{{Short description|Afghan entrepreneur and businesswoman}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Roya Mahboob<br>{{small|{{nq|رویا محبوب}}}} | image = Roya Mahboob.jpg | alt = | caption = Roya Mahboob in July 2012 | birth_name = | birth_place = Herat Province, Afghanistan | alma_mater = Herat University | occupation = Businesswoman | known_for = Founder and CEO of Afghan Citadel Software Company }}
'''Roya Mahboob''' ({{langx|prs|رویا محبوب}}) is an Afghan businesswoman.<ref name=DailyBeast>{{cite news|last=Shah|first=Angela|title=In Afghanistan, Roya Mahboob Connects Girls With Computers|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/01/in-afghanistan-roya-mahboob-connects-girls-with-computers.html|accessdate=27 September 2012|newspaper=Newsweek's The Daily Beast|date=1 September 2012}}</ref> She founded and is CEO of the Afghan Citadel Software Company, a full-service software development company based in Herat, Afghanistan.<ref name=RMonAfghanEduEco>{{cite web|title=Roya Mahboob on Afghanistan Education and Economy|url=http://www.filmannex.com/movie/roya-mahboob-on-afghanistan-education-and-economy/31021/|work=filmannex.com|publisher=Film Annex|accessdate=25 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419025936/http://www.filmannex.com/movie/roya-mahboob-on-afghanistan-education-and-economy/31021|archivedate=19 April 2013}}</ref> She has received attention for being among the first IT female CEOs in Afghanistan,<ref name=RadioFree>{{cite news|last=Bezhan|first=Frud|title=TEDx Tries To Bring Digital Age To Kabul|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/tedx-atempts-to-bring-digital-age-to-kabul/24737520.html|access-date=16 October 2012|newspaper=Radio Free Europe|date=12 October 2012}}</ref> where it is still relatively rare for women to work outside the home.<ref name=DailyBeast /><ref name=NATOopposition>{{cite news|title=Herat businesswoman succeeds amid strong opposition|url=http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-4DAF6EE4-DAE176D6/natolive/news_79730.htm?|accessdate=27 September 2012|newspaper=NATO's Newsroom|date=24 October 2011}}</ref><ref name=Krone>{{cite news|title=Software company in Afghanistan only with women|url=http://www.krone.at/Digital/Software-Firma_in_Afghanistan_nur_mit_Frauen-Emanzipiert-Story-337491|accessdate=23 October 2012|newspaper=Krone|date=15 October 2012}}</ref> On 18 April 2013, Mahboob was named to ''Time'' magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2013 for her work in building internet classrooms in high schools in Afghanistan and for Women's Annex, a multilingual blog and video site hosted by Film Annex. This was the 10th anniversary of the TIME special edition. The Women's Annex platform give the women of Afghanistan and Central Asia a platform to tell their stories to the world. The ''Time'' magazine introduction to Mahboob was written by Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook at the time and the author of "Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead".<ref>{{cite news|title=Roya Mahboob - TIME 100: The 100 Most Influential People in the World|url=https://time100.time.com/2013/04/18/time-100/slide/roya-mahboob/|publisher=Time|access-date=19 April 2013|date=18 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Time's 100 Most Influential 2013: Afghani Entrepreneur Roya Mahboob|date=29 April 2013|url=http://thestoryexchange.org/time-100s-influential-afghani-entrepreneur-roya-mahboob//|publisher=The Story Exchange|accessdate=6 May 2013}}</ref> U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Mahboob and other Afghan women entrepreneurs at the International Center for Women's Economic Development at the American University of Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/afghan-women-help-drive-recurrent-economy/1628696.html|title = Afghan Women Help Drive Resurgent Economy}}</ref> She is also known for her work with online film distribution platform and Web Television Network Film Annex on the Afghan Development Project.<ref name=RulliOnRoya>{{cite web|title=Building schools in Afghanistan - Afghan Development Project|url=http://www.filmannex.com/movie/building-schools-in-afghanistan-afghan-development-project/29914|work=Film Annex|publisher=Film Annex|accessdate=27 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126072129/http://www.filmannex.com/movie/building-schools-in-afghanistan-afghan-development-project/29914|archivedate=26 January 2013}}</ref> She is an advisor at the Forbes School of Business & Technology.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ashford.edu/online-degrees/forbes-school-of-business-and-technology/board-of-advisors|title=Forbes School of Business & Technology Board of Advisors {{!}} Ashford University|website=www.ashford.edu|access-date=2019-05-12}}</ref>
