Zaina Kourki, founder of Zein Zone, has leveraged her extensive multicultural background and corporate leadership experience to establish a creative consultancy focused on cultural intelligence and the burgeoning creative economy in the United Arab Emirates. Born and raised in Syria, Kourki’s career has spanned the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, and she has lived in the UAE while traveling to more than 40 countries. Her global exposure has informed Zein Zone’s mission to bridge strategic communications, cultural partnerships, and engagement experiences with a focus on fostering human connection.

Launched initially in 2020 as a personal blog centered on travel and belonging, Zein Zone has since evolved into a consultancy that helps organizations navigate cultural complexities to build trust and collaboration. Kourki emphasized that cultural intelligence has moved beyond basic awareness or sensitivity to become a critical business capability, particularly for companies operating in diverse markets. The UAE’s multicultural population and growing creative sectors provide fertile ground for businesses, artists, and cultural institutions to collaborate and align commercial goals with cultural relevance, resulting in stronger relationships and deeper participation.

Emerging technologies and innovative financing models are also reshaping how art and cultural entrepreneurship are valued and funded in the region. A notable example is Zein Zone’s partnership with GAIA Culture, a cultural-technology platform that launched in the UAE in 2026. GAIA Culture uses tokenization to turn artists’ brand equity into investable assets, offering a new financial approach for supporting creative talent. Zein Zone contributed to GAIA Culture’s communications and market outreach, helping to merge technological innovation with a nuanced understanding of local cultural dynamics and genuine artist engagement.

Kourki’s transition from corporate roles to entrepreneurship has required adapting to new challenges beyond communications, including business development and ecosystem building. As a female entrepreneur, she highlighted the importance of cultivating an authentic entrepreneurial voice, distinct from her previous work shaping others’ narratives. She advised women pursuing purpose-driven, internationally relevant businesses to embrace and leverage their cultural identity as a strength. Kourki also stressed the value of building meaningful partnerships, staying flexible, and defining success not solely by financial metrics but also through the enduring connections and impact created by their work.