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This past week I connected with Hanane on Zoom.

I am still grappling with the thought – How can someone achieve so much in such little time?

Hanane was born in Casablanca and shaped in New York. Armed with an MBA in Marketing and Finance (with distinction) from the New York Institute of Technology, she started her corporate life in the US. While studying for her MBA, Hanane founded Concept to Completion’, a company that offered business solutions to SMEs and entrepreneurs in the areas of business planning, marketing, sales, branding, franchise development, and human resource management.

After a stint of 9 years in the US, she relocated to Dubai to be close to her sister. Soon afterward, she was handpicked by the ‘The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation’ as the Manager for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Here, she was in charge of initiating innovation and entrepreneurship programs with the responsibility of fully managing multi–projects of international and regional outreach. Hanane was also instrumental in launching the Sawaed Challenge Fund, a program aimed to support & develop capabilities of talented entrepreneurs across the Arab World.

In her next innings, Hanane launched Tawazoun (Meaning ‘Balance’ in Arabic), a think-tank community that celebrates diversity and works to restore gender balance in the workplace and life in general – in an equitable world. Hanane works with organizations and individuals as a solution partner to aid in developing business strategies that drive performance and sustainable business growth, while creating an inclusive and engaging work culture.

I asked Hanane, what was her Mantra? She answered, “We don’t build businesses, we build people and then people build businesses.”

Hanane’s latest passion project is soon to be launched, her book – SEEDS of Change. (Sense-Engage-Empower-Develop-Sustain). Stay tuned for an update.

Today, Hanane aspires to drive positive impact by contributing to the MENA region’s move to innovation and knowledge-based economy. Her work has earned her recognition over the years, including the Prestigious Alleem Woman In Leadership Excellence Award in 2018 – the Game changer excellence award by the Middle Institute of Excellence in March 2019 and was later a finalist at the Arab women in a leadership summit in 2020.

Hanane is laser focused on achieving her ambitions. I wish her continued success in all her endeavours.

Penned by Sharad Agarwal