Following a successful career as Head of Safety and Loss Prevention at the Qatar General Water and Electricity Corporation (Kahramaa), Essa Al Mannai joined ROTA as Senior Operations Manager in 2009, was promoted to the role of Acting Director in mid-2010 and now serves as permanent Director, responsible for continuing the strategic course set by ROTA’s Board of Directors. 

Essa Al Mannai graduated from Qatar University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and received his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. 

Before joining ROTA, Mr. Al Mannai’s volunteering and charity commitments included volunteer placement in Belize, participation at the Disaster Management Camp. He was named “Best Volunteer” at the 2005 Doha West Asian Games.

Since Mr. Al Mannai came to ROTA, the organization has led a variety of initiatives in Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Nepal, as well as Qatar. The projects often involve education leadership and teacher training, as well as sports, environment and skills development initiatives.  ROTA recently collaborated with Al Waleed Foundation in rehabilitating 22 schools in Gaza. ROTA has also signed a partnership with the Asian Football Confederation as part of a strategic plan to integrate sports as a tool in education. In Pakistan and Nepal, some 3,000 students benefitted from a youth development program through football. Among its many other initiatives, ROTA has led adult literacy trainings, youth leadership programs, and a competition for young writers in Beirut. Many teachers and students benefit from ROTA’s Knowledge Network Trainings and workshops.