Olfa Hamdi is a Tunisian American engineer, business executive, and political figure. She leads the Third Republic Party of Tunisia, a political movement advocating for economic freedom, democratic capitalism, and justice system reform in Tunisia. She was a presidential candidate in 2023 and 2024 until President Kais Saied unilaterally modified the electoral law's age requirements a few weeks before the election, which removed her from the ballot. Her career spans engineering, business leadership, and public service across the United States and Tunisia.
An engineer by training, she studied in Tunisian public schools and holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, Ecole Centrale de Lille (France), and Texas School of Law. She founded the Advanced Work Packaging Institute and co-founded Concord® Project Technologies, and is a global expert and inventor and author in the field of Capital Project Management. She audits and consults on large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects globally, particularly in the energy and minerals sectors. Her academic work includes teaching at the Tunisian Military War & Staff College and the Tunisian National Institute of Defense.
In 2021, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Tunisair, Tunisia's national carrier, until her removal following disputes with the union leadership over her proposed reform agenda for the airline. Her expertise encompasses infrastructure development, project management, and strategic planning. A recognized researcher and author in project management, she has contributed to academic journals and industry publications, presenting at international forums in English, French, and Arabic.
Hamdi is the recipient of the 2024 Marzani Award for Political Innovation in recognition of her efforts to keep Tunisia's 2011 revolution principles alive and her ability to chart innovative paths in Tunisian politics, economy, and society” and is the founder of the Washington DC C(4) Center for Strategic Studies on Tunisia.
Living between Tunis and Washington DC, she brings a unique perspective to both socio-economic innovation and Mediterranean political affairs.
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