MONA ATAYA BIOGRAPHY

CEO and Founder Mumzworld.com

Co-founder Bayt.com

Proud Mum of 3

Current Position

Mona Ataya, CEO and Founder of Mumzworld.com, has proven to be one of the Middle East’s most prominent of women entrepreneurs. Beyond leading a successful and growing SME, and inspiring her employees and communities, Mona is on a mission to change the region, one mum at a time. Mona fundamentally believes that Mumzworld has the potential to become a brand that challenges the norms, with an important social impact, as when you empower a mother to make informed choices, you empower her to raise great kids, which ultimately leads to changing the region.

A transformational leader and a change agent in every sense of the word, Mona has managed to grow Mumzworld from a business plan on paper to an enviable brand exposed to at least 2.5 million mothers across the region in 7 years. Founded in 2011, Mumzworld has pioneered a revolutionary and gold standard e-commerce shopping experience for all things mother, baby and child in the ME region. Today, Mumzworld prides itself with being the premier, trusted and definitive source with over 200,000 products, with the best exclusives, delivered to over 20 different countries, in the fastest, most convenient and cost-effective way, at everyday low prices.

Under Mona’s leadership, Mumzworld has undergone tremendous growth. It is doubling in size every year, and if you believe in the power of compounding, can be a unicorn (i.e. US 1 billion company) in 5 years. With 7 rounds of funding, great investors on board and a solid business plan, Mumzworld has become the #1 Funded Women-Led e-commerce Company in the Middle East.

Professional Background

Prior to leading Mumzworld, Mona, co-founded Bayt.com, arguably the most successful online search engine for jobs in the Middle East. Mona also has had a track record of impressive and diverse international experience building global brands, including FMCG giant, Johnson and Johnson MENA and Europe, managing a broad portfolio of leading global brands, including Greiter Skin care, ph5.5, Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Piz Buin and Johnson’s Suncare. Mona led the re-launch of Johnson’s Suncare and Piz Buin brands in Europe and was a member of the global skincare franchise team. Before moving on to Johnson and Johnson, Mona started her career at Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, USA, at age 20 after graduating with a dual honors degree in marketing and finance

Regional recognition:

Mona has won more than 80 awards throughout her career, which is testament to her hard work and leadership skills. She is amongst the top 2 Forbes women creating impact in the region, and was voted amongst the 100 most Powerful Arab Women, Forbes Top 10 Arab Women 2017, 2018; World's 100 Most Powerful Arabs - Generation Next - Arabian Business; She was also voted SME Executive of the year 3 years in a row.

Under her leadership, Mumzworld.com has won The Small Business of The Year Award 2013 and Best Kids Online retailer by Timeout Kids in 2015 and 2016. Mumzworld.com was also awarded the Images Most Admired Online Retailer of the Year 2014 and 2016 as well as the “Customer Service Excellence Award” by The Customer Festival Awards 2014.

Beyond the many awards she received, Mona was also selected into the prestigious group of globally recognized Endeavor businesses’s in 2014 and was the 1st woman selected into this prestigious network in the Middle East. Endeavor is a network of high impact entrepreneurs from around the world.

Personal Background

Beyond Mumzworld, Mona has three boys, Tareq, Sufian, and Yousef, who form her world. She is an active and engaged mum and wife, and when not in the office, you will find her with her family, extended family, or at the gym.

A woman of vision, Mona often asks the question ‘WHY’?, and that’s because she fundamentally believes in Mark Twain’s quote ‘The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out WHY’. She defined her WHY early on, in a crystal clear manner, and set out to achieve it with impact, integrity, and grit. With a customer obession at the core of her DNA, Mona dreams big, and her aspirations are almost beyond reality, but that is precisely what has set her apart, and made her so inspirational to her family, employees, investors, and her community

Raised with a community spirit, Mona always ensures that she positively impacts her community at every possible opportunity. Proving herself as role model, innovator, mentor and motivator, Mona, particularly likes to uplift other mothers. Having understood their challenges, She has created amazing employment opportunities for mums through a returnship program, which allows mums to flexible working hours or work from home. Beyond employing mums, she has launched many impactful mentorship and community initiatives, including an education and employment initiative with UNHCR.