Dr Ebtesam Al Ketbi is the first female to lead an independent think tank in the Arab world. As the inaugural president of the Emirates Policy Centre since September 2013, Al Ketbi explores current and future issues affecting the UAE and the region, providing strategic analysis that is used by governments and international institutions. The centre pays particular attention to security issues, particularly terrorism and the relationship between the GCC and the US, and hosts regular panel discussions and debates to forecast trends in policies and geopolitics.

She is a founding member of the Emirates Human Rights Association. Al Ketbi has also been a professor of Political Science at United Arab Emirates University for 20 years and is a member of the Consultative Commission of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). She has a PhD in Political Science from Cairo University.