Manar Al Hinai, Lucky Nooni

Manar Al Hinai, is a fashion designer and writer based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She was named Arab Woman of the Year 2011 and listed as one of the UAE's inspirational speakers in 2012.

“From a young age, I knew I was born to make a difference in this world and my experience in Leeds has given me the skills, drive and determination to pursue this goal. I was inspired by what the MA Diversity course could offer me because I live in a country where there is a very diverse community of expatriate workers," she said.

Since graduation Manar has started her own casual wear fashion line company “Lucky Nooni”, a blend of East and West, and has gained a huge response. She is a writer and contributes a weekly column to the United Arab Emirates leading newspaper The National along with columns in various publications. Manar is also a philanthropist and support autistic children in her hometown.

She said: “My experience at Leeds has taught me to always achieve and not let anything stop me. If you have a passion for what you are studying or where you want to work, then nothing in the world can stop you. Always be positive and accept any chance to learn something. There will be some ups and downs but at the end it is all worth it.”