Yadan Al Drajy is a social entrepreneur, journalist, and a builder of democratic economies based in Amsterdam.

As a Founder and the General Manager of Coöperatie ReNieuw-West U.A.,

He leads a pioneering worker-owned maintenance & renovation cooperative integrated into the Municipality of Amsterdam’s Community Wealth Building (CWB) program.

Yadan simultaneously serves as the CEO of the Syrian Journalists Association (SJA), where he advocates for independent media and the professional protection of journalists.

In Amsterdam, Yadan operates at the nexus of public procurement and workforce inclusion.

By establishing structured Sovereign Pathways – economic frameworks to transition newcomers and residents from precarious economic conditions into professional, empowering co-ownership.

Through developing contract-ready cooperatives,

He aims to transform the Social Return (SROI) from a compliance requirement into a permanent engine for local wealth retention and circular resilience.

 Before moving to the Netherlands,

Yadan worked for UN OCHA and managed multi-million-dollar humanitarian and development portfolios for USAID partner NGOs in the  Middle East, leading teams of over 250 in complex crisis environments.