Roberta Calarese

Founder and CEO

GHAYA

About Roberta is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of GHAYA, a management consultancy firm with a quest to inspire and transform leaders, governments, and organisations to make positive enduring change in the world through leading with purpose. A strategic advisor with 25 years of experience in the fields of leadership, financial services, investment banking, policy making, international relations, corporate and board governance, data protection, regulatory matters, real estate and family office. Today Roberta operates at the intersection of leadership with purpose, sustainability, women and youth empowerment, culture transformation to enable a thriving planet for all. Public Sector In 2002, Roberta joined the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”) where she spent twelve years developing a comprehensive policy and legal framework that allowed the DIFC to become one of the top financial centres in the world and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. During her tenure in DIFC, Roberta held many positions including Chief Legal Officer and Secretary General of DIFC Authority, Data Protection Commissioner, Chairwoman of the Legislative Committee of the Board of Directors, and Director Policy and Legal Services of the Dubai Financial Services Authority. Private Sector Roberta started her career in 1996 as an investment banking lawyer with Goldman Sachs in London, followed by ABN Amro and Prudential Bache. Later on, she became the Chief Legal Officer and Executive Committee member of Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East and North Africa. In her role, she contributed to the evolution of the retail and real estate sectors in the UAE and was the leader behind the creation of the first female leadership empowerment program in the 20-year history of the company. Education Roberta holds an LLB from Warwick University and an LLM for University College London (UCL). Bio as Executive Coach (to be used on the in the Executive Coach part of the app) A strategic advisor with 25 years of experience in the fields of leadership, financial services, investment banking, policy making, international relations, corporate and board governance, data protection, regulatory matters, real estate and family office, today Roberta operates at the intersection of leadership with purpose, sustainability, women and youth empowerment, culture transformation to enable a thriving planet for all. As part of giving back, Roberta coaches some of the most senior business leaders in business. Certified as an NLP Coach, Life Coach, Hypnosis, Personal Breakthrough Coach and New Time Paradigm Coach, Roberta has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to guiding and empowering executives to unlock their full potential and achieve their professional goals with a strong focus on the inner journey of leaders. With a rich background in leadership development and a keen understanding of the unique challenges faced by high-level executives, Roberta has provided tailored coaching and mentorship that enables her clients to enhance their leadership skills, make informed strategic decisions, and drive organizational success. Her expertise lies in fostering self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and effective communication, allowing executives to build stronger teams and achieve sustainable growth.