Merna Islam

Merna Islam

Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff

December 2024

December 2024

As Chief of Staff at Founders Arm, I handle contracts and operations, manage payroll, oversee social media, track hiring needs, and support the CEO with scheduling and priorities.

As Chief of Staff at Founders Arm, I handle contracts and operations, manage payroll, oversee social media, track hiring needs, and support the CEO with scheduling and priorities.

Can you tell us a bit about your work and what your day to day looks like?

My day-to-day is always a little different since Founders Arm is a startup and things change quickly. But usually, I’m juggling client work and team operations. I draft contracts, proposals, and invoices while keeping an eye on stats to make sure we’re filling high-demand roles. I also run our social media, whether it’s posting job ads or just keeping the company voice alive online. On top of that, I help Rayyan, our CEO, structure his days and make sure everything is aligned and ready for him. I also handle internal ops, from payroll to quick creative projects with the team.

What are you currently excited about for the next year?

I’m excited to grow with the company while also watching it evolve into the billion-dollar company it’s meant to be ;)

What can we catch you doing outside of work?

I’m kind of a nerd, so you’ll usually catch me reading, exploring some type of exhibition, learning new things (whether it’s a language or even a random party trick), or traveling. And a couple months ago, I also picked up piano as a new hobby.

What has been the highlight working at founders arm/your client so far?

The highlight has definitely been meeting some of the team (Rayyan, Khulud, and Rawan) in real life. It was such a surreal experience to meet people from different countries, people I probably never would’ve crossed paths with if it wasn’t for Founders Arm. Getting to show them around Egypt and realizing how much we all support and care for each other was definitely my “highlight of the year” kind of moment.

  • Meeting Rayyan & Khulud for the first time in Egypt (showing them around the Pyramids was actually an insane experience)!

  • My favourite form of summer therapy.

  • Just a random street I stumbled upon in Istanbul this summer (roaming the streets of foreign countries brings me joy)!

  • Meeting Rayyan & Khulud for the first time in Egypt (showing them around the Pyramids was actually an insane experience)!

  • My favourite form of summer therapy.

  • Just a random street I stumbled upon in Istanbul this summer (roaming the streets of foreign countries brings me joy)!

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Starting at $2,500/mo

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© 2025 Founders Arm. All rights reserved.

We help startups hire cracked offshore talent.

© 2025 Founders Arm.
All rights reserved.

We help startups hire cracked offshore talent.

© 2025 Founders Arm. All rights reserved.