Shiza Shahid

Co-Founder & Founding CEO of The Malala Fund, Founder of The Collective & Co-Founder of Our Place

Shiza Shahid’s Biography:

Shiza Shahid is a global social entrepreneur, investor and impact leader, best known as Co-Founder and Founding CEO of the Malala Fund. She rose to international prominence for her work alongside Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, helping to build a global movement for girls’ education. Shiza’s career sits at the intersection of activism, philanthropy and business innovation, making her a powerful speaker on leadership, social change and purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

Shiza’s commitment to social impact began early. As a teenager, she volunteered in women’s prisons and supported communities affected by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which claimed more than 85,000 lives. After earning a scholarship to Stanford University, she returned to Pakistan determined to support girls’ education in the face of Taliban restrictions. Her passion for equity and opportunity led her to work across sectors, including time in Dubai as an analyst at McKinsey & Company, where she focused on strategy and transformation across telecommunications, energy and banking in the Middle East.

In 2012, Shiza connected with Malala Yousafzai and soon became a close mentor and collaborator. Together, they co-founded the Malala Fund in 2013, with Shiza serving as Founding CEO and helping to establish it as one of the world’s most influential organisations advocating for girls’ education. Under her leadership, the organisation built global partnerships, mobilised funding and amplified youth voices to challenge barriers to education worldwide.

Beyond the Malala Fund, Shiza has continued to champion innovation for social good. In 2015, she founded The Collective, a platform designed to support mission-driven start-ups and entrepreneurs creating transformative solutions. She later co-founded Our Place in 2019, a consumer goods company rooted in culture, community and modern storytelling. Shiza regularly delivers lectures and keynote speeches at leading global institutions, inspiring audiences to rethink leadership, equity and impact in a rapidly changing world.

Why Hire Shiza Shahid?

Shiza is hired as a speaker for her rare blend of grassroots activism, global policy influence and entrepreneurial leadership. As the co-founder of the Malala Fund, she brings first-hand experience of building a movement that reshaped the global conversation around girls’ education. Her TEDx talk ‘There Are No Superheroes, Just Us‘ reinforces her message that meaningful change comes from collective action and everyday leadership, inspiring audiences to see their own potential to drive impact.

She speaks with clarity and authenticity about social innovation, inclusive leadership and the power of young voices. Audiences leave inspired to think beyond traditional pathways and to lead with empathy, conviction and long-term vision.

Shiza Shahid’s Career Highlights:

Here are some of the key milestones that define Shiza Shahid’s inspirational career:

• 2025 – Featured as a keynote speaker in Katten’s Perspectives Speaker Series in honour of Women’s History Month, highlighting her work advancing girls’ education and leadership impact.
• 2019 – Co-founded Our Place, a direct-to-consumer cookware brand built around culture, community and modern storytelling.
• 2017 – Founded NOW Ventures, an investment platform partnering with mission-driven startups to solve global challenges.
• 2015 – Founded The Collective, a platform for leading entrepreneurs to build collaborative solutions.
• 2013 – Co-founded the Malala Fund with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, helping make high-quality education accessible to girls worldwide.
• 2011 – Graduated from Stanford University on scholarship and returned to Pakistan to act against the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education, shaping her early advocacy work.
• 2009 – Returned to Pakistan after her studies to support girls’ education initiatives, leading to her collaboration with Malala Yousafzai.
• 2005 – Volunteered in relief efforts following the Kashmir earthquake that killed over 85,000 people.