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Nour Abida

@nourabida_

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▪️Multilingual Award winning Senior Journalist, for @bbcworldservice
▪️BBC Global Women in News Co-Lead
▪️2026 @francobritishcouncil Young Leader

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This week, I was invited to speak at the University of Oxford (ranked the best university in the world by Times Higher Education for the 9th time) with @natjimenezmar. Our conference was about reclaiming memory and belonging through documentary.

Screening The Homecoming in front of some of the brightest academics at Oxford felt surreal. Like all the other screenings, It was a moment I never thought would happen, especially when I think back to those years commuting from London to Coventry and Birmingham for 5am breakfast shifts, working as a waitress, teaching French.

Back then, it felt like the grind would never end. But this experience showed me that with dedication, $$ and an immense support system it is possible. I only got to where I am today because of the incredible people who took the time to guide me, mentor me, and show me the way. I’ve been lucky to learn from some of the very best in the business. And of course thanks to all the contributors who trusted us to tell their stories because none of this would be possible without them.

The audience was incredible, curious, thoughtful, and asking big, important questions that challenged me in the best way.

And it really made me reflect: in this crowded, noisy market, community is everything.

With so much content out there, I feel that building real, meaningful connections has become essential. For me, in-person screenings and authentic audience engagement aren’t just nice-to-haves anymore but they’re crucial. It’s not enough to just publish content and hope for the best. I’ve been enjoying showing up, listening and create space for people to connect.

After the talk, a few academics came up to me. They said they were in awe of the documentary and how it told a powerful story. They saw how storytelling through film can be a way to bring people together, spark new ideas, and make complex topics feel human and real using a different medium than research papers.

Huge thanks to Dr Peter Brooke for moderating the conversation so effortlessly and for inviting us. Thank you to the African Studies Centre, @oxunistudents and @oxford_uni for making this possible. And @essieeats_ & @anushainwonderland 🤍 taken in University of Oxford by @nourabida_

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a year ago

Last speaking engagement of the year, and this one was truly special for so many reasons. I had the pleasure of being invited onto @bbc1xtra to chat with @richiebrave and Nathalie Jimenez about The Homecoming, our documentary that explores what drives some people to leave the countries they were born in to reconnect with their roots.

What’s been particularly touching is that while the documentary focuses on French people of African descent, it has resonated with people all around the world who relate to the emotions shared by our contributors. And honestly, 1Xtra was the perfect place to have this conversation. As a leading voice for Black British identity, it represents the culture, music, and voices of the Black British community, making it the ideal platform to highlight themes of belonging and reconnection. Also got to meet @harm_kay who has been working to promote Ghana’s tourism and videographer @dhovision.

But what made this experience even more special was that the producer on the night was my sister, @hannah_ajala. I still remember when we first met while working on one of my very first BBC programmes. I was so new, so shy, and didn’t know anyone yet. Then Hannah sent me a message on our internal work app asking if I wanted to grab lunch. It completely made my day, and we’ve been friends ever since. She’s one of my biggest inspirations—so resilient and driven. Whenever I need a boost of motivation, I think of her TED Talk (How to Be Positively Delusional—it’s on YouTube, go watch it!). We’ve been through so much together: from having our pitches turned down to producing live radio, and I even had the privilege of attending her beautiful wedding. Watching her flourish, both professionally and personally, is such a joy and an inspiration ✨

Thank you so much to our publicist Esther Ogola for making it happen.

Photo and video credit: @kennytranproductions

#bbcafricaeye #documentary #filmmaking taken in BBC Radio 1Xtra by @nourabida_

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2 years ago

Can’t believe it’s already been two weeks since the premiere of our documentary and our first screening in London organised by the amazing staff network GWIN (Global Women in News). Taking part in their leadership changed my life and broadened my horizons.

Thank you to my amazing producer Nathalie who is the brain behind the whole doc and to Liz Gibbons, the head of Longforms and investigation at the BBC and who moderated the Q&A.

It was so amazing to see so many people show up at the event and also online and ask so many thoughtful and thought provoking questions.

Photo credit:

Giovanni Bello Neto and @kennytranproductions

And special thanks to Julie and the Gwin team who put together this amazing screening - was so blown away by the decor - they even planned some popcorn 🍿 taken in BBC Broadcasting House by @nourabida_

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2 years ago

Loved hearing from Alejandro González Iñárritu about Digger.

There’s something special about speaking to a director about their own film. You get to hear what was behind the choices: what they hoped you’d notice, what they wanted you to feel, and the ideas that might stay with you after the credits roll. It gives you a whole new way into the film.

