This glossary of 60 terms covers sovereign governance, ICF-compliant coaching and human capital, intended for executives of sovereign wealth funds, state institutions and family offices operating across the Arab World, Africa and internationally. It constitutes the terminological reference of Nana Zakia Heritage, a house of strategic advisory and executive governance coaching.
Last updated: March 2026 - 60 referenced terms
Authored by Nana Zakia - Strategic Advisory ▫ ICF Compliance ▫ UNDP Certification
A
- Strategic stewardship
- An intervention posture distinctive to Nana Zakia Heritage, combining Advisory (analytical expertise, sourced frameworks) and Coaching (a maieutic process aimed at the executive's decisional autonomy) within a confidential setting, adapted to the demands of sovereign governance. Distinguished from conventional consulting by its transformative dimension and from therapy by its grounding in strategic action.
- ADIA
- Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Sovereign wealth fund of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, one of the largest in the world with approximately 993 billion dollars in assets under management (2025).
- AICTO
- Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization. An organisation affiliated with the League of Arab States, dedicated to information and communication technologies across the Arab World.
- Decisional architecture
- The set of structures, processes and human competencies that determine the quality of strategic decisions within an organisation or a nation. A central concept in the Heritage Private Memoranda.
- See: MP-01, MP-04
B
- Executive burnout
- A state of physical, emotional and cognitive exhaustion resulting from a chronic overload of responsibilities and decisional demands. It manifests as degraded strategic judgement, diminished creativity and emotional withdrawal. In 2025, 71% of CEOs report a state of exhaustion (Cerevity).
- See: MP-05
C
- Cognitive load
- The accumulation of decisional, emotional and attentional demands weighing upon an executive on a daily basis. When it exceeds the regulatory capacity of the nervous system, it degrades strategic judgement.
- See: MP-05
- CNVC - Center for Nonviolent Communication
- A global organisation founded by Marshall B. Rosenberg, the sole body authorised to confer Nonviolent Communication (NVC) certification. Nana Zakia Heritage draws upon NVC principles under the designation "compassionate communication" without claiming this certification.
- NVC - Nonviolent Communication
- A communication methodology developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg in the 1970s, structured around four stages: observation without judgement, expression of feeling, identification of need, and formulation of a clear request.
- See: MP-06
- Governance coaching
- A maieutic process of executive accompaniment, compliant with the ICF Code of Ethics, aimed at strengthening self-awareness, decisional autonomy and the capacity for discernment under conditions of responsibility. Distinguished from Advisory (analytical expertise) in that it provides neither diagnosis nor prescription.
- See: all MPs and SNs
- CODIR - Management Committee
- A governance body convening the functional directors of an organisation, responsible for the operational implementation of the strategy defined by the COMEX.
- COMEX - Executive Committee
- The highest-level governance body, composed of the chief executive and principal collaborators, responsible for strategic direction.
- Compassionate communication
- A communication discipline grounded in empathy, non-judgemental listening and authentic expression, inspired by the work of Marshall B. Rosenberg. As practised by Nana Zakia Heritage, it is adapted to the contexts of elite governance and the cultural environments of the Arab World and Africa.
- See: MP-06
- Advisory (posture of)
- A posture of analytical expertise that provides a diagnosis, a reference framework and recommendations. Distinguished from Coaching, in accordance with the ICF Code of Ethics. Nana Zakia Heritage explicitly identifies its posture in each publication.
- COPIL - Steering Committee
- A project governance body charged with strategic oversight and validation of deliverables, convening key stakeholders.
- Cortisol
- A hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Under chronic overload, elevated cortisol levels reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex - the seat of strategic thinking and arbitration - thereby degrading the quality of executive judgement.
- See: MP-05
- Psychic burden
- The cumulative mental weight of responsibilities, unresolved arbitrations, latent conflicts and relational stakes bearing upon an executive beyond explicit demands. Distinguished from cognitive load (measurable, attentional) by its emotional and unconscious dimension. When it becomes chronic, it impairs strategic clarity before performance indicators register the decline.
- See: MP-05
| Criterion | Advisory | Coaching |
|---|---|---|
| Posture | Analytical expertise | Maieutic (questioning) |
| Deliverable | Diagnosis, recommendations | Awareness, autonomy |
| Direction of knowledge | From practitioner to client | From client to self |
| Ethical framework | Sector expertise | ICF Code of Ethics 2025 |
| NZH posture | Private Memoranda (MP) | Strategic Notes (SN) |
D
- Silent disengagement
- The first stage of withdrawal by a collaborator or executive: a downward adjustment in emotional, cognitive and relational investment, with no visible manifestation. It precedes actual departure.
- See: MP-03
- Dissensus (quality of)
- The capacity of members of a governance body to express constructive disagreement. An indicator of decisional health: a management committee in which dissensus has vanished is one in which collective judgement has withdrawn.
- See: MP-03, MP-06
E
- Extra-financial criteria integrated into investment decisions and governance. By 2026, the transition