== Biography ==
Mahboob was born in Herat, Afghanistan, but left the country with her family in the wake of the Taliban to live in Iran.<ref name=Salon>{{cite news|title="If I teach them, no one can stop them": Roya Mahboob is fighting to educate the girls of Afghanistan |url=http://www.salon.com/2015/03/08/if_i_teach_them_no_one_can_stop_them_roya_mahboob_is_fighting_to_educate_the_girls_of_afghanistan/ |accessdate=8 March 2015|newspaper=Salon.com|date=8 March 2015}}</ref><ref name=NATOmodernity>{{cite news|title=Connecting to modernity|url=http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/news_56509.htm?selectedLocale=en|accessdate=27 September 2012|newspaper=NATO's Newsroom|date=22 July 2009}}</ref> She returned to Afghanistan in 2003 and learned English by volunteering at a French NGO specializing in media.<ref name=NATOopposition /> She enrolled in information and communications technology courses offered for women by the United Nations Development Programme later that year, and enrolled in a bachelor's degree of Computer Science for information and communications technology at Herat University in 2005. She was educated there by TU Berlin team.<ref name="ZIIK_HU">{{cite book|title=Establishing Academic Structures in Computer Science at Herat University|year=2006|editor-first1=Bernd|editor-last1=Mahr|editor-first2=Nazir|editor-last2=Peroz|publisher=IKO Verlag|location=Frankfurt}}</ref> She also spent one semester at the TU Berlin within a scope of a training for computer science lecturers. After her graduation in 2009, Mahboob worked as IT-Director at the Herat University and later as project coordinator at the IT-Department of the Ministry of Higher Education, where she worked in close collaboration with the Center for international and intercultural Communication of the TU Berlin.<ref name=CitadelNYRoya>{{cite web|title=Citadel of New York, LLC and Roya Mahboob|url=http://capitalpartners.filmannex.com/film-annex-in-afghanistan/|work=Film Annex Capital Partners|publisher=Film Annex Capital Partners|accessdate=25 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922055059/http://capitalpartners.filmannex.com/film-annex-in-afghanistan|archivedate=22 September 2012}}</ref><ref name=RoyaLinkedIn>{{cite web|title=Roya Mahboob|url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/roya-mahboob/36/465/939|work=LinkedIn|publisher=LinkedIn|accessdate=25 September 2012}}</ref> In May 2011, she was included in an inaugural class of seven Afghan entrepreneurs as part of the Herat Information Technology Program, an offshoot of the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations in Afghanistan, which was founded by Paul Brinkley, the former deputy undersecretary of defense, in 2010.<ref name=DailyBeast />
== Career == Mahboob founded the Afghan Citadel Software Company (ACSC) in 2010 along with two Herat University classmates and an investment of $20,000.<ref name=DailyBeast /> The aim was to create jobs for recent university graduates—especially women—in Afghanistan's growing tech market.<ref name=RFERLRoya>{{cite news|last=Bezhan|first=Frud|title=In Male-Dominated World, Afghan Businesswoman Breaks Boundaries, Taboos|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-businesswoman-hopes-to-inspire-change/24787576.html|access-date=7 December 2012|newspaper=Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty}}</ref> The company employs at least 20 programmers, more than half of which are women.<ref name=RFERLRoya />
ACSC developed software according to specific requirements that are defined by clients, which are government ministries, universities, and international organizations in Afghanistan.<ref name=RFERLRoya /> It also created proprietary stand-alone or integrated applications for computers and mobile phones, based on market needs and identified opportunities. Past projects include helping a Herat hospital to shift from paper to digital records<ref name=DailyBeast /> as well as helping to bring reliable internet to Herat University as part of NATO's Silk Afghanistan project.<ref name=NATOopposition /><ref name=NATOsilk>{{cite news|title=Internet access is changing teaching methods in Afghanistan|url=http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-4DAF6EE4-DAE176D6/natolive/news_75175.htm?|accessdate=27 September 2012|newspaper=NATO's News|date=8 June 2011}}</ref>
