Maha Abouelenein

Maha Abouelenein is a strategic communication expert, best-selling author, and entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience. As the CEO and Founder of Digital and Savvy, a global communications consulting firm with offices in the United States and the United Arab Emirates, Abouelenein has been instrumental in orchestrating transformations in communication strategies for clients that include global corporate giants, high-growth startups, sports organizations, top governments, CEOs, and high-net-worth individuals.

With a reputation for delivering results, Abouelenein possesses a unique blend of creative, strategic, and analytical prowess, enabling her to guide projects from inception to execution. Abouelenein is all about relationships—building, nurturing, and serving them. She is an advocate of value creation and the pursuit of cultural relevance as the cornerstones of effective storytelling and communications.

This year, Abouelenein released her debut book, "7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself, and Own Your Future," which became a USA TODAY bestseller and provides a transformative guide on mastering self-reliance. It offers practical personal and professional growth strategies, focusing on creating value, opportunities, and relationships. The book dives into the importance of personal branding, reputation management, and lifelong learning—essential tools for thriving in today’s fast-paced world. Abouelenein’s personal journey, from being a caregiver to becoming a global entrepreneur, forms the foundation of her insights, making the book both relatable and inspiring for individuals at every stage of their career.

Raised and educated in the United States to Egyptian parents, Abouelenein is at home in both the Western and Arab worlds, offering a global perspective that translates into her work. She serves as a bridge between cultures, providing invaluable support to companies and high-profile executives seeking to navigate business opportunities in the Middle East market, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. She is active in the tech, sports, entertainment, and gaming industries. Abouelenein is an Advisor to LockChain.io and Global Gaming League, sits on the Global Board of Directors of the Associated Press, and is on the Board of the Animal Humane Society.

Abouelenein handled communications for some of the world’s largest tech companies in the Middle East—from Google and Netflix to Udacity and Careem (Uber Middle East)—and more. She helped PR giant Weber Shandwick cement their presence in the Middle East, opening 18 offices in the region and leading the Cairo operation. She supported the largest IPO and the largest acquisition in Egypt’s history at Orascom Telecom. She also supported promotions and sports marketing programs & strategic partnerships for the Olympics, NASCAR, ATP Tennis, Women’s Hockey, and the NFL at consumer product giant General Mills before becoming an entrepreneur.

Abouelenein is a sought-after strategist and speaker who shares her expertise on personal branding, reputation management, modern communications, and the transformational power of storytelling. She was honored as one of the most influential women in Dubai, named one of the most impactful Egyptians, and nominated as one of the Forbes Power Women of the Middle East. In the U.S., she was named by PR News as one of the Game Changers in the PR Industry and one of Minnesota’s Leading Women in Business by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Journal. Abouelenein is a contributor to Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Abouelenein publishes a weekly newsletter, Savvy Talk, and hosts the "Savvy Talk Podcast," where she engages in thought-provoking conversations with industry leaders. She passionately advocates for the power of storytelling and self-reliance in the modern age, emphasizing personal branding as a transformative pathway to leadership. Abouelenein is a dual citizen, an avid tennis player, and resides in Wayzata, Minnesota, with her dog, Coco.