Elza S. Maalouf

Elza S. Maalouf is an Arab‐American futurist and cultural development specialist whose work is focused on cultural, business and political reform in the Arab world. She lectures widely in the West on the complexities of the Muslim world and widens the horizon of understanding of Western cultures in the East.

Elza is a former attorney and corporate executive. Her innovative approaches to leadership and organizational development draw on over two decades of experience in the areas of depth psychology, world philosophies, management sciences, political thought and consciousness studies. Elza integrates these disciplines seamlessly in designing strategies for macro and micro solutions.

As one of the foremost expert in Memetics—the study of societal paradigms—of the Middle East, Elza is recognized as one of today’s brightest minds in the field of Mid‐East societal development. She is co‐founder of the Center for Human Emergence Middle East, a think tank that emphasizes the scientific understanding of cultures . She is a pioneer in the implementation of Integral and Spiral Dynamics methodologies in the Middle East. To this rich body of work, Elza is now adding her original concept of Innovations in Memetic Technologies™ which includes depth psycho‐spiritual understandings and indigenous‐design applications. 

Her firm Integral Insights Consulting (IIC) advises business leaders in the West as well as in the Middle East offering unique, culturally informed  practices designed to sustain Arab businesses in the post‐oil era. .

Elza speaks with a rare authority about what it takes to evolve structures of society in ways that support the role of women in emerging cultures. Her work with women and girls in the Palestinian Territories, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Dubai and the US has earned her wide respect and affection.

She is among the few whose life journey has taken her from a tribal culture to a global platform and a worldview that is authentically integral.

Quote: I strongly believe that meaningful change in the Muslim world will take hold when Pragmatists — and not just moderates — are chosen to lead. In a predominantly tribal world Pragmatists can lead, moderates follow. My work is informed by Psychology at the Large Scale  that designs for the emergence of healthy cultures.