And then I got to speak to Maggie, the almost-dead cat. If I looked a little uncomfortable, it’s because I was. I’ve had the chance to speak to so many fascinating people in my career, but I never thought a cat would be one of them 😹 by @nourabida_

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4 days ago

Fourteen years ago this month, I arrived in the UK without knowing anyone, ready to build a new life in a country where English was not my first language.

I could never have imagined that, 14 years later, I would be named one of the Top 20 Future Leader Role Models in the 2026 HERoes Role Model Lists, supported by @youtube ✨

This recognition means so much because the journey has not always been easy. There have been setbacks, uncertainty and moments of self-doubt but also the determination to keep going.

Throughout my career, I have used journalism, storytelling and mentoring to amplify underrepresented voices, open doors for others and help create a more inclusive media industry.

Over the past year, I’ve also had the privilege of co-leading Global Women in News, a network of more than 2,000 journalists around the world. It makes this moment even more special to share the list with my brilliant co-lead, Julie Yoonnyung Lee. 💚

I now understand that leadership isn’t about titles. It is about challenging systems that exclude people, creating space for others and helping them rise with you with compassion, service and kindness.

I’m incredibly proud to be recognised alongside so many trailblazing women. Fourteen years later, this feels like a beautiful reminder of how far that young woman who arrived in the UK has come.

Thank you so much to @involve.people and @youtube.

And thank you so much to @behindtheerg and @emergeerg for all the support and lifting me up towards the light ✨

I am usually the first person to notice everything I could have done better, and the last to acknowledge how far I have come. But today, I want to pause and look back at the 17-year-old girl who arrived here alone, knowing no one, carrying more hope than certainty and learning to find her voice in a language that was not her first. I want to tell her: you kept going. You built a life, found your voice and used it to create space for others. Today, I am deeply proud of her and, for once, I am deeply proud of myself.

Photo credit: @stefania.okereke @visualsbystefy by @nourabida_

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18 days ago

I was told my research was “groundbreaking” and that it hadnt been done through that lense yet. Scroll to the last page to find out why my research might survive the end of time ✨

I gave my first academic talk in a room full of systems thinkers. No pressure 😅

At Metaphorum 2026, a conference marking 100 years since Stafford Beer’s birth, I asked: can his ideas help save journalism?

Beer was a British thinker who studied how organisations survive and adapt in complex environments. He created the Viable System Model, a framework for understanding how organisations coordinate, learn and respond to change.

My argument was that this framework can help journalism, but it cannot give us the whole picture. We must also consider different perspectives, power and who might be excluded.

This is why diversity matters. People with different experiences notice different risks, ask different questions and understand communities others may overlook.

A newsroom that lacks diversity does not simply risk being less representative. It risks becoming less intelligent.

We then turned the room into a live newsroom, with participants responding to everyday pressures and an overwhelming crisis.

After studying systems thinking alongside journalism for the past year and a half, sharing this work felt like a huge milestone.

And if approved, the research may even enter the Arctic World Archive basically, the digital doomsday vault and survive the end of the world how cool would that be😂

And of course thanks to @anushainwonderland for all her support and encouragement when I was freaking out about this 🤍✨ by @nourabida_

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19 days ago

Sometimes you just need a little bit of « Practical Magic » really enjoyed hearing from some of the cast of Practical Magic 2 🪄 by @nourabida_

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a month ago

I recently delivered a storytelling masterclass to more than 90 CMOs chief marketing officers and communications professionals from more than 20 countries across Africa ✨

After more than a decade in international journalism, telling successful stories and working on community projects, I wanted to share some of my learnings.

And yes, sometimes a story’s reach can be completely organic. But long before a story comes to life, there are often things we spend a lot of time thinking about: Who is the audience? What’s the angle? Why now? What’s the strongest headline? What format will tell it best? Do we have compelling visuals or unique access? And ultimately, what do we want people to take away from it?

During the session, I explored how you can tell better stories to create more impact and captivate your audience from understanding who you’re actually speaking to and finding the right angle, to choosing the right format and platform for your story.

Your turn • What’s the last story that made you stop scrolling or hit share? And more importantly, what was it about the story that got your attention? Write it in the comments 🪸 : Promotional graphic for “Better Stories, Bigger Impact: How to Captivate Your Audience” featuring a portrait of Nour Abida in a black turtleneck. Text introduces Nour as a Senior Journalist at the BBC and describes a session sharing practical storytelling techniques for capturing attention, connecting with audiences and creating impact. by @nourabida_

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2 months ago

Nour Abida on the red carpet in Cannes 🦁 ✨

If you would have told this to my 17 year old sad self who was leaving France she wouldn’t have believed it. Life keeps surprising me.

