Thirty-five years of Wasta doesn't execute itself.
It takes a team that understands what they're part of — and takes it seriously. Every person at Anne Jafery & Co. has been chosen, trained, and empowered with the same philosophy that built this company — genuine relationships over transactional efficiency, depth over speed, and the belief that the best outcomes happen when people are trusted to bring their full capabilities to the work.
We don't hire for credentials. We develop for character. Every member of this team has been held to the same standard that built our reputation in the Gulf over three and a half decades.
When you work with us, you work with all of us.
Anne arrived in Dubai in 1989 at twenty-one years old and never looked back. What began as a young woman from Michigan seeking her fortune in foreign lands became one of the most distinctive careers in Arab Gulf business. Over thirty-five years she has built and led companies across IT distribution, publishing, events, eCommerce, and international trade — including launching three new businesses at the height of the 2007-08 global financial crisis, all of which thrived.
Since 2007 she has focused exclusively on trade, investment, and economic development between the United States and the GCC. She serves as Arab Gulf Trade Representative for Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, and is a Strategic Partner of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration. A two-time President of the American Chamber of Commerce Dubai — the first and only woman to hold that position in its history — and currently Chairman Emeritus of the Middle East Council of American Chambers of Commerce, Anne is one of the most connected and respected American voices in the Gulf.
She calls it Blonde Wasta™. Thirty-five years of genuine relationships, hard-earned trust, and the kind of access that cannot be manufactured. It is the foundation everything at Anne Jafery & Co. is built on.
"Hope is not a strategy. What differentiates an entrepreneur from the many people with good ideas is the courage to act."
Anne Z. Jafery Founder & Principal
Ajil Abdullah Senior Account Manager & Team Lead
Arshi is the operational heart of Anne Jafery & Co. With over a decade of regional experience in international trade and business development across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain, she brings the rare combination of deep cultural fluency, exceptional organizational precision, and genuine relationship-building instinct that this work demands.
She has worked with some of the most respected economic development organizations in the United States — including the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Maryland Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Embassy in the UAE — delivering trade promotion events, market visits, trade delegations, and B2B programs that consistently exceed client expectations.
As Managing Director, Arshi ensures that every client engagement is executed with the clarity, quality, and care that the Anne Jafery & Co. standard requires. She is the reason the work gets done — and done well.
Arshi Shaikh Partner & Managing Director
Ajil brings a sharp commercial mind, deep regional roots, and a background that spans brand partnerships, media, and international trade to his role at Anne Jafery & Co. Based in Dubai and deeply connected to the Gulf's business and cultural landscape, he bridges the gap between market intelligence and meaningful client relationships.
With experience at ITP Media Group, Hypebeast MEA, and prior roles in trade and economic development — including account management for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation — Ajil understands both the analytical rigor and the human relationships that drive successful outcomes in this market. He leads the analyst team on research, trade visits, delegations, and B2B engagement, ensuring that every deliverable meets the quality standard our clients rely on.
A University of Sussex graduate with a Masters in Digital Communications and Public Relations, Ajil combines regional instinct with international perspective — exactly the blend this work requires.
Mila Jafery Bestie & Protector
Reza Imran Senior Analyst
Pike Jimson Emperor-in-Residence
Arianna Salomé Everything Else
Isa Ehsan Marketing Etc.
Ali Malik Account Manager