Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui

Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui is a cultural leader, gender justice advocate and social entrepreneur who has spent two decades building movements, platforms and enterprises at the intersection of arts, fashion, gender equality and inclusive economic development.

She is the founder and CEO of Polly and Other Stories, an ethical lifestyle marketplace connecting over 1,700 artisans and 250 SMEs to domestic and international markets, and Chair and Curator of Women of the World (WOW) Festival Pakistan, one of the country's most significant platforms for gender justice and cultural discourse. She is also Chief Strategy Officer at The Blue Co, leading inclusive leadership development and purpose-driven organisational strategy.

A proven movement builder and brand strategist, Amneh has a distinctive ability to grow mission-aligned communities and translate complex social issues into stories that move people to action. Her work spans feminist advocacy, decolonial craft economies, cultural heritage, sustainable fashion and DEI.

Amneh is a sought-after international keynote speaker, an Acumen, Miller Center and IVLP Fellow, and the author of Fearless (Penguin Random House), a book profiling 50 trailblazing Pakistani women for the next generation of changemakers.