowing us to bring the right expertise to each programme while remaining flexible, cost-effective and close to the communities we serve.
Founder & CEOSaoussen
Ben Cheikh
Founder & CEO
Saoussen is a social entrepreneurship leader, ecosystem builder, trainer and writer with more than 15 years of experience in international development and fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
A former doctoral researcher specialising in the contemporary history of the MENA region, she brings together academic insight and extensive field experience. Her work spans social enterprise, media development, humanitarian action, sustainable development and ecosystem building.
She founded MENA-can to connect overlooked, locally rooted innovation with the knowledge, technology, partnerships and opportunities it needs to grow. Through her writing, speaking and advocacy, she also works to bring the potential of MENA’s fragile and underserved markets into regional and global conversations.
Chief Operating OfficerSafa Naser
Chief Operating Officer
Safa leads MENA-can’s operations and programme delivery, transforming strategy into practical, locally relevant action. She works closely with entrepreneurs, trainers and partners to ensure that each programme responds to participants’ realities and is delivered with care, consistency and quality.
A Yemeni journalist and media professional, Safa brings a deep understanding of the country’s social context and the challenges of working in fragile environments. Her experience helps keep MENA-can’s programmes human-centred, accessible and grounded in the voices and needs of the people they are designed to serve.
Technology LeadMohamed Amin
Technology & Digital Transformation Lead
Mohamed leads MENA-can’s technology and digital transformation work. He helps MENA-can and the ventures it supports use digital tools, automation and artificial intelligence to reduce costs, improve efficiency and expand their reach.
Passionate about using technology for social good, Mohamed is also the founder of an initiative for children to use robotics and technology. He believes digital innovation should start from childhood and should help entrepreneurs and communities solve practical problems, access new opportunities and build more sustainable solutions.
At MENA-can, he ensures that technology remains practical, inclusive and firmly connected to human needs.