Rana Nawas
Rana Nawas equips organisations with practical tools to sell, lead and communicate confidently in the AI era.
Why you should book Rana Nawas for your next event
- Learn practical frameworks for selling, leading and communicating with confidence in an AI-driven world, backed by real business experience.
- Gain insights from a speaker who has led billion-dollar businesses, advised CEOs and scaled fast-growing technology companies across four continents.
- Inspire your audience with engaging storytelling, sharp analysis and actionable strategies they can apply immediately after the event.
Non-binding request for Rana Nawas
AI, Leadership, Sales & Communication Expert | Moderator | MC
Rana Nawas helps organisations sell, lead and communicate confidently in the AI era. Combining more than 25 years of international leadership experience with engaging storytelling, she transforms complex business challenges into practical frameworks audiences can use immediately. Having led billion-dollar businesses, advised global CEOs, scaled technology companies and interviewed influential leaders worldwide, Rana delivers keynotes, moderates conversations and hosts events with credibility, energy and lasting impact.
Book Rana Nawas for your event
Rana Nawas is an Oxford-educated engineer, corporate leader, adviser, investor, entrepreneur and keynote speaker who helps organisations navigate today's rapidly changing business landscape. Her presentations focus on helping leaders and teams sell more effectively, communicate with greater clarity and lead confidently in an AI-powered world.
Drawing on more than 25 years of experience across four continents, Rana combines strategic insight with practical business experience. Rather than presenting abstract concepts, she translates complex ideas into simple, memorable frameworks supported by data, brought to life through compelling stories and designed for immediate implementation.
Her unique career enables her to connect with audiences ranging from executives and entrepreneurs to investors, policymakers and high-performing commercial teams.
An international business leader with proven experience
Rana's career spans some of the world's most respected organisations across consulting, finance, technology and venture capital.
She led a US$1 billion GE Capital business in the Middle East, gaining first-hand experience of leadership, commercial growth and organisational transformation. She later advised CEOs during her time at McKinsey & Company's London office before becoming a Partner at Oliver Wyman in Dubai, where she worked with senior leaders on strategy and business performance.
Her commercial expertise extends into the technology sector, where she served as Chief Revenue Officer at Houston-based logistics SaaS company Velostics, helping scale the business and drive revenue growth.
Today, Rana is an Operating Partner at Global Ventures, working closely with ambitious founders and fast-growing businesses while maintaining a front-row seat to innovation, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies.
This breadth of experience gives her rare credibility when discussing leadership, growth, AI adoption, sales excellence and business transformation.
Keynotes that combine strategy with practical action
Rana's keynote presentations stand out because they bridge strategic thinking with practical execution.
She understands the pressures facing modern organisations and equips audiences with frameworks they can immediately apply in their own businesses. Whether speaking about AI, communication, leadership or commercial growth, Rana makes complicated subjects accessible, relevant and actionable.
Her sessions are built around three essential ingredients:
- Data-driven insights that cut through hype and focus on what matters.
- Powerful storytelling that keeps audiences engaged and makes ideas memorable.
- Practical frameworks that attendees can use immediately in their work.
Rather than leaving audiences inspired for only a few hours, Rana ensures they leave with tools, clarity and confidence that create lasting value.
A sought-after moderator and engaging MC
Alongside her keynote work, Rana is a highly respected moderator and master of ceremonies who creates engaging conversations and keeps events focused on meaningful outcomes.
Her moderation style combines thoughtful preparation, sharp analysis and natural storytelling. She asks insightful questions, creates space for authentic discussion and helps speakers explore topics that matter most to the audience.
As an MC, Rana brings energy, professionalism and structure to every programme. She creates an inclusive atmosphere, keeps sessions running smoothly and ensures every part of the event connects into a coherent narrative.
Her experience enables her to confidently guide conversations around topics including:
- Artificial intelligence and business transformation
- Leadership and organisational change
- Entrepreneurship and venture capital
- Sales strategy and go-to-market execution
- Customers and commercial growth
- Unit economics and scalable business models
- Regulation and policy
- Capital flow and investment
Throughout the programme, she connects ideas across sessions, provides clear context for speakers and continuously highlights practical next steps for founders, investors, executives and policymakers. Her AI-informed perspective ensures discussions remain relevant and forward-looking without losing sight of practical business realities.
Storytelling that inspires and informs
Rana has built an international reputation as an exceptional storyteller who makes business topics engaging and relatable.
She is the creator and host of the chart-topping podcast When Women Win, where influential female leaders from around the world share the strategies and decisions behind their success. Through hundreds of conversations with accomplished executives and entrepreneurs, Rana has developed a remarkable ability to uncover valuable insights and communicate them in ways that resonate with diverse audiences.
She also hosted Bloomberg's The Abu Dhabi Advantage, further demonstrating her ability to facilitate thoughtful discussions with senior leaders and industry experts.
These experiences have strengthened her ability to communicate with clarity, manage dynamic conversations and maintain audience engagement throughout live events.
Why book Rana Nawas?
Organisations choose Rana Nawas because she combines boardroom credibility with warmth, authenticity and practical business insight.
