About Rana
Challenging today to create a better tomorrow
Rana Nawas is a Corporate, Veteran, Strategic Advisor, Keynote Speaker and Podcaster on a mission to help women win.
Hello, I’m Rana Nawas. Over the past 23 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work across four continents in various strategy and sales roles. My career began at McKinsey & Company in London and has since taken me through roles with the Dubai Government and GE Capital, and most recently as Partner in the Transportation and Services Practice at Oliver Wyman.
In my role as Regional Director of a $1B business, I’ve had the challenging yet rewarding experience of pioneering new markets, launching services, and acquiring customers in some of the world’s most dynamic regions. Leading diverse, global teams in the aviation industry, I’ve strived to contribute meaningful insights and ideas, both through my work with clients and in my research and keynote speeches, particularly on the future of aviation and mobility.
One of my personal missions has been to support the rise of women in business. To contribute to this cause, I created ‘When Women Win’, a podcast where women from various backgrounds share their stories and practical tools for success. I’m humbled to say the podcast has reached listeners in 183 countries, partnered with UN Women, and achieved notable recognition with the #1 Podcast on the Middle East iTunes charts.
Speaking at various corporations, I’ve shared my thoughts on equity and inclusion, covering topics from owning your narrative to supporting gender balance in leadership roles. I’ve been fortunate to have my perspectives featured in international media, including CNN and Vogue, and have contributed articles to publications like Forbes and GQ.
My journey also includes four years in the start-up space, where I served as Chief Revenue Officer for Velostics, a logistics SaaS company in Houston. As someone of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, born in the UK and raised in the UAE, my diverse background has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional journey. Beyond my professional roles, I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and a human eager to connect and share experiences. Connections on LinkedIn are welcome.
My Experience
In my most recent role, I found myself drawn back to the world of management consulting, joining Oliver Wyman. The firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to inclusion resonated with me, making it an ideal fit.
In 2022, I found myself drawn back to the world of management consulting, joining Oliver Wyman. The firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to inclusion resonated with me, making it an ideal fit.
As a Partner in the Transportation and Services Practice, I was deeply involved in shaping the future of transportation. My focus was on leveraging technology to ensure travel is barrier-free, safe, reliable, and accessible to a broader audience.
My commitment to gender parity continued as the Regional Champion of the Women in the Oliver Wyman Network. In this capacity, I was dedicated to increasing female participation in the private sector, understanding their needs, and identifying ways to fulfill them.
“I had the pleasure of listening and talking with Rana about women, equality gender parity, social justice and how we can be fairer and inclusive, be equal and make opportunities.” – Khatija Ahokas, LinkedIn Recommendation.
I had the opportunity to contribute as a lead author to the Oliver Wyman Forum’s report on the future evolution of airports. This report offers a detailed outlook on the advancements expected in the 2030s, 2040s, and 2050s, aimed at enhancing the air travel experience. In November 2023, I also co-authored the ‘Financing the Airports of Tomorrow’ toolkit. This paper, a collaboration between the World Economic Forum and Oliver Wyman, explores innovative financing solutions for future airport infrastructure. I’ve also written two Op-Eds for the World Economic Forum, one on the 5 trends shaping the next generation of airports and the other on why tackling scope 3 emissions will help win the climate change war.
My commitment to gender parity continued as the Regional Champion of the Women in the Oliver Wyman Network. In this capacity, I was dedicated to increasing female participation in the private sector, understanding their needs, and identifying ways to fulfill them.
“I had the pleasure of listening and talking with Rana about women, equality gender parity, social justice and how we can be fairer and inclusive, be equal and make opportunities.” – Khatija Ahokas, LinkedIn Recommendation.
Achievements
Host of the
Middle East’s
#1
Podcast When Women Win
Advisor to
Ellevate Dubai Board
Featured on
and in
Media Partner for
Published in
Follow Rana
PEDRO OLIVEIRA
Managing Partner at Oliver Wyman, Middle East & Africa
“I was impressed with your entire presentation, but particularly wanted to emphasize how much I appreciated your forthright opinions and honest feedback on our gender diversity situation. I found your insights on gender parity thought provoking and was impressed with the effort you had put into understanding our own situation.”
MAYSOUN RAMADAN
Head of Communications, Roche Diagnostics Middle East
“Rana’s compelling storytelling and corporate background allowed her to inspire the team in such a way that resonates with them long after the session. She brings the perfect balance of emotion and inspiration to any corporate event and truly shows the amazing achievements that can happen ‘when women win’.”
SANNE WASS
Senior Reporter at Global Trade Review (GTR)
“It was a pleasure to have Rana as the keynote speaker at our latest Dubai-based GTR Women in Trade Finance event. Rana’s energy and thought-provoking speech really captured the audience – women as well as men – and took the event to the next level. It was one of the most attended sessions of our two-day conference and the feedback has been amazing.”
HESSA AL GHURAIR
Chief HR Officer, Commercial Bank International
“I was impressed with your entire presentation, but particularly wanted to emphasize how much I appreciated your forthright opinions and honest feedback on our gender diversity situation. I found your insights on gender parity thought provoking and was impressed with the effort you had put into understanding our own situation.”
SANNE WASS
Senior Reporter at Global Trade Review (GTR)
“It was a pleasure to have Rana as the keynote speaker at our latest Dubai-based GTR Women in Trade Finance event. Rana’s energy and thought-provoking speech really captured the audience – women as well as men – and took the event to the next level. It was one of the most attended sessions of our two-day conference and the feedback has been amazing.”
HESSA AL GHURAIR
Chief HR Officer, Commercial Bank International
“Rana’s session was one of the very few ones that made me feel happy with whatever I have achieved so far – we need more authentic speakers like her.”
PEDRO OLIVEIRA
Managing Partner at Oliver Wyman, Middle East & Africa
“I was impressed with your entire presentation, but particularly wanted to emphasize how much I appreciated your forthright opinions and honest feedback on our gender diversity situation. I found your insights on gender parity thought provoking and was impressed with the effort you had put into understanding our own situation.”
MAYSOUN RAMADAN
Head of Communications, ROCHE Diagnostics Middle East
“Rana’s compelling storytelling and corporate background allowed her to inspire the team in such a way that resonates with them long after the session. She brings the perfect balance of emotion and inspiration to any corporate event and truly shows the amazing achievements that can happen ‘when women win’.”
