Dr Sheen Gurrib’s story begins on a small island in the Indian Ocean, with big dreams and few examples to follow. “I grew up in Mauritius with big dreams but very few examples of women who looked like me in global leadership spaces,” she says. “Education became my passport to possibility.”
That passport led her far – first to Oxford University and then to Cambridge University, where she earned her PhD – making her the first Mauritian graduate from both institutions. Yet, while those years honed her intellect, they also taught her something deeper: that access, networks, and storytelling could change lives.
After Cambridge, Sheen joined global consulting firm Oliver Wyman in Dubai. “On paper, it was the dream job,” she recalls. “But over time, I felt a quiet ache – I wanted my work to be more connected to people, purpose, and impact.” Leaving corporate life was her first major leap of faith.
That leap led her to entrepreneurship and storytelling. Today, Sheen is the co-founder of The Profession Elle Network (The PEN), a women-focused coworking and creative space in Dubai, and the creator and host of Dream, Girl, one of the region’s most impactful women’s podcasts.
“I’m building spaces – both physical and digital – where women feel seen, heard, and valued,” she says. “When I started Dream, Girl, I had no production team, no studio, and no roadmap – only a conviction that women’s stories deserved more space, more depth, and more respect.”
That conviction grew into a global phenomenon. Dream, Girl has amassed hundreds of millions of views and has filmed across the UAE, India, Qatar, the UK, and Mauritius. The show features actors, founders, creators, changemakers, and community leaders from every field – women who are rewriting the definition of success on their own terms.
Each conversation goes beyond polished narratives to reveal the emotional truth behind achievement – the self-doubt, the resilience, and the moments of breakthrough that shape every woman’s journey. “Through Dream, Girl, I wanted to show that success doesn’t follow one path – and that vulnerability and ambition can coexist,” Sheen explains.
The podcast’s influence now extends far beyond the mic. Its collaborations with brands like Always and Pepperstone have brought women-led storytelling into the mainstream, sparking conversations around periods, wealth, and empowerment. “The response has been overwhelming,” she says. “Messages from women across the world saying, ‘I saw myself in that story,’ remind me why this work matters.
One of her proudest moments came from a collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she travelled to Kenya to film a special edition of Dream, Girl featuring local female farmers. “It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life,” she says. “These women weren’t just growing crops – they were growing change. Their stories reminded me that empowerment isn’t always loud or visible; sometimes, it’s a woman in a field making sure her community survives and thrives.”
That encounter reaffirmed everything Sheen stands for. “Through storytelling, we bridge divides – between cultures, generations, and perspectives,” she explains. “When women’s stories are told with honesty and power, they don’t just inspire change, they create it.”
Her work through The PEN extends that mission into the physical world. The space offers more than a desk or meeting room – it’s a creative hub for women to connect, collaborate, and build. “With The PEN, I’m building a community that nurtures ambition through access, collaboration, and belonging. It’s not just a workspace; it’s a movement,” she says. “Whether it’s helping a founder find her voice, a student gain confidence to lead, or a brand tell women’s stories with authenticity, my work is driven by one belief – visibility isn’t vanity; it’s power.”
That belief guides everything she does. “Telling your story isn’t self-promotion,” she adds. “It’s service to the next woman who needs to hear it.”
Her mantra is simple: create spaces that give more than they take. It’s a philosophy she carries into every project, podcast episode, and mentorship session. “Purpose over perfection, collaboration over competition, humanity before technology – these are my guiding beliefs,” she says. “Even as I work in AI and media, I believe innovation must amplify, not erase, our human values.”
But Sheen’s path hasn’t been without its challenges. Leaving corporate stability for uncertain entrepreneurship tested her resolve. “One of the biggest challenges I faced was learning to start over – and to do it publicly, she admits. “There were moments of doubt, loneliness, and fear that I had made a mistake. But I reminded myself why I started and surrounded myself with people who believed in the vision, even when it was just an idea.”
Those lessons shaped her approach to leadership. “Courage isn’t the absence of fear,” she says, “it’s choosing to move forward despite it.”
As a woman of colour from Mauritius, Sheen’s identity has been both a challenge and a compass. “I’ve often been the youngest, the only woman, or the only person of my background in the room,” she reflects. “But instead of shrinking from that difference, I learned to own it. When doors weren’t open, I built my own platforms – like Dream, Girl – and made sure other women didn’t have to navigate the same rooms alone.”
Looking ahead, Sheen is both optimistic and determined. “Authenticity will eclipse perfection,” she says. “The next generation doesn’t want to be spoken to – they want to be spoken with. The rise of women’s spaces, both physical and digital, will reshape how women connect, learn, and lead.”
What inspires her most are the women themselves – from Kenyan farmers to Dubai founders. “Their courage fuels mine,” she says. “I don’t just want to produce content; I want to create ecosystems that continue to empower women long after the cameras stop rolling.”
And when asked what legacy she hopes to leave, Sheen smiles. “A world where women’s stories are not the exception but the norm,” she says softly. “Where they have the tools, spaces, and confidence to lead boldly – and where future generations of women see themselves not as guests in someone else’s story, but as the authors of their own.”
Her message to the world is simple but profound: “When women rise, the world rises too.”
