This week’s spotlight is on Begum Elsa Cura, a Paris-based strategist and operations expert who has experience bringing together entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 businesses while supporting WeWork's international expansion across the U.S. and Europe.
If you're in the market for a new role and looking to be featured, please fill out this form and we’ll be in touch.
Begum Elsa Cura
Name: Begum Elsa Cura
Hometown: Paris, France
Currently based in: Paris, France
Describe yourself in three words: Creative, reliable, and driven
Previous experience: I'm a multilingual strategist and operations expert who's brought together entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 businesses over the last five years while supporting WeWork's international expansion across the U.S. and Europe. I have proven experience in balancing the evolving needs of product and users across B2B & B2C landscapes, and have overseen the product lifecycle from market and user research, strategy and product roadmap development, to effective implementation, retention, and future growth through a cross-functional alignment. Previous to WeWork, I held roles in market research, financial analysis, and CX across real estate, hospitality, and finance sectors, and completed my BA and MA in Economics with a specialty in Real Estate Finance & Development from Columbia University.
What I want my next opportunity to look like: I'm looking to partner with inspiring companies in the U.S. and Europe on a freelance or part-time basis to break down bureaucratic complexities. I want to be part of the journey to innovate solutions that simplify people's daily lives through empathy, with a central focus on the user's needs and experience. I'm particularly interested in product management, strategy development, and operations management.
I feel inspired when: I read memoirs and listen to podcasts of entrepreneurs and artists with extraordinary journeys and empowering advice, while discovering new ventures that are changing the world. I also love spending time in nature and doing road-trips that provide spontaneity and a newfound energy.
Outside of work you’ll find me: I'm a startup coach on the Mana platform, supporting innovators in their entrepreneurial journeys, and through my consultancy, I advise on strategic direction for pre-seed and seed startups whose missions I connect with. I also love writing poetry (under @thoughtsbyafountain on Instagram) with some of my pieces published in journals, and am working on my book this year.
If you've found a role through The MarketHer or would like to be featured as you start your job search, we'd love to include you in an upcoming issue. You can get in touch here.