Era Of You
Ellen Mannaert in a tailored grey jacket, standing against a console table and mirror in a hotel lobby.

Founder

Ellen Mannaert

Founder of Era Of You · Creator of The Architecture of Who You Are

Background

Ellen Mannaert is a serial entrepreneur and investor with more than 25 years of building companies across Europe, the Gulf and the Caribbean.

She built Mannaert Fabrics into one of Europe’s largest textile sales networks and sold it, co-founded the sustainable fashion brand LéMert, founded Best of Places and ran restaurants in Punta Cana. Alongside her companies she has bought, built and exited real estate in the Netherlands, Belgium, the Caribbean and Dubai, including a 60-unit Dutch portfolio and holdings in Cap Cana.

Today she is the Founder of Era Of You, the invitation-only community for women founders, and the Creator of The Architecture of Who You Are, a 90-day programme launched in Dubai. She has mentored women founders for eight years, splits her time between the Netherlands and Dubai, and is a mother of three sons.

Businesses built

  • Mannaert Fabrics

    One of Europe’s largest textile sales networks. Built and sold.

  • LéMert

    Sustainable fashion brand. Co-founded.

  • Best of Places

    Curated luxury travel platform. Founded.

  • Breakers Cafe

    Restaurant, Punta Cana.

  • Real estate

    Portfolios built and exited in the Netherlands (60 units), Cap Cana and Dubai.

  • Era Of You

    Invitation-only community for women founders. Founder.

  • The Architecture of Who You Are

    90-day transformation programme. Creator.

Credentials

The record

Ellen Mannaert speaking at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, the screen behind her reading “VIP Speaker, Ellen Mannaert”.

Spoken at

  • Palace of Westminster, London
  • University of Cambridge (Fitzwilliam College)
  • University of Oxford, Saïd Business School
  • Harvard, Massachusetts — VIP Speaker
  • Davos, during WEF week
  • Burj CEO Summit, Dubai
  • Forbes Middle East
  • Black Future Week, Amsterdam
  • Womenpreneur Middle East Emirati Women’s Day Summit
  • Fluxx Conference

As featured in

  • The National“Money & Me” profile
  • Gulf NewsThe launch of The Architecture of Who You Are; expert commentary on careers
  • Khaleej TimesExpert commentary on financial resilience
  • Het Financieele Dagblad
  • L’Officiel Arabia · L’Officiel UK
  • Cosmopolitan Middle East
  • CEO UAE Weekly
  • Brainz MagazinePodcast interview with Mark Sephton
  • MIRA Business FMInterview
  • Women On Topp“Working for somebody else is just not my thing”

Awards and honours

  • Social Impact Award, LOSD Excellence Awards — presented at the Houses of Parliament, London
  • Outstanding Keynote Award, University of Oxford Saïd Business School — presented by the Lord Mayor of Oxford
  • Red Cross Gold Medal of Humanism — presented in Davos during WEF week
  • UAE’s Next Mastermind Award
  • Leadership Icon of the Year — presented by H.H. Sheikha Aisha bint Humaid Al Mualla, Dubai
  • Dame of the Order of Saint James (est. 1290)
  • Community Ambassador, African Diaspora Network

Author

  • Featured in “Global Thought Leaders of the Year 2025” and “Inspiring Journey of a Woman”
  • Author in “26 Game Changers of the Year 2026”

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