It’s easy to forget in today’s results-driven world that there’s a lot more to leadership than simply running a commercially successful company. This is an ethos that Niousha Ehsan, co-founder and Chief Energy Officer at LINKVIVA, has embraced from the start.
After launching LINKVIVA at just 19 years old, Ehsan made the decision that personal development would be a central element of the company’s growth. “It took me a little while to figure out my ‘why’ in life, but through coaching and my own personal development, I realised that what really excites me is helping people become the best version of themselves,” she commented. “It’s about seeing something in someone that they don’t see in themselves and believing in them more than they believe in themselves.”
Now, more than 20 years into her business journey, Ehsan has seen her company flourish from a fledgling startup finding its way in the industry to a well-established agency specialising in events that leave a lasting impact. A visionary leader, a certified life coach and NLP coach, and a rigorous routine-keeper who prioritises mind, body and soul in equal measure, the LINKVIVA CEO generously cleared a space in her packed schedule to share her story with TPiMEA.
What sparked your interest in the industry?
I started working in an advertising agency at the age of 16, then at 19 I met my husband, Poorya Montaseri, and we started our LINKVIVA journey together. My interest in the industry stemmed from my husband’s interest in personal development and growth. We decided that the best way to help ourselves on this journey was to host events with globally renowned speakers who teach these topics and build conferences around that.
We did that for a while, and every time we did one of these events, we would have people coming to us afterwards to tell us how much of an impact the event had on them and how it had changed their whole outlook on life; it was so satisfying.
In those early days, we got approached to get into entertainment and in 2005 we put on our first concert, bringing a German band called Schiller to Dubai for the first time. The show was great but as people were walking out, it was clear that it hadn’t changed anyone’s life and wouldn’t leave a legacy, and it had us wondering if this kind of event was really what we wanted to pursue. To make matters worse, the show didn’t perform well commercially, and we ended up making a significant loss. After that, we refocused our commitment to events and conferences that were purposeful and impactful, which was much more aligned with our values.
How did the company begin to scale up?
We continued with these conferences for a few years, which eventually led to some corporate clients asking us to pitch for their events. As we began to win more corporate clients, we moved from a small, shared space in Media City to a slightly larger office and we were soon putting on events for some massive global clients including the likes of Lenovo and Nestlé.
For the first eight years of LINKVIVA’s existence, we would work hard in the season from September to May, then every summer, we would drop everything and travel the world. It worked for us, and it was a privilege to travel and see so many amazing places, but by 2012 we realised that we had to decide if we were going to continue as we were or put our all into the business to take it to the next level. Thankfully we decided the latter and we haven’t looked back since.
We immediately set out on a major recruitment drive and brought in a full-time team, and it soon paid off as we pitched for and won the Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience, which was the biggest and most challenging project we had ever taken on at the time, with multiple aspects including a grand fashion show at The Dubai Mall with celebrities in attendance. The show was a great success, and we were subsequently awarded the contract for the following year. From then on, it was a journey of growth.
What is your approach to bringing in talent?
Our journey has always been about giving opportunities to people who have yet to prove themselves. When we went on our initial recruitment drive, we didn’t hire people who had already been there and done it and had proven pedigree; we brought in those who we saw something in and saw an opportunity for them to develop. It takes vision, but I would much rather take on a fresh graduate who is driven and ambitious and hasn’t figured it all out yet than someone who is more experienced but is jaded or has developed bad habits.
My greatest joy is helping people craft their own legacy. Sometimes, they come to me seeking answers, and I gently remind them: “Why do you think I know?” True growth happens when people are empowered to explore, experiment, and trust their instincts. This mindset has created a culture where authenticity thrives and fresh ideas take flight. Of course, I can share my experience and guidance, but the value of being empowered and entrusted is much greater than simply being told what to do. That creates a culture where people come forward and try to figure it out. Suddenly we have so many more ideas and authenticity, which is magical.
This style of leadership, and even this industry, isn’t for everyone. It requires hard work, facing your weaknesses, and becoming comfortable with them. It’s challenging to be pushed and tested, but the opportunities we’ve had make it all worthwhile. Watching someone who started from the bottom grow into a person capable of delivering major international events is incredibly satisfying.
Once that has happened, there are two types of people; those who appreciate the support that was given and stick by us once they have grown, and those who decide that they got what they wanted, and they prefer to go on their own journey – and I have to be OK with both.
How much do you utilise your life coaching and NLP coaching training in your work?
I became a certified life coach and NLP coach not because I wanted to practice it professionally but because I wanted to develop personally and pass on what I learned to my team. I constantly encourage my people to learn and grow, and I try to bring a little bit of that coaching into everything we do at LINKVIVA.
This year, we’re offering our HODs one-on-one sessions with a leadership coach, and the hope is that as the members of our leadership team grow individually, they will impart that knowledge on their teams, and we will grow as an organisation.
How much of a focus do you place on mental health?
