Vanessa Chehlawi leads Egon Zehnder’s Leadership Advisory Practice in the Middle East. She advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives on evolving their leadership, teams, and cultures to meet the demands of a fast-changing world. Her expertise spans CEO succession planning, executive and board assessment, leadership development, executive coaching, and top team effectiveness. Vanessa previously co-led the Leadership Advisory Practice in Canada while based in Egon Zehnder’s Toronto office. Her approach blends deep advisory experience with a belief that future-ready leadership begins from within - with clarity, adaptability, and a grounded commitment to personal and collective growth.
What energizes me most is supporting leaders on the inner and outer journey of growth. My goal is to help individuals and organizations lead with great vision, impact, and purpose - especially in moments of transformation.
Prior to joining Egon Zehnder, Vanessa was a consultant with McKinsey & Company, where she led agile and digital transformations across Canada, the U.S., and Australia. She began her career in solution architecture at Ericsson and in silicon photonics research at the University of Surrey.
Vanessa holds a double major in Engineering Physics and Management from McMaster University and a Master’s in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a Certified Executive Coach through the Transformational Leadership Institute at Georgetown University. Outside of work, Vanessa is passionate about the refugee crisis and supports NGOs in Lebanon and Canada. She is also the author of Perspective in a Nutshell, a biweekly newsletter on leadership, growth, and the inner shifts that shape how we lead. In her spare time, she enjoys dance, yoga, travel, and learning languages.
