Long before she was helping shape the reputations of museums, destinations and cultural institutions, Sahar was fascinated by a much simpler question:
Why do some places stay with us long after we’ve left them?
It wasn’t the architecture. Or the food. Or even the history.
It was the stories.
Born and raised in Abu Dhabi, a third-culture lebanese kid with Saudi roots, Sahar grew up in a family where conversation was as important as tradition. From an early age, she learnt that stories do more than entertain; they preserve identity. They explain who we are, where we have come from, and, perhaps most importantly, where we are going.
That curiosity only intensified through travel. Museums became more than galleries. Historic cities became living archives. Every destination she visited revealed another lesson: culture isn’t simply something you inherit; it’s something you continually communicate.
Today, that philosophy sits at the heart of Sahar’s career in strategic communications.
While many people think communications is about publicity, Sahar sees something far more powerful. To her, communications is about helping people, places and institutions discover their voice before asking the world to listen.
That perspective has led her to work across some of the region’s most significant cultural and destination initiatives, helping shape the narratives behind museums, tourism strategies, global sporting events and cultural programmes that are redefining how the Middle East is seen internationally.
One of the achievements she holds closest is helping tell Abu Dhabi’s story.
Having been born and raised in the emirate, she has witnessed its extraordinary transformation; not only as a destination, but as one of the world’s emerging cultural capitals. From landmark museums and public art initiatives to tourism, international sporting events and heritage programmes, Sahar has helped communicate the evolution of a city she knows intimately.
“It’s more than a job,” she says. “It’s a privilege to help tell the story of the place that shaped me.”
Ironically, communications wasn’t where she began.
Her first career was in risk management consultancy, where she spent several years developing the analytical mindset and strategic discipline that still underpin her work today. Yet despite enjoying the intellectual challenge, she realised she was more interested in understanding people than processes.
Leaving an established career wasn’t easy. It meant returning to postgraduate study, starting over in a new profession and proving herself all over again.
Looking back, it’s a decision she’d make every time.
Today, that unusual career path has become one of her greatest strengths. She approaches communications with both analytical rigour and creative curiosity; equally comfortable developing messaging frameworks as she is uncovering the emotional story that makes an audience care.
Increasingly, that work extends beyond campaigns.
Sahar believes the Middle East is entering a defining cultural moment. Across the region, museums, creative districts and cultural institutions are changing global perceptions, but she believes communications has an equally important role to play.
“It’s not enough to build world-class institutions,” she says. “We also have to build narratives that help people understand why they matter.”
Looking ahead, her ambition is to contribute to a more connected cultural voice across the Middle East, one that tells the region’s stories with authenticity, nuance and confidence. As a third-culture kid, she brings a deeply personal understanding of cultural hybridity and identity to this vision. She is equally passionate about helping redefine the narrative around her homeland, Lebanon, showcasing its rich cultural heritage, creative talent and resilience, and contributing to its rightful place as one of the region’s great cultural powerhouses.
Ask Sahar what she’s learnt throughout her career and her answer is refreshingly simple.
“Resilience is built in motion, not in certainty and that the path rarely makes sense in real time; it only connects in hindsight. .”
The moments that shaped her career weren’t carefully planned; they were opportunities she chose to embrace before she felt entirely ready. Every unexpected turn, from consultancy to communications, from strategy to culture, reinforced her belief that growth comes from curiosity, adaptability and having the courage to start again.
Ultimately, Sahar hopes her legacy won’t be measured by campaigns or headlines, but by something much more enduring: helping the Middle East tell its own story and ensuring that story is understood not through assumption, but through authenticity.
Because in a world saturated with information, she believes the narratives that endure are the ones that make us feel something.
Follow Sahar Makki on Instagram to learn more about her professional journey and cultural storytelling.
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Harneet Singh is a Relationship Manager at UAE Stories, based in Dubai, with over 1.5 years of experience in building meaningful connections across business, real estate, and startup ecosystems. He specializes in identifying impactful journeys and turning them into compelling stories that resonate with a global audience. Known for his clear communication and people-first approach, Harneet plays a key role in bringing authentic voices to the platform, helping entrepreneurs and professionals share their vision, growth, and success with the world.
