When I first entered the corporate world 28 years ago, I had big dreams. Like many, I wanted to climb the ladder, make a name for myself, and work with the best in the industry. I did all of that and more—my career took me across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and I eventually led marketing and communications at Avanade Netherlands, a leader in digital innovation. Yet, something was missing. In every office, every meeting, I couldn’t help but ask myself: “Where do I fit as a Muslimah?”
For years, I worked hard to prove myself, but my identity as a Muslim woman often felt like an invisible barrier. There was diversity in some rooms, but not the kind that truly understood or valued who I was, how my faith shaped my life, my decisions, and even my work. I wanted to be part of a world where faith wasn’t something you had to hide but something you could bring proudly into the workplace. That’s when I realized it was time to do more. In January 2024, I re-launched CHATTERiNK, not just as a freelance agency but as a platform to help businesses understand the power of true inclusion—one that doesn’t just stop at race or gender, but embraces religious identity, too.
My own journey has been deeply personal. As I’ve grown in my faith, including my studies in Tajweed and the Year of Knowledge at Jannah Institute, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to create spaces where people can be unapologetically themselves. I know what it feels like to be the only person in a room who prays five times a day, who dresses modestly, who takes their faith seriously. And I also know how isolating it can feel when the workplace doesn’t reflect or support that part of you. That’s why I’m so passionate about helping companies bridge this gap. My services at CHATTERiNK aim to do just that—empowering businesses to create environments where Muslim professionals, and people of all faiths, can thrive.
This isn’t just marketing and communications—it’s a calling. It’s about more than crafting messages or leading campaigns. It’s about transforming the way we think about inclusion, and how we can create workplaces that reflect the rich diversity of our world, where every person, regardless of their faith, feels seen, respected, and valued. And I can tell you this: when we embrace that kind of inclusion, it doesn’t just change the workplace—it changes lives. It certainly changed mine.