CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 11 From Personal Hardship to Helping People Worldwide Striving to eradicate poverty and bring hope, empowerment, and relief to the vulnerable population – all whilst fostering lasting change and preserving human dignity – Global Relief Trust is a leading Muslim charity providing vital aid to the most impoverished communities worldwide. The charity work that the organisation does stems from an innate compassion for other people, which is itself deeply inspired by the Islamic faith. Ajmal explained: “We are reminded that if a neighbour goes to sleep hungry, we will be held accountable before our Lord for failing to help.” Thus, guided by the core values of compassion, excellence, impartiality, accountability, justice, and advocacy, Global Relief Trust has built teams of highly experienced individuals across both the UK and abroad, allowing it to respond quickly to international crises. This onthe-ground support is aided by other teams leveraging television, social media, and email targeted campaigns to reach donors, resulting in the vital funds being raised so that the organisation can have a huge impact on the lives of people who need it most. Global Relief Trust’s influence was doubled down on, in mid-2019, when Ajmal was headhunted to join the organisation in the role of CEO. Within his first year, Ajmal had taken the £180,000 that it raised in 2018 and grown it to a staggering ~£1.8 million – an increase of more than 1,000%. Remarkably, this was just the beginning, and the organisation has continued to experience year-on-year growth, to the point where it was nearing the £12-million mark for 2025. Much of this can be attributed to Ajmal himself, whose dedication to making a future for himself, so that he need never live a life defined by scarcity or fear like he did as a child, meant that he has always worked relentlessly, learning and evolving as he climbed up the management ladder. After stints in the hospitality industry and working as the operations director of a Dubai-based air charter company, he returned to the UK and was headhunted for Syria Relief (now Action for Humanity), transforming this £3.5 million charity into a £20 million-a-year operation. With these experiences in tow, Ajmal approaches his role at Global Relief Trust according to one simple belief: the greatest asset of any organisation, charity or otherwise, is its people. It is for this reason that a culture of wellbeing, prosperity, and long-term clarity is in place, with every member of the team here being aligned under the values touched on above. As Ajmal added: “This peoplecentred approach has been central to our journey so far and continues to drive our success and impact.” Going a step further, Ajmal’s leadership ethos revolves around working closely with Global Relief Trust’s department heads, and a three-year strategy shaped by its board helps to ensure sustainable income growth, increased humanitarian impact, and the expansion of a loyal donor base at every turn. It is this success of this approach and the transformations it nurtures that has led to Ajmal turning down the offers he has received from other charities, and he is determined to cement the organisation as a resilient, highimpact operation. Now 65 years old, Ajmal’s resolve has not wavered with time, and this CEO very much sees retirement as a punishment. Even as he starts to slow down (making more time for golf with his friends) Ajmal plans to continue to contribute to managing the charity maybe three or four times a week. Thus, he still has big plans for the Global Relief Trust’s future, elevating it to the same level of recognition he achieved for Action for Humanity, which collaborates with sector-leading organisations. All things considered, Ajmal Ramzan’s tenure as the CEO of Global Relief Trust has been underpinned by results, and whether it is working in Syria, making clean water accessible for as many people as possible, or supporting struggling communities during the harsh winter months, this is an organisation that is making a real difference. For this, it is our pleasure to recognise its CEO in this feature. Contact: Ajmal Ramzan Company: Global Relief Trust Web Address: https://grtuk.org/ Dec25111 Arriving in the UK in the late 1960s with his parents, who came with little more than hope and determination and would struggle to put food on the table, Ajmal Ramzan knows first-hand how difficult life can be. At the same time, he recognises that his struggles pale in comparison to those living in war-torn countries and disaster zones all over the world. This is why, as the CEO of Global Relief Trust, Ajmal is committed to supporting the less fortunate. Named the Most Influential CEO 2026 – Crisis Relief (UK) as a result, we caught up with Ajmal for more on his charity work.
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