Nada Alawi

Background

About Nada Alawi

Nada Alawi is an award-winning serial entrepreneur. She was recently named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Retail in the Middle East. Nada was granted the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award for Entrepreneurship and has received the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Honor Seal from Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King of Bahrain. Added to that, Nada received the Fastest Growing SME Award from Visa. Nada is the founder and creative director of Annada, an affordable luxury brand that transforms art into fashion accessories and lifestyle creations for people who love art and seek joy through it. Today, Annada is a growing brand with a flagship store, a gallery space, and a production atelier for its beautiful creations. Annada is stocked in prestigious locations such as Saks Fifth Avenue in the Middle East, The Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Presidential Palace Museum, and the Dahesh Museum of Art in New York City. At Annada, Nada works with regional artists to transform their work into wearable and functional art. She is also the creator of a mini-series, Living in Art, which promotes the idea that anyone can be an art collector. Nada currently serves as the Chairwoman of the Board at EazyPay, a leading Bahraini fintech company, contributing to innovation and strategic leadership in digital payments. She is also on the advisory board of The Royal University of Women, College of Art & Design. In the past, she has held several notable leadership roles, including board member of the Economic Development Board (EDB), board member and Executive Committee head at the Bahrain Bourse, President of the Rotary Club of Salmaniya, and leadership positions during her 13-year tenure with the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). Before entering the world of arts and fashion, Nada co-founded OSHO, The National Occupational Safety & Health Centre, supporting companies in protecting employees from workplace hazards. She previously served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tri-Max Industries in Houston, Texas, a drilling services company. Nada is most passionate about creating joyful gifting experiences for people and businesses, helping them feel good and share that feeling with others through meaningful, art-infused creations. Her next vision is to franchise the Annada store and replicate the brand’s successful model in markets around the world.