ABOUT
Dunia Othman co-founded mrUsta, the UAE’s leading online service provider marketplace and
the recipient of numerous recognitions including Forbes’ Top 100 Startups In The Arab World
2017, in 2014 along with three other partners. Coming from a diverse background and calling
two vastly different countries home (the UAE and New Zealand), Dunia’s over 15 years of
professional life has seen her leading development and marketing efforts across a plethora of
countries – including New Zealand, Canada, Iraq, and the UAE – for major brands such
Microsoft, Nokia, and software firms in New Zealand. Her experience brings an analytical mind,
creative thinking, and strategic outlook to the table and has been a deciding factor in the
success of mrUsta.
Dunia, at her very heart, is passionate about sharing her experiences with other up-and-coming
female entrepreneurs through the lens of her journey with mrUsta. As such, Dunia has been
very active – and continues to be – in supporting and mentoring women entrepreneurs in the
UAE, playing key roles with groups such as the Dubai Business Women Council and others to
provide the right tools for budding female entrepreneurs in the country. She has also been
regularly featured in the media, with Zawya (Thomson Reuters) and MBC covering her story,
amongst others. In addition, she’s a regular speaker in key events in Dubai and the UAE and
has spoken in events such as INSEAD’s International Women’s Day panel. Dunia has also been
recognized with accolades such as the Top 10 Entrepreneurs in the GCC 2017 for her role in
bringing mrUsta to fruition.
While keeping a foot in mrUsta, Dunia has recently taken on a new challenge with Dubai Smart
Government, taking on the leadership of the Dubai Now app team to further grow and innovate
the mobile application.
Dunia holds a bachelor’s in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of
Auckland, New Zealand, and post-graduate diploma in management from the New Zealand
Institute of Management.