In their 79th episode of the Business in Morocco Podcast, Ryan Maimone and Ryan Kirk hosted Dana Al Mubaidin Adnani, the former head of global communications and public affairs for Jumia, who shared one of the show’s most inspiring stories. 

Asked about the role that English played in her career, Dana explained that English has had a massive impact on her career, adding, “let’s face it, it’s the language of the world now, the language of the future, and the language of technology … ”

Dana Adnani, who considers herself “a big advocate for English” says that English enabled her to be admitted within American universities and made it easy to find employment there later on. Listing other benefits of speaking English, Dana says that she has been able to interact with interesting people in airports and other venues and expand her network thanks to her proficiency in the English language. In her emphasis on the importance of building a network since early career, Dana asserts that the English language is indispensable in this process.

Watch the full episode

Dana is a Jordanian national and considers herself Moroccan as her husband and children are Moroccan, and also thanks to the affinity she has developed with the kingdom as a consequence of living  in it for the past 14 years. Dana has been quite passionate about English since an early age and recounts that she would strike up conversations with random english-speaking tourists and invites them to her family house only to practice the language.

Dana Adnani has had an extensive career in media and public affairs. She has held leadership positions in a number of multinationals such as Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Nokia, and Uber. She has also been a fervent advocate for women in business and leadership and has been involved in movements and initiatives that encourage women to apply for leadership positions.