Nicole Rodrigues Larsen

Early life and education

Nicole Rodrigues Larsen was born and raised in Mumbai, India. At a nascent age of 16, Nicole started her career in modelling. 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 graced 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 segree in Owners President Management from Harvard Business School, USA.

Career

In 1995, Rodrigues Larsen moved to Bahrain when she began working for Gulf Air. There she met her husband, 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. As a founder and CEO of the group, Nicole single-handedly challenged the traditional norms of this male dominant industry. She built her company on exemplary values and trust which chartered a golden pathway to success. The agency started gaining popularity and soon became one of the most sought after modelling agencies in the Middle East. In 2004, there was a boom in the tourism and real estate sector, Nicole sensed an opportunity to be capitalized and entered the real estate industry by launching Diva Holdings. The company manages and maintains 37 prestigious properties around the globe.

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 Salon and Diva Laundry. Both companies created a synergy between their existing company Diva Modelling and Events which opened up a new avenue for revenue.

Business Overview

Diva Group of Companies operates 5 divisions: fashion and events, real estate, IT salon and laundry.

Diva Modelling and Events

Diva Modelling and Events was established in 2003 that manages a portfolio of over 17,000 individuals. It provides top class models, hostesses, entertainers, and promotional staff for events. It is a multi-dimensional integrated platform that provides services right from ideation of the concept, styling, portfolio shooting, training and production to managing an extensive range of fashion, media and marketing events. Diva Modelling and Events has witnessed phenomenal growth over the years and evolved with the changing trends of the fashion industry. Some of the most prestigious clientele include Unilever, Valentio, Missoni, Philip Morris, Jumeirah International, Du and Joy Allukas.With all major brands and corporates in the UAE under its kitty, Diva Modelling and Events has expanded to other emerging markets like Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, India and Pakistan. The company is steadily establishing a strong foothold across the world.

Dubai Holdings

Owing to the augmented growth in tourism and real estate industry in the UAE, Nicole sensed an opportunity within these sectors and purchased off-plan properties from Emaar’s The Springs project- thus marking the establishment of Dubai Holdings in 2006. The company managed to sail through the slump in the market and thrive during the recession. With a property portfolio of a whopping 37 major investments across UAE, USA and UK, Dubai Holdings has expanded and grown exponentially. The company manages and maintains these prestigious properties.

NM Investments

An in-house need for customized financial services paved way for NM Investments. Established in 2010, NM Investments provides consulting and financial advisory services to small businesses and SME’s. With a rise in the trend of companies adopting to outsource their financial and investment needs, NM Investments serves as an ideal partner that provides accounting, investment and IT related services. The firm also provides content and training for international finance examinations like CPA and ACCA.

Diva Beauty Salon

An intent to synergise the businesses ideated the launch of Diva Beauty Salon. It added a vital element to Diva Modelling and Events and created a new revenue stream for the Diva group. Diva Beauty Salon was conceived to provide an extensive range of beautifying and relaxation services to rejuvenate and refresh your body and soul. Equipped with state-of-the-art techniques and equipment, Diva Beauty Salon is the first celebrity salon in Dubai. The services have been designed to pamper a wide range of clientele who are always looking for the most tempting selection of beauty and relaxation therapies. Whether you are a working professional, homemaker or a teenager, Diva caters to the needs of clients with an array of assorted services.

Diva Laundry

The Diva Group diversified into laundry business by launching Diva Laundry. Diva Laundry has earned the reputation of being the only high-tech, low-cost laundry and dry cleaning service provider in the UAE. Whether it is the everyday wear, fine garments, professional uniforms, linens, bedding or carpets, Diva Laundry has a cleaning solution for every fabric. The company is equipped with leading cutting edge equipment and deploys environmentally-friendly deep cleansing techniques. It also has a dedicated collection and delivery service team. Diva Laundry is affiliated to the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute which is the industry’s top professional body. Since every garment is treated with utmost care by implementing sophisticated cleaning practices, the company is gaining immense popularity in the UAE.

Personal life

Nicole is blessed with a son, Victor (9) and a daughter, Victoria (12) who are currently pursuing their education in Europe. She lives in Dubai.

Awards

2015 CPI- Stars of Business SME 100

2015 Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards - Outstanding Category

2015 Colours UMA show Award

2014 Forbes Top Indian Leaders in the Arab World

2014 Female CEO of the year - CEO Awards

2014 Women Helping Women

2014 Top SME 100 Awards

2013 Fashion TV Paris

2013 Great Women Awards

2013 Tag heuer- Celebrity

2013 Forbes-100 Most Powerful List

2013 Top SME 100 Award

2013 Arabian Business-100 Most Powerful List

2012 Hot 100

2012 Best in Dubai

2012 Indian Achiever in Business (female) - Masala Awards

2012 Dermalogica ME retailers

2012 Arabian Business-100 Most Powerful List

2011 Top SME 100 Award

2011 Hot 100 Entrepreneurs

2011 ADCB SME – Star of business - Industry achievement- people’s choice

2011 Arabia 500- Top fastest growing companies in the ME region

2010 Hot 100- Style Icon

2009 Hot 100- Home