Wafa Tarnowska

Regional Director for CSR

DLA Piper- Middle East

Wafa’ Tarnowska was DLA Piper's Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility in the Middle East for four years since Nov 2007, before returning back to London and becoming their CSR Manager for UK-Europe in September 2011.  Previously, she was a head-hunter with Odgers-Berndtson in Dubai. She is also a writer and translator of children’s books and a former journalist for SBS Australian Radio and various magazines. Wafa' has worked in Australia, Lebanon, Poland, Cyprus, India, the UK and the UAE. She has an MA in Sociology from the American University of Beirut and a BA in Political Sciences from Melbourne University. She is fluent in Arabic, English, French, speaks conversational Polish and is learning Italian. 

In 2009, DLA Piper ME won three awards for their CSR programs in the region. The first for "Best Environmental Initiative in the UAE"  The other two ("Women in Leadership CSR Award " and the "Best Practice Award for CSR and Community Affairs by MEPRA (Middle East PR Association) for DLA Piper's work with Tawteen and the "Women in the Workplace Project" in  the UAE. DLA Piper Middle East was also short listed and highly commended for CSR Leader of the Year Award at the Middle East Business Achievements (MEBA) Awards in 2009 and for best CSR initiatives for a middle sized business by the Emirates Environmental Group. On April 15, 2011, Wafa' won the CSR award for the GR8! Women's Awards, normally held in India but held for the first time in Dubai and hosted by the Indian Television Academy. In July 2011, Wafa was nominated as one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behaviour in Europe and the Middle East http://trustacrossamerica.com/offerings-thought-leaders-ue-mena.shtml. Wafa' also sits on the board of Women for Sustainable Growth a joint initiative between Sweden and the UAE working to build a stronger bridge between the two regions, to train women leaders and increase their visibility as role models. http://www.womenforsustainablegrowth.org/what-is-happening/