Salah Eldin Mazen Al-Ajla
I am an economic researcher based in Doha specialising in development finance and SME finance, and a PhD candidate in development economics at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. I spent close to a decade in SME finance and credit analysis at FATEN, where I managed a US$10 million lending portfolio and delivered more than 140 credit and financial analyses — years spent on the side that assesses applications rather than the side that submits them, which still shapes how I approach the work. I currently work as a statistical researcher in an evaluation and quality department, and teach quantitative research methods to postgraduate students. My research centres on a single question: why finance fails to reach the firms that merit it, and what infrastructure makes it reach them.
Areas of expertise
Feasibility & investment appraisal
Estimating demand, costs, cash flows and break-even to reach a supported investment decision.
Finance & credit analysis
Over a decade in SME lending and creditworthiness assessment, from the lender’s side.
Economic & econometric research
A peer-reviewed publication, 14 working papers, econometric analysis in STATA and teaching it at postgraduate level.
Performance indicators & evaluation
Designing KPIs and monitoring systems, with certification from The KPI Institute.
Tools
Professional experience
- May 2025 — present
Statistical Researcher — Evaluation & Quality Department
A government entity — Doha, Qatar
- Led the project team measuring departmental key performance indicators, supporting a performance culture and data-driven decision-making.
- Led the team designing HR policies and processes to strengthen governance.
- Prepared monthly performance reports assessing workflow and operational efficiency.
- Produced comparative research and statistical studies benchmarked against similar institutions.
- September 2024 — present
Quantitative Work Unit (part-time)
Doha Institute for Graduate Studies — Qatar
- Trained PhD and MA students in quantitative and statistical research skills using STATA.
- Prepared teaching sessions on economic theory for MA students.
- January 2025 — May 2025
Associate — Projects & Consulting Department
Excellence Centre for Training and Consulting — Qatar
- Contributed to research studies and coordination with partner entities.
- Tracked project phases and prepared budgets, strategic plans and performance indicators.
- 2015 — 2024
SME & Credit Officer
Palestine for Credit and Development “FATEN” — Gaza, Palestine
- Managed a US$10 million SME lending portfolio and delivered 140+ credit and financial analyses, primarily in the industrial and agricultural sectors.
- Prepared feasibility studies and quantitative forecasts for finance applicants to support sound lending decisions.
- Secured financing for some of the largest enterprises in the Gaza Strip, expanding the client base.
- Built and applied risk-assessment frameworks and advised clients on identifying and mitigating risk.
- Progressed through marketing, finance and SME credit roles, building end-to-end expertise in client acquisition and portfolio management.
- May 2022 — June 2022
Intern — Banking Services
Ahli Bank — Qatar
- Prepared an applied credit and financial study for an industrial firm in Qatar.
- July 2013 — September 2013
Intern
Palestine Monetary Authority — Palestine
- Worked on monetary and fiscal policy and prepared research reports.
Education
- 2024 — present
PhD in Development Economics
Doha Institute for Graduate Studies — Qatar
- 2020 — 2022
MA in Development Economics
Doha Institute for Graduate Studies — Qatar
GPA 3.61 — with merit
- 2010 — 2014
BA in Economics
Al-Azhar University — Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences — Gaza
93.05% — excellent with first-class honours; ranked 1st in class for eight consecutive semesters
Certifications and professional training
- 2026
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project Management Institute (PMI) · Qatar Finance & Business Academy — 35 hours
- November 2025
Certified KPI Professional
The KPI Institute — 40 hours
- from May 2024
Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) — in progress
CFI Education Inc.
- May — September 2024
Data analysis bootcamp: Python, Excel and Power BI
Assal Education
- July 2022
Corporate finance
Institute of Banking Studies — Jordan
- January 2021
Preparing and appraising feasibility studies for SMEs
Arab Planning Institute
- December 2021
Analysing local, regional and international economic reports
Arab Planning Institute
Research and papers
Published, peer-reviewed
- The Impact of the Israeli War on the Palestinian Economy in the Gaza Strip: The Challenges of Economic RecoveryOmran Journal — Issue 53, Summer 2025 (peer-reviewed)
Unpublished working papers 14
- The effect of economic, political and climatic factors on the agricultural economy in the Gaza StripDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — May 2025
- The agricultural economy in the Gaza Strip: an analytical approach under compounded crisesDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — May 2025
- How far do economic, political and security conditions affect the monthly income of Palestinian households?Doha Institute for Graduate Studies — December 2024
- Did the assault on Gaza compound the effects of climate change on the agricultural sector?Doha Institute for Graduate Studies — May 2022
- Administrative corruption and the necessity of confronting itDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — April 2022
- Employee obligations regarding public-sector tenders and auctionsDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — April 2022
- The economic role of government in the history of economic thought: necessity and limitsDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — December 2021
- The economic effects of the electricity crisis on the Gaza StripDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — December 2021
- Foreign aid received by Palestine in the field of renewable energyDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — December 2021
- The relationship between wages and unemployment in the Palestinian economy, 2004–2020Doha Institute for Graduate Studies — November 2021
- The effectiveness of foreign aid in the Palestinian economyDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — November 2021
- The role of productive sectors in economic growth in Palestine, 1995–2020Doha Institute for Graduate Studies — April 2021
- Youth unemployment in Palestine and the role of SMEs in addressing itDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — March 2021
- The effects of oil on the development and rise of the GCC statesDoha Institute for Graduate Studies — March 2021
How I work
Assumptions are stated, not hidden
Every material estimate is presented with its source, its range and its effect on the result, so the decision-maker can interrogate it.
Fact, interpretation and assumption kept apart
What is documented is attributed, what is theoretical interpretation is labelled as such, and what is an assumption is declared. The three are never blurred.
Gaps are disclosed, not filled
Where data is missing, this is said plainly along with its effect on the strength of the conclusion, rather than papered over with an unsupported estimate.
Results are tested before they are presented
Every result is stress-tested through scenarios and sensitivity analysis, identifying which variable actually flips the decision.
Interested in research collaboration?
I would be glad to hear from you about papers or academic collaboration.
Get in touch