Shweta Wahi, an ex-fashion entrepreneur and aspiring educator, serves as Director at CMA Investment Holdings – a family investment vehicle with businesses in media, IT, and education – which has representation in over 15 countries. She is the Vice Chairman and Managing Director Operations of Transnational Academic Group ME which owns and operates Curtin University Dubai. She also serves on the Advisory Board of Lancaster University Ghana.
In 2013, Shweta took on an operational role at TAG, focusing on marketing and project development. She has since played a pivotal role in launching Curtin University Dubai’s campus brand and engaging with regional stakeholders to establish it as one of the top-ranked academic institutions in the MENA region. Currently her portfolio spans all non-academic operations of the University to include HR, admissions, marketing, student onboarding, life and engagement, careers and employability, events, and community outreach. She also provides similar operational oversight to Lancaster University Ghana.
As a strong advocate of careers education for the youth, she co-created an outreach program to schools, offering students complimentary workshops in several areas that help them make informed decisions as they graduate from high school. She is also working with the team in Dubai to develop and roll out a professional development program for the University Student Council, covering topics that would enhance their roles as young leaders.
Shweta sits on the Global Reference Group at Curtin University’s Gender Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group, and has been looking into initiatives around diversity, equity, and inclusion. The team in Dubai has also piloted the Return-to-Work program, an incubation program for mothers returning to the workplace after sabbaticals to raise their families, to support them in kickstarting their career in a safe and nurturing environment.
Shweta’s interests continue to lie within the creative space. As a former artist and illustrator, she has completed a course in special education needs and is working on a project to create a sensory diet using the arts, to roll out to orphanages that may not have access to the right kind of support for their children.
Prior to joining the Group, Shweta spent over a decade in the fashion industry as a stylist and designer through her own label, which gained international recognition with showcases at prominent fashion events including Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week South Africa and India Fashion Week Dubai. Aligned with her passion for the industry, she funded several scholarships for students to complete their fashion design studies. Shweta served as an advisor to the Mauritius Design Council in 2011-12 and concluded her work in fashion in 2016.
Shweta graduated from York University, Toronto with an Honors degree in Visual Arts. She has also completed courses in Art, Design and Fashion Styling from Central St Martins and the London College of Fashion. Apart from being a Certified Image Consultant, she is certified in Good Ads and digital marketing.
Shweta has completed a postgraduate certificate in international education from the University of Nottingham, and a certificate in Digital Transformation on cyber security, artificial intelligence, IoT and blockchain from MIT. She is currently completing a course on Implicit Bias from Harvard Online and is pursuing a Certification in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors in the UK.
Awards
Women Who Thrive Community Award for ‘Recognition’ – 2025 World Women Leadership Congress Award as a ‘Leading Woman in the Middle East’ – 2024
Sherley Varkey Award for Integrity and Service – 2008
Committees and Memberships
Curtin University – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee – Dubai representative
Institute of Directors, UK – Member
Local Advisory Board – Our Own English High School, Boys, Al Warqa – Member
Curtin University Dubai Student Council – Mentor
UAE Careers Community – Leadership team (past)
Design Council of Mauritius – Advisor (past)
Press and Media Features
Leadership By Design – Gulf Business, UAE
Women Leading the Charge for Gender Equality – Khaleej Times, UAE
Curtin Dubai Campus Expansion – Gulf News, UAE
Curtin Dubai Student Placement Rate – Gulf News, UAE
Rising Star at India Fashion Week – The National, UAE
Shweta Wahi 