Laury Haytayan
Middle East and North Africa Director
Laury sets NRGI’s strategic trajectory in the Middle East and North Africa. She represents NRGI in the region and oversees the implementation of programs and projects. Prior to becoming regional director, Laury was NRGI’s MENA senior officer in charge of media and parliamentary capacity building programs. She played a significant role in establishing the Middle East and North Africa Regional Extractive Industries Knowledge Hub in Lebanon in 2014.
In addition to setting strategies and overseeing project implementation, Laury focuses also on the geopolitical dimensions of MENA’S energy sector. She has written several publications on the subject, and regularly comments in the media on oil, gas and energy in Lebanon, the East Mediterranean and the wider region. She also hosts UNDP Lebanon’s Energy Espresso podcast.
Laury holds a master’s in Middle East politics from the University of Exeter and a B.A. in communication arts from the Lebanese American University. She speaks Arabic, French, English and Armenian.
