About the Founder
Dr. Edma, a trilingual Lebanese–Canadian, grew up across Beirut, Dubai, Paris, and Canada—an upbringing that shaped her deep commitment to multiculturalism and human development. After completing her Doctorate in Clinical & Organisational Psychology at the Sorbonne, she was head-hunted in 1986 to join the founding team of Emirates Airlines, where she introduced psychology and psychometric assessment to the UAE and established the country’s first psychometric lab.
With over 38 years of experience, she has supported the creation and transformation of many of the UAE’s landmark institutions, including Emirates, Emaar, Dubai Holding, Nakheel, DMCC, the Ministry of Finance, ENBD, Al-Futtaim, and others. She has advised chairpersons, ministers, CEOs, and senior executives, focusing on leadership, culture, and strategic people development. She also served 20 years as a non-executive board member with Al Tayer Group.
A pioneer in employee wellbeing, she launched the UAE’s first Employee Assistance Program in 1999 and has led major organisational transformations across the public and private sectors. During the Covid-19 crisis in 2020, she set up a national frontline call centre in just 14 days on behalf of the UAE Government.
Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, Dr. Edma is a sought-after speaker whose work centers on building strong leaders, healthy cultures, and people-centric organisations.