Karam Shaar

I’m a Syrian-Kiwi. I hold a PhD in Economics and work as the director of Karam Shaar Advisory Limited, where I focus on political economy research and business consulting related to Syria. I am also a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the New Lines Institute and the Chief Economic Consultant at the Resident Coordinator’s Office of the UN in Damascus. I was previously a Senior Consultant at the World Bank, a Nonresident Scholar at the Middle East Institute, a Senior Analyst at the New Zealand Treasury, and a Senior Lecturer on Middle East Politics at Massey University.

I grew up in a beautiful Ottoman house in Aleppo. As the uprising began in 2011, I became actively involved in the civil movement against the Assad regime. Years later, our family home was barrel-bombed, and my family and I sought refuge across five different countries while the Assad regime remained in power.

Since regaining access to Syria following Assad’s downfall in December 2024, I have remained optimistic about the country’s future. The road to liberty and prosperity is still long, but I continue to believe in its potential. Perhaps that’s why Cast Away—a story of survival, perseverance, and eventual return—resonates with me. We each see the world through the lens of our experiences; I invite you to take a look through mine.