Creating Systemic Change for People and Planet

Menu











BRIDGING WORLD CLASS IDEAS WITH THE MARKETS THAT DEFINE THE FUTURE

we are a disruptive advisory firm

We connect global ideas and companies with the most influential public and private stakeholders and capital across the UAE, GCC and selected Africa markets. We translate world-class ideas into regionally resonant strategies in alignment with national and regional development priorities.  We help clients grow faster and scale impact by combining strategic positioning, cultural fluency and trusted relationships.

Our model is bespoke, senior-led, and discreet

This approach governs every engagement that merits priviledged access, from first conversation to final outcome.

strategic positioning, opportunity design

We integrate regional intelligence, strategic positioning, narrative and reputation design, opportunity structuring, and curated senior-level engagement into a single, outcome-oriented advisory model.

Cultural Precision

We transform global strategies and brands into locally grounded propositions that align with regional values, institutional norms, and national development agendas.

PRIVILEGED ACCESS, CURATED INTRODUCTIONS

We provide endorsed access to senior decision-makers across governments, regulators, family offices, corporates, and institutions. Clients are not “introduced”—they are contextualised, positioned, and trusted.

structured execution

All mandates are handled at senior level, with discretion, clarity, and long-term relevance as guiding principles. We often co-ordinate third party advisors to ensure coherence across strategy, legal execution and commercial engagement.

built on trust. defined by access. driven by regional intelligence

We have spent decades operating inside the institutions, markets, and decision-making environments of the UAE, the GCC, Europe, and beyond. Our experience spans governance, finance, brand strategy, growth, and market entry—giving us a holistic understanding of how organisations evolve, scale, and endure. We work differently by design. We engage personally, selectively, and with long-term intent.

ROBERTA CALARESE – Co-Founder

ANNA MARIA ALOE – Co-Founder

UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT GAP

Many companies enter the region with strong offerings but limited visibility into how culture, institutions, and decision-making actually operate.
This gap—not capability—often slows progress and limits scale.

our services bridge the context gap

Market Entry & Expansion strategy

Strategic Communication & cultural positioning

business development, curated introductions & Partnerships

access to capital and Fundraising Support*

Legal, Regulatory & Governance Strategy*

Trade Missions & Market Access Delegations

OUR CLIENTS ARE THOSE WHO RECOGNIZE THAT ACCESS AND INSIGHT ARE AS VALUABLE AS CAPITAL

We work with international companies entering or expanding across the UAE, the GCC, and Africa—high-growth ventures with ambition and credibility, and established global brands seeking reinvention or repositioning. We also collaborate with the regional ecosystem that shapes opportunity: government and semi-government entities, family businesses and family offices, large corporates, innovation platforms, and trusted advisors.

START A CONVERSATION

All enquiries are reviewed personally.
Engagements are subject to purpose and strategic alignment.

CONTACT

The Meadows, DUBAI, UAE
contact@ghayaadvisory.com
+971 561199886

Whatsapp
Linkedin
Scroll to Top

ROBERTA CALARESE - Co-Founder GHAYA Advisory
Founder & CEO, GHAYA | Board Director | Strategic Business Development Advisor | chief Legal Officer

Roberta Calarese is a senior legal strategist, board director, and trusted advisor with three decades of experience at the intersection of law, capital, governance, and market access across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. As UAE national, she is deeply committed to the sustainable growth and long-term development of the United Arab Emirates, and is the Co-Founder of GHAYA Advisory, a high-trust strategic advisory and gateway platform enabling global companies, investors, and institutions to enter, scale, and build meaningful presence in the UAE, GCC, and Africa.

Known for combining institutional credibility with privileged access, Roberta designs and positions high-value business opportunities aligned with sustainable development priorities and national agendas, helping clients achieve relevance, secure decision-maker access, and form transformative, mutually beneficial partnerships. Her work goes beyond traditional consulting or networking, integrating strategic positioning, culturally attuned narrative adaptation, and curated introductions across both public and private sectors.

Roberta is widely recognized as one of the architects of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), where she helped shape its legal and governance framework. She later served as Group Chief Legal Officer and Executive Committee member at Majid Al Futtaim, leading multi-billion-dollar transactions and embedding values-based governance at scale.

Beyond her advisory work, Roberta is the founder of World with Purpose, a global platform convening governments, corporates, investors, and thought leaders to advance sustainable development, purpose-led leadership, and impact aligned with national transformation agendas. She serves on the Advisory Board of Zayed University for the Colleges of Interdisciplinary Studies , Prosperar Advisory, and YAO Risk Management Services.

Roberta also spent over 12 years as Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the UAE, where she played a key role in strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and institutional relations. She has also held board roles including Art Dubai, Majid Al Futtaim Finance, and the UAE Tennis Federation. Fluent in five languages, she brings a global, interdisciplinary lens to governance, strategy, and business development.

ANNA MARIA ALOE - Co-Founder, GHAYA Advisory |Founder & CEO, Aloe Advisory | Strategic Marketing and Communications Advisor | Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

Anna Maria Aloe is a senior marketing and strategic growth advisor with over 25 years of international experience building purpose-driven, commercially powerful brands across entertainment, media, luxury publishing, and digital sectors.

She is Co-Founder of GHAYA Advisory, a high-trust strategic advisory and gateway platform enabling global companies, investors, and institutions to enter, scale, and build meaningful presence across the UAE, GCC, and Africa. At GHAYA, she operates at the intersection of strategy, market expansion, and influence — guiding organizations through positioning, partnerships, stakeholder alignment, and long-term value creation.

She is also Founder of Aloe Advisory where she acts as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer, partnering with CEOs and C-suite leaders to translate corporate ambition into clear brand, marketing, and growth strategies that balance performance with purpose.

Her advisory portfolio includes Art Dubai Group, Hakawati Entertainment, Shahid – MBC Group, Webedia Arabia, Flint Cultural Communications, and Mashfrog.

Previously, she served as Vice President of Marketing at OSN, leading multi-platform marketing strategies and large-scale campaigns across the Middle East and North Africa. Earlier in her career in Italy, she held senior marketing roles managing integrated campaigns and strategic partnerships for global entertainment brands including the BBC, HBO, Disney, Netflix, and Warner Bros., and worked with leading publishing groups such as Condé Nast, RCS MediaGroup, and Feltrinelli, contributing to digital transformation initiatives across iconic titles including Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair, GQ, and La Repubblica.