Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.)
Chief Executive Officer - CEO of Merck Foundation
Member of the Egyptian Senate (2020- 2025)
President of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative - MFFLI
One of the 100 Most Influential African Women (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025)
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej , Merck Foundation CEO
Beyond Power; Leadership , Global Influence and Impact
A series of articles developed by Dr. Rasha Kelej
How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources
People often ask me: “What is the secret behind your influence and relationships across so many countries?” My answer surprises them. I never viewed relationships
Leadership Beyond the Obvious: How I Worked to Transform Fertility Care and Break Infertility Stigma.
In my leadership articles, I often write about the different layers that have shaped the way I lead: going beyond what is expected, looking beneath
Excellence Is a Moving Target—But It Is Not an Excuse
When Continuous Improvement Is Misunderstood, Misused, or Weaponized I have often said that excellence is a moving target. But I have spent the last few days
Performance, Loyalty, and Character: The Three Qualities That Define Great Teams
One of the biggest leadership mistakes is believing that performance alone determines who should stay on your team.After years of leading my Global team across
Latest News
Message from Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, about the 13th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2026, inaugurated by the Chairman of Merck Foundation and herself, together with 12 First Ladies from African and Asian countries
Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO together with First Ladies of Angola, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria
Message from Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, on launching the “Educating Linda” Program to support girl education with the First Lady of Ghana in the country
Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO with Ghana First Lady during the launch of Educating Linda Program. I am happy to share that we have officially launched
Message from Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, on launching her First Virtual Mentorship and Leadership Platform to Inspire and Empower The Next Generation Of Leaders, Especially Women and Youth
Link to Dr. Rasha Kelej’s Mentorship and Leadership Platform: https://open.substack.com/pub/rashakelej I am excited to launch “Beyond Power: Leadership, Global Influence and Impact”, my first virtual Mentorship and Leadership Platform through
Message from Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, marking a landmark moment in supporting girl education through the “Educating Linda” Program at Kenya State House
Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO with Kenya First Lady at Kenya State House during the launch of Educating Linda Program. I am happy to share
Message from CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej, on declaring the Gabon First Lady as Ambassador of “More Than a Mother” to build healthcare capacity, break infertility stigma, and support girl education
Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO, together with Gabon First Lady during their visit to Gabon. We officially launched our programs in partnership with H.E. Madam ZITA
Message from Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, on marking the 10th anniversary of the “More Than a Mother” Movement
I am truly proud to mark the 10th Anniversary of “More Than a Mother” movement, it has been an extraordinary journey, one that is very close
Message from CEO of Merck Foundation, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, about the MFFLI Committee Meeting held with First Ladies of Africa and Asia call for action to build healthcare and Media capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and
Merck Foundation Chairman, CEO, and 14 First Ladies inaugurate the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative – MFFLI Summit in Dubai 2025 I