Still processing the creativity and brilliance I witnessed at Cannes Lions. All the creative work was mind blowing as well as meeting some beautiful people and getting so many insights from the industry. More to come on this.

Moments like these remind me how powerful storytelling can be and I never take for granted the privilege of being in spaces like this, not only for the opportunity itself, but also as recognition of the work, expertise, and perspective I bring.

Thank you @emergeerg and Ed for making this possible 🤍 taken in Festival de Cannes by @nourabida_

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3 months ago

Day one as a journalist, Dan Thomas pitched a story… and watched his editor toss it straight in the bin. 🗞️🗑️

Fast forward to today, and he’s the Global Media Editor at @financialtimes, leading global coverage of advertising, technology, publishing and the evolving business of content and a trusted voice on how AI, digital transformation and audience trust are reshaping the industry.

At Cannes Lions, I sat down with Dan for a fireside chat at the @financialtimeslive Nikkei FT Teahouse on the evolving role of global media, how leaders navigate culture, influence and credibility in a rapidly changing information landscape.

We talked about the complex media landscape from how OpenAI and Anthropic are changing the way audiences search and consume news, to what actually makes a story “break through” versus just being good.

In this clip, he shares the 3 top tips to pitch a story:

1️⃣ Pitch to the right person: not everyone, not every desk

2️⃣ Stay agile: if it doesn’t land, slice it, reshape it, find another angle

3️⃣ Stay curious and grow thick skin - proven on day one, when his editor binned his very first pitch

Watch the full clip for more.

Thank you so much to @lifeatft, @emergeerg, and the Brilliant Dan and @chewheatley for this great conversation.

#CannesLions #CannesLions2026 #Journalism #FinancialTimes #MediaLeadership taken in Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity by @nourabida_

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3 months ago

✨ Excited to share that I’ve been selected as part of this year’s @emergeerg cohort at @cannes_lions ✨

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity brings together some of the most creative minds in the world, so it’s an honour to be part of the conversation.

I’m an award winning multilingual journalist, storyteller, and media strategist passionate about building bridges between cultures and turning complex global stories into narratives that connect, engage, and create impact 🌍

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing incredible voices such as Robert De Niro, Lady Gaga, Zendaya, and Margot Robbie, reporting across Europe and Africa, and producing stories that amplify underrepresented voices.

I’ll also be available throughout the festival for panel discussions, speaking engagements, and conversations around storytelling, media, representation, and global audience engagement 🎤

If you’re heading to Cannes, let’s connect 🤝

Photo credit: @stefania.okereke taken in Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity by @nourabida_

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4 months ago

Just wrapped up the 2026 @francobritishcouncil Young Leaders seminar, and I’m leaving with a mind full of ideas, questions, and reflections. We were invited at Hotel de Matignon (the French Downing Street), the British Embassy in Paris, l’école des mines, the Pasteur Institute & Université Paris- Cité.

Over the past few days, it was a real privilege to engage with an extraordinary cohort spanning counterterrorism, diplomacy, media, art, beauty, science, medicine, quantum physics, trade, the military, and more. Bringing together people operating at the highest level in such varied fields created something quite rare: the opportunity to think beyond our silos and learn from one another.

One of my biggest takeaways was the growing necessity of collaboration across sectors. Many of today’s challenges from geopolitical instability to healthcare crises to technological disruption can no longer be understood, let alone solved, through a single lens.

Again and again, one idea surfaced: innovation is not only about changing what we do, but rethinking how we think.

We explored the importance of multidisciplinary teams, organisational adaptability, the future of politics, crisis management, and the need to prepare future generations for an AI-shaped world; not simply by teaching students how to use AI, but by helping them think critically, ethically, and creatively alongside it.

Another reflection I’m leaving with is the importance of representation. In spaces where ideas, policy, and the future of international relationships are being shaped, who is in the room matters. Not only in terms of visible diversity, but also in terms of the histories, lived experiences, and perspectives people carry with them.

I was also reminded that some parts of our shared history particularly colonial histories and their lasting legacies can still feel difficult to fully confront or openly discuss. Yet these histories continue to shape the present, whether explicitly or implicitly. taken in Paris, France by @nourabida_

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4 months ago