Sevda is an accomplished international relations and partnership development professional with extensive experience spanning the United Nations system, humanitarian organisations, and the private sector. As Director of Strategic Partnerships at Project Yananai, she leads the integration of institutional and corporate partnerships, oversees the organisation’s Ambassador Programme, and works to secure the financial, technical, and in‑kind resources needed to advance the organisation’s Theory of Change across four countries. 

Sevda currently holds concurrent leadership positions at a Geneva‑based international institute, serving as a member of its Leadership Board and as Director of International Relations and Partnerships. She previously directed the Europe office of a global technology firm, where she drove international partnership strategy. Earlier, she served as Strategic Liaison Officer and Chief of Staff at a major humanitarian forum, and held roles as a Business Analyst at a United Nations food and agriculture agency and as a Marketing Officer at a UN migration agency. 

Sevda began her career in her home country, where she worked as a Programme Liaison and Donor Relations Coordinator for UN agencies and later as Country Manager for a renewable energy company overseeing operations across the Middle East and CIS states. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Development and Food Security from a leading Italian university and a High Honour Bachelor’s degree in International Relations. 

Fluent in Azerbaijani and English, with excellent proficiency in Russian, Italian, and Turkish, and intermediate knowledge of Spanish and Swahili, Sevda brings deep cross‑cultural competence to her work. She is passionate about building trust‑based partnerships that bring together diverse actors around a shared purpose to achieve lasting impact.