“We’re entering a requiem for the age of oil,” says Lebanon-born cultural development expert Elza Maalouf, “one that will no doubt push oil-rich countries to look for other ways to enrich themselves.” Maalouf, who heads up the Center for Human Emergence—Middle East, has some cutting-edge ideas about just how these nations might go about doing that.
Elza Maalouf is the co-founder and CEO of the Center for Human Emergence-Middle East, a non-profit research and strategic design center that applies Spiral Dynamics, a framework for understanding and facilitating cultural evolution, to real world issues across the Islamic Arab world. Maalouf works closely with renowned social scientist Dr. Don E. Beck, Chairman of the Global Center of Human Emergence, and co-creator of the Spiral Dynamics Integral theory (SDi).
As president of her own consulting firm, Integral Insights Consulting Group, Maalouf works with leaders and organizations throughout North America and the Middle East to help them thrive in today's ever-changing business climate. Her clients include: KOUT Group-Kuwait, KOAC-Dubai, KCPC Development Group-Middle East, Catholic Church- San Diego Diocese, Harmonic Environments-USA, COMFED Invest-Monaco.
Maalouf is a former attorney and corporate executive who draws on more than 15 years of experience in the areas of depth psychology, world philosophies and consciousness studies. A dynamic speaker and trainer, she has offered hundreds of personal and professional Integral training seminars to people around the world.
Elza was born in Lebanon and has been a member of the Beirut Bar Association since 1987. She was appointed in 2005 as a research affiliate at Northeastern University's Middle East Center, Boston. Currently she is a visiting lecturer at Arizona State University, College of Interdisciplinary Studies. Maalouf is the only native Arab participating with an international delegation from 12 countries, in a groundbreaking initiative sponsored by Harvard University to promote tourism, environmental practices and interfaith dialogue in five Arab countries.
