Shahira Rifaat is a seasoned professional with over 27 years of experience in communication, direct marketing, public relations, team management, professional coaching, and leadership assessments. With 18 years of experience in the coaching industry, Shahira is one of Egypt's true pioneers in her field. Her passion for coaching has been unwavering since she began her journey in 2006. She is now an accomplished Master Certified Coach (MCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the highest designation in the coaching profession. With a specialized focus on leadership and executive coaching and over 4500 hours of coaching experience, Shahira guides and empowers C-Suite executives, facilitating their growth and success in the ever-evolving corporate landscape. Her expertise and dedication have been instrumental in shaping the coaching landscape in Egypt and beyond.

Shahira truly believes in the transformative power of authentic human connections and the importance of empathetic leadership. Her coaching philosophy, “Realizing Potential & Leading with Empathy,” is centered on offering practical and actionable guidance to her clients. She employs her distinctive approach to empower them to overcome limiting patterns, guiding them towards fresh perspectives, fully leveraging their strengths, and effectively managing their weaknesses. By doing so, she helps them realize their potential and lead with a deep sense of empathy and authenticity. Shahira’s current pursuit of a Master’s Degree in Business Psychology at the University of East London is a testament to her dedication to continuous learning and staying at the cu\ng edge of her field. This commitment reflects her resolve to provide her clients with the highest caliber of service, underpinned by a profound understanding of empathetic leadership and its impact on organizational success.

Shahira’s professional journey is marked by notable achievements in coaching and education. As an instructor and Leadership Coach at the Executive Education, School of Business, American University in Cairo (AUC), she holds a distinguished role at one of the Middle East’s most revered educational institutions. Her contributions at AUC involve enriching the leadership capabilities of emerging professionals, equipping them with the skills essential for career advancement.

Her dedication to professional growth is evident through her comprehensive training and professional certifications. Shahira’s accreditation as an Intelligent Leadership & Executive Coach by John Mattone, a globally recognized executive coach and mentor to Steve Jobs, as well as being trained over the years by some of the world’s most respected organizations, such as Ken Blanchard and Franklin Covey, to deliver some of their modules. Among those modules were the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Focus, Coaching Essentials, Situational Leadership II, and Train the Trainer Boot Camp by The Bob Pike Group. This amplified her proficiency in steering leaders toward their utmost potential and success. Shahira's expertise also extends to team coaching, as she is a certified Systemic Team Coaching Practitioner, allowing her to facilitate effective collaboration and synergy among team members while addressing systemic dynamics and enhancing team performance.

Furthermore, Shahira has also become certified in various assessment tools to enrich her coaching practice. As a certified Hogan Assessor, she uniquely interprets and applies Hogan's three core personality-based assessments (HPI, HDS & MVPI) with precision and insight. Moreover, Shahira's certification as a Leadership Circle Profile consultant sets her apart as a skilled practitioner of this powerful tool, u:lizing it as an integrated lens for a leader's vertical development and measuring creative and reactive tendencies. She also holds certification as a Collective Leadership Assessment Practitioner, showcasing her ability to assess and enhance collective leadership within teams and organizations. With her expertise as a certified Saville Assessor, Shahira leverages assessments to gain valuable insights into individuals' capabilities and potential, offering targeted guidance for talent selection, development, and succession planning. Her deep understanding of these assessments enables her to drive organizational success through effective leadership. Additionally, Shahira is an Enneagram Accredited Professional (AP) & Trainer, certified by the International Enneagram Association (IEA), which adds a rich layer of personality insights to her coaching methodology. Her extensive accomplishments highlight her deep-seated expertise and reflect her influential role in promoting leadership development across various disciplines.

Shahira holds positions in renowned organizations across the Middle East, making her an influential figure in the coaching industry. As an Associate Director at a leading consulting firm with a presence in Oman, Egypt, Dubai, KSA, and Lebanon, she brings her expertise to guide clients toward success. Additionally, Shahira is a member of the Leadership and Executive Coaches’ team of several corporate coaching organizations in the UAE, KSA, and the UK, where she works extensively across the MENA region. Her extensive experience includes working with governmental institutions and local and international corporations, demonstrating her versatility and ability to address diverse organizational needs.

Shahira's impact on the coaching community is profound. As a founding Board Member of the International Coaching Federation Egypt Chapter, she has been instrumental in establishing and nurturing the coaching profession in Egypt. Her leadership as the Chapter President for three years (2017-2019) and the Past President of the Board of Directors for 2020 has been exemplary. Under her guidance, the ICF Egypt Chapter was honored with the prestigious Annual Global ICF Chapter Recognition Award for Chapter Excellence in 2017, 2018, and 2019, making it the only Chapter in the Middle East & North Africa to achieve this remarkable feat for three consecutive years to this day. This leadership role demonstrates her commitment to the coaching profession and showcases her ability to drive organizational success.

Shahira's outstanding contributions to the coaching field have earned her international recognition. Her nomination for the Thinkers50 Marshall Goldsmith Distinguished Achievement Award for Coaching and Mentoring in 2021 is a testament to her global recognition as a thought leader in the coaching industry. She has also contributed a chapter on 'The Future Outlook of Executive Coaching in Egypt' as part of the ICF Nigeria Chapter book initiative called 'The World of Coaching: The African Experience,' which brings together diverse Pan-African coaching perspectives. Her participation in the first-ever MENA MCC COACHATHON, where she presented a live coaching demonstration, provided a unique opportunity to fully immerse in the practical application of coaching to develop and deepen coaching skills. Furthermore, she is appointed as a Mentor Coach in the ICF Chapter Leader Mentoring Program, where she provides mentor coaching to current Chapter Presidents worldwide. In 2019, she was selected as a Gift of Coaching Judge for the ICF Foundation Gift of Coaching Awards, further showcasing her expertise and reputation within the coaching community. Shahira's impact extends beyond Egypt's borders.