WMW #35: Nadine Halabi de Francesca on leadership, motherhood and growth
“You cannot be everywhere at once. Focus on quality over quantity.”
You know the person is special when they continue to inspire you, even though you haven’t seen them in 2 years!
Nadine and I worked in the same office for 10 years.
A strong and dynamic leader, she has been instrumental in advancing women's business development in Dubai, a passion and commitment she has held dearly for nearly 15 years.
She is also the mum of two teenagers. Combine the two and that is no easy feat!
What's incredible about her is that despite the countless challenges she faces daily, both at work and at home, I have always seen her as resilient and unwavering about who she is and what she stands for.
I always saw her as someone you could go to, offering either wisdom, support, or laughter, depending on what you needed in that moment :)
The interview was conducted as a video call, and if you have 30 minutes, I highly recommend you listen to it.
Key elements of the interview have also been transcribed and summarised here below.
I feel deeply grateful to have met and known women like Nadine, and to be able to share their stories with you.
Without further ado…
Meet Nadine Halabi de Francesca, leader for Dubai business women and mum of teenagers
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself:
Nadine: I was born and raised in Dubai and I’ve been working at the Dubai Business Women Council for almost 14 years now.
Since I joined, I’ve been managing this amazing platform, which stands as the official council that represents the businesswomen community in Dubai. We focus on networking events, workshops, and training.
I’m very big on learning and development because I feel it’s so important for women in business, especially entrepreneurs, to stay up-to-date with trends, skills, and how to navigate disruptions. Education is key, even though it’s challenging for women juggling work and family.
On a personal note, I have two children. My eldest is a 19-year-old girl in her third year of university in Spain, and my youngest is a 15-year-old boy, Kareem, who’s going on 25!
Q: What has been your biggest struggle as a working mother?
Nadine: The biggest struggle, which remains constant, is trying to find and create the right balance.
And honestly, I disagree with people who say you need to create the perfect balance—there is no perfect balance.
You navigate as you go along, and the challenges vary depending on the age of your children.
When they’re babies, it’s physical exhaustion—you’re tired and not sleeping enough.
When they’re toddlers, it’s a different level of challenge.
When they’re teenagers, it’s more psychological and emotional, which is where I am now.
My children are at an age where they need me in different ways—more as a friend, for advice, guidance, and emotional support. It’s especially challenging with my daughter being away in a foreign country. All I want to do most the time is be able to give her a hug and tell her everything will be okay!
At the same time, I have a hectic career working for a semi-government entity where my time isn’t as flexible as I’d like it to be.
But I remind myself: You cannot be everywhere at once. My focus is on being fully present where I’m needed the most at any given time.
Q: Do you have any time management tips or hacks for juggling everything?
Nadine: It’s all about prioritisation and structure. I’m a walking calendar!
Everything is preplanned; otherwise, there’s no sense of order in my life. My day is fragmented—work, home, events, my son’s health (he’s a type 1 diabetic), my elderly mother who lives alone, and finding time for myself to de-stress.
One piece of advice my mother gave me was to focus on quality over quantity. When I had limited time with my kids, I maximised those three hours in the evening—bath time, bedtime—being fully present with them when I was home.
Q: What’s your advice for mums returning to work or starting their own business?
Nadine: Educate yourself. We live in a time of rapid change, so it’s important to update your skills and stay aware of trends. It doesn’t have to be expensive—you can take free online courses or connect with working friends to catch up on what’s happening.
And don’t wait for the perfect time. There will always be an excuse to delay, but you just need to jump in and build momentum as you go.
At the same time, build a village of support around you—you’ll need it.
Q: What are your thoughts on AI and its role in business?
Nadine: I’m a strong supporter of AI and believe it will transform lives, depending on how we use it.
AI isn’t just ChatGPT; it’s a whole world with different subcategories. The first step to eliminate fear around AI is to try to understand it. There are no true AI experts yet because even those creating it are still navigating its potential.
AI can especially benefit entrepreneurs by lowering overheads and improving productivity. And I feel that if more women get involved in AI development, it could create better diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Nadine: My mother, first and foremost. She raised me to be strong, independent, and empathetic. At 73, she still works a 7am-to-4pm job, takes care of her health, and inspires me every day.
My children also inspire me— I want to make sure I raise them to be independent, thoughtful and successful, but also resilient and empathetic. With the continuous advent of technology and machine learning, I believe empathy will become a rare commodity in the future.
And my husband, Brian—he’s not just my inspiration and my partner in life, but also my mentor, and I've learned so much from him. He continues to drive me and inspire me to become more, and I love it.
Q: What keeps you motivated?
Nadine: I want to leave a legacy for my kids—not as a ‘superwoman’ but as a kind, loving parent who was there for them while helping others and constantly learning and growing.
I share everything I learn with my kids, and it’s rewarding to see them embrace that mindset as they grow.
Q: What’s your biggest productivity hack?
Nadine: My calendar and my coffee!
My day starts with my husband bringing me coffee (bless him!), and then I check my calendar for the day ahead.
My calendar is my best friend—it keeps me grounded. I cannot do anything without my calendar! :)
Q: What’s your biggest parenting hack?
Nadine: Communication. I’ve always spoken to my kids with respect, even when they were very young.
I don’t baby talk—I explain things. When they became teenagers, I made extra efforts to stay connected, asking about their day, their highs and lows, and their plans. It creates a ritual of open communication that’s been carried into their older years.
Q: What do you do for “me-time”?
Nadine: I love going to the gym and relaxing with my sauna, steam, and plunge pool routine—it’s therapeutic and helps me de-stress.
My husband and I enjoy music, jazz clubs, comedy shows and movies. I love superhero movies by the way, Iron Man is my favourite hero!
I’m also a big fan of audiobooks during walks when the weather is nice.
Q: What’s the best book experience you’ve had recently?
Nadine: Two standouts:
Elon Musk’s biography by Walter Isaacson – It shows his genius and complexities as a person.
Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson – A great read on understanding personality types, especially helpful for work and family dynamics.
I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I did putting it together.
You can know more about Nadine, here. And about Dubai Business Women Council, here.
If you like what you read and want to connect with Nadine, you can leave a comment and I will make sure she get’s it.
Would you like to be featured in this segment?
If you are a working mum and would like to be featured in this section, reach out at abha@workingmumsclub.com and let’s chat.
Have a great week,
Abha x