Nicole Rodrigues-Larsen

Nicole Rodrigues is a former model and a serial entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Dubai based Diva Group of Companies. She launched Diva Modelling and Events in 2003. After the success of her modelling agency, the company branched out into real estate by starting Diva Holdings. In 2010, the company established NM Investments and further expanded its horizons by venturing into consulting and accounting services. By 2011, Nicole added two more business lines, Diva Laundry and Diva Salon. Nicole has been bestowed with several awards over the years. In 2015, she was recognised in the Outstanding Category at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards. In 2014, Nicole was acknowledged as one of the Forbes Top Indian Leaders in the Arab World. She also won the CEO of the year at the CEO Awards in 2014. Today, Diva Group of companies is capitalizing on its home grown success and expanding its operations to Qatar, Kuwait, Doha, Bahrain, Turkey, India and Pakistan.

Nicole Rodrigues was born and raised in Mumbai, India. At age 16, Nicole started her career in modeling. She participated in various inter-college fashion shows and was eventually discovered by Vikram Phadnis, a popular Indian fashion designer who launched her as a professional model. In the years to come, she appeared on the covers of various leading magazines like Femina and Health and Nutrition.

Nicole pursued her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and graduated in 1995 from National College, Bangalore. In 2013, she also completed a degree in Owners President Management from Harvard Business School, USA.

In 1995, Rodrigues moved to Bahrain when she began working for Gulf Air. There she met, Henrik Larsen, and later moved to Copenhagen after their first child was born.

In 2003, Nicole Rodrigues moved to United Arab Emirates and established Diva Modelling & Events. A venture that was nurtured with a loan of AED 110,000 soon started turning into a multi-million dollar business empire. Back then, modelling industry in the UAE that was still at a nascent stage.

In 2010, the Diva group diversified into financial services sector by establishing NM Investments. The company provides consulting and financial advisory services to businesses. Nicole continued expanding her business line by establishing Diva Holdings, Diva Salon and Diva Laundry.

In 2013, Nicole Rodrigues met her husband, Dr. Sassan Dieter Khatib Shahidi, CEO of German Imaging Technologies at Dubai at SME100.

Nicole has a son, Victor (14) and a daughter, Victoria (17) who are currently pursuing their education in UAE. She lives in Dubai.