LEADERSHIP TEAM

Visionaries Behind The UAE National Orchestra

Board of Directors | UAE National Orchestra

Governance

Board of Directors

The UAE National Orchestra is guided by a board that brings together leadership from culture, education, diplomacy and enterprise across the Emirates.

01

Chairperson of the UAE National Orchestra

H.E. Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi

Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Chairperson

02

H.E. Sarah Bint Youssef Al Amiri

Minister of Education

03

H.E. Sheikh Salem Bin Khalid Al Qassimi

Minister of Culture

04

H.E. Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak

Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi

05

H.E. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh

Cultural Adviser to HH the President of the UAE · Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University

06

H.E. Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr

Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library

07

H.E. Sameera Murshed Al Romaithi

Secretary-General of the Presidential Protocol and Strategic Narrative Authority

08

H.E. Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo

Founder of Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation

09

H.E. Hamad Abdulla Al Zaabi

Director General of the National Projects Office

10

H.E. Ali Obaid Al Hefaiti

General Manager of Fujairah Fine Arts Academy

11

Peng Xiao

Group CEO, G42

12

Naseer Shamma

Founder of Bait Al Oud and UNESCO Artist for Peace

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The UAE National Orchestra is grateful for the guidance and support of its distinguished Board of Directors, whose oversight brings together expertise from across cultural, artistic and academic fields.

Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Alia bint Khalid Al Qasimi is a prominent leader in the UAE’s cultural and creative industries, with over 19 years of experience driving initiatives that have shaped the nation’s cultural identity and creative economy. As Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra, she spearheads efforts to promote the UAE’s cultural heritage and contemporary creative output on a global stage.
Previously, she served as an Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Culture and Creative Industries Sector at the Ministry of Culture and Youth, where she led the development of the UAE’s national strategy for cultural and creative industries. She also led and managed the restructuring of cultural centres and the organization of the 2021 World Conference on Creative Economy at Dubai Expo 2020.

Al Qassimi held a leadership position at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi as the Head of Manarat Al Saadiyat, where she played a pivotal role in strengthening its strategic positioning. She spearheaded the development of a comprehensive strategy that focused on program innovation and audience development, contributing to the clear identification of the institution’s organizational identity. Additionally, she oversaw the establishment of the region’s first Berklee College of Music campus.
At TwoFour54, Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority, she led creative projects within Creative Lab, nurturing emerging talent and providing a platform for skill development, showcasing work, and connecting with fellow creatives. Her leadership fostered a thriving creative ecosystem in Abu Dhabi.
Al Qassimi’s career reflects her deep commitment to advancing the UAE’s cultural, creative, and economic ambitions, aiming to position the nation as a global leader in the cultural and creative sectors.
A graduate of the American University of Sharjah in Design Management, Alia enjoys travel, long outdoor jogs, and finds inspiration in experimental art and the timeless beauty of music notes, especially Ravel’s Bolero and Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons.

Ahmed Farag

Conductor

Ahmed Farag is an internationally recognised conductor and a leading musical figure in the Arab world. He began his musical training at the Cairo Conservatory before continuing his studies at the Haute École de Musique in Geneva, Switzerland, where he earned a Bachelor of Music, a Master’s in Oboe Performance, and a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting. Farag has served as a conductor at the Cairo Opera House, regularly Conducting the Cairo Symphony Orchestra and Cairo Opera Orchestra in major performances.

In 2021, he founded the Hathor Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to mentoring and training young professional musicians. Under his leadership, the orchestra has appeared at major events including the International Festival of Symphonic Music in Algiers, El Gouna International Film Festival, the Citadel Music Festival, and the Arab Music Festival. Internationally, Farag has worked with institutions including the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the European Solidarity Centre in Poland, the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, and NEOJIBA in Brazil.

His repertoire spans the Classical and Romantic canon as well as Arabic, 20th-century and contemporary masterworks. Farag’s conducting style is characterised by its expressive clarity and structural depth. Through his artistic leadership, he is deeply committed to fostering cultural dialogue and building bridges between international symphonic traditions and the rich musical heritage of the Arab world.

Angela Moreland

Finance and Operations Director

Angela Moreland is the Finance and Operations Director of the UAE National Orchestra, bringing extensive leadership experience in finance, operations, and organisational development across the cultural and non-profit sectors. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (FCMA CGMA), she is recognised for her collaborative leadership style, strategic thinking, and ability to translate complex financial and operational challenges into practical solutions.

Before joining the UAE National Orchestra, Angela served as Chief Operating Officer of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, where she played a key role in organisational leadership, financial management, strategic planning, and audience development. Working closely with executive leadership, she helped strengthen operations, drive income growth, and support the organisation’s long-term sustainability.

Having recently relocated from Scotland to the UAE, Angela is passionate about contributing to the development of the country’s cultural sector. She is particularly inspired by the opportunity to support an orchestra that brings together Western and Arabic musical traditions, reflecting the UAE’s cultural diversity while fostering artistic excellence, collaboration, and innovation.

Raff Wilson

Artistic Planning Director

Raff Wilson has more than 20 years’ experience in artistic planning and orchestral leadership across Australia, Asia and North America. He joins the UAE National Orchestra as Artistic Planning Director, following six years as Vice President of Artistic Planning at the Seattle Symphony. He has previously held senior artistic planning roles with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

Throughout his career, Raff has shaped artistic strategy, developed international collaborations and created ambitious programmes alongside leading conductors, soloists and composers.

At the Seattle Symphony, he led artistic planning across the orchestra and Benaroya Hall, helping shape multi-year programming spanning major artists, new commissions and contemporary repertoire. During his time with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, he played a central role in the orchestra’s acclaimed presentation of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, and spearheaded the development of a three-year composer residency. At the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, he worked with conductors including David Robertson and Vladimir Ashkenazy on the orchestra’s artistic programming.

Raff holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Languages from the University of Sydney and studied as a singer in London and Sydney.