Zahabiya.

Hi, I’m Zahabiya. Curious, crafty, creative and a little chatty.

Let’s talk
Pick a key and click away!

Got something cool in mind?

If there’s something you think we could create together, I’d love to hear about it. Here’s where you can find me.

LinkedIn ↗

Before you start

Every key on the keyboard opens a different part of my work, from interviews and awards to branding, design and a few surprises.

This portfolio has been a labour of love, so take your time and click away. I hope you enjoy exploring it as much as I enjoyed making it.

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Fun break!

Press Space or ↑ to jump. On a phone, tap the game.

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Zahabiya’s wall

Random thoughts and little snippets that float around my mind. If social media has taught me anything, it’s that no thought is truly original, so I hope a few of these feel familiar. Pick a note and pin it to the board.

Nothing pinned yet…

Let’s talk ↗

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Interviews

Being chatty may not have worked in my favour in school, but it’s something I’ve grown into. It’s what lets me go beyond surface-level conversations and into the small details that make each person unique. My interviews are about understanding the nuances, the quirks and the journey, and bringing those to life in a way that feels real and engaging.

D2C Unfiltered is a series I helped launch and now host, where I sit down with some of the most innovative D2C brands in the UAE. It’s a deep dive into their journeys, their ideas and what sets them apart, with the added bonus that they’re super fun to talk to.

Let’s talk ↗Episodes open on YouTube.

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Publications

Mama always said, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I was never much of a rebellious kid, quite the opposite actually, but my one quiet act of rebellion was choosing books solely by their covers. If it was pink, pretty or beautifully designed, it went straight into my basket.

Even now, as a fairly avid reader, I secretly still do it. And honestly, that instinct has shaped the way I approach magazine and book design. Every cover begins with one simple thought: would I want to be seen holding this in public? Because to me, a cover should do more than look good. It should make someone want to pick it up before they’ve read a single word.

Let’s talk ↗

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Awards

Award ceremonies
8
Nominations per award
100–200
Book launch
1

At IMAGES RetailME, I managed the awards process end to end across multiple industry conferences and awards programmes.

I built and managed the nomination and judging portals, drove participation from leading retail brands, coordinated with industry jurors, oversaw the scoring process and made sure every stage of the programme ran smoothly. I also grew participation by onboarding new brands each year, and worked closely with nominees and winners to keep engagement strong all the way to the awards gala.

Alongside the awards, I also launched The MENA D2C Almanac, a book featuring 20 of the most influential and creative D2C brands in the region.

Let’s talk ↗

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Branding

I was the kind of kid in school who preferred doing the entire group project alone. As I got older, I heard the term “control freak” thrown around a few times. I prefer to think of it as being creative, having a strong vision, and maybe being just a little bit quirky.

Brand guidelinesLogo · Colour · Type · Elements

A concept for Red Bull: a monthly subscription where members get a mystery box each month, plus access to exclusive events. The idea is built on mystery and surprise, so the branding is bold, vibrant and energetic, very much in line with Red Bull’s identity.

Logo mark

Fly Awayyy logo mark: a black can with angel wings and a halo

Colour palette

  • PrimaryVolt Yellow#FFD500
    RGB 255 213 0
  • PrimaryRush Red#E21B4D
    RGB 226 27 77
  • SecondaryNight Violet#5C1173
    RGB 92 17 115
  • SecondaryDeep Blue#000C8D
    RGB 0 12 141
  • SecondaryWave Teal#1F9FBC
    RGB 31 159 188

Typography

Headlines

Aa

Anton

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ
0123456789

Body copy

Aa

Archivo

Expect a surprise at your door step. Not the explosive kind.

Brand elements

Expect a surprise at your door step

Let’s talk ↗5 brands

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Designs

Invites, packaging, kiosks and print. Some made for clients, some for brands I worked with, all made to be picked up, opened or stopped for.

Event invites

Digital invites for IMAGES RetailME’s award nights and conferences, made to be opened on a phone.

  • A&M Awards invite front: hands holding cameras around a gold trophy tag, “Some chase likes, others earn The Tag”A&M Awards invite back: FancyTech presents the A&M Awards, powered by IMAGES RetailME

    A&M Awards

    Dubai · May 2025

  • Animated

    Retail Reboot Summit

    Animated invite · May 2025

  • Animated

    The Power of Next

    Animated teaser

  • IMAGES RetailME Awards 2024 invite front: “As the lights fall, brilliance soars”IMAGES RetailME Awards 2024 invite back with date, time and venue

    IMAGES RetailME Awards

    Dubai · September 2024

  • Oscars of Retail KSA invite: a glowing gold trophy under a spotlight

    Oscars of Retail KSA

    Riyadh · October 2025

  • Retail Reboot Summit 2026 schedule with a robotic hand sparking the title

    Retail Reboot Summit

    Event schedule · February 2026

Let’s talk ↗5 projects

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Volunteer work

Giving back has always mattered to me, and I was lucky enough to stumble upon ALERT INDIA, an NGO working on leprosy, HIV/AIDS and TB.

With them, I’ve designed two annual reports, helped write them, and written a research paper of my own. This is work for the soul, and I hope it’s only the beginning.

Annual reports

ALERT INDIA’s yearly report to its donors and partners. I designed the covers and the inside layout, and helped with the copywriting.

ALERT INDIA Annual Report 2023–2024, 45th edition: a large red A filled with photos from community health sessions, “End leprosy together, say no to fear and exclusion”
2023–24 45th edition · End leprosy together
ALERT INDIA Annual Report 2024–2025, 46th edition: a smiling man in a striped shirt sits in a doorway, “Life reclaimed, dignity restored, hope renewed”
2024–25 46th edition · Life reclaimed, dignity restored, hope renewed

Research paper

Written with the help of Mr Anthony Samy, Chief Executive of ALERT INDIA, and the books and pamphlets the organisation has built up over the years.

Research paper

Studying the Leprosy Crisis in India

In 2005, the WHO announced that leprosy had been eliminated in India. The word was soon mistaken for eradication: case detection slowed, awareness work faded and funding moved elsewhere. Today India still has more leprosy cases than any other country. This paper looks at how that happened, and what it has cost the people still living with the disease.

  • Studying the Leprosy Crisis in India, page 1 of 9
1 / 9
Let’s talk ↗

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About me

Zahabiya Murtuza sitting on a sofa, smiling

Hi, I’m Zahabiya!

I’ve always been equal parts chatterbox and idea machine. A love for talking and a head full of quirky ideas led me to a degree in Media & Communications, and from there to a career across media, events, marketing and brand experiences.

Today I turn ideas into reality, build connections, and create work people remember.

Let’s talk ↗