About Abeer Shoukry-Al Otaiba
Abeer Shoukry-Al Otaiba has held numerous titles throughout her life, including student, engineer, global entrepreneur, designer, investor, executive, creative director and philanthropist. For years, Abeer has contributed to cultural diplomacy and bilateral engagement across Washington, D.C.’s political, philanthropic and artistic institutions. Her work has been recognized by the United Nations, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and more.
Education & Early Career
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Abeer grew up in a family of engineers. She attended Catholic schools in France, where she developed a love for math and physics before returning to Egypt to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s in structural analysis.
She began her career as a civil engineer at Orascom Telecom in Egypt, quickly distinguishing herself in a traditionally male-dominated field. Her expertise led her to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where she continued to excel in the industry.
While there, Abeer met Yousef Al Otaiba, who was appointed as Ambassador of the UAE to the US in 2008. The couple married in 2010 and now reside in Virginia with their two children.
Abeer is fluent in Arabic, French and English. She is completing executive programs at Harvard Business School in Owner/President Management and AI Essentials for Business.
Founding Otaiba Investments
In October 2020, Abeer launched Otaiba Investments, an international investment firm operating across the US, the UAE, Asia and the Middle East.
With headquarters in Abu Dhabi and Washington, D.C., Otaiba Investments strategically invests in real estate, luxury brands and innovative AI and technology startups. Under Abeer’s leadership, the firm supports pioneering entrepreneurs and global enterprises, ensuring long-term success through strategic capital allocation and investment and helping shape international partnerships and growth platforms.
Key investments include:
- Ferretti Group: A leader in luxury yacht manufacturing
- Arte di Mare: The exclusive Ferretti dealer in the UAE
- Ultimate Motors: High-performance automotive dealership and official Lamborghini dealer for the UAE
- CarioHouse: Investments advancing infrastructure and technology
- Monaco Marina Management: The Monaco-based firm specializing in marinas, yacht clubs and sailing schools
At its core, Otaiba Investments is dedicated to fostering sustainable growth, scaling innovative ventures and catalyzing business success worldwide. With a team of industry experts and forward-thinking professionals, the firm empowers entrepreneurs, executives and companies to create lasting impact across diverse industries.
FOUNDING SEMSEM
When founding SemSem, Abeer sought to blend engineering precision, Middle Eastern heritage and a philanthropic model that supports women and girls. Abeer named her new company SemSem, the Arabic word for “sesame seed.” Reflecting her engineering background, her designs utilize movement, layers and dimension. She spends her days drafting designs, inspecting fabrics and supervising the business as a whole — prioritizing sustainability and inclusivity wherever possible.
Today, SemSem is a New York City luxury fashion house with an international celebrity following and a philanthropic goal that still captures Abeer’s original mission. SemSem is committed to corporate social responsibility, partnering with nonprofit organizations each season to address gender equality, education and healthcare.
To date, Abeer’s work has been recognized by Forbes, earning her a place on Forbes Middle East’s list of 40 Women Behind Middle East Brands in 2021 and The Middle East’s Fashion Innovators for 2024.
“As a mother raising a daughter, I believe it is vital to support and recognize other women. No one attains true success on their own and giving back is something that was instilled in me, by my parents, from a very young age.”
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
In addition to her business ventures, Abeer is deeply involved in philanthropy, sustainability and mental health advocacy. Through partnerships with mission-driven organizations, Abeer helps empower communities to improve well-being and resilience on a global scale. Her work focuses on both immediate-impact and long-term, sustainable solutions that foster inclusive growth.
Alpha Technology Group
Abeer serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Alpha Technology Group, a new venture developing AI agents and exclusive language models (LLMs) to empower enterprises to use data to make strategic decisions and achieve operational excellence. In this role, she will bring her cross-border experience to guide the company’s strategic initiatives.
DIAFA
Abeer is DIAFA’s newest Senior Strategic Advisor. DIAFA is an Abu Dhabi-based luxury lifestyle group and IHC Group affiliate. The company strives to create the world’s leading global platform for luxury food, beverage and lifestyle.
Takalam
Abeer currently serves on the board of directors at Takalam, an award-winning, AI-powered platform offering personalized mental wellness tools, confidential online counseling and culturally responsive coaching sessions. Takalam — Arabic for “speak” — aims to break the stigma around mental health, especially across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In her role, Abeer helps advance the platform’s mission to provide accessible, tech-driven mental health care to individuals, families and organizations.
Ras Al Hekma
Abeer is a member of the Steering Committee for Ras Al Hekma’s USD $35 billion coastal development project, where she leads the project’s Livability strategy. One of the most ambitious transformation efforts along Egypt’s North Coast, the initiative aims to create a world-class destination by investing in sustainable infrastructure, modern housing and tourism to promote economic opportunity. Her involvement highlights her broader vision for future-focused developments that balance economic growth with community advancement and environmental stewardship.
PHILANTHROPY & SOCIAL IMPACT
Abeer’s philanthropic work spans pediatric healthcare, education and cultural initiatives.
Her contributions include co-chairing the Children’s National Ball for Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., helping raise over $10.9 million to support pediatric care. Because of her work, Abeer and her husband were honored with the Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Prize in Philanthropy for their efforts. She is also a committed sponsor for The Kennedy Center, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the National Portrait Gallery and the Washington Ballet.
Through her businesses, philanthropy and advocacy, Abeer continues to break barriers, uplift communities and advance opportunity, empowering others to do the same.