Your Professional Journey and Defining Milestones

I’m genuinely honoured to be included in this year’s Wonder Women of MENA. When I think about the women in this feature, I think of impact the kind that is confident, grounded, and doesn’t need to be loud to be powerful. I’ve been fortunate to learn from women like that throughout my career, and they deeply influenced the way I lead today.

My journey started in Lebanon, where you grow up learning to adapt quickly, fix things with what you have. Basically, you keep moving forward even when the Wi-Fi doesn’t. Later, moving to Dubai exposed me to global leadership styles and different ways of thinking. That shift taught me humility, and the courage to step into rooms that felt bigger than me at first.

With 12 years in operations across global and boutique agencies, my role has often been described as “bringing structure to creativity.” I like to think of it as being the person who makes sure the beautiful chaos actually lands on time. Operations may not always be glamorous, but it’s like the engine room. If creativity is the fireworks, operations is the electricity behind it.

A defining milestone for me has been leading operational transformations that improved efficiency without burning people out. Because everything else is short lived. Results and well-being are not enemies. They can sit at the same table. Sometimes you just need to rearrange the seating plan!

What fulfils me most is building environments where teams feel heard, supported, and trusted. Because when you do that well, something shifts. People actually start to care about the work they do and then that’s when the magic happens.

The Values That Drive My Leadership

Empathy. It’s the first value I always lead with. I cannot help people manage tasks, without helping manage energy. I hate just assigning projects without understanding the person sitting across from me. Everyone is carrying something you can’t see. If you ignore that, you will soon lose connection and that will definitely affect the output.

Accountability matters. Clarity matters. But so does kindness. Leadership is not about control, it’s about creating psychological safety. A space where someone feels comfortable saying, “I need help,” or, “I want to do something bolder” without fear.

Leadership is about being fair and also being consistent. Doing what you say you will do. It sounds simple. It isn’t always easy. But it works.

And sometimes leadership is also knowing when to bring coffee, when to crack a joke, and when to say, “Yalla guys, we’ve got this.” Our best work lives in those tiny, human gestures.

How I Interpret “Give to Gain”

“Give to Gain” feels very natural to me. In Lebanon, we grow up with this idea that when you give, you don’t lose. You multiply. Whether it’s time, advice, or even food at a family table, there’s always room for one more.

In leadership, the same principle applies. When you give your team trust, patience, and mentorship, they give back loyalty and ownership. When you protect their well-being, they protect the work. And when you invest in their growth, they help raise each other.

I’ve learned that sustainable success is never built by one person pushing alone. It’s built collectively. And somehow, the results are bigger than anything you could have achieved on your own.

Advice to the Next Generation of Women

Our industry is exciting and full of possibilities. But it’s also demanding. It asks a lot of your personal energy, and time. Also requires a lot of resilience. So it’s important to be honest about that.

If you choose to grow professionally while building a personal life, and maybe a family, it can feel overwhelming. I won’t pretend it’s effortless because it’s really not. 

But it is possible. You have to design that work-life balance from the start. Learn early what truly matters to you like what are your non negotiable things. Then set boundaries without guilt and say no confidently when needed. Protect your ambition of course, but protect your peace just as fiercely.

Also don’t follow someone else’s timeline. Define your success on your own terms, not based on external pressure or on what society thinks. 

And finally, never believe that strength and softness are opposites. You can be decisive and compassionate. Structured and warm. Firm and fair.

I’m still learning. Still growing. Still rearranging the seating plan when needed. But if I can build spaces where people feel safe to rise, then I know I’m on the right path.