Nabeela Elsayed has accumulated a remarkable portfolio of experience and accomplishments across operations, human resources, organizational transformations, and technology. She has been the recipient of notable awards, including being recognized by the Globe and the Mail’s Top 50 Executives, WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, and HRD’s Global 100 HR leaders.
Professionally, Nabeela’s career includes 20 years of leadership roles across operations, corporate affairs, human resources, strategy, and technology at three of the world’s most recognized brands, Walmart, IKEA, and Starbucks Coffee. Most recently, Nabeela held the role of Chief Operations Officer at Walmart Canada, supporting over 400+ stores, 1.5 million customers, and 100,000 associates nationwide. Before becoming the Chief Operations Officer, Nabeela held the role of CHRO leading human resources and corporate affairs and communication. Nabeela was also previously Head of Digital Transformation at Ingka, leading IKEA’s digital and retail transformation globally across 41 countries.
In 2017, she was appointed to the TaskRabbit Board of Directors, a leading gig economy platform that has revolutionized digital two-sided marketplaces. In 2019, she joined the Future Skills Centre of Canada as a Board Advisor, a pan-Canadian effort focused on skills development and employment training to help Canadians transition in the changing economy. Nabeela also serves as a board member for the Miracle Foundation, a US and India-based organization that has the bold ambition to end the suffering of orphaned children and find a loving home for every single orphaned child in the world.
Nabeela is the founder of MuslimHaqq, an organization dedicated to ending misconceptions about Muslims through data and addressing systemic Islamophobia, and a co-founder of Riple, a global conference transforming the conversation around wellbeing. She is also an Alumni and faculty member of Competent Boards, where she trains existing and future board members about responsible governance. Nabeela is a certified executive coach, a member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches, and a member of the Canadian Innovation Leaders Against Racism.
Nabeela graduated with a dual degree in Marketing and Supply Chain Management and Distribution from Indiana University and holds a master’s in industrial and organizational Behaviour from the University of Texas.
