This month, OHLALA talked to Diana Pinheiro, founder of Intersect Point, the company behind Executive Tea Connect ME Bahrain – an initiative connecting women on the business front.
OHLALA – You have a long and successful career in marketing. How did you enter this sphere, and what are some memorable moments?
Diana Pinheiro – Marketing came into my life very naturally. I have always been fascinated by human behaviour and how brands can influence people’s lives, aspirations and manners. Early in my career, I realised that marketing was the place where strategy, creativity and human insight really came together and where I wanted to be. Over almost 20 years, I have worked across different sectors, focussing on retail and shopping centres in regions spanning Europe and the Middle East. This multicultural exposure has shaped the way I think about brands and audiences. Some of my most memorable moments are linked to large-scale campaigns where everything finally ‘clicked’, including several shopping centre launches, sponsorship management with entities ranging from fashion to football, football championships, book fairs and comic-cons.
OHLALA – What is the most valuable lesson you learned from working in different areas of marketing? What have your experiences taught you that led you to create your own business?
Diana – Turning something on a blank page into a real market experience is something I still find incredibly rewarding and that passion was forged during my years in the shopping centre industry in Europe. Whether in work boots or high heels, seeing the project flourish, from concept and branding to events, merchandising, media and more, was an extraordinary learning experience. This practical intensity taught me the power of aligning strategy, creativity and execution to generate tangible results, even under pressure. That’s what led me to create Intersect Point, whose services help companies tell their stories in a strategic way that is not only appealing but also measurable and impactful, always focussed on business growth. Almost simultaneously, the Executive Tea Connect ME Bahrain project emerged and quickly became a CSR initiative for my company. It was a natural yet structured process that I believe is very much in line with my values and the business vision I advocate.
OHLALA – Empowering women is an important aspect for you and, with that in mind, you founded Executive Tea Connect ME Bahrain. Can you tell us more about it?
Diana – The topic of female empowerment has always been present in my professional career, though informally, and now it has legitimately claimed a distinct space. The Executive Tea Connect ME project first emerged in Portugal under the name Executive Tea Club. It arrived in Bahrain as a result of a challenge from my dear friend Marta Marques, who has been leading the project in the United Arab Emirates for two years and knows well how deeply this topic resonates with me. For a year now, we have been growing and consolidating a project that goes far beyond signature events and women’s networking. It has been a wonderful journey, proving that intentional connections and meaningful content can transform professional and personal networks with a strong positive impact.
OHLALA – What is the main goal of this group? What makes it unique?
Diana – The main objective of Executive Tea Connect ME is to create a meaningful space where women connect beyond business cards and job titles, growing together personally, professionally and collectively. We promote authentic relationships, share knowledge and cultivate an environment that celebrates leadership, elegance and strength by fostering privileged connections, encouraging business and educational opportunities, and providing mentoring focussed on inspiring growth paths. At Executive Tea Connect ME, we dare to challenge conventional thinking about networking. What sets us apart is the quality and diversity: a mix of cultures, disciplines, ages and perspectives that brings new ideas to each meeting. Far from being just an elegant gathering of ladies for tea, with tea itself serving as a strategic and positioning pretext, bringing together a rich mosaic of realities: from businesswomen and executives to recent graduates, entrepreneurs and investors. These diverse profiles collaborate to create an ecosystem of real influence and impact.
“Bahrain is a natural fit for this initiative, as it magnificently embodies the values we champion: openness, diversity and ambition.”
OHLALA – Who can participate, and where do the meetings take place?
Diana – Executive Tea Connect ME is an inclusive and welcoming community for women, open to locals and expatriates alike who want to connect authentically and grow together. We embrace different ways of thinking from various fields, including marketing, health, beauty, business, education, oil and gas, aviation and more. Our gatherings take place in carefully selected venues, ranging from elegant hotels to charming tea houses, uncovering new environments in this wonderful country. All our host venues share our values of sophistication and cordiality, and we cultivate strong relationships with them and partnering brands, which makes these narratives very fruitful.
OHLALA – Executive Tea Connect ME Bahrain is completing its first anniversary. Can you share some positive, successful stories that have emerged in the past year?
Diana – We are thrilled and immensely proud of the impact that Executive Tea Connect ME Bahrain has made in our first year, creating a true ecosystem that connects ideas, skills, tools, community members, projects, brands, companies, services and entrepreneurs. Our growing community now has nearly 100 active participants in Bahrain. Since last year, we have launched several new brands, supported the transition of innovative ideas into real businesses and fostered meaningful partnerships and joint ventures within our community. One of the highlights of this journey was the introduction of our exclusive Privilege Card, which combines premium benefits from community members and our sponsoring brands to deliver tangible value to everyone. And, of course, securing an incredible alliance with OHLALA as media partner was the perfect first anniversary gift, a connection that reinforces our vision and amplifies our message.
OHLALA – Why do you see Bahrain as the perfect place for fomenting a venture such as Executive Tea Connect ME? Is Bahrain a welcoming country for new businesses?
Diana – Bahrain is a natural fit for this initiative, as it magnificently embodies the values we champion: openness, diversity and ambition. From a female perspective, it stands out as an innovative hub in the Gulf that actively supports female leadership and empowerment, offering safe and inclusive spaces for professional women to thrive amid a multicultural expatriate community and a growing local business scene. Its business-friendly ecosystem and simplified licensing make it one of the easiest places in the region to start and grow a business.