For Heba El Zahed, success has never been limited to financial achievement. To her, true success lies at the intersection of global experience, cultural understanding, and innovation.
Her professional path has taken her across continents, from Europe to the Middle East and Africa, shaping a unique perspective that combines business intelligence with creative and cultural insight. Today, she stands on the threshold of a new chapter, establishing her company’s branch in Abu Dhabi, a city she believes represents the future of global innovation and cross-cultural collaboration.
“Abu Dhabi feels like the natural continuation of everything I’ve been building,” Heba says. “It’s a place where culture, innovation, and opportunity truly come together.”
Early Beginnings in Luxury Hospitality
Heba’s professional journey began in the luxury hospitality industry with the prestigious Four Seasons Hotels, where she worked in both Doha and Paris. Those formative years shaped her deep appreciation for quality, detail, and cultural nuance.
“At Four Seasons, I learned that excellence is not just about luxury,” she reflects. “It’s about understanding people — their needs, their expectations, and their values. Every culture defines hospitality differently, and learning that was my first lesson in global leadership.”
Her time in Paris exposed her to the artistry of service and refinement, while her experience in Doha gave her insight into Middle Eastern elegance and warmth. This blend of East and West would later become a key influence in how she built her future ventures.
Aligning Business with Purpose
After hospitality came a new challenge, the corporate world. Heba joined ConocoPhillips in Qatar as a Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant, where she helped align business goals with social and environmental impact.
Her work focused on developing strategies that gave back to communities, creating value beyond profit. This experience planted the seed for a lifelong belief that business must coexist with purpose.
“I realized that success is hollow if it doesn’t contribute to society,” she says. “Every business, no matter the size, should leave a positive footprint.”
Fashion, Retail, and the Entrepreneurial Mindset
Entrepreneurship soon became the next step in Heba’s story. Combining her understanding of luxury with her creative instinct, she opened her own fashion store in Egypt and later managed a franchise brand, Dumond.
Running a retail business required bold decision making, innovation, and resilience, qualities that strengthened her entrepreneurial mindset. She learned the importance of brand identity, customer experience, and the emotional connection that consumers form with well-crafted products.
“These experiences taught me how to build something from scratch,” Heba shares. “It wasn’t just about selling clothes; it was about creating an experience, a narrative that people wanted to be part of.”
Switzerland and the Art of Etiquette
Heba’s fascination with culture and refinement led her to Switzerland, where she established a company focused on etiquette training and cultural education.
Through this venture, she developed and delivered training programs for organizations such as the Red Cross in Egypt and Marriott Hotels, helping professionals navigate the subtle art of international etiquette, communication, and leadership presence.
Her approach went far beyond traditional etiquette. She saw it as a way to teach emotional intelligence, respect, and global awareness, essential skills for the modern professional.
“Etiquette is not about being rigid,” Heba explains. “It’s about empathy, knowing how to make others feel seen and respected. It’s the key to connecting across cultures.”
Leading Innovation in Business
After years of entrepreneurial and consulting success, Heba stepped into a corporate leadership role as Chief Research and Development Officer for a major diversified group.
In this position, she oversaw innovation strategies across industries such as real estate, hospitality, and services. Her work transformed the company’s approach to development, encouraging creativity, sustainability, and forward-thinking design.
Her leadership earned her the title of Most Innovative Leader in R&D Egypt 2025.
“This recognition meant more than an award to me,” she says. “It was proof that innovation and empathy can coexist, that creativity in business is as important as profitability.”
In addition to her R&D achievements, Heba also served as a Board Member of Naya Wellness Resort, guiding its strategy in wellness tourism and sustainability. Her diverse leadership experience across industries laid the foundation for her next vision, one that merges business with culture and creativity.
Creating Al Zahed Editions: A Bridge Between Worlds
Bringing together decades of global experience, Heba founded Al Zahed Editions, a multidisciplinary company uniting consulting, publishing, and lifestyle innovation under one creative umbrella.
Her vision was simple yet profound, to create a platform that connects business, culture, and creativity through meaningful ventures.
The consultancy arm of Al Zahed Editions helps international companies enter emerging markets like Egypt and the Gulf, offering services in strategy, market entry, operations, and government relations. Heba’s ability to merge global perspective with local insight has made her a trusted advisor to many global brands expanding into the region.
Meanwhile, her creative ventures, Babu The World Explorer and Ma Muse, reflect her passion for culture, education, and design.
Inspiring Young Minds: Babu The World Explorer
Among Heba’s most heartfelt projects is Babu The World Explorer, a children’s book series she created to teach global awareness, kindness, and cultural etiquette.
