The Second Curve: Reinventing Leadership After Corporate Life

Event Overview

Making the shift from a long corporate career to entrepreneurship  or simply redefining your own identity  can be both rewarding and challenging. The unfamiliarity of this transition often raises questions about purpose, direction, and resilience.

This evening brings together entrepreneurs who've made the leap and a psychotherapist who specializes in life transitions, offering you both the practical insights and emotional tools to navigate your own second curve with clarity and confidence.

What to Expect

This will be an intimate, story-rich evening designed to inspire action and self-reflection.

You'll:

• Hear from three entrepreneurs who share their personal journeys from corporate leadership to building their own ventures
• Understand the practical steps, pivots, and decisions that shaped their transitions
• Explore the emotional landscape of change in a fireside chat with a psychotherapist - covering identity shifts, mindset reframes, resilience strategies, and sustainability
• Learn tips and tricks for maintaining your well-being and confidence through uncertainty
• Engage in open dialogue and connect with peers navigating similar transitions

👥 Who It's For

This session is for professionals who are:

• Considering or actively planning a transition from corporate to entrepreneurship
• Exploring what life after a long corporate career could look like
• Curious about redefining identity, purpose, and impact beyond traditional roles
• Seeking honest conversations about the challenges and rewards of reinvention
• Looking to build a network of peers and mentors who understand the journey

Format:

• 6:30 PM – Welcome & networking
• 7:00 PM – Panel discussion with three entrepreneurs sharing their transition stories & fireside chat with psychotherapist Karen Hayre on navigating identity, mindset, and resilience, followed by open Q&A and peer exchange
• 8.30 PM – Networking over refreshments

Our Speakers

Panel Discussion: From Corporate to Entrepreneurship

Reem Ashraf is Co-founder and CEO of Pearl Development, a real estate developer with 43 years of legacy in the UAE. Reem made the transition from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, bringing strategic vision and resilience to building a family business in one of the region's most competitive industries.

Onur Kirazci is Founder and CEO of stafio.ai, an AI-powered B2B platform for talent intelligence and recruitment automation. After years leading technology ventures and holding board advisory roles, Onur transitioned full-time to building his startup, bringing deep expertise in AI innovation, regional market knowledge, and executive leadership to the entrepreneurial world.

Rim Jourdan is CEO and Co-founder of Skatch, an AI-powered recruitment platform transforming how operational and entry-level roles are matched. After 17 years leading large-scale business transformations at TF1, Air France, KLM, and Etihad Airways, Rim took the entrepreneurial leap in 2021, channeling her corporate experience into building tech-driven solutions for real-world hiring challenges.

Panel discussion will be moderated by Zara Basharat -Higgs brings 18 years of global experience across media, tech, FMCG, telco, and development, with deep expertise in communications, public policy, and strategy. Most recently leading TikTok's public policy programs across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, Zara now focuses on building impactful narratives and strategic partnerships while advising startups and nonprofits across the MEA region.

Fireside Chat: The Inner Journey of Transition

Karen Hayre is a Psychotherapist at The Psychiatry and Therapy Centre in Dubai, working with professionals navigating major life changes. She helps clients build emotional resilience and clarity through evidence-based tools and self-awareness, empowering them to move through career transitions, identity shifts, and personal growth with confidence and purpose.

Conversation will be moderated by Sanita Pukite who is Leadership Development Consultant and an Executive Coach with nearly two decades of global leadership experience at Johnson & Johnson across strategy, business growth, and organizational transformation. She helps senior executives lead with clarity, presence, and influence in complex, high-stakes environments.