Nezha Alaoui
Nezha Alaoui is a Moroccan born entrepreneur and founder of the Mayshad brand. She is also the founder of the Mayshad Foundation, a non-profit organization for youth and women's development.
Nezha Alaoui | |
---|---|
Born | 1982 (age 38–39) Rabat, Morocco |
Nationality | Moroccan |
Education | Bachelor Degree, Business |
Occupation | Entrepreneur |
Known for | Mayshad brand, Mayshad Foundation, Mayshad Group |
Early life and education
Alaoui was born in Rabat in 1982. She studied at the French High School in Rabat and continued studies in Tangier at an American school.[1] She later studied hospitality management in Spain where she did a six-month internship that led her to Paris, Milan and London. She received a bachelor's degree in business in London and later studied photography in New York City.[2]
As a conscious entrepreneur, Alaoui invests annually in executive education at Harvard Business School to develop her professional acumen and leadership skills.
Career
Alaoui began her career as a photographer, commissioned by the United Nations.[3] She won a contract with the World Food Programme to report on UN humanitarian missions throughout the world.[2] In addition to publishing her best photos, she amassed a following on Instagram for her work.[3] Her photos were also displayed at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Vienna, and New York.[2]
Alaoui is the founder of Mayshad, a luxury handbag brand that is known for its social responsibility. The name Mayshad is from the first syllables of her daughters' names.[4] She founded the company in 2011 and opened a boutique in Paris in 2014.[3]
Alaoui has funded and supported programs for education and empowerment of women through the creation of the Mayshad Foundation. The foundation is US-based but operates in Africa.[5] Its work is primarily in line with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015, which focus on vulnerable women and youth.[6] The foundation has set up co-ops throughout Africa where it assists with training women to become entrepreneurs.[7]
Alaoui runs Mayshad CHOICE, a New York based agency working closely with brands, corporations and institutions to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives campaigns. CHOICE counts a network of 10,000 women executives and founders and an overall retention of 1.4 million individuals and brands.
Publications
- Maroc saharien, terre d'inspiration (2013) ISBN 9789954353141
- Emmanuel Dierckx de Casterlé Femmes du Maroc Saharien (2015) ISBN 9789954353141 - illustrations
- Alaoui, Nezha (2019). "Mayshad Group: Connecting Technology with Humanity for the Next Evolution in Social Media". PRWeb.
- In 2018, she wrote and published "Be a leader", a book on the 12 fundamental values of leadership.
References
- "La magie du désert marocain en images". Le Matin (in French). 11 December 2013.
- Alaoui, Khadija. "Nezha Alaoui, la créatrice aux mille talents". Femmes Du Maroc (in French).
- Moulinet, Magali (15 February 2017). "Mayshad Paris : la nouvelle approche du luxe par Nezha Alaoui". L'Obs (in French).
- Mansour, Lara (21 November 2017). "A&E Interviews: Nezha Alaoui, Founder Of Mayshad Paris". A&E.
- "Province de Guelmim : la Fondation Mayshad de Nezha Alaoui vient en aide à une coopérative de femmes". Femmes Du Maroc (in French).
- "How The Mayshad Foundation Is Advocating For Women Around The World". Cheddar. 12 February 2018.
- "Guelmim: la Fondation Mayshad vient en aide aux coopératives". Le Site Info (in French). 21 October 2017.
Further reading
- Ouazry, Leila (11 December 2015). "Parution : Le Sahara raconté par ses femmes". La Nouvelle Tribune (in French).
- Elkahlaoui, Hajar; Chafii, Simo (21 January 2019). "Entrepreneure et photographe : Portrait de Nezha Alaoui". Les Inspirations éco (in French).