The books follow Babu, a curious young traveler, as he journeys across countries, learning about respect, manners, and the beauty of diversity.
The series has been endorsed by Institut Villa Pierrefeu in Switzerland, one of the world’s most respected finishing schools, a testament to its educational and cultural value.
“Babu represents everything I wish for future generations, curiosity, empathy, and respect for difference,” Heba says. “If children learn these values early, the world becomes a better place.”
She envisions expanding the series into schools, interactive workshops, and digital learning programs to promote intercultural education on a larger scale.
Ma Muse: Where Mindfulness Meets Design
Alongside Babu, Heba launched Ma Muse, a line of luxury notebooks designed to inspire mindfulness, reflection, and creativity.
Each notebook combines elegant design with practical tools for self-discovery and goal setting. Ma Muse was born from Heba’s personal belief that writing is an act of mindfulness, a way to pause, reflect, and create clarity in a fast-paced world.
“Ma Muse reminds people to slow down and connect with their thoughts,” she explains. “Creativity starts with stillness, and from there, new ideas can flourish.”
Through Ma Muse, Heba continues to merge artistry with entrepreneurship, showing how lifestyle products can also carry emotional and intellectual depth.
The Abu Dhabi Chapter: A Global Hub for the Future
Now, Heba is preparing to establish Al Zahed Editions’ regional branch in Abu Dhabi, marking the next major milestone in her journey.
For her, Abu Dhabi represents the ideal convergence of innovation, culture, and business, a place where global ideas are welcomed and nurtured.
“I see Abu Dhabi as a hub of possibilities,” she says. “It’s where entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders from around the world come together to build the future.”
Her new branch will act as a regional headquarters for her ventures, facilitating cross-cultural collaborations, creative partnerships, and educational projects.
Through this expansion, Heba aims to contribute to the UAE’s growing creative economy, aligning her initiatives with the nation’s focus on innovation, sustainability, and cultural diplomacy.
Leadership with a Human Touch
At the heart of Heba’s success is her human-centered approach to leadership. She believes that modern leadership is defined not by authority but by empathy, cultural intelligence, and integrity.
“True leadership is about understanding people, their motivations, their cultures, their dreams,” she says. “When you lead with empathy, you inspire loyalty, creativity, and growth.”
Her philosophy has guided teams across continents and inspired professionals to bring their authentic selves into their work. Whether leading corporate teams or mentoring entrepreneurs, Heba emphasizes one message, great leadership begins with respect.
Looking Ahead: A Legacy of Connection and Creativity
As Heba El Zahed prepares for her new chapter in Abu Dhabi, her mission remains clear, to continue building bridges between business, culture, and creativity.
Through her ventures, she aims to create long-term value that uplifts communities, supports cultural exchange, and nurtures innovation.
Her plans for the coming years include expanding Babu The World Explorer into a global educational brand, launching creative collaborations through Ma Muse, and growing her consultancy to support more international investors entering the MENA region.
She also envisions partnerships with leading cultural institutions, educational organizations, and creative industries, projects that could range from cultural diplomacy initiatives to large-scale collaborations like Disneyland Abu Dhabi or regional design expos.
“Culture is a bridge,” Heba says. “It connects nations, inspires creativity, and builds understanding. That’s what I want to dedicate my life’s work to.”
About Heba El Zahed
Heba El Zahed is a multi-award-winning cultural entrepreneur, author, and strategic advisor with more than 20 years of experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
She is the Founder and Chairwoman of Al Zahed Editions, a company uniting consulting, publishing, and lifestyle design. Her consultancy supports international companies entering Egypt and the Gulf, while her creative ventures, Babu The World Explorer and Ma Muse, redefine cultural storytelling.
Previously, she held leadership roles at Four Seasons Hotels in Doha and Paris, ConocoPhillips Qatar, and Maxim Investment Group, where she was named Most Innovative Leader in R&D Egypt 2025.
Her next chapter unfolds in Abu Dhabi, where she plans to continue bridging business, culture, and creativity through cross-sector collaborations and global partnerships.
A Legacy in the Making
From the hospitality suites of Paris to the innovation corridors of Abu Dhabi, Heba El Zahed’s journey is a story of reinvention, resilience, and vision.
Each phase of her career, from luxury hospitality to entrepreneurship, from etiquette training to children’s publishing, has added a new dimension to her mission.
And as she steps into this new chapter, her goal is not just to expand her company but to create a legacy that empowers others, proving that when culture and creativity meet business, the possibilities are endless.
“Abu Dhabi is not just my next destination,” she says. “It’s where my vision takes shape, where everything I’ve learned, built, and dreamed of finally comes together.”
Do connect her on LinkedIn
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