The executive board of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies held its first meeting in Doha on November 27, 2010. This meeting was the culmination of six months of efforts by the center's founders to establish the current executive board.

The board members heard a summary of the multi-phased process of establishing the center, presented by the general director, Dr. Azmi Bishara. A discussion of the center's 2011 plans was also held, and the mid-term goals of the center for the next few years was outlined.

The executive board elected the renowned Kuwaiti sociologist Dr. Khaldun al-Naquib as chair, and also elected a research committee from the center's members. In the interval between meetings of the executive board, the committee - with the help of the general director - will formulate the research policy of the center and determine its projects.

The board of directors is formed of prominent Arab researchers and intellectuals.