NAFISA BAKKAR




About Nafisa


Nafisa Bakkar is co-founder and CEO of the award-winning media platform, Amaliah which is one of the UK’s leading platforms for Muslim women.

Nafisa is also the author of How To Make Money: A New, Honest Guide to Starting and Building a Six-Figure, Successful Business, published by Harper Collins. 
How do I start a business on a budget?
How do I find my first 100 customers and make my first £100k?
How do I build a network and get my business noticed?

Whether you want to transform a fledgling side-hustle into a full-time endeavour or simply have an idea that’s keeping you up at night, this is the ultimate blueprint for building your own business.

With no network, no capital and no previous experience, Nafisa built her business from scratch and has helped hundreds of founders to do the same. Now, she wants to share her honest, game-changing advice.

From how to nail sales and branding to understanding how to build a network, Nafisa lifts the lid on business culture – and questions everything you think you know about the business world.

Her accomplishments have seen here recognised by Forbes 30 under 30 and London’s most influential in media by The Evening Standard.

After graduating with a degree in Natural Sciences, Nafisa learnt to code and built Amaliah, with her co-founder and sister. Today, Amaliah has a digital footprint of 6.2 million each month. Through articles, videos, podcasts, events and brand partnerships, Amaliah creates meaningful moments for Muslim women to feel seen. Nafisa has worked with global brands and agencies like Spotify, Lloyds Bank, Dove, Universal,  WGSN, eBay, Lush, and Marks and Spencer to spearhead cultural change within marketing an advertising to Muslim audiences.

Nafisa is also the CEO of Halal Gems (acquired Feb ‘19) a halal food discovery platform which runs one of London’s biggest street food festivals, seeing over 150,000 attendees over 3 years at Old Spitalfields Market. 

She also is a trustee on for Free Word and EY Foundation where her primary roles are to increase impact, reach and engagement through digital channels.

A W A R D S
+ R E C O G N I T I O N

Nafisa’s work and ideas have gained recognition across Forbes 30 under 30, Ad Age Women to Watch Europe, Evening Standard Progress 1000 Most Influential in Media, FT & Inclusive Boards #IB100 Bame Leaders and Kindness in Leadership supported by Unilever.

AS SEEN IN




C A M P A I G N S + COLLABORATIONS

Nafisa has also partnered with brands including Warehouse, Natwest, Starling Bank and Stylist.

C O N S U L T A N C Y


Nafisa’s aspirations to see Muslim women thrive, has seen her not only impact the grassroots Muslim community but also push to create change at an industry level by working with brands and agencies.

Her work with agencies and brands looks at how they can create meaningful moments to connect to their audience.

/ Campaign Magazine
Clients include industry leaders like eBay, Marks & Spencer, Universal, Amazon, WGSN, Mediacom, AMVBBDO, Islamic Relief, Pinterest and Lush. Her work at WGSN and Stylus has formed on insights and strategies on how to engage meaningfuly with communities.


/ Ramadan 2021: Brand Engagement Strategies Report


co-author this with Katie Baron for Stylus Innovation +


Advisory

This has included consultancy as well as executing on ideas to engage with the Amaliah audience which has included curated sold out events with Lush and Waterstones, communication and engagement strategies for the Bond No Time To Die launch with Universal and consultancy on Channel 4’s Malteaser brief with AMVBBDO as well as with BBH for a supermarket client engaging with Ramadan.

Nafisa also delivers talks and workshops:
  • Ad Week Panel
  • Stylus Trends Day - Redifining Minorities as the Global Majority 
  • Marks & Spencers - Creating Meaningful Inclusion 
  • BCW - Muslims are not an aesthetic

/ AdWeek Panel 
Read + Listen 
  • Stylus Podcast 
  • Campaign - 4 Questions to ask before you cast a Muslim woman in your advert
  • Ad Age - How to reach Muslim women (Hint: They aren’t an aesthetic)
.

W R I T I N G 


Nafisa is also an author in Amazon bestseller and Foyles book of the year shortlist, “It’s Not About The Burqa”. The book that sees Muslim women talk on their own terms. 

Picador / It’s Not About The Burqa
Nafisa’s essay is an honest reflection of how her own thoughts on representation have developed over the course of building Amaliah. Nafisa discusses honestly how Muslims have been represented in advertising and media. Nafisa is able to articulate what many people feel - she did this in It’s Not About The Burqa, where her essay has become a way to help readers interrogate their own thoughts around representation and diversity.


She has spoken about her essay at Foyles, South Bank Centre, Latitude Festival and in Parliament.

/ Southbank Centre
Her work and ideas have been featured in a number of publications and blogs including Forbes, Starling Bank, Ad Age, Independent and Campaign.


Nafisa also regularly writes on Amaliah as well as one of the ideators and script writers for the award-winning Amaliah Podcast.  /Stylist Magazine x Natwest

S P E A K I N G 



/ Quick Books, Lessons from entrepreneurship with

Gabby logan
Nafisa has an extensive range of experiences public speaking both as a speaker and a chair. From guest lectures on media and branding at universities, career talks and sharing experiences on building and running a business to offering insights on how and why to engage with Muslim audiences and what inclusion means in experiences.

/ BBC Money Moves - How to follow your passion and

make money

/Stylist Live 2019 - How to get paid your worth



/ Vogue Italia Panel

/FCB Inferno


/ gal dem x Bumble talk

For enquires and bookings please email nafisa@amaliah.com

Literary agent: abi@thegoodliteraryagency.org

© 2020 ~ Nafisa Bakkar