I’m a big believer that a person is made up of mind, body, and soul, and all three must be in alignment for a person to be their best self. Professional training is great for the mind; similarly, exercise and healthy eating is essential for the body; but the soul is often neglected. This is what led us to launch the first and largest wellness festival in the region, the Kayan Wellness Festival – an event that enabled so many people, including members of our team and even our client, to inspire them towards personal wellbeing and growth.
The festival came with many challenges – not least the fact that the UAE was hit with its biggest storm in 75 years just a day before we were due to go live April 2024, and the entire event was literally washed away. This of course meant that we had to postpone, which was incredibly upsetting for the people on our team who had worked so hard to put the event together, but I believe strongly that having the opportunity to build the festival for a second time made it a much stronger and more successful event as a result.
The rescheduled festival happened in January 2025, and it was so much more impactful, authentic and purposeful than it would have been had it happened the first time around. The extra time allowed us to not only enhance the experience but also integrate stronger sustainability practices, powering the event entirely with renewable energy. It was such a success in fact that we hope to expand the event internationally in the future.
What is your approach to Saudi Arabia, and how does that fit in with your growth plans for the region?
We have always grown very organically. In 2016 we moved into our current premises in Dubai – a beautiful open concept office with lots of greenery, natural sunlight flooding through the windows and even swings to encourage creative thinking. In 2019 we opened our Abu Dhabi office, then in 2023, after being referred by one of our Saudi partners, we opened in Riyadh.
The Saudi market is a very attractive proposition, but what is clear is that to truly succeed in the Kingdom, a great deal of focus, energy and investment is required. For LINKVIVA, the best way to achieve that was by creating an ERP system and running our UAE operation in a way that can be easily replicated in other locations.
For Saudi Arabia, rather than us investing our resources into business development and client acquisition, we’re looking at developing partnerships where we can add value and draw on the power of the group to bring our strengths to the right projects. We’re not there to make a quick buck then get out; we’d much rather build something that lasts from a strong foundation.
How do you select your suppliers?
This year for the first time ever, we’re changing our strategy when it comes to our supply chain and our partners. We’ve always been blessed with great suppliers, but we’ve never really fostered the kind of strong, long-term relationship that allows us to grow and go global together. To help achieve this, we’ve created a centralised procurement department, which will open the door to ensure that more suppliers that share our values get the opportunity to become a part of our journey.
We cannot succeed unless we have the right suppliers enabling us, and a big part of finding the right suppliers is looking beyond simply their service offerings and understanding their company ethos. We never compromise on quality, so we need the best people, the best equipment and we also must be cost-effective. It’s a balance, and the more clarity and certainty we can provide to our suppliers, the stronger relationships we can create.
How has your role changed as the company has grown?
We built this company from the ground up, going from just my husband and I to now around 70 full-time staff, with freelancers growing our head count significantly during busy periods. One of my biggest challenges throughout this growth has been developing the ability to let go.
Back when we were a team of 20, I had direct involvement in every project we did and it’s fair to say I was a workaholic – even to the extent that I worked right through my first pregnancy and only took 30 days off before handing my daughter to my mother and going back to work. I missed huge parts of my first daughter’s early years and that remains a great source of guilt today.
Before I had my second child in 2018, I realised that it was in the best interests of myself, the company and my family to learn how to let go, trust in my team and give them the space to develop and succeed. When I eventually came back to the business after maternity leave, I made it my mission to enable others to create their own success stories, and through that the company grew.
During this journey of growth, we’ve had the opportunity to create some truly unforgettable experiences. One such project was Liwa Village, where we built an amazing temporary structure in the middle of the desert, transforming it into the ultimate winter destination for families. It was a massive undertaking that required trust, creativity, and teamwork. Seeing the team bring that vision to life, creating a space where families could come together and make lasting memories, was a powerful reminder that when I empower my team, extraordinary things can happen, even in the most unexpected settings.
How do you find being married to your business partner?
It has been a blessing in many ways; we both started on the same growth journey, supporting each other on a shared mission. The most difficult part of the journey came when ego kicked in. I remember after one particularly challenging board meeting where we were pulling in opposite directions, we agreed that the dynamic wasn’t working, and it would be much better if there was only one person who called the shots. I insisted that person would be me and to his credit, he agreed, and he stepped away from active duties in the business.
When I look back now, I realise that he did for me what I am now doing for my team; he allowed me the space to flourish. I didn’t recognise it at the time, but I realise now that it was such a noble thing to do. He of course stepped back in to handle things while I was off work with our second child, and he now acts in more of an advisory role. He’s always been my backbone and provided unwavering support.
What do you do to switch off outside work?
I love to travel, and I do it as often as I can – ideally to an island somewhere I can get away from everything and switch off completely. However, while I’m here in Dubai, my routine is so important to me. I’ve developed a schedule that works for me and for my family, allowing me to spend enough time at home that I don’t have those regrets but also devote enough time to ensuring that the business thrives and continues to grow.
Photos: LINKVIVA
