Manal AlBayat

Manal AlBayat is a World Expo and destination development specialist with over 25 years of experience spanning mega-events, commercial strategy, stakeholder engagement, real estate, and financial services. Her experience includes the full lifecycle of Expo 2020 Dubai; from bid strategy through delivery and legacy.

At Nuwa, Manal advises on the firm’s long-term strategy and provides strategic advisory across positioning, destination strategy, stakeholder engagement and commercial development. She works with international participants, brands, government and private-sector organisations to shape how their engagement with Expo 2030 Riyadh and build long-term strategic value from their participation

Manal played a key role in the successful bid for across Expo 2020 Dubai before taking on a series of senior leadership roles, culminating as Chief Engagement Officer, with responsibility for engagement, partnerships, marketing and communications. She subsequently transitioned into Expo City Dubai, where she led commercial development, business engagement and the development of its wider business ecosystem.

Manal is currently Chief Operating Officer at Edamah, Bahrain’s sovereign-backed real estate company, where she leads strategy execution, transformation and operational performance. She also serves on the boards of Bahrain Development Bank and the University of Wollongong in Dubai.

Manal holds an MBA from DePaul University in Marketing and Change Management and is pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at SDA Bocconi, with research focused on the long-term human capital and social legacy of mega-events.