I’m a senior digital strategist and brand builder with 10+ years of experience working with global brands across fashion, beauty, and tech, including Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Samsung, and Beiersdorf. I help brands translate their identity into clear, high-performing strategies across content, media, and digital ecosystems. My work sits at the intersection of growth and storytelling — combining performance marketing with strong brand thinking. I’ve led regional strategies across the Middle East, Europe, and emerging markets, bringing a deep understanding of consumer behavior, cultural nuances, and what actually drives engagement today. Whether it’s shaping a brand narrative, building a content strategy, or scaling digital performance, I focus on clarity, impact, and execution that delivers results.

Serena M. Cestra

I’m a senior digital strategist and brand builder with 10+ years of experience working with global brands across fashion, beauty, and tech, including Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Samsung, and Beiersdorf. I help brands translate their identity into clear, high-performing strategies across content, media, and digital ecosystems. My work sits at the intersection of growth and storytelling — combining performance marketing with strong brand thinking. I’ve led regional strategies across the Middle East, Europe, and emerging markets, bringing a deep understanding of consumer behavior, cultural nuances, and what actually drives engagement today. Whether it’s shaping a brand narrative, building a content strategy, or scaling digital performance, I focus on clarity, impact, and execution that delivers results.

Available to hire

I’m a senior digital strategist and brand builder with 10+ years of experience working with global brands across fashion, beauty, and tech, including Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Samsung, and Beiersdorf.

I help brands translate their identity into clear, high-performing strategies across content, media, and digital ecosystems. My work sits at the intersection of growth and storytelling — combining performance marketing with strong brand thinking.

I’ve led regional strategies across the Middle East, Europe, and emerging markets, bringing a deep understanding of consumer behavior, cultural nuances, and what actually drives engagement today.

Whether it’s shaping a brand narrative, building a content strategy, or scaling digital performance, I focus on clarity, impact, and execution that delivers results.

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Experience Level

Expert
Expert

Language

English
Fluent
Italian
Fluent
Arabic
Intermediate
Spanish; Castilian
Advanced

Work Experience

Head of Digital Marketing at Beiersdorf Middle East
October 1, 2022 - October 1, 2025
Lead regional digital marketing strategy and cross-functional teams across high growth markets; Managed senior stakeholder relationships and complex decision-making; Oversaw growth and leadership development; Built psychologically safe team cultures; Mentored a team in stress management and resilience; Led internal wellbeing initiatives.
Senior Digital Marketer at Samsung, Kering (Gucci, Alexander McQueen) and L’Oréal
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2023
Led digital marketing strategy across luxury, beauty, and technology brands; Managed cross-functional teams in fast-paced, high-performance environments; Oversaw large-scale campaigns and ecosystems.
Life Coach for High-Performance Individuals at Self-Employed (da Group)
October 1, 2023 - Present
Provide one-to-one coaching for high-performance professionals and entrepreneurs; support clients with stress management, clarity of direction, and decision-making; promote emotional regulation and resilience.
Senior Digital Marketing & Growth at Samsung, Kering (Gucci, Alexander McQueen) and L’Oréal
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2023
Led digital marketing strategy across luxury, beauty, and technology brands; managed cross-functional teams; oversaw large-scale campaigns and complex stakeholder ecosystems.
Wellbeing Ambassador at Beiersdorf
October 1, 2022 - October 1, 2025
Represents employee wellbeing at organizational level; contributes to internal mental health initiatives; promotes a culture of sustainable performance; supports stress management and resilience initiatives.
Co-Founder & CMO at Sinda Group
January 1, 2026 - Present
Co-founded and led e-commerce, digital growth, and performance marketing; combined senior strategy with hands-on delivery to support brands and founders.
Regional Head of Digital & Omnichannel Strategy at Beiersdorf Group (NIVEA)
October 1, 2022 - January 31, 2026
Led regional digital and omnichannel strategy across MENA, India, Africa, and Turkey; drove growth and engagement for NIVEA.
Head of Digital & Omnichannel / E-commerce at Samsung
December 1, 2020 - October 1, 2022
Led cross-functional campaigns across GCC markets (Media, CRM, Influencers & Marketplace); increased online sales; managed a $10M media budget; launched influencer programs and AI initiatives.
Lead Digital Marketing & Merchandising at Gucci
February 1, 2016 - January 31, 2019
Led digital marketing and merchandising strategy; built and mentored regional teams; drove omnichannel growth for Gucci in Milan.
WW Digital Business Coordinator at Gucci
March 1, 2015 - February 1, 2016
Coordinated translation of business needs into product features; led CRM, SEO/SEM campaigns; created KPI dashboards; cross-functional collaboration.
Brand & Sustainability Lead at L'Oreal
March 1, 2014 - March 1, 2015
Led internal masterclasses educating employees on sustainability practices and the Net-Zero program; fostered a culture of environmental responsibility across the organization.
Event Board Speaker at E-commerce Days (Milan)
October 1, 2018 - Present
Speaker on e-commerce and digital transformation; engaged audiences across the industry.
Speaker / Interviewee – E-commerce Solutions Expert at McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company
January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2021
Participated in events and talks on e-commerce solutions and insights; knowledge-sharing with industry leaders.

Education

MBCT Instructor Certificate (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) at Oxford Mindfulness
October 1, 2025 - April 2, 2026
Science of Well-Being at Yale University
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Executive MBA at ESADE, Madrid
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2024
MSc International Management at SOAS, University of London
January 1, 2013 - April 2, 2026
Exchange Programme at Shanghai International Studies University
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011
Languages, Culture & Communication at Naples Eastern University
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2011
Oxford Mindfulness MBCT Instructor Certificate (part-time) at Oxford Mindfulness
October 1, 2025 - April 2, 2026
Science of Well-Being at Yale University
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Executive MBA at ESADE, Madrid
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2024
MSc International Management at SOAS, University of London
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2013
BA Languages, Culture & Communication at Naples Eastern University
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2011
Exchange Programme at Shanghai International Studies University / Shanghai Foreign Language University
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011
Executive MBA at ESADE, Madrid
January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024
MSc International Management at SOAS, University of London
January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013
BA Languages, Culture & Communication at University of Naples Eastern
January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2011
Exchange Programme at Shanghai International Studies University
January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011
Executive MBA at SOAS, University of London
January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024
MSc International Management at SOAS, University of London
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2013
BA Languages, Culture & Communication at Naples Eastern University
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2011
Exchange Programme at Shanghai International Studies University
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2011

Qualifications

MBCT Instructor Certificate
October 1, 2025 - April 2, 2026
Executive MBA
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2024
MSc International Management (SOAS)
January 1, 2013 - April 2, 2026
Exchange Programme
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011
Languages, Culture & Communication
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2011
Oxford Mindfulness MBCT Instructor Certificate (part-time)
October 1, 2025 - April 2, 2026
Yale University Science of Well-Being
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Certified Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Practitioner (MBCT)
October 1, 2025 - April 2, 2026
Oxford Mindfulness MBCT Instructor Certificate
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2026
Yale University – Science of Well-Being
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Scrum Master (Agile/Scrum Alliance)
January 1, 2019 - April 21, 2026
Product Owner
January 1, 2019 - April 21, 2026

Industry Experience

Professional Services, Media & Entertainment, Software & Internet, Education, Retail, Consumer Goods