69 INTERVIEW womanthismonth.com | JANUARY 2026 As a woman building expertise across marketing, insights and e-commerce, what has helped you develop confidence in your voice and decision-making within traditionally male-led commercial environments? Confidence came from doing the work, not from trying to sound confident. I learned quite early on that when you know your numbers, understand your market and your consumers, and are clear on what you’re trying to achieve, you don’t need to constantly prove yourself. I’ve also learned that you don’t need to be the loudest person in the room. I’m comfortable listening, asking the right questions and stepping in when I have something meaningful to add. Over time, people trust consistency more than volume, and that’s where my confidence really grew. You work daily with data, performance metrics and consumer behaviour. How do you balance analytical rigour with creativity and human understanding in your approach to strategy? Data shows patterns and trends, but it doesn’t replace understanding consumer behaviour. You can spend a lot of time looking at numbers, but what really matters is what’s happening behind them. Creativity and empathy come into play when you turn insight into action. You can have the best data in the world, but if you don’t understand how people think, feel or behave, the strategy won’t land. That balance keeps the work both effective and relatable. After extensive experience within the CocaCola Bottling system, joining Gulf Brands International in 2022 marked a shift from a global corporate structure to a more agile regional business. How did that transition challenge you personally, and what did it reveal about your leadership style? The transition was more about adjustment than challenge. Moving from a global corporate environment to Gulf Brands International meant working much closer to the market and being able to move quickly when opportunities arise. What stood out was the level of ownership and accountability. It reinforced that my leadership style is collaborative and practical. I enjoy working closely with teams, translating strategy into action, and making decisions grounded in both data and local market realities. E-commerce and digital strategy move at speed, often demanding constant adaptation. How do you stay grounded while also implementing long-term growth strategies? I don’t think in terms of big statements or labels. For me, impact is practical. I want to do work that genuinely moves the business forward and builds teams that trust each other. If along the way leadership feels more normal and accessible for women, not by talking about it but by showing that you can be data-driven, decisive and still lead in a way that feels natural, then that’s impact enough for me. Digital can feel overwhelming because everything is moving all the time, but not every trend needs an immediate response. I stay grounded by being clear on the bigger picture. At GBI, we spend a lot of time understanding our consumers and our data before jumping into execution. When you know what you’re building towards, adapting quickly feels intentional rather than reactive. What have been some of the key challenges you have faced as a woman in data-led and performance-focused roles, and how have those experiences shaped your leadership approach? Early in my career, I realised that in performance-focused environments, women are often expected to justify their presence before their contribution is fully valued. Rather than fighting that perception, I focused on becoming extremely clear on numbers, priorities and results. That experience shaped my leadership style. It’s practical and outcomefocused, rather than driven by noise. Many women entering marketing today are drawn to digital roles but unsure how to build credibility beyond execution. What has been critical in moving from ‘doing’ marketing to shaping strategy? That shift started early for me, through exposure to data, planning and strategy. It taught me that marketing only works when you understand the business behind it. You need to know how decisions are made, where value is created and how your work impacts performance. I stopped looking at marketing as a set of activities and started seeing it as a commercial tool. When you understand how your work connects to revenue, margins, customer behaviour and long-term growth, your role naturally changes. Credibility also comes from being able to step back, ask the right questions and challenge when something doesn’t make sense. For young women building careers in marketing, data or digital strategy, what advice would you offer about developing confidence and earning trust early on? Don’t wait to feel ready. You learn by doing. Ask questions, get close to the business and don’t be afraid to speak up. Also, don’t put pressure on yourself to have everything figured out early. Confidence builds through experience, not perfection. Looking ahead, what kind of impact do you hope to make, both through your work and as a woman in leadership within the Gulf region? 17728014 [email protected] For additional information:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==