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Arnaud Quemin

Middle East, North Africa & Europe Regional Director

Arnaud Quemin is a seasoned humanitarian leader with over two decades of experience leading large, diverse teams across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. Currently, he serves as the Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe at Mercy Corps, overseeing a team of 1,200 staff across seven countries. In this role, he helps deliver Mercy Corps’ strategic priorities related to climate change and conflict-induced fragility.

Previously, Arnaud held several senior leadership roles at Mercy Corps, including Country Director for Syria, where he managed a $100 million portfolio reaching 1.4 million Syrians annually through humanitarian and recovery programs. He has also served as interim Country Director for Iraq and Jordan.

Before joining Mercy Corps, Arnaud worked for prominent humanitarian agencies like the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), UNICEF, Handicap International, and Médecins du Monde. He has managed emergency responses, implemented long-term development initiatives, and led teams providing critical services like rehabilitation for persons with disabilities.

Arnaud’s proficiency spans strategic planning, operations management, donor relations, and advocacy. He has negotiated with governments, partnered with U.N. agencies and NGOs, and represented humanitarian priorities in high-level discussions on issues such as humanitarian access and reconstruction.

With expertise in both emergency contexts and development settings, Arnaud offers a multi-faceted perspective gained from years of field experience in extremely challenging environments across the globe. He holds two master’s degrees focused on humanitarian aid, emergency response, and military history from universities in France.