Gamechangers: Msheireb Properties' Shaikha Al-Sulaiti

As the Senior Concept Manager for Doha Design District at Qatar-based Msheireb Properties, Shaikha Al-Sulaiti is bridging the gaps between innovation and tradition and creativity and technology. Through her work, which straddles the creative industries and artificial intelligence (AI), she aims to empower creatives in the GCC with the tools they need to thrive in the future.

“Traditionally, creative sectors in the GCC have been slow to adopt advanced AI tools, either due to limited access, lack of tailored solutions, or a gap between tech developers and creative entrepreneurs,” she tells Inc. Arabia. However, she is addressing this issue head-on at Doha Design District, where she is at the forefront of the company’s work to enable AI-powered smart retail, digital twinning for fashion, and interactive art experiences.

Al-Sulaiti, who is also a board member at the tech-powered fashion platform The F* Word, tells us that, through her work, she contributes to initiatives that show GCC creatives how AI tools for design generation, trend forecasting, and audience engagement can make them more competitive globally.

“Through my work at Doha Design District, my independent design practice, and my board position at The F* Word, I am pushing boundaries by integrating AI, design, culture, and entrepreneurship into platforms that empower others and build new economies,” she shares. “I am passionate about creating opportunities not just for myself, but for a generation of Arab creatives and innovators who deserve global visibility and influence.”

Through her focus on industries like design, fashion, culture, and education, Al-Sulaiti works to make AI accessible and relatable to designers, artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural innovators, providing them with AI-enhanced platforms to create, market, and commercialize their work globally. Al-Sulaiti, who champions a fully tech-integrated approach to the creative industries, ultimately aims to drive conversations and collaborations between tech companies, creative industries, and educational institutions to grow a sustainable innovation culture.

“By combining cultural relevance, real business application, and a forward-looking approach, this innovation is helping make AI adoption less intimidating, more practical, and truly empowering for a generation that can redefine the creative economy of the GCC,” she says.

Looking to the future, she believes that the region is uniquely positioned to be a cultural thought leader in the AI domain.

“The MENA region is investing heavily in AI to reclaim its historic role as a center of innovation,” she notes. “Building on the legacy of Arab pioneers like AlKhwarizmi and Ibn al-Haytham, today’s initiatives—from Saudi Arabia’s NEOM to Qatar’s innovation hubs—are positioning the region not just as a consumer of AI, but as a global producer. By blending technology with culture, design, and sustainability, the MENA is leading a modern renaissance that will influence the future of AI on a global scale.”

Pictured in the lead image is the Senior Concept Manager for Doha Design District at Qatar-based Msheireb Properties, Shaikha Al-Sulait. Courtesy of Msheireb Properties.

Shaikha Al-Sulait was one of the artificial intelligence (AI) innovators celebrated in Gamechangers, a special feature built for Inc. Arabia's April/May 2025 issue. For the full list of Gamechangers, please click here.