Hisham Zawil is the Global Lead for Technology and Digital Partnerships and Engagement at UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, where he drives the agency’s digital engagement and advocacy strategy and works on UNHCR’s partnerships on AI, digital technology, and data. He builds collaborations with the tech sector, including frontier AI companies and governments, to advance responsible AI governance and digital solutions for displaced communities.
With a career spanning international development, refugee resettlement, and tech partnerships, Hisham has worked with leading tech companies, UN agencies, and policymakers to design innovative programs addressing global challenges. His work bridges humanitarian practice and AI policy, ensuring that the voices and needs of displaced communities are reflected in the frameworks shaping emerging technologies.
Previously, he led U.S. private sector partnerships for the World Food Programme and spent six years at the International Rescue Committee, managing the agency’s refugee resettlement offices in the San Francisco Bay Area before working at HQ advancing global tech initiatives. Most recently, Hisham served as the Evaluation Co-chair for RightsCon’s Conflict and Humanitarian category.
An expert in AI policy, digital rights, and responsible product management, Hisham champions ethical, inclusive solutions that ensure technology serves communities effectively and equitably.