Global Chamber member brings cross-cultural leadership insight to event
A new member of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has shared valuable perspectives on cross-cultural leadership and business integration during a recent networking event.
Marina Ibrahim, founder of Globility Insights, has more than 25 years of international experience supporting globally minded organisations.
She works with leaders, project teams and customer-facing staff to develop cultural agility, inclusive leadership, and the global mindset needed to thrive in international markets.
Her consultancy supports a range of high-profile clients including BMW, Bentley, EMI, Kellogg’s, Nike, and PepsiCo.
Services include leadership development, team integration following mergers and acquisitions, and export readiness training – all delivered through Marina’s signature GLOBE+ framework.
Marina was a featured panelist at the Greater Birmingham Global Chamber Brunch, held last month at Arcadis in Birmingham. The event focused on the themes of ‘connection and culture’, bringing together experts and business leaders to explore inclusive international growth.
She joined a panel discussion alongside Louise Teboul from Common Purpose, Avalon Adjei Maison from GBCC, Jeremy Jatau and Steve Smith from Arcadis. Marina stood out for her insights on the strategic value of cultural agility, drawing on her multicultural upbringing and work with global clients.
Drawing on her own multicultural background and upbringing in Egypt and Germany, as well as her career journey in the UK, Marina shared practical insight on leading diverse teams and building inclusive, high-performing workforces across borders.
Marina said: “In today’s global economy, cultural agility is no longer a ‘nice to have’ — it’s a strategic necessity.
“To lead effectively across borders, organisations must move beyond surface-level diversity to develop deep cultural competence and global confidence.
That’s where cultural intelligence comes in.
“Think of it as emotional intelligence on steroids — it gives leaders the ability to read the room across cultures, adapt their communication style, and build trust in even the most complex international environments.”
Her services are particularly relevant for:
• Leaders and managers of international and multilingual teams
• Export-facing sales, customer service, and relationship managers
• Project leads and M&A teams managing global collaborations
• SMEs preparing to expand into new international markets
The event was a part of the Exporting Starts Here programme, a fully funded initiative commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and delivered by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, with support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
