Financial Freedom. Authentic Leadership.

Oct 10
6 min read

Noura Zein

Finance Manager, Worley

Co-author of “Shaken, Stirred, But Not Deterred Vol. 3: Celebrating the Power of the Human Spirit”

Recipient of the Global Women of Influence Awards Hall of Fame 2025 (Singapore)

Noura Zein is a strategic finance leader, author, and speaker with over 20 years of experience in financial planning, analysis, and business strategy. She has held senior roles at global companies including Ford Motor Company, Menzies Aviation, and Worley, where she drives transformation and performance.

As a certified coach and NLP practitioner, she brings a human-centered lens to leadership and serves as President of Women of Worley UAE, championing inclusive growth. Beyond work, her passion for scuba diving reflects the same depth and curiosity she brings to her career.

As I adjusted my headset, I wasn’t just preparing for my first podcast recording—I was stepping into a new chapter…

Excerpt from 『Shaken, Stirred, But Not Deterred Vol. 3』

That debut recording became more than a personal milestone for Noura Zein—it symbolized the moment her voice moved beyond numbers into something deeply human, personal, and transformative. From that day, she began to embrace not only her role as a finance professional, but also as a guide—someone able to spark courage in others through her story.

This moment wasn’t just personal—it illustrates what leadership truly is: courage despite fear and openness to change. In the following pages, we hear Noura Zein’s story of resilience, financial independence, and authenticity—core elements of transformative leadership today.

Turning Scarcity into Strength

Q. When challenges in both career and personal life came at the same time, how did you overcome them?

The year 2020 marked the most difficult chapter of my life. Almost overnight, I lost both my job during the pandemic and an eight-year relationship. It felt as though the ground had been pulled from beneath me—my career, my relationship, my very sense of identity unraveling all at once.

Amid the grief, I was forced to pause and ask myself:

Who am I without these roles, and how do I begin again?

That moment of surrender reshaped everything. I came to see resilience not as the absence of pain, but as the courage to confront it directly. Therapy gave me the tools to untangle years of self-doubt, while setting clear boundaries helped me reclaim my worth.

What emerged was more than survival—it was renewal. Strength, I realized, is not about being unshakable. It is forged in vulnerability, in the willingness to reinvent, and in the honesty to face upheaval with clarity. When we allow ourselves to do this, we don’t just recover—we grow with greater empathy and authenticity.

Q. In the face of external pressures, what helped you reclaim your sense of identity?

For years, I wrestled with self-doubt shaped by cultural and family expectations. At nine years old, I was forced to wear the hijab against my will—a choice that silenced my voice and stripped me of agency in defining who I was. Years later, the decision to remove it became a turning point. It wasn’t just about appearance; it was my first true act of reclaiming identity and setting a boundary that was mine alone.

That experience taught me an enduring lesson: boundaries are not selfish—they are expressions of self-respect. Fear and doubt began to loosen their grip once I started honoring my own values and limits.

Boundaries don’t always have to be dramatic—they often begin in small choices: protecting your time, delegating with trust, and saying no without guilt. Each step reinforces integrity. And when you honor your own limits, you not only preserve your strength—you also create the space to live and work with clarity and authenticity.

Q. In moments of uncertainty, what gave you the strength to persevere and keep building?

Moving to Dubai alone was one of the most defining chapters of my career. Far from family and without a safety net, I had to navigate job losses, build new networks from scratch, and prove myself in an environment where support was scarce. It was daunting, but it pushed me to rely on my own resilience and resourcefulness in ways I never had before.

That experience reshaped how I view challenge and scarcity: I came to see them not as barriers, but as sparks for creativity and resilience. It taught me to focus on what I could control, make the most of every opportunity, and turn obstacles into stepping stones. Each setback became a chance to adapt, innovate, and move forward with greater clarity and strength.

Beyond Money: Freedom, Identity, and Leadership

Q. When did you first decide to take back your financial independence?

One of the most defining moments of my life was the decision to remove my hijab. On the surface it may seem unrelated to finance, but for me it symbolized something greater—the reclaiming of my identity after years of living under expectation.

That act of saying, “this choice is mine,” gave me the courage to approach my finances the same way: no longer letting circumstances or people dictate my path.For others, the moment may look different—a first paycheck, paying off debt, or walking away from what no longer aligns with their values. But the essence is universal: recognizing when something no longer reflects who you are and choosing differently. That is the first step toward both financial and emotional freedom.

Q. What do you see as the biggest obstacles to achieving financial independence?

Financial hardship is rarely about poor choices alone—it’s often shaped by forces beyond our control. I learned this early: born into a well-off family in Lebanon, the civil war quickly erased our stability.

As I grew older, money dictated nearly every choice—what I could study, which opportunities to pursue, even the dreams I set aside. I hoped to become a nutritionist, but financial limits steered me to finance—a practical path and a reminder of how women’s aspirations are reshaped by necessity and expectations.

Perhaps the most overlooked barrier is the quiet trap of financial dependence—normalized by culture or reinforced through financial abuse. Without financial literacy or visible role models, many women feel they must rely on others, even at the cost of identity.

This is why I believe financial wellness is empowerment—the capacity to reclaim your worth, walk away from what diminishes you, and build the resilience to design a future on your own terms.

Q. Why does financial independence matter for leaders as well?

For me, financial independence has been one of the most defining chapters of my journey. It instilled resilience, sharpened clarity, and gave me the confidence to see opportunity where others see risk. When you are financially empowered, your decisions come from a place of strength—not fear or compromise.

Today, financial literacy is not just a personal advantage; it is essential for anyone with influence. It equips you to navigate uncertainty, take bold yet thoughtful action, and create lasting impact. At its core, financial independence is about more than managing resources—it’s mastering your mindset. It allows you to lead with clarity and abundance, shaping a path that empowers both yourself and those who follow your example.

Stories that Inspire, Leadership that Lasts

Q. How can storytelling strengthen leadership and inspire others?

Storytelling became real for me the day I recorded my first podcast. After years in finance focused on numbers and performance, sitting in front of a microphone felt different. It wasn’t about balance sheets—it was about connecting finance to people’s lives. In that moment, I saw the power of sharing my own journey—the struggles, the lessons, and the resilience that shaped me.

Speaking openly turned numbers into narratives and expertise into empathy. It showed me that storytelling humanizes leadership, making values tangible and resilience relatable. More importantly, it gives others permission to see their challenges not as endings, but as chapters of growth.

At its heart, storytelling is not about the speaker—it is an invitation. When shared with authenticity, stories build trust, spark courage, and create a collective belief that no one has to face uncertainty alone.

Q. Outside the mic, what storytelling experiences most advanced your leadership?

Beyond podcasting, writing, mentoring, and coaching have been among the most powerful ways I’ve used storytelling to grow as a leader. Writing lets me capture lessons from my challenges, while mentoring and coaching create space to share them in a deeply personal and practical way.

Public speaking then brings it full circle—turning private insights into collective inspiration.

Through these experiences, I’ve learned that leadership is not about directing but about empowering. Storytelling—on a stage, in a mentoring conversation, or through a written reflection—helps others see possibility in their own journey, and that is where lasting influence begins.

From loss to renewal, from numbers to narratives—her story reminds us that authenticity and courage are the true foundations of lasting leadership. It leaves us with a quiet invitation:

What step of courage will you take next?

🔗 Connect with Noura Zein on LinkedIn

📘 This story is part of my journey featured in Shaken Stirred But Not Deterred Vol. 3: Celebrating the Power of Human Spirit, alongside 17 global leaders who turned adversity into power. 👉 Read the book on Amazon

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