Hazem Kawasmi is currently the director of operations of the Municipal Development and Lending Fund (MDLF). An MBA graduate from Birmingham University, he participated in establishing the Palestinian Ministry of Economy. He is a founding board member of a number of civil society organizations and has been the chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs Association and the Palestine Freedom Forum. He is the founder of the Campaign for the Freedom of Movement of Palestinians (Karama), a board member of the Arab Observatory for Election Democracy (Al-Marsad), and a board member of ACT for alternative dispute resolution and studies in East Jerusalem.