Nadine Zidani is a sustainability strategist, impact entrepreneur, and thought leader dedicated to shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future in the MENA region. She is the founder of MENA Impact, a platform at the intersection of business, sustainability, and innovation — and the driving force behind its bold vision.
Born in France to a Moroccan family, Nadine grew up navigating multiple identities and cultures. Her early career began in the corporate world, with senior roles at EY Paris, Euroclear, and Emirates Group, where she led risk, audit, and strategy functions across Europe and the Gulf. But in 2020, she took a leap — leaving the comfort of corporate life to build something from scratch.
Her mission was clear: create a home for purpose-driven innovation in the Arab world.
“I saw so many incredible entrepreneurs in the region — women, youth, changemakers — who had solutions, but not support. I wanted to build the ecosystem I wish I had seen when I started.”
A Platform Built for Impact
With that conviction, Nadine launched MENA Impact — now a Certified B Corporation and a trusted partner to governments, foundations, and regional innovators.
Under her leadership, MENA Impact has grown into a three-pillar platform:
- Advisory & Innovation – helping institutions and entrepreneurs build strategies that create measurable impact
- Strategic Storytelling – producing powerful narratives through formats like podcasts, campaigns, and branded content
- The MENA Impact Hub – a digital-first membership space for impact entrepreneurs, with content, courses, mentorship, and a growing regional community
Her work includes partnerships with Veolia Middle East, Sheraa, and Google for Startups. Through her podcast Impact Talk, Nadine has hosted over 25 founders, and pioneers shaping the future of the region.
A Voice for a New Kind of Leadership
Nadine is more than a founder — she’s an advocate for a new kind of leadership in MENA: inclusive, purpose-driven, and locally grounded.
She mentors youth and startups, advises regional institutions, and speaks across global stages on how the Arab world can leapfrog into a sustainable, innovation-led economy. Her work has been featured in Gulf News, Inc. Arabia, and Entrepreneur Middle East.
She believes that to drive systems change, we must change how we define success — shifting from profit alone to people, planet, and purpose.
Nadine in Her Own Words
“The future of business in the Arab world isn’t just green — it’s inclusive, collaborative, and unapologetically bold. We don’t need to copy other models. We have everything we need here — talent, culture, and resilience. We just need to bring it together.”