About Zayera: A Global Path to Stockholm

Part 1

Personal

A Journey of Six Countries

My story is one of movement. Born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1974, my roots stretch across the Punjab and Kashmir regions, and my native language is Urdu. But if you ask where my sense of adventure comes from, I look to my parents — educators who weren’t afraid to cross borders.

From the age of four, I grew up in Nigeria, where my parents worked as college teachers. Those years (1978–1984) left me with vivid, fond memories of a vibrant culture that shaped my early worldview. When the political climate shifted, we moved again — this time to the quiet, academic streets of Lund, Sweden, where my father pursued his Ph.D. in Chemistry at Lund University.

I completed my primary and secondary education in Lund, attending Svenshögskolan, Fäladsgården, and Katedralskolan. Living across Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sweden by the age of ten taught me the most valuable skill I own: the ability to read a place deeply.

Why This Matters for You

Whether I am designing a digital service for a government agency or guiding you through the architectural history of Stockholm, I bring two decades of UX expertise and a multicultural lens to the table.

I see Stockholm as both an immigrant and a local — with the curiosity of an outsider and the intimacy of someone who truly belongs here. I don’t just show you the sites; I help you understand the connection between history, design, and daily life.

Part 2

Career

Designing for Humans: Education & UX

I’ve always been curious about how people think and how they interact with the world. This led me to a path in Cognitive Science at the University of Skövde (1994–1997) and later to a Master’s in Interaction Design at Malmö University (1998–2000).

I didn’t just want to build technology; I wanted to understand the „why“ behind it. After a stint as a research assistant at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (1997–1998), I stepped into the IT world in June 2000.

Why Design Matters to Me

What drives me is the belief that good design — whether it’s a digital product, an organizational process, or a personal development plan — can fundamentally improve people’s lives. I’ve seen it happen: a healthcare platform serving millions, a workplace intranet that transforms culture, a coaching conversation that unlocks career potential.

The Professional Nomad

My career in digital strategy and product development has been as international as my childhood. Over more than 20 years, my roles have spanned from Usability Specialist and Interaction Designer to UX Lead, Design Lead, and UX Manager. I’ve lived, worked, and „learned the moods“ of:

  • Zurich & Lausanne, Switzerland: Working with Swisscom and Orange Switzerland, where I mastered the German language and became fluent.
  • Amsterdam, Holland: Working with Forrester Research and diving into the Dutch way of living and working.
  • California, USA: Early projects with Vodafone, experiencing the heart of tech innovation.

Since 2008, I have called Stockholm home. Over the years since, I’ve led digital transformation projects for both major Swedish public institutions and private corporations.

What I Bring to a Project

My core capabilities include leading design teams, building design systems, conducting user research, facilitating workshops, implementing accessibility standards (WCAG), and measuring user experience impact — across industries including healthcare, e-commerce, public sector, telecom, enterprise software, and financial services.

Track record of impact50–500% improvements delivered across various metrics, in organizations of all sizes.
International perspectiveLed design teams across 5+ countries: Sweden, Norway, UK, Lithuania, and Romania.
Full-cycle experienceWorked across the entire product lifecycle — research, strategy, execution, launch, and optimization.
Human-centered approachEvidence-based, collaborative, results-oriented — balancing user needs with business goals.

Leadership, Coaching & Mentorship

In recent years, I have deepened my focus on the human side of design and organizational growth. I’ve completed leadership diplomas and a coaching certification, led cross-functional teams of more than 10 people, built comprehensive design systems from the ground up, and mentored around 20 professionals in their careers.

In 2018, I took professional development leave to formalize these leadership and coaching skills. That journey deepened my commitment to not just delivering great design outcomes, but also developing the people and teams who create them.

Zayera Tours

In summer 2026, I launched Zayera Tours, bringing everything above into one place: two decades of UX and strategy work, my life across six countries, and my deep knowledge of Stockholm. I now guide private tours through the city in English, Swedish, and German.

15 Years of Growing Skills

New roles, knowledge, and competencies I’ve explored since 2012.

  • 2012–2014

    Board member, Green Party Stockholm City; parliamentary candidate — first steps into political and civic leadership.

  • 2014

    Diploma in Documentary Research & Storytelling, Ölands Folkhögskola — learned research, filming, and editing, and made my first documentary films.

  • 2015

    Completed three more independent documentaries: Strawberries of Möja, Liberating Paradise, and Shagofta’s Challenge.

  • 2015–2019

    Lay Judge (Nämndeman), Svea Court of Appeal and Stockholm District Court — added judicial oversight to my civic work.

  • 2018

    Took professional development leave to formalize leadership skills — Foundation Diploma in Leadership, Långholmens Folkhögskola.

  • 2019

    Diploma in Coaching — began coaching professionals through career transitions and leadership development.

  • 2020–2023

    Advisory Council Member, Swedish Privacy Protection Authority (IMY) — brought UX and digital-rights thinking into public oversight.

  • 2022

    Advanced Diploma in Leadership, Långholmens Folkhögskola — deepened my leadership and organizational-development practice.

  • 2023

    Started writing on Medium; applied for and was selected to compete on Robinson.

  • 2023 (Aug–Sep)

    Filmed Robinson in Caramoan, the Philippines — 38 days of physical and mental endurance.

  • 2024

    Robinson aired on TV4, reaching up to 1.7 million viewers weekly — became a recognized public figure in Sweden.

  • 2026

    Launched Zayera Tours, combining two decades of UX and strategy work with my knowledge of Stockholm.

