Manal AIBayat

Senior Advisor

Manal AlBayat, Senior Advisor at EMIR, is a transformational leader with over 25 years of experience in business development, branding, and mega-events. She has a strong track record in high-paced organisations, having led and scaled companies from startups to international growth. Manal guides clients on strategic growth, brand development, and mega-event management.

As Chief Commercial & Engagement Officer at Expo City Dubai, Manal drives strategic business and revenue growth programs, attracts local and international businesses, builds partnerships, and enhances the City’s positioning as a hub of excellence in sustainability and innovation. Before this, Manal played a pivotal role at Expo 2020 Dubai, where she spearheaded the feasibility study, secured Dubai’s candidacy, and served as a senior team member responsible for planning and successfully delivering the region’s mega event, the World Expo. As Chief Engagement Officer, she raised brand awareness, increased engagement and participation, and successfully led numerous initiatives in business development, partnerships, marketing, and communications.

Manal previously served as Group CEO at Falcon and Associates, enhancing Dubai’s global positioning through city branding, inward investments, event strategy, and education initiatives. Her international experience includes senior management roles at Gulf International Bank in Bahrain and Bank One in the United States.

Manal sits on the board of directors for Bahrain Development Bank and the University of Wollongong in Dubai. She holds an MBA from DePaul University, with a concentration in Marketing and Change Management, and a Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Organisational Leadership.

A sought-after speaker, Manal has shared her insights on panels across the globe, discussing the impact of major events, the power of nation branding, the importance of a culture and knowledge economy, and the role of women in the economy.