{"id":71836,"date":"2026-07-20T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T05:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/?post_type=articles&p=71836"},"modified":"2026-07-14T19:21:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T15:21:08","slug":"katia-de-rahm-founder-of-dubai-based-wellness-space-akari","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/articles\/katia-de-rahm-founder-of-dubai-based-wellness-space-akari\/","title":{"rendered":"The GRAZIA Career Edit: Meet Katia de Rahm, Founder Of Dubai-Based Wellness Space Akari"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Katia
Photo: Supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Katia de Rahm (KDR) didn’t set out to build a wellness brand so much as answer a question she couldn’t shake: why do so many of us mistake exhaustion for normal, and collapse for rest?<\/p>\n

Her answer is Akari, the Dubai-based, science-led wellness space she founded as a direct response to modern burnout, hers included. Rather than choosing between the overly clinical and the overly spiritual, de Rahm built something deliberately in between: a place rooted in the science of nervous-system regulation and cellular repair, but warm, intuitive, and beautifully designed.<\/p>\n

In this edition of the GRAZIA career edit, she talks about the burnout that sparked Akari’s creation, the milestones that matter most to her, and what she hopes the next chapter looks like.<\/p>\n

My current role is\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Founder of Akari, a science-led wellness space in Dubai, and Bureau Safavid, an art consultancy focused on creating thoughtful, emotionally resonant spaces. Both businesses are deeply rooted in my belief that the environments we inhabit profoundly influence how we feel, think, and ultimately live.<\/p>\n

With Akari, I’m exploring that relationship through the lens of physiological wellbeing; with Bureau Safavid, through the emotional and aesthetic language of art. They feel like two expressions of the same conviction: that space is never neutral, and when designed with care, it has the power to restore us.<\/p>\n

When I was younger, I wanted to be\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: I was always drawn to creative worlds, the kind that felt layered and immersive. I loved art, storytelling, interiors, and psychology, even before I understood how those interests would eventually weave together in my career. I didn’t have a single, clear ambition so much as an instinct that I wanted to create experiences that moved people, made them pause and feel something. Looking back, that thread has run through everything I’ve built.<\/p>\n

\"Katia
Photo: Supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My favourite subjects at school were\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Art, literature, and history. I was endlessly fascinated by human behaviour, culture, and visual expression, the stories we tell, the symbols we create, the spaces we build to house meaning. I loved understanding why people throughout history chose to express themselves in particular ways, what drove certain movements, and how aesthetics reflected deeper psychological or social truths. Those subjects taught me to look closely, to question, and to see connections between seemingly unrelated things, and skills I rely on every day.<\/p>\n

My first job was\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Working within the cultural sector in Abu Dhabi, contributing to museum and arts initiatives at a time when the UAE was rapidly establishing itself as a global cultural destination. It was an extraordinary moment to be part of, a feeling that something significant was being built from the ground up. I learned so much about the intersection of art, architecture, and public experience, and about how cultural institutions can shape identity and community. That foundation has influenced everything I’ve created since.<\/p>\n

My career path so far has been\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Non-linear, but deeply intuitive. I started in the art world through consultancy and curation, helping collectors and institutions build meaningful collections and create spaces where art could be felt, not just seen. Over time, I became increasingly interested in how environments influence emotional wellbeing not just aesthetically, but physiologically. That curiosity eventually led me to wellness and the creation of Akari. In hindsight, the path makes sense; I’ve always been trying to understand how external spaces shape internal states. The mediums have shifted, but the question has remained the same.<\/p>\n

\"Katia
Photo: Supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The role the UAE has played in my career is\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Transformational. Dubai, in particular, gives people the ability to build ambitious ideas quickly, without the layers of bureaucracy or scepticism that can slow momentum elsewhere. It’s a place where creativity, entrepreneurship, and global perspectives collide. That environment continue to shape both my businesses. It taught me to think bigger, move faster, and trust that unconventional ideas can find a home here.<\/p>\n

The story of Akari is\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: A response to modern burnout, both my own and what I was seeing around me. I wanted to create a space that combines advanced wellness technologies with genuine emotional restoration, somewhere people can regulate their nervous systems, recover from chronic stress, and reconnect with themselves in a more intelligent, sustainable way. So many wellness offerings feel either overly clinical or overly spiritual, and I wanted something in between; rooted in science, but warm, human, and beautifully designed. Akari is an invitation to slow down in a city that rarely does, to treat recovery as seriously as we treat productivity.<\/p>\n

I was inspired to enter the wellness space because\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: I became increasingly interested in the relationship between stress, energy, and long-term health. The more I researched nervous system regulation, cellular repair, and the science of recovery, the more I realised how disconnected many people are from true restoration. We’ve normalised exhaustion. We’ve confused relaxation with collapse. I wanted to create something that addresses the root causes of depletion, not just the symptoms.<\/p>\n

My daily routine consists of\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Meditation first thing, it’s non-negotiable for my mental clarity followed by some mindful movement before I step into the rhythm of managing both businesses. My days are rarely predictable; I move between creative direction, client conversations, operational problem-solving, and strategic planning. I try to carve out pockets of stillness in a city that moves very fast, and I’m constantly reading, researching, and learning.<\/p>\n

My role as Founder entails\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Everything. From creative direction and long-term strategy to operations, partnerships, client experience, and team culture. Especially in the early stages of building a company, you wear every hat imaginable, sometimes within the same hour. It requires a kind of relentless adaptability. It’s demanding, but also deeply rewarding. There’s nothing quite like building something from nothing and watching it take shape.<\/p>\n

The biggest hurdle I’ve experienced in my career\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Learning to navigate uncertainty while continuing to move forward with conviction. Entrepreneurship teaches you resilience very quickly. I’ve had to become comfortable with not knowing, with making decisions before I have all the information, with trusting my instincts even when the path isn’t clear.<\/p>\n

The biggest milestone I’ve achieved is\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Creating spaces and businesses that genuinely impact how people feel. The numbers and accolades matter, of course, but what moves me most is witnessing transformation. Seeing someone walk into Akari exhausted, overwhelmed, disconnected and leaving feeling calmer, lighter, more present. Knowing that something I’ve built can offer people a moment of peace makes everything else worth it.<\/p>\n

A quote I live by is\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: “Protect your peace.” It sounds simple, but it’s actually radical. It means learning to say no. It means recognising what depletes you and creating distance from it. It means understanding that your energy is finite and how you spend it shapes your entire life.<\/p>\n

What I hope for 2026 is\u2026<\/h4>\n

KDR: Growth with alignment, personally and professionally. I want to continue building Akari thoughtfully, without compromising its integrity for speed. I want to expand its impact, reach more people, and create more conversations around preventative wellbeing and nervous system health. On a personal level, I want to feel as well as I’m helping others feel. I want my life to reflect the principles I’m building my businesses around: presence, balance, and genuine restoration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31739,"featured_media":71840,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[47,35],"yoast_head":"\nMeet Katia de Rahm, Founder Of Dubai Wellness Space Akari<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Katia de Rahm didn't set out to build a wellness brand so much as answer a question she couldn't shake: why do so many of us mistake exhaustion for normal, and collapse for rest?Her answer is Akari, the Dubai-based, science-led wellness space she founded as a direct response to modern burnout, hers included\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/me\/articles\/katia-de-rahm-founder-of-dubai-based-wellness-space-akari\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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