In a world where marketing is often reduced to slogans and sales targets, Marwa Kaabour stands apart. Her work goes deeper – beyond brand strategy, and into culture, purpose, and the people behind the scenes. Currently Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Al Masaood Group, one of the UAE’s most respected family businesses, Marwa has spent more than two decades helping companies find not just their message, but their meaning.
Her story begins in Lebanon, where she grew up during times of uncertainty. Her father was a principled banker. Her mother, a teacher and feminist. Around the dinner table, conversations were about values, responsibility, and how to make sense of a complicated world.
Fast forward to university and the early days of her career in the UAE – starting out with a love for journalism, she soon discovered her passion for marketing. Stories didn’t belong solely on paper or on screens, but every interaction, every conversation was a story. That realisation led to the beginning of a multifaceted marketing career.
A Strategic Mind with a Human Compass
Marwa’s career has been anything but conventional. She’s worked across sectors, countries, and challenges, but her biggest transformation project began when she joined Al Masaood Group. The company was well-established and steeped in heritage – filled to the brim with stories and narratives waiting to be crafted.
“Marketing can’t just be about telling stories. It has to be about telling the right stories – truthfully, thoughtfully, and in a way that resonates with people,” she says.
At Al Masaood, she shifted the role of marketing from a support function to a strategic core. Under her leadership, the MARCOM department evolved into an engine for brand relevance, employee engagement, and purposeful communication. Campaigns started focusing on meaning – highlighting everything from local talent to sustainability, automotive leadership, and national pride.
She has spearheaded major launches for global automotive brands like Nissan, INFINITI, Renault, UD Trucks, and Dongfeng, tailoring each campaign to relevant audiences while protecting brand consistency. Whether it was Nissan’s milestone Patrol launch, or the debut of Dongfeng’s commercial vehicles in the UAE, Marwa brought storytelling, media strategy, and customer insight together to build buzz and drive results.
Outside the office, Marwa has become a familiar face in the regional marketing circuit, frequently invited to speak at major industry events, judge award shows, and lead conversations around ethical storytelling, brand transformation, and the role of marketers in driving social progress.
She is also the author of Marketing and Communications on the Job – a no-nonsense guide for building high-functioning marketing departments from the ground up. “I wrote the book I wish I had when I was starting out,” she says.
Rewriting the Rules of Leadership
Navigating leadership as a woman comes with its own set of complexities, and Marwa is candid about it.
“There’s an unspoken expectation that when you become a parent, you’ll slow down. Not by choice, but because the system expects it of you,” she says. “Many women see their career trajectories shift, not due to talent, but because the workplace wasn’t designed for them to thrive.”
Her approach to resilience is clear: “Know your worth. Own your space. And change the rules if they don’t work for you.”
Instead of adopting traditional leadership styles, Marwa leads with empathy, honesty, and intention. She doesn’t believe in waiting for permission. And she teaches the same to the women she mentors.
“Early in my career, I felt I had to toughen up to be taken seriously,” she says. “But leadership isn’t about mimicking existing structures, it’s about showing a better way. Emotional intelligence and empathy are strengths, not weaknesses.”
Leaving a Legacy That Listens
While Al Masaood’s legacy as one of the UAE’s most established family businesses is firmly rooted in decades of trust and impact, Marwa took on the role of amplifying that legacy for a new era. She has helped bring its values, vision, and voice into sharper focus, translating tradition into contemporary relevance.
Today, the Group boasts a dynamic digital presence, a strong employer brand, and a marketing and communications team known for its creativity and credibility.
She has also helped elevate the visibility of Al Masaood’s national contributions, whether it’s Emiratisation, local manufacturing, or talent development, by connecting strategic business objectives with broader societal goals.
Staying Curious and Brave
If you ask Marwa what drives her, she won’t talk about titles or accolades. She’ll talk about curiosity. About staying open. About learning.
“The world is moving fast – technology, culture, expectations, and most importantly, people. If you’re not evolving with it, you’re becoming irrelevant,” she says. She’s constantly encouraging her team to explore, test, and think beyond the obvious. She believes marketers need to embrace innovation with responsibility.
That sense of responsibility is central to how she leads. “Marketing has real power,” she says. “We can shape narratives, perceptions, even behaviour. We have to use that power wisely, not just to sell, but to build trust, drive good decisions, and reflect who we really are.”
For the Ones on the Way Up
For young women starting out, especially those feeling unsure, Marwa has a message:
“Don’t wait for permission. Take your space. Make the room feel your presence. But do it in your own way. With kindness, with clarity, and with care.”
She’s living proof that you can lead without losing your softness. That you can be strategic without being cold. And that real influence doesn’t come from speaking the loudest, but from knowing exactly what you stand for.
To her team, she’s not just a manager. She’s a builder of people, of ideas, of confidence.
To the industry, she’s a steady voice for thoughtful, modern, values-led marketing.
And to herself?
“I just want to be remembered as someone who used her voice for good,” she says. “And helped others find theirs, too.”
Because in the end, that’s what true leadership looks like – not taking the spotlight but passing the mic.
