About Ammar Shawesh | Founder of Yalla Europa, Bergamo

Founder & Strategic Business Advisor, Yalla Europa (since 2016) · Managing Director, Cooperativa Impresa Sociale Ruah (since 2015)

Yalla Europa and Cooperativa Ruah are separate organisations. Projects carried out at Ruah are professional experience, not Yalla Europa client work.

Working languages

Arabic (native)
English
Italian
German

My career has always moved between markets and cultures. I grew up in Damascus, studied business administration there and started in travel and aviation, before founding a tourism startup in the Old City of Damascus.

In Austria I completed a master's programme in Innovation and Management in Tourism at FH Salzburg and worked in luxury hospitality, developing the Gulf guest segment for a resort in the Alps through combined sales and marketing work.

Since 2015 I have worked with Cooperativa Impresa Sociale Ruah in Bergamo, where I have led projects in social innovation, circular economy, migration, digital transformation and intercultural collaboration, and today serve as Managing Director.

In 2016 I founded Yalla Europa to bring this experience to companies, innovators and institutions working between Italy, Europe and the GCC/MENA region. Yalla means “let's go” in Arabic: an invitation to move from ideas to action.

I believe meaningful business opportunities emerge when the right people, knowledge and ideas come together. My work focuses on making those connections useful — turning conversations into partnerships and strategies into action.

Areas of experience

International business development and market positioning
Tourism, hospitality and destination development
Go-to-market strategy and sales–marketing alignment (smarketing)
Branding, CRM and service design
Digital transformation and project leadership
Social innovation, circular economy and migration
Stakeholder engagement across Europe and the MENA region

Education

Master's degree in Innovation and Management in Tourism — Fachhochschule Salzburg, Austria
Diploma in Tourism and Travel Agency Management — Salzburg, Austria
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration — Damascus University, Syria
Further studies in International Management, Entrepreneurship and Finance — University of Bergamo, Italy
Professional training in airline reservation systems (Amadeus, Galileo), e-ticketing and air cargo

How I work

Independent: Advice based on your interest, not on selling a product.
Practical: From analysis to concrete next steps and execution support.
Human-centred: Relationships, trust and context come first.
Honest: Clear about what can be achieved, and about what cannot.

Book a free discovery call Experience

Invest & partner

Business angel, investor or looking for a partner?

I co-create and co-invest in ventures in social innovation, tourism and destinations, and technology and robotics. Let’s see what we can build together.

Let’s talk: investors & partners