WASHINGTON, D.C. — 07/20/2026 — Education For Employment (EFE) today announced the appointment of Taleb Salhab as Presidentand Chief Executive Officer.

The appointment comes at a hinge point for the organization. Across the Middle East and North Africa, roughly a quarter of people under 35 are out of work — nearly double the global average — while employers in fast-growing digital and green sectors cannot find candidates with the skills they need. EFE was built to address precisely that gap, and after 20 years and more than 200,000 graduates, its model is no longer an open question. Scale is. The next chapter demands more employers at the table, more capital behind what already works, and a network of locally run affiliates operating with the force of one organization. That is the work Salhab has led for three decades — most recently building private-sector partnerships and philanthropy across MENA for the UN Refugee Agency — and it is work he has already done inside EFE.

His appointment is, in the truest sense, a homecoming. From 2011 to 2016, Salhab served as EFE’s Vice President of Programs and Affiliate Services and later as Interim Chief Executive Officer, helping steady and strengthen the organization through a period of rapid growth. He arrives knowing the affiliates, the model, and the mission from the inside.

Most recently, Salhab served as Chief of Private Partnerships and Philanthropy for the Middle East and North Africa at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where he sat on the Global Leadership Team and led the regional private philanthropy and partnerships team. Earlier, he held senior executive roles at Worldreader, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and ACCESS, spanning strategy, governance, fundraising, partnerships, communications, finance, and operations. His work has supported organizations and partnerships in more than 100 countries across education, digital literacy, civic engagement, and advocacy.

“We are delighted to welcome Taleb Salhab as EFE’s next Chief Executive Officer,” said Ron Bruder, Founder and Chair of the Board of Education For Employment. “Taleb brings a rare combination: he knows EFE from the inside, and he has spent his career building the kind of private-sector partnerships this next chapter depends on. The Board has every confidence in his ability to build on EFE’s strong foundation, strengthen our global network, and advance our mission of creating economic opportunity for young people across the Middle East and North Africa.”

“I am deeply honored to rejoin Education For Employment at such an important moment,” said Salhab. “EFE’s mission — to equip young people with the skills, opportunities, and confidence to build meaningful careers — has never been more vital. I look forward to working alongside our exceptional team, partners, and supporters to expand our impact, drive innovation, and help more young women and men unlock their potential through employment.”

Born and raised in the MENA region, Salhab is a native Arabic speaker with deep knowledge of the region’s social, cultural,and political landscape. He holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Florida State University.

Salhab succeeds Andrew Baird and assumes the role effective July 20, 2026.

About Education For Employment

Education For Employment (EFE) is the leading youth employment network in the Middle East and North Africa. A social franchise of independent, locally run affiliates, EFE identifies critical skill gaps in local economies, delivers demand-driven training to young people with limited opportunity, and links graduates directly to jobs with employer partners. Since graduating its first class in 2006, EFE has reached more than 200,000 young people and operates in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Yemen, with global support hubs in the United States, Europe, and the UAE. Learn more at www.efe.org.

Media Contact

Nour Kamel | Director of Partnerships and Communications | nkamel@efe.org | +1 (832) 783-0071