Since 2015, Noura Selim is the Executive Director (ED) of the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, one of the largest grant-making foundations in Egypt. In her role as ED, she is responsible for developing the strategic plans for the foundation; Managing the foundation’s financials and endowment; Leading the foundation to implement the strategic goals including overseeing the planning, implementation and monitoring of activities across three core areas of work (economic empowerment, social empowerment and education & scholarships); Overseeing the assessment of funding proposals; Planning and managing human resources; Setting up effective partnerships with civil society, government agencies and the private sector to maximize the foundations’ impact; and representing the foundation externally.

Prior to that, Noura worked as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company in New York, Dubai and Cairo for 5 years, joining as an Analyst in 2007. At McKinsey, Noura served public and private sector clients, particularly in health care and education. Her healthcare work spanned the pharmaceutical sector as well as public payers and providers in the US, Europe and the Middle East, while her education work spanned K-12 and technical and vocational education. During her time at McKinsey, Noura was involved in leading the implementation of a large-scale transformation in technical education and training, as well as leading a health care reform program aimed at increasing access and quality of care.

Prior to McKinsey, Noura worked as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Pennsylvania's Engineering school.

Noura holds a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School, a Masters in Biotechnology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating Magna cum laude.

Noura serves as an Advisory Board Member on the Harvard Business School MENA Advisory board, Advisory Board Member of Alternative Policy Solutions at the American University in Cairo, Board Member of the Egyptian National Investment Charity Fund for Education (NICE), Board Member of Manara Boarding School, and Investment Committee member at Mezzan.

Noura previously served as Chairwoman of the Board of Arab Foundations Forum 2017-2020, and as Treasurer of the Board of the Harvard Arab Alumni Association 2014-2016.