Mirna Arif

About

Driven by a passion for innovation and people empowerment, Mirna Arif is an experienced business leader with over two decades of cross-sector experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She currently serves as the General Manager for Microsoft’s Middle East and Africa Growth Markets, overseeing operations across Egypt, Oman, Bahrain, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and other emerging markets. In this role, she focuses on advancing digital transformation, supporting cloud and AI adoption, and enabling inclusive economic growth in partnership with governments and organizations. Previously, as General Manager of Microsoft Egypt (2020–2025), Arif spearheaded the country’s digital transformation journey, accelerating cloud adoption, expanding national skilling initiatives, and forging strategic collaborations with public and private sector partners. Her leadership positioned Microsoft as a key enabler of Egypt’s digital economy, earning her recognition as one of the 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen by Forbes Middle East in 2024 and 2025. Mirna’s career spans senior roles in both the private and public sectors. Prior to joining Microsoft, she served as Surface Business Group Director for Middle East and Africa at Microsoft in Dubai, Regional Director for Digital Transformation at GE Oil & Gas, and Regional Manager for Rosemount Group Middle East at Emerson Automation Solutions. In 2015, she was appointed Assistant Minister for Investment and International Cooperation at Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, advising on sector-wide strategic reforms. Earlier in her career, she spent 12 years at Schlumberger in multiple leadership roles across global markets, including as Global Marketing Manager, where she drove worldwide marketing strategies for software and marine acquisition segments. Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Mirna is deeply committed to advancing gender equity, education, and economic empowerment. She serves on the Board of the Egyptian National Council for Women, the Board of Directors of Banque Misr and Rameda Pharma, and the Board of Trustees of the Knowledge Hub Education. She is part of the Supreme Advisory Board of Al Nas Hospital, and is the Co-Chair of the Digital Transformation Committee at The American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (Amcham Egypt). She holds an MBA in Marketing & Operations from the American University in Cairo & BSc in Computer science from the same university.