Noura AlShamsi

Noura Abdulla Alshamsi

Stevie® Awards Nominee: Emerging Leader of the Year

The Catalyst for Strategic Excellence — Driving Transformative Change With Nearly Two Decades of Trailblazing Leadership

Discover Her Impact

The Catalyst for Change

Noura AlShamsi—a 2025 Stevie Awards Emerging Leader of the Year nominee—stands as a formidable force for strategic innovation and transformative governance. With over 18 years dedicated to elevating organizational excellence, she blends visionary foresight with decisive action, driving impactful change from public health frontiers to the complex corridors of corporate strategy. Her journey is not just one of career progression, but a testament to building resilient institutions designed for future prosperity.

As the Director of Strategy at the Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), Noura has radically reimagined corporate strategy implementation, transforming traditional governmental approaches into agile, digitally-empowered frameworks. Her philosophy extends beyond mere performance metrics—she engrains excellence as a cultural foundation, fostering environments where continuous improvement and innovation thrive naturally.

What distinguishes Noura's approach is her holistic perspective. Governance structures, stakeholder engagement, performance management, and risk assessment are not isolated components but interconnected facets of a cohesive strategic ecosystem. Her exemplary communication skills bridge technical expertise with persuasive vision-sharing, a combination that has proven instrumental in building stakeholder consensus around transformative initiatives.

Pioneering Public Sector Innovation

Dubai Municipality: Laying the Foundation for Excellence (2005–2022)

Groundbreaking Health & Safety Initiatives

Noura didn't just manage—she innovated. During her tenure at Dubai Municipality, she launched "Food Watch," the city's pioneering digital food safety platform, setting new standards in public health oversight. Her leadership extended to establishing healthy nutrition programs in schools, and she served as Chairperson of the prestigious Dubai International Food Safety Conference (DIFSC), which attracted 3,000+ global experts annually.

Strategic Leadership & Urban Foresight

As she rose to become Deputy Director of Strategy and Excellence at the Municipality, Noura was instrumental in shaping visionary projects under the Dubai Plan 2030. She developed futuristic urban planning tools and embedded a culture of continuous improvement that led to multiple excellence awards for the municipality.

Market Development & Governance

Later, as Head of Policies & Market Development, Noura crafted robust investment strategies and forward-thinking legal frameworks, effectively shaping public policy to enhance Dubai's market competitiveness. She ensured sustainable growth through meticulous feasibility studies and strong stakeholder management.

Architecting Transformation at PCFC

Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation: Driving Strategic Evolution (2023–Present)

Joining PCFC as Director of Strategy, Noura was tasked with invigorating the corporation's strategic direction and governance. In just two years (2023–2024), her leadership has catalyzed a remarkable transformation, delivering industry-leading results and positioning PCFC as a beacon of operational excellence and innovation in the maritime and free zone sector.

Performance Dashboard: 2023–24 Key Metrics

Digital Service Adoption

99% Adoption Rate

Service Automation

84% Automation Level

Strategic KPI Achievement

77% Strategic KPIs Met

High-Risk Operations

Reduced from 52% to 11%

Stakeholder Happiness

Customer: 88% Satisfaction

Excellence Recognized

3 Major Awards (2 Stevie®, 1 Maritime Standard)
First Wins in PCFC History
Launched Internal Excellence Awards Program

Setting Industry Benchmarks & Inspiring Leaders

Governance Excellence

Noura architected a comprehensive Corporate Governance Guide at PCFC that is now considered a model framework in the sector. Under her guidance, PCFC secured and maintained seven ISO certifications, and added the new ISO 44001 for Partnership Management.

National Impact

The ripple effects of Noura's strategic contributions have extended beyond PCFC to strengthen the UAE's position in global trade and maritime services, with Dubai rising as a leading global hub for commerce and logistics.

Championing Female Leadership

As one of the prominent female leaders in UAE's government and corporate strategy circles, Noura actively shatters glass ceilings and paves the way for others. She is passionate about mentoring emerging talent, particularly women, and empowering them to excel in leadership roles.

Awards & Recognition

Professional Achievements

  • 2025 Stevie® Awards – Emerging Leader Nominee
  • 2× Stevie® Award Winner (PCFC)
  • Maritime Standard Award (PCFC – CSR)
  • Chairperson, Dubai Int'l Food Safety Conference
  • Creator, "Food Watch" Platform
  • Contributor, Dubai Plan 2030 & UAE Food Bank
  • Approved Assessor, UAE Gov't Excellence Program
  • MBA – Canadian University of Dubai

Areas of Expertise

  • Strategic Planning & Execution
  • Corporate Governance & Risk Management
  • Organizational Excellence (ISO Standards)
  • Policy Development & Innovation
  • Digital Transformation Leadership
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Performance Management Systems
  • Public Sector Modernization

The Epitome of Emerging Leadership

Noura AlShamsi exemplifies the very qualities celebrated by the Stevie Awards' Emerging Leader of the Year category. Her career is a powerful narrative of relentless dedication, strategic brilliance, and transformative impact. She doesn't just respond to change—she architects it—building stronger organizations and setting higher standards in every role she undertakes. With a proven ability to deliver exceptional, quantifiable results while fostering innovation, good governance, and inclusive leadership, Noura stands as an outstanding nominee worthy of this prestigious recognition.