She understands what it takes to lead organisations, build commercial success and navigate uncertainty. Her global perspective, spanning finance, consulting, technology, venture capital and entrepreneurship, allows her to connect with audiences across industries and seniority levels.
Whether delivering a keynote, moderating a panel or serving as MC, Rana creates an experience that is energetic, insightful and highly relevant. She keeps conversations focused, pacing tight and audiences engaged while ensuring every session delivers clear takeaways.
Attendees leave with more than inspiration. They leave with practical frameworks, fresh perspectives and greater confidence to lead, communicate and grow in the AI era.
If you are looking for a keynote speaker, moderator or MC who combines international business leadership, strategic thinking, engaging storytelling and actionable insight, Rana Nawas delivers an experience that equips audiences with the clarity and momentum to move forward.
Keynotes
Keynote by Rana Nawas:
The Clarity Advantage in the AI Era
How leaders cut through noise, make better decisions, and drive action in a rapidly changing world
AI is reshaping how organizations operate, communicate, and compete. But most leadership teams are not struggling with technology — they are struggling with clarity.
Too many organizations are overwhelmed by:
information overload
diluted messaging
decision paralysis
endless activity without meaningful progress
In this keynote, Rana explores how leaders can bring clarity to complexity and lead effectively in an AI-driven world.
Drawing on her experience as a business leader, strategic advisor, and interviewer of global executives, Rana shares a practical framework that helps leaders:
think more strategically
communicate with greater impact
make decisions with confidence under pressure
create alignment and momentum across teams
This is not a technical AI talk. It is a leadership talk for executives navigating uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change.
Audience
Senior leadership teams, leadership offsites, strategy events, executive conferences
Keynote by Rana Nawas:
From Execution to Strategic Leadership
How high-performing leaders elevate their thinking, resilience, and impact
Many executives rise through organizations because they are exceptional executors. But the skills that make someone operationally excellent are not always the same skills required to lead strategically at senior levels.
This keynote explores the shift leaders must make as they move from delivering work… to shaping direction.
Through real stories, practical insights, and powerful reflection points, Rana explores:
transitioning from tactical execution to strategic leadership
building resilience in high-pressure environments
developing self-awareness and identifying leadership gaps
operating with clarity and influence under pressure
owning your trajectory rather than waiting to be “managed” into growth
The session is particularly relevant for high-performing leaders navigating growth, uncertainty, and increasing responsibility.
Audience
VP to C-suite executives, leadership programs, women’s leadership initiatives, high-potential talent
Keynote by Rana Nawas:
Own Your Trajectory
Why talented professionals stay invisible — and how to take ownership of your growth and impact
Many talented professionals believe that hard work alone will drive career progression. In reality, senior leadership requires much more than execution.
This keynote challenges audiences to stop operating passively within their careers and start intentionally shaping their visibility, influence, relationships, and opportunities.
Drawing on her own career journey — across consulting, industry, government, and entrepreneurship — Rana shares practical lessons on:
building visibility without self-promotion fatigue
developing executive presence
strengthening strategic relationships
speaking with greater confidence and clarity
making intentional career decisions
The result is an energizing and empowering session that encourages audiences to take ownership of their growth rather than waiting for permission.
Audience
Can be tailored to all levels of an organization
Keynote by Rana Nawas:
Resilience Is Not Enough
Why bouncing back isn’t the goal — and what high performers do instead
Resilience has become one of the most discussed leadership topics of the past decade. But many professionals are exhausted from constantly “bouncing back.”
In this keynote, Rana reframes resilience through a more honest and practical lens.
Using warmth, humor, and personal stories, she explores:
how leaders can navigate setbacks without losing themselves
why courage matters more than perfection
how to build sustainable performance under pressure
the importance of self-awareness, boundaries, and perspective
how difficult moments often become turning points for growth
This is a deeply human talk that resonates strongly during periods of uncertainty, change, or transformation.
Audience
Can be tailored to all levels of an organization
Keynote by Rana Nawas:
How Women Win
What leaders can learn from the world’s most successful women
Based on the insights gathered from more than 100 interviews with female leaders around the world through When Women Win, this keynote distills the patterns, habits, and mindsets that consistently help women succeed.
Rather than focusing on theory, Rana shares practical and often surprising lessons from senior women across industries and geographies.
Themes include:
confidence and self-belief
navigating bias and setbacks
balancing ambition and authenticity
building strong support systems
making bold career decisions
The keynote combines humor, honesty, and actionable insight to create a highly engaging and relatable session.
Audience
Women’s leadership initiatives, ERGs, emerging female leaders
Keynote by Rana Nawas:
Thriving Over 40
What organizations need to understand about women, performance, and the peri-menopause transition
Women over 40 are often at the height of their experience, leadership capability, and strategic value. Yet many are simultaneously navigating major hormonal, physical, and emotional shifts that remain poorly understood in corporate environments.
This keynote combines science, humor, and lived experience to open an important and often overdue conversation.
Rana explores:
performance and energy during peri-menopause
sleep, stress, cognition, and brain fog
maintaining confidence and visibility during periods of change
the role organizations can play in supporting senior female talent
practical strategies women can implement immediately
The result is a session that is insightful, empowering, and deeply connecting.
Audience
Women over 40, leadership teams, HR and wellbeing initiatives
