As head of Eurasia Group’s Middle East and North Africa research team, Ayham Kamel leads coverage of regional geopolitics, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iraq, and the Levant area (Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon). His work focuses on the U.S. and Russian roles in the Middle East, Iranian-Saudi relations, energy policy, terrorism threats, and financial trends in the region. Kamel is a regular contributor to global foreign policy expert discussions and has testified before the British House of Lords. He has experience in policymaking, strategy, valuations, and business development.

Kamel has likewise conducted research on geostrategic issues, foreign aid, democratization, and business operations in emerging markets for the U.S. Senate, the National Democratic Institute, and the Center for International Private Enterprise. He holds a master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University, which he earned as a Fulbright scholar, and bachelor’s degrees in business administration and international relations from the Lebanese American University.