In 2012, Citadel of New York was founded to develop and promote Examer, an Interactive and Educational Social Networking platform with a Micro Scholarship Payment System, which Mahboob helped to develop.<ref name=Examer>{{cite web|title=Examer Software by Citadel of New York|url=http://capitalpartners.filmannex.com/examer-software/|work=Film Annex Capital Partners|publisher=Film Annex Capital Partners|accessdate=25 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007053515/http://capitalpartners.filmannex.com/examer-software|archivedate=7 October 2012}}</ref> Another project resulting from this partnership, Women's Annex, also provides financing for video content on social media and gives Afghan women a chance to begin careers as filmmakers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Op-Ed: Billions of Women on This Planet Have Stories to Tell—So Listen Up|url=http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/02/04/op-ed-empowering-women-through-filmmaking-and-online-film-distribution|publisher=Take Part|accessdate=5 February 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207124341/http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/02/04/op-ed-empowering-women-through-filmmaking-and-online-film-distribution|archivedate=7 February 2013}}</ref> Citadel of New York acquired a ten percent equity position in Afghanistan's Esteqlal Football Club in October 2012.<ref name=FAFootball>{{cite web|title=Film Annex Acquires Equity Position in Afghanistan's Esteqlal Football Club|url=http://www.filmannex.com/posts/blog_show_post/film-annex-acquires-equity-position-in-afghanistans-esteqlal-football-club/57090|work=Film Annex Blog|publisher=filmannex.com|accessdate=7 November 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130102204122/http://www.filmannex.com/posts/blog_show_post/film-annex-acquires-equity-position-in-afghanistans-esteqlal-football-club/57090|archivedate=2 January 2013}}</ref>
In 2014, Mahboob joined the advisory board of the international think tank Global Thinkers Forum.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mentors|url=http://www.globalthinkersforum.org/network/network-directory/mentors|access-date=2020-11-24|website=Global Thinkers Forum|language=en}}</ref>
She established the non-profit organization Digital Citizen Fund (DCF) in 2012 to improve Afghan women’s technological and financial literacy. Through DCF, Mahboob and her brother, Alireza Mehraban, founded the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, also known as the Afghan Dreamers.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gerardi|first=Kellie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8kgIEAAAQBAJ&dq=Afghanistan's+robotics+team&pg=PT117|title=Not Necessarily Rocket Science: A Beginner's Guide to Life in the Space Age|date=2020|publisher=Mango Media Inc.|isbn=978-1-64250-411-8|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Mahboob|first=Roya|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UYcEEAAAQBAJ&dq=Afghanistan's+robotics+team&pg=PA21|title=Technology and Global Public Health|date=2020|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-030-46354-0|editor-last=Murthy|editor-first=Padmini|location=Switzerland|pages=21–22|language=en|chapter=Women, girls and STEM|editor-last2=Ansehl|editor-first2=Amy}}</ref> Mahboob supports the Afghan Girls Robotics Team while promoting robotics education with the Inoura platform. After the Fall of Kabul in 2021, she was involved in the evacuation of Afghan Girls Robotic team members and families through contact with the Qatari government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Kane |first=Caitlin |date=2021-08-20 |title=Afghanistan's all-girls robotics team evacuated safely to Qatar - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-girls-robotics-team-evacuated-qatar/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/allgirl-robotics-team-from-afghanistan-arrive-safely-in-qatar-after-evacuation-b2193808.html |title=All-girl robotics team from Afghanistan arrive safely in Qatar after evacuation |date=2021-08-20 |language=en |access-date=2024-06-13 |via=www.independent.co.uk}}</ref>
== Recognition == Mahboob has received recognition for being a female CEO in a country where women largely do not work outside the home. She has received threats for starting and running a business, staffing her company primarily with women, doing business with foreigners, even driving a car.<ref name=NATOopposition /><ref name=FastCompany>{{cite news|last=Lemmon|first=Gayle Tzemach|title=In The Heart of Afghanistan, Entrepreneurs Innovate For Peace|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3001733/heart-afghanistan-entrepreneurs-innovate-peace|accessdate=15 October 2012|newspaper=Fast Company|date=15 October 2012}}</ref> Roya's reaction to this has been, "You have to show everybody that men and women are equal. Women can do something if you allow them. Give them opportunity and they can prove themselves".<ref name=DailyBeast />
