As part of UCL School of Management’s 2026 International Women’s Day commemorations, we’re spotlighting members of our fantastic community who are driving impact across industries and ecosystems worldwide. We sat down with Roaa Ahmed Nassar, an MSc Entrepreneurship student, strategy consultant, and certified positive psychology coach from Egypt, whose career has been dedicated to supporting founders and strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems across the MENA region.
Now a Chevening Scholar and active member of the UCL community, she reflects on her professional journey, her passions for ecosystem-building, and what International Women’s Day means to her - from the importance of representation to the power of women’s leadership in shaping more inclusive and resilient systems.
can you tell us about yourself and your journey so far?
I’m a strategy consultant and a certified positive psychology coach from Egypt, with over a decade of experience working across startups, scale-ups, and entrepreneurship support organisations in the MENA region. My work has spanned diverse sectors including health tech, edtech, and employment, always centred around helping founders and leadership teams translate visionary strategies into structured, sustainable growth.
Alongside strategy, coaching has been an essential part of my journey. Being trained in positive psychology shaped how I approach leadership, decision-making, and growth. I care deeply about the human side of building businesses, resilience, mindset, and clarity, not just metrics.
Before coming to UCL, I worked closely with founders, accelerators, and ecosystem enablers across the region. Since arriving in the UK, I have continued that engagement while also immersing myself fully at UCL School of Management as an MSc Entrepreneurship student, Academic Representative, and Chevening Ambassador. For me, studying here is not just about earning a degree. It is about engaging deeply, building community, and contributing to the ecosystem around me.
what are you most passionate about professionally and what are your aspirations for the future?
Professionally, I am most passionate about enabling founders and designing the systems that enable them. I am deeply interested not only in how startups grow, but in how accelerators, venture studios, education-backed programmes, and ecosystems are structured to support that growth.
Looking ahead, I aspire to become a bridge between global ecosystems and the MENA region. I want to work closely with accelerators, VCs, venture studios, and educational institutions to strengthen collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capital flow between regions. I believe emerging ecosystems in MENA hold extraordinary potential, and connecting them more intentionally to global platforms can unlock transformative impact.
can you tell us about your experiences at uclsom so far?
My experience at UCL School of Management has been intellectually challenging in the best way. What I’ve enjoyed most is the practicality of the programme. Our lecturers and module leaders are not only academics. Many are industry practitioners and market experts who bring real-world case studies, lived experience, and operational depth into the classroom.
This practical focus has allowed me to directly translate what we learn into my professional work. The ability to connect theory to real-world execution, especially in areas such as scaling, venture leadership, and strategy, has been incredibly valuable.
At the same time, being part of such a diverse cohort adds another dimension. Learning alongside individuals from 30 different industries and countries expands your thinking beyond your own context. Studying in London further enriches that experience, as the city itself feels like a living classroom. From entrepreneurial events to cultural exploration, every week brings new conversations and insights.
You received the chevening scholarship to study at ucl. how did it feel to receive such a prestigious opportunity?
Receiving the Chevening Scholarship was one of the most humbling and defining moments of my journey. Being selected among roughly 1% of more than 100,000 applicants worldwide in my cohort, after such a rigorous process, felt both surreal and deeply honouring.
The scholarship support enabled me to study at UCL, ranked among the top 10 universities globally, while immersing myself fully in both academic and community life in London. It has opened doors to a global network of leaders and changemakers, while also giving me the space to grow personally and professionally.
As an Egyptian woman representing my country with in an international cohort, I carry that responsibility with pride.
Chevening has opened doors not only academically, but culturally and personally. Beyond the classroom, living in London has allowed me to engage with diverse ecosystems and continue exploring one of my favourite passions, discovering cities through photography and cultural exploration. It has been a transformative chapter of growth.
what does international women’s day mean to you personally?
International Women’s Day serves as a time for me to reflect on both the progress made and the continued efforts necessary to address current societal needs.
It’s also about recognising the women who had an influence on my path, mentors, colleagues, and team members, who modelled integrity, strength, and compassion in leadership.
Throughout my journey, I’ve seen how women in leadership bring a distinctive blend of emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, resilience, and intuition. The ability to balance data with empathy, and ambition with awareness, creates powerful leadership dynamics.
International Women’s Day serves as a critical reminder of the value of diverse representation. When women actively contribute, organisations and ecosystems benefit from deeper insight, stronger empathy, and more resilient, sustainable outcomes.
This year’s UN theme for IWD is “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls.” Are there any areas of equality or social justice you’re particularly passionate about?
What resonates with me most is the idea of action. Women are already leading, building, investing, mentoring, and shaping industries worldwide. The focus shouldn’t be only on capability, which is evident, but also on influence and continued momentum.
I am particularly inspired by women in executive roles, founders building ambitious ventures, and leaders within entrepreneurship ecosystems. Their presence in decision-making spaces shifts conversations, broadens perspectives, and drives more inclusive and forward-thinking outcomes.
From my own journey, I’ve seen how powerful it is to witness women leading with clarity and confidence. That visibility creates ripple effects. It encourages others to step forward, take space, and they lift entire communities with them.