Introducing

Saher Shaikh

FounderThe Purple Chef

DLC Member Dubai Chapter

Awarded “Most Inspirational Woman in the GCC”, “Dubai’s Personality of the Year”, Reader’s Digest “Hero”, “U.A.E. Supermom”, Dubai Government’s “Extraordinary Humanitarian” and CNN’S “Mother of Labourers”, Saher’s latest title is “Winner MasterChef MLA”.
A former investment banker, Saher juggles her UN-recognised The Adopt-a-Camp Foundation, being a mother of 4 young children and running her booked-out months in advance catering company, The Purple Chef, which serves up het unique Cordon Bleu-trained, heritage-inspired Third Culture cuisine

Expertise

Nonprofits

CSRs

Sustainability

Project Management

Project Planning

Strategic Planning

Management Consulting

Education

Public Health

Event Planning

Event Management

Public Relations

Cross-functional Team Leadership

Public Speaking

Team Building

Team Leadership

Leadership

Speed Reading

Hosting Events

Corporate Sustainability

Social Sustainability

Certified Cordon Bleu Chef

Experience

Founder
The Purple Chef
2024 Present .
Senior Consultant
Government of Pakistan
Feb 2018 - Present . 6 Years 6 Months
The Adopt-a-Camp Foundation (Registration No. 690F) & Care Packages for Labourers
Founder and Director
Dec 2005 - Dec 2017 . 12 Years 1 Months
Scotiabank
Customer Services Executive
Sep 2002 - Jan 2005 . 2 Years 5 Months
Client Relationship Specialist
Capital House
2000 - 2001 .

Academic details

University:

The University of London Institute in Paris

Degree:

Level 2 Diploma IVQ Food Preparation and Cooking (Cordon Bleu) , Cordon Bleu

Year:

2019

University:

Dalhousie University

Degree:

Master of Business Administration (MBA), International Finance

Year:

2005

University:

University of Westminster

Degree:

Bachelor of Arts (Hons), International Finance

Year:

2000

Achievements

Chef. Certificate of Completion, Cordon Bleu Professional Kitchen Programme
Dubai 2019
Featured in Mothers & Daughters of the U.A.E. coffee-table book. Foreword by HRH Princess Haya
Jan 2018
Judge Masala! ITP prestigious 10th Anniversary Awards
Jan 2017
Honoured as one of the 40 Women in the Region Changing the World by Hello! Indo-Arabia on the occasion of its 1st anniversary special (Spring-Summer 2016 issue)
2016
Honoured for “Outstanding Service to Dubai’s Workers”. (Awarded by Government of Dubai, Dubai Municipality. 2016.)
2016
Speaker - Kuwait U.A.E. Women's Development Forum, 2016
2016
Awarded “Celebrity Friend of Tag Heur Family” title for inspiring humanity, 2014
2014
Chief Speaker – Harvard, Insead Joint Alumni Network Iftar, 2014
2014
Honoured for “Outstanding Service to Dubai’s Workers”. (Awarded by Government of Dubai, Dubai Municipality. 2014.)
2014
Inspiring Humanitarian Award 2011
2011
Judge - Ahlan! Masala Awards, 2014.
2014.
Judge - HULT Prize, 2014
2014
Titled “Dubai’s Mother of Laborers” by CNN International, 2014
2014
Speaker, HPAIR Conference 2013. Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations Conference
2013
Awarded “Woman of the Year” 2012. (Awarded by Mall of the Emirates, Al-Futtaim Group.)
2012
Best in Dubai "Personality of the Year" 2011. (Awarded by Ahlan! ITP Group)
2011
Profiled as Dubai’s best charity-worker by BBC World for One Day in Dubai, 2012
2012
GR8 Women Social Activist Award 2011. (Awarded by International Television Academy and PetroChem as part of the International GR8 Women Awards)
2011
Profiled in Heroes section of Reader’s Digest, Sept 2010
2010
Winner of Best Charity Initiative by an Individual, 2010. (Awarded by Ahlan! Masala ITP Group.)
2010
Winner of the Most Inspirational Woman in the GCC competition, 2010. (Awarded by Mondelez International.)
2010
Highest Customer Satisfaction Award 2003 & 2004
2003 & 2004
Highest Sales Capitalization Rate 2004
2004
Gold medal for "Best at Extra-Curricular Activities" across the nation
1991
Gold medal for "Excellence in Most Extra-Curricular Activities"
1990