About us
What We Do
At InspireME, our ambition is to showcase the ‘Best of talent’ in our region – and to connect people across our markets.
The world is moving at an unprecedented rate of adoption of revolutionary technologies such as AI, robotics, and ChatGPT. There is a genuine risk that the ‘human element’ is left behind or underestimated. The talent and ability in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia are unprecedented. This region is one of the most vibrant and diverse parts of the planet, with an amazing mix of colors and unique cultural flavors. With people from all walks of life, the experiences we encounter every day are varied, complex, yet simple. A growing population dominated by the young and tech-savvy makes this the place to be.
In terms of business, large corporates flourish alongside independents and smaller startups, sometimes leaving the common man or woman in the shadows. Ideas and concepts abound, both from aspiring entrepreneurs and those in corporate environments, but how can they be realized? Even the inspired individuals can need a helping hand. That’s where we come in, providing a platform to connect with ordinary people like you and me, helping us achieve the extraordinary.
We start by sharing real-life stories to prove that every individual is capable of greatness, no matter how big or small. We can all learn from each other and can always benefit from more self-belief, inspiration, and reflection. This platform showcases real-life stories that have helped define regular people like us. It is a platform to ‘Pay It Forward,’ so we can all learn, improve, and continue to help each other grow.
In turn, this gives you a snapshot of all the great stuff happening in our region, showcasing what others are doing and how you can connect with them. It offers opportunities to share ideas, create business opportunities, and further accelerate the impact of this part of the world. Or maybe you just find their ‘story’ cool and want to hear more about it.
But where can we expand? Through large multinational corporations or smaller businesses? Either works just fine. The key is through the common man or woman who truly wants to make a difference but just needs a helping hand.
The inspiration team
Kazi Najib Ashraf
(Co-Founder)
An artist’s soul stuck in an engineer’s body makes him an engineer artist or an artist engineer – he is still trying to figure it all out.
Born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan, and educated in Lahore, Nigeria, and the US, Najib has a mix of technical and commercial experience spanning over three decades across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
He has worked across industries ranging from telecoms, consumer electronics, and renewable energy, and is an established expert within the mobile phone industry in the Middle East region. Having worked for multinational and regional organizations, he has a knack for identifying business opportunities and has established and run several startups from scratch.
He blogs for industry magazines and loves to experiment in fiction writing in his spare time. He has an Electronics Engineering degree from the University of Houston in Texas and a Management Program from Duke University. Connecting with people and learning from their experiences is a full-time passion for him.
Taiyab Ghafoor
(Co-Founder)
He is bald. He is British. And he likes a biryani.
Born, raised, and educated in London, Taiyab is a business leader with 30+ years of international experience. The GCC has been his home since 2014. He learned the ropes of the business world through Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s award-winning graduate scheme in SE England.
He has held several leadership roles in retail and services, particularly in telecom retailers in the UK, managing large regional operations. Taking the plunge, he moved to the Middle East, heading to Doha to lead the retail operation at Qatar Airways and opening retail stores in Hamad International Airport.
Since then, he has held senior roles with tech retailers based in Dubai, managing across the GCC region. He is an avid speaker and blog writer, holding a Bachelor’s degree from King’s College London and an MBA from Imperial College London.
Throughout his career, there has been a common theme – his passion for people, organizational change, and culture. Deep down, his real job is trying to raise three children in this ever-complex world. And by the way, he just loves telling a story.
Rodrigo Campos
(Advisor)
Rodrigo Campos is a dynamic C-level strategist with a proven record of fueling transformative change across consumer electronics, retail, distribution, and telecom sectors. With two decades of hands-on experience, Rodrigo harnesses his multicultural acumen from the LATAM and MEA regions to drive growth and operational improvement.
His game-changing achievements highlight the pioneering launch and scaling of an e-commerce B2B platform and the innovative transformation of numerous business operations. As an alumnus of Harvard Business School and INSEAD, Rodrigo’s forward-thinking research at IE Business School as a doctoral candidate revolves around how traditional firms navigate digital disruptions.
This unique blend of industry experience and academic rigor positions Rodrigo as a dynamic force in the rapidly evolving business landscape.
Adnan Ahmad Chaudhry
(Advisor)
Adnan with his academic background and professional exposure spanning 30 years across local and international, helps integrate business education with a range of psychological disciplines.
He uses this knowledge to create effective and sustainable organisations that are meaningful to all stakeholders. At personal level, he helps individuals delve deep into human behaviour, assisting them to explore their core true-self by providing a clear vision of their inner theatre.
He is an Electrical engineer and has completed Executive Masters in Change from INSEAD.
Anshuman Purohit
(Advisor)
Ansh is a transformative, analytical and empowering leader who accelerates business growth and exceeds targets for e-commerce businesses and startups.
Prior to moving to Dubai, he ran the Global Strategy & Operations group for Lenovo’s Global eCommerce business across 30+ countries and a multi-billion-dollar P&L. He brings a broad set of experiences in e-commerce ranging from global category management, digital marketing, transformational execution and scaling global P&Ls amongst others.
Ansh completed his BA in conomics from Muskingum University, USA and completed his MBA with focusing on finance and marketing from the Fuqua School of Business from Duke University.
Ansh has always had a keen interest in sports and played varsity tennis for his University. He has now taken up golf as his next challenge.
Expert Network
The ‘Expert Network’ is what we call our family of contributors from all parts of the Middle East, Africa & Asia. In sharing their stories, they have showcased how they have inspired others and made a difference.
They are our heroes.
As an expert, you become part of our database – a dot on our map. A ‘go-to’ person for someone to connect with, to share an idea or have a chat.
Our experts come from all walks of life and backgrounds – from various industries and with experience in different geographical locations. Everyone has a specialization that can benefit others. There is always an expert on hand in another market or industry. Someone you can reach out to for advice or help, collaborate with, or even bring in as part of your project or commercial venture.
This is a cross-continental community – should a business want to expand or grow into new markets – but they need some local input. At InspireMe, we aim to have experts across the region. Because that is part of our ambition. To be collectively disruptive. That is why we call this… the Connection Revolution.
Please do not think of this as social media – it is a social movement. Together, we move forwards.
Want to be an expert? Reach out to us today!