Leadership Spotlight: Dounia Belhouari, Head of Strategy and Planning at La Royale Group
A strategic leader sees the bigger picture and aligns long-term vision with focused execution. As Head of Strategy and Planning at La Royale Group, Dounia Belhouari brings this mindset to her role by setting the Group’s strategic direction, aligning cross-functional teams, and ensuring each business unit moves forward with purpose.
Before joining La Royale Group, Dounia held senior roles in consulting and tech startups across Europe and Asia, where she led complex transformations and built high-performing teams and processes in fast-paced environments.
In this edition of our Leadership Spotlight series, Dounia reflects on the experiences that have shaped her leadership and how she’s helping La Royale Group scale its impact for the future.
How has your leadership style changed over the years?
My leadership has evolved from hands-on execution to focused enablement. Early in my career, I was very hands-on, solving problems myself, driving outcomes, and being deeply involved in the details. That foundation gave me strong operational instincts and credibility on the ground.
As I stepped into more senior roles, I realized that real impact comes from scaling through others. Today, I focus on setting clear direction, unlocking potential, and fostering an environment where teams can operate at their best. The balance between empowering and engaging defines how I lead now.
When you stepped into this role, what was your first priority?
My top priority was to bring structure, visibility, and focus. With so much happening across business units, we needed a unified strategy framework, clear KPIs, and open communication to drive performance and accountability. At the same time, I wanted to respect each unit’s individuality, so I focused on creating tools and processes that empower rather than constrain.
What’s a book or podcast that’s shaped your thinking recently—and why?
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday has definitely influenced how I lead. In high-pressure roles, it's easy to default to constant motion and reactive decision-making. The book helped me identify when I’m too focused on the solution rather than actually understanding the problem to create space for clarity, deliberate action, and grounded leadership. I’ve become more intentional, especially when navigating complex or high-stakes situations.
If you could offer one piece of advice to future leaders, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to operate in ambiguity and trust your instincts. Many of the roles I’ve taken on didn’t come with a roadmap, which pushed me to learn quickly, ask better questions, and build from the ground up. That’s where growth happens. And above all: put people first. No strategy succeeds without strong, aligned, and motivated teams.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of La Royale Group?
I’m genuinely excited about the momentum we’re building. We’ve laid a strong foundation with a clear vision, aligned teams, and better tools in place. The next phase is about scaling that impact, by deepening collaboration across business units and unlocking new opportunities across sectors. I’m thrilled to be part of a team that’s ambitious, values-driven, and focused on building something lasting.
About La Royale Group
La Royale Group builds and scales future-focused businesses across high-growth sectors, including fintech, gaming tech, and marketing. Backed by deep operational expertise and a disciplined approach, we drive long-term value to power growth for the future.