Early Life and Education
Majid Hamid Jafar was born in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on 19 July 1976. He grew up in a family environment shaped by enterprise, public service, and regional engagement, which influenced his early outlook on leadership and responsibility.
He is the eldest son of Hamid Jafar, founder of Crescent Petroleum, and was raised with exposure to both Middle Eastern heritage and international perspectives. His early education took place in the United Kingdom, where he attended Eton College, developing a strong academic foundation and global outlook.
Majid Jafar went on to study engineering at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, completing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. His engineering education provided rigorous analytical training and a technical understanding of complex systems, skills that later proved valuable in the energy sector.
Following Cambridge, he pursued a master’s degree with distinction in international studies and diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. This academic shift reflected a growing interest in geopolitics, economic development, and the role of institutions in shaping global outcomes.
Majid Hamid Jafar was born in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on 19 July 1976. He grew up in a family environment shaped by enterprise, public service, and regional engagement, which influenced his early outlook on leadership and responsibility.
He is the eldest son of Hamid Jafar, founder of Crescent Petroleum, and was raised with exposure to both Middle Eastern heritage and international perspectives. His early education took place in the United Kingdom, where he attended Eton College, developing a strong academic foundation and global outlook.
Majid Jafar went on to study engineering at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, completing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. His engineering education provided rigorous analytical training and a technical understanding of complex systems, skills that later proved valuable in the energy sector.
Following Cambridge, he pursued a master’s degree with distinction in international studies and diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. This academic shift reflected a growing interest in geopolitics, economic development, and the role of institutions in shaping global outcomes.
He later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, further strengthening his expertise in strategy, leadership, and organisational management. In addition, he completed executive education in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, reinforcing his interest in the intersection between private enterprise and public governance.
This multidisciplinary academic background, spanning engineering, international relations, business, and public policy, has been a defining feature of Majid Jafar’s professional profile. His early life and education reflect deliberate preparation for leadership in complex international environments.
He later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, further strengthening his expertise in strategy, leadership, and organisational management. In addition, he completed executive education in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, reinforcing his interest in the intersection between private enterprise and public governance.
This multidisciplinary academic background, spanning engineering, international relations, business, and public policy, has been a defining feature of Majid Jafar’s professional profile. His early life and education reflect deliberate preparation for leadership in complex international environments.