Mohamad Al-Ississ

Senator & Former Minister of Finance of Jordan

Dr. Al-Ississ holds four degrees from Harvard University. He received his doctorate in Public Policy – Economic Development from the Harvard Kennedy School. Al-Ississ has a BA with honors in Economics from Harvard College, an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University, and a Masters in Public Administration in International Development from Harvard University.

Dr. Mohamad Al-Ississ has held multiple high-level positions across government, academia, and the private sector.

He is currently a Senator of Jordan, a position he assumed in 2024.

Prior to this, he was the Finance Minister of Jordan from 2019 to 2024.

During his time overseeing the nation’s fiscal policy as finance minister, the country received a ratings upgrade from S&P and Moody’s, the country’s first ratings upgrade in 21 years.

Additionally, he helped execute three Eurobond issuances worth $3.7 billion, negotiated & implemented two IMF Extended Fund Facility Programs and an IMF Rapid Financing Instrument, and developed five national budgets.

He served in this role through the Covid Pandemic and led the country’s fiscal policy response to the crisis.

Prior to serving as Minister of Finance, Dr. Al-Ississ held the dual roles of Minister of State for Economic Affairs & Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, in which he led Jordan’s negotiations with international financial institutions, including the World Bank.

From 2018 - 2019, Dr. Al-Ississ served as an Economic & Special Advisor to His Majesty King Abdullah II. And from 2016 - 2018, he was Director of Economic & Social Development in the Office of His Majesty King Abdullah II. In these roles, he helped shape the country’s economic reforms and investment initiatives.

Prior to entering government service, Dr. Mohamad Al-Ississ held the position of Associate Dean of Administration, Undergraduate Studies, and Public Outreach at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and Assistant Professor in the School of Business at the American University in Cairo. Additionally, he was a visiting economics lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School.

His research focuses on understanding the impact of beliefs on financial markets. Al-Ississ investigates the cross-border impact of political violence and religious experience on financial markets, and the effect of insurance on trust and trustworthiness in the Middle East through behavioral economics lab experiments.

Al-Ississ’ professional experience includes working as a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, serving as a senior advisor to Jordanian ministers of Industry and Trade and managing a portfolio of USAID projects in Jordan.

Expertise Sought By: Hedge Funds, Family Offices, Ratings Agencies, Investment Banks, National Wealth Funds, Private Sector Enterprises, Fiscal Policy-Makers, Think Tanks, Schools of Business, Private Equity Firms, Pension Funds, Asset Managers, Ratings Agencies, Venture Capital Funds, International Financial Institutions.

Education

PhD Public Policy - Economic Development, Harvard University. · Masters in Public Administration in International Development, Harvard University. · Masters in Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University. · Bachelors of Art, Economics, Harvard University.

Topics

Global & Regional Geopolitics · The Arab Spring: Lessons for the Next Decade · Geopolitical Risk in an Age of Uncertainty · The New Middle East: GCC and MENA Economic Transitions · The Shifting Global Order: Implications for Business and Policy · Energy · Politics · Power in the Gulf · Leadership · Strategy · Advisory · Leading Through Uncertainty: Lessons from Economic Crises · Executive Coaching for Transformational Leadership · Leadership in Times of Disruption · Decision-Making Under Pressure: What Markets Teach Us · From Policy to Execution: Strategic Thinking for Leaders · Economics · Finance · Emerging Markets · Navigating Emerging Market Risks and Opportunities · Entry Strategies for Emerging Markets: What Works and Why · Executing Eurobond Issuances: Insights from the Inside · Negotiating with the IMF: Lessons in Economic Diplomacy · Fiscal Policy in Times of Volatility · Building and Implementing Economic Reform Packages · The Future of Global Debt Markets and Sovereign Bonds · Investor Road Shows: Positioning Countries and Corporates for Capital · Investment & Innovation · Venture Capital in the Middle East: Unlocking Potential · Building Startup Ecosystems in Emerging Markets