Omar Ali, Political Economy Researcher, IGSDA, Amsterdam (American Egyptian)

Omar Ali is a Japanese-born Egyptian American currently residing in the Netherlands. Growing up across four continents presented him with the opportunity to develop understandings of people across cultural, political, economic, and linguistic barriers.

While at the University of St Andrews, Omar focused his studies on social movements, democratisation, and humanitarian interventions. He spent his free time gaining practical experience as a writer, producer, editor, and photographer. In 2015, Omar co-founded Ampersand Media, a creative collective which has today grown into a global storytelling platform with bases in St Andrews, London, and Amsterdam. As President of the St Andrews International Politics Association, Omar had the opportunity to interview CNN’s Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour in front of a live audience.

The following year, he spearheaded the St Andrews Year of Interfaith Dialogue. This series of guest lectures, seminars, and gatherings culminated in the signing of the Declaration on a Shared Humanity, an event which brought together 130 representatives of religious organisations, national governments, and academic institutions from around the world.

In 2017, Omar completed his MA Honours in International Relations and moved to Amsterdam to join the team of the THNK School of Creative Leadership as a Multimedia Producer. While conducting interviews with numerous entrepreneurs within THNK’s community, he was inspired to branch out and begin his own practice. In 2020, he co-founded Sandbox Initiatives, and is currently consulting on creative strategy, platform development, and venture design for a range of social enterprises.