Part 3

Films & Writing

Storyteller & Creative Explorer

In 2014, I studied documentary filmmaking at Ölands Folkhögskola, learning research, storytelling, filming, and editing. Since then, I have made five independent documentary films, all self-financed — I handle the research, directing, filming, editing, and distribution myself:

See the full list of all my self-financed films on the Documentaries page.

Creative Explorer: Writing on Medium

Since 2023, I have written on Medium, where I describe myself as an alien vagabond roaming this green blue planet called Earth. I’ve published more than sixty essays there — personal reflections, travel stories, life in Sweden and the Nordics, LGBTQ+ perspectives, and stories from my time on Robinson.

I write about identity, belonging, culture, and what it means to live as a global citizen who has called several continents home. Writing has become how I process what I go through, connect with readers, and keep track of my own ongoing journey. I now have around 590 followers on Medium.

Part 4

Civic Engagement & Positions of Trust

I believe that belonging to a society means contributing to it. Over the last two decades in Sweden, I have committed myself to roles that safeguard integrity, champion equality, and uphold the judicial process.

Below is a summary of my past civic engagements and board memberships. While I am not currently holding any formal positions of trust, I am always open to new proposals where my experience in digital strategy and social advocacy can make an impact.

Justice, Privacy & Legal Oversight

With over 12 years of experience in the Swedish judicial system, I have worked to ensure transparency and fairness in our institutions.

  • Lay Judge (Nämndeman): Svea Court of Appeal (2015–2019) and Stockholm District Court (2013–2014).
  • Advisory Council Member: Swedish Privacy Protection Authority (IMY), 2020–2023.
  • Board Member: Swedish Security and Integrity Protection Board (SIN), 2015–2019.
  • Legal Guardian (God Man): Authorized by the Chief Guardian’s Office in Stockholm, 2020–2022.
  • Nominating Committee: Lay Judge selection for the Green Party (MP) Stockholm District, 2023.
  • Animal Ethics Committee: Stockholm District Court, 2019–2020.

Equity, Diversity & LGBTQ+ Advocacy

My activism is rooted in the belief that design — whether digital or social — must be inclusive from the ground up.

  • Stockholm Pride: Board Member (2016–2017) and lead for the Anti-Racism Working Group (2015–2016).
  • Interfem: Board Member and Chair of the Nominating Committee (2012–2014).
  • RFSL Stockholm: Nominating Committee (2014–2015).
  • Feministiskt Perspektiv: Board Chair and Member for the digital news magazine (2013–2015).
  • PMS Association (PMS-förbundet): Chairperson (2018–2019).
  • Menstrual Activism: Producer of documentaries and author of articles focusing on menstrual health and stigma.

Sustainability & Political Leadership

Combining environmental advocacy with strategic planning.

  • The Green Party (Miljöpartiet) Stockholm: Board Member, Stockholm City (2012–2014); Member of the Gender Equality Committee (2013–2015); Parliamentary Candidate (2014); developed the party’s comprehensive Equality and Diversity Plan.
  • Green Growth & Climate: Steering group member for the Climate Change Initiative (2012–2014).
  • Community Education: Circle leader for „Collective Housing and Co-living“ at Studiefrämjandet (2019).

Core Values in Action

My work across these sectors is driven by a consistent focus on:

  • Digital Integrity & Rights: Protecting the individual in an increasingly connected world.
  • Social Inclusion: Ensuring LGBTQ+ individuals and marginalized groups have a seat at the table.
  • Meaningful Participation: Moving beyond tokenism to create real, structural change.

Part 5

Robinson 2024: Sweden’s Original Survivor

In 2023, I competed on Robinson, Sweden’s version of Survivor, on TV4. Robinson is actually the original format — developed in 1994 and first produced in Sweden in 1997, three years before the American Survivor. My season was filmed in Caramoan, Philippines, in August and September 2023, and it aired from March 17 to May 26, 2024.

It was season 25, and the first time contestants were split by gender, with women on Team North and men on Team South. Anders Lundin, who had hosted the show years before, returned to host this season.

Media Exposure & Reach

The show reached a wide audience over its 11-week broadcast:

  • Broadcast nationally on TV4 (linear television) and TV4 Play (streaming).
  • Between 600,000 and 950,000 people watched live on TV4 each week.
  • Another 130,000 to 200,000+ watched on TV4 Play, consistently topping Swedish streaming charts.
  • Combined weekly reach: around 1.5 to 1.7 million viewers across all platforms.
  • 22 contestants competed for a 500,000 SEK prize.
  • My journey was covered in Filmtopp (opens in a new tab), Nyheter24 (opens in a new tab), and Fempers (opens in a new tab), and I documented it myself on Medium, YouTube, and social media.

My Journey

I lasted 38 days, until week 9 of 11. From day one, I struggled with performance anxiety I hadn’t expected. I was voted off Team North on day two, which sent me to the Borderlands, where I had to fight my way back through individual elimination challenges. What caught me off guard was how much the competition brought up old memories — I had witnessed and experienced corporal punishment as a child, and without realizing it, I started connecting physical challenges to punishment.

I kept going despite a lot of self-doubt, episode after episode. Fellow contestant Alexander Strandberg believed in me on the days I couldn’t believe in myself, and that mattered. It was hard on my body and mind — I didn’t drink or eat enough, which badly affected my thinking in the final weeks, and I was also managing menopause symptoms on top of everything else.

Watching it all back later, I was frustrated with myself for doubting my own abilities. But I’m also proud — I expected to be voted off in the first week, and I lasted almost six weeks. It taught me a lot about my own limits, my resilience, and why believing in myself matters. I still carry what I learned there into how I face challenges now.