Shatha Al Mulla is the director of visual arts and design at the ministry of culture and knowledge development in the United Arab Emirates. For over eight years she has been involved in the conservation and preservation of cultural heritage. Before her current appointment, she was head of the research and studies unit at the architectural heritage and antiquities department at Dubai Municipality.

She has been a key player in developing and implementing policies and strategies to protect built heritage. She worked on the Dubai Historic District Master Plan and the Dubai Protection Plan 2015-2020. She also carries out complex urban and architecture studies on the historic district of Dubai.

For the last four years, she has been directing a rehabilitation project within the historic district of Shindagha. When it is opened in 2020 the Shindagha museum will be one of the biggest open-air museums in a historic district.

Her article in the book ‘Reconstruction of Historic Houses in Shindagha’ published by Dubai Municipality and ICCROM, and a paper presented at the ICOM-ICEE conference titled ‘Bringing History to Life in the Middle-East: Dubai’s Shindagha Museum project’ form part of her academic contributions to heritage protection.

Shatha’s high national and international profile has seen her serve at the secretariat of the International Council of Museums - U.A.E Chapter since 2015. She was also an executive board member of the Architectural Heritage Society between 2012 to 2016 where she promoted community involvement and awareness initiatives.

She holds a Master's in cultural heritage management from the University of York, UK.