Mahboob has also partnered with Film Annex, an online film distribution platform and Web Television Network, to launch the Afghan Development Project in 2012. The project aims to show the world the new face of Afghanistan by broadcasting current event videos, interviews, and news clips as well as archival material directly from Afghan Youth Development.<ref name=FAfrancesco>{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://www.filmannex.com/francesco|work=filmannex.com/|publisher=Film Annex|accessdate=11 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130123061535/http://www.filmannex.com/francesco|archivedate=23 January 2013}}</ref> The partnership between Rulli and Mahboob began after a 2011 NATO promotional video] and decided to get involved in the restructuring of Afghanistan. Mahboob and Film Annex are working to build internet classrooms in Afghan schools to connect children to the world and dissuade them from joining the Taliban.<ref name=DailyBeast /><ref name=RulliOnRoya /><ref>{{cite news|title=Working to change perception of women in Afghanistan|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/2325297526001/working-to-change-perception-of-women-in-afghanistan/?playlist_id=931078471001|publisher=Fox News|accessdate=8 May 2013|date=24 April 2013}}</ref>
On 18 November 2013, Senator John Kerry wrote an essay for Politico, detailing his experience meeting Roya Mahboob, CEO of the software development firm Citadel as well as the current changes being led by Afghan women in a variety of social areas. Kerry's essay discusses how Afghani women, and Roya Mahboob in particular, are changing not only Afghanistan but also the global community. Senator Kerry details specifically how Mahboob's contributions to Afghani society and the global community are having far reaching impacts. While on the global landscape, Afghanistan still has much work to do, Senator Kerry indicates Mahboob's success as one key female figure is a great step toward bringing about lasting peace and prosperity. "Afghan women aren't stopping. They’re marching forward, and we all need to march with them."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kerry|first=John F.|title=Afghan women on the march|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/john-kerry-afghan-women-roya-mahboob-099969|access-date=2020-11-24|website=POLITICO|language=en}}</ref>
The essay was written as part of a series, and is a collaboration between Politico, Google & the Tory Burch Foundation, titled Women Rule.<ref name="Women Rule: Afghan Women on the March">{{cite web|title=Women Rule: Afghan Women on the March|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/john-kerry-afghan-women-roya-mahboob-99969.html|publisher=Politico|access-date=10 December 2013}}</ref>
==Award and honors== * 2013: One of Time 's "100 Most Influential People in the World"<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sandberg|first=Sheryl|date=2013-04-18|title=Roya Mahboob: The World's 100 Most Influential People|language=en-US|magazine=Time|url=https://time100.time.com/2013/04/18/time-100/slide/roya-mahboob/|access-date=2020-11-24|issn=0040-781X}}</ref> * 2013: Civic Innovator "National Democracy Institute"<ref>{{Cite web|last=Khan|first=Arif|date=2019-02-20|title=SingularityNET Partners with Roya Mahboob's Digital Citizen Fund|url=https://blog.singularitynet.io/singularitynet-partners-with-roya-mahboobs-digital-citizen-fund-2037ba1e7e2d|access-date=2020-11-24|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref> * 2014: The Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards<ref>{{Cite web|title=Event {{!}} Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards 2014 - NYU Stern|url=https://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/news-events/2014-disruptive-innovation|access-date=2020-11-24|website=www.stern.nyu.edu|language=en}}</ref> * 2015: World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders 2015<ref>{{Cite web|title=Meet the 2015 class of Young Global Leaders|url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/03/meet-the-2015-class-of-young-global-leaders/|access-date=2020-11-24|website=World Economic Forum|language=en}}</ref> * 2015: Michael Dukakis Leadership Fellow<ref>{{Cite web|last=Admin|date=2017-09-18|title=ROYA MAHBOOB|url=https://dukakis.org/michael-dukakis-leadership-fellows-and-honorees/fellows/roya-mahboob/|access-date=2020-11-24|website=Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation (MDI)|language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahboob, Roya}} Category:Living people Category:Afghan company founders Category:Afghan women company founders Category:Afghan chief executives Category:Women chief executives Category:Afghan businesswomen Category:21st-century Afghan businesspeople Category:Afghan expatriates in Iran Category:Afghan expatriates in Pakistan Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Herat University alumni