Sahar Cooper

Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Education

Speaker

Sahar brings over three decades of distinguished experience in education management, dedicated to shaping the UAE’s education sector. Her bilingual proficiency in Arabi and English, coupled with her strategic vision, has enabled her to bridge cultures and perspectives, fostering inclusive, high-performing learning environments that seamlessly blend global standards with local values.

Prior to her current role, Sahar held senior leadership positions at GEMS Education and the American University of Sharjah, where she honed her acumen in educational strategy and operational excellence. Since 2018, Sahar has led Aldar Education as CEO, driving its transformation into one of the UAE’s foremost education providers, overseeing 27 schools, 36,000 students, and over 4,400 staff members. Under her stewardship, the schools’ network has boasted exceptional academic outcomes with year-on-year improvements in examination results consistently surpassing global benchmarks.

Sahar has spearheaded the network’s strategic expansion through prestigious partnerships, including Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, Kent College Dubai, the forthcoming Rugby School Dubai, among others, bringing world-class curricula and innovative pedagogies to the UAE, whilst pioneering digital transformations that embed cutting-edge technology in classrooms.

Her eminence is underscored by recognitions in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen (2024 and 2025) and Finance World’s 50 Most Influential Women in the UAE (2025).