The CEO of Yoox Net-A-Porter Middle East, Nisreen Shocair, Believes In The Power of Positivity And Giving Back

“Buy your own crystal shoes; ideally Amina Muaddi. Take yourself to your first dance. Never stop learning. Never stop earning. And always give back.”

WHAT PART OF YOUR WORK ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

I love inspiring local design talents in the region and I am proud to be able to build and grow a team with strong capabilities in understanding business within fashion and luxury.

MY GREATEST JOY IS…

The natural world. 

WHO IS YOUR CAREER ROLE MODEL AND WHY?

I have many role models… In the 1960s my father travelled to Africa and built a business during the most difficult of times and since then he’s taught my family how to be entrepreneurs. Another role model of mine, Richard Branson taught me that it’s possible to build a business on ethics and trust while at the same time being profitable. He taught me the value of a purpose-led company doing business for good.

IF YOU WROTE A BOOK ONE DAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?

I’m currently writing two books. One of them is about a society of older people who get relocated to another country and how they adapt.

THE VALUE YOU MOST ADMIRE IN YOURSELF?

To me there’s no difference between values that I admire in myself and those that I admire in others because they are general values that I aspire to and teach my children. One is integrity, the second is empathy and the third is success.

WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO MOST – YOUR HEAD, HEART OR GUT?

My heart; it’s the way to my head and my gut.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WHY?

Helping people grow and helping the society that I live in has always been very important for me.

WHAT DO YOU STILL WANT TO LEARN AND WHY?

I’m a very curious person, so for me it’s always a learning evolution in any business. I feel I’m learning a lot about how our consumers are reacting to luxury in a post-Covid world and how they’re adapting their morals towards fashion and sustainability. Even though I’ve been working within sustainable initiatives for more than 10 years, it’s an area I want to continue to develop, grow and learn.

PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT

I’ve always worked in businesses that were part of a turnaround. The proudest achievement for me is when Virgin Megastores almost shut down and within a month we were able to revive them and turn them into one of the most successful turnaround retail stories globally. They have since gone on to become one of the most successful retail businesses in the region.

WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

It always starts with my team; I love working closely with them. I love getting to know my customers and the different markets that we work in. And I love being part of Yoox Net-A-Porter as a global entity. I’m very excited about what we’re doing with Infinity, our long-term sustainability strategy, and being able to bring all that knowledge and know-how to the region and developing it in a relevant and local way.

I BELIEVE IN… 

The power of a positive mind.

WHAT DOES FEMALE LEADERSHIP MEAN TO YOU?

Leadership means working for your team and not your team working for you. As a female Arab woman, it’s so important for me to work very closely with women and keep them in management roles. I was the first to launch internships with Virgin in the Middle East, which was a huge sense of achievement for me, as internships allow women who’ve taken time off for their families to enter back into the workforce and provide them the confidence to grow to the next level. That’s had a big impact and I’ve seen a lot of different companies adopt it.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Buy your own crystal shoes; ideally Amina Muaddi. Take yourself to your first dance. Never stop learning. Never stop earning. And always give back.

From Harpers Bazaar Arabia July-August 2021 Issue