Dr. Allah Nawaz Samoo (Director)

Mr. Allah Nawaz Samoo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Thardeep Rural Development Program (TRDP). He has over 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles across the country in the development sector, corporate sector, and government organizations.

His key areas of expertise include building and managing public‐private partnerships and leading a ‘community‐driven‐development’ process. Before joining TRDP, he worked as ‘Managing Director’ at the ‘Elementary Education Foundation’ Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar. In this capacity, he successfully led the ‘reform and change management’ process in a challenging environment. Before this, he worked with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, Islamabad, as General Manager of Institutional Development, managing a partnership with 85 development organizations in 70 districts nationwide. The partnerships formed over 70,000 inclusive community institutions, continuously facilitating civic services to poor communities nationwide. Mr. Samoo also worked at the World Bank, supporting technical assistance on the Thar Coal and Power Project.

Along with a team of international experts, he provided technical support to the Government of Sindh in preparation for and early supervision of firms contracted to undertake a strategic environmental and social assessment and study in preparation for the resettlement plan and regional development plan. Before that, Mr. Allah Nawaz Samoo managed the NCHD multi‐sector program that supported district governments in improving primary enrollment through the participation of community groups in school management.

He also contributed to the transformation of TRDP from a relief and rehabilitation project to the Thardeep Rural Development Program.

Renowned institutions, including Oxford University Press, have published his research studies.