What drives her? Moving people by challenging defined categories. Raya acts as the right brain, the creative side of MFB.
She strongly believes that powerful stories can change people, and that emotions translate to actions. After a degree in graphic design from the American University of Beirut (Lebanon) in 2007, she followed her passion for stories and immersive experiences by moving to London for the Central Saint Martins MA in Narrative Environments
Raya the worked on a series of exciting projects across Paris, London and Amsterdam for clients that seek to push the boundaries of what’s next. Projects with Louis Vuitton, Selfridges, Lacoste and Maje, led her to win the Dutch Design Prize and the Most Enterprising Project award.
She decided to move back to Lebanon and start a studio with her sister Lara. Made For Brands was born to elevate brands across the Middle East and beyond.
Raya is grateful for what MFB has become — a business of thinkers and doers building long-term partnerships with clients in various industries and countries.
More recently, Raya has become the country representative for Ladies Wine & Design, a global non-profit initiative that aims to empower women & non-binary creatives around the world in their leadership roles. Raya is also part of the Empower tribe, bringing together women entrepreneurs in redefining what it means to be a leader.
What excites her? Working hand-in-hand with inspiring entrepreneurs and building meaningful relationships with them. Lara acts as the left brain, the strategic side of MFB.
She believes that brands have the power to bring people together, trigger emotions and shift perspectives. They have the unique ability to create communities across the world, irrespective of culture or location.
Lara graduated with a BA in business from LAU Beirut and an MA in Marketing from the business school EM Lyon.
She specialized in luxury marketing by working in Paris, for Cartier and Chanel for several years, where she explored how brand personalities have the power to act as the main drive for the company’s vision and strategic growth. Her passion for luxury comes from her love for beauty, aesthetic in every detail and the permanent pursuit of excellence that allows brands to continuously reinvent themselves while remaining timeless.
The challenge of navigating in an industry that is highly competitive and extremely demanding enabled her to strengthen her discipline, love for challenge and hard work.
Lara’s curiosity, professionalism and unique smile turn strategy into a magical journey.
She is grateful MFB has become the thinking partner of companies in various industries around the world.
Lara is part of the Empower tribe, bringing together women entrepreneurs to discuss strategic topics, and an active member of WLA (Women Leaders Association) that is supporting women-owned businesses in Lebanon.
What motivates her the most? Curiosity and enthusiasm for learning new things. Gina is a keen learner always ready to challenge herself with new experiences.
Gina has spent the last 10 years exploring design in all its shapes, stages and forms. To say that her work experience has been diverse is an understatement. She’s been on various ends of the cycle: graphic design studio, printing press, jewelry design, marketing, handling social media accounts, and she even worked on merchandising set ups for events.
In parallel, she also launched her own label of handbags for which she developed a special collage technique.
She earned her Master’s degree in Graphic Design from the Université Saint Esprit Kaslik (USEK).
Gina also happens to be a dog lover and a mom of a German shepherd called Kaiser.
She loves to travel and discover new civilizations and never misses a party!
From a hobby to profession, social media has become a big part of her life. Joyce helps brands tell their stories and reach new audiences by creating and optimizing social media strategies that reflect the brand’s identity.
After a degree in Audio-Visual arts, Joyce decided to immerse herself in the film industry and get hands on experience from skilled professionals.
She had the chance to work on award-winning short films that toured the world, from Los Angeles, Venice, AL Gouna, Beirut and many more.
During these years, she found herself documenting her journey on social media and got the chance to manage her first account where she worked on strategies that enhanced the brand’s social media presence. She created digital magazines, produced short videos and built an engaged community.
She embraced her “right-brained” creative mode to dive deeper in the social media world and is on a mission to help brands understand the power of growing an online presence.
Outside of work, Joyce is always seeking new adventures. She loves adrenaline and is a big fan of motorsports. She can’t imagine life without entertainment and is always up for a nice little dance party.
Published artist, photographer, filmmaker, Rawane is what we can truly call a multi-disciplinary designer. Her works made it to international publications and festivals.
With more than twelve years of experience in the field, she has worked with leading international advertising agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather and Geometry Global, international clients such as McDonald’s, Pringles, Coca Cola, Volkswagen and a number of renowned local agencies and brands. Her major skill sets lie in art direction, brand identity design, and brand activation.
In 2018, Rawane co-founded Sustain the World, an award-winning non-profit organization that focuses on driving climate action while empowering women and youth.
Outside of work, Rawane is a mother of four cats and is trying her hardest not to add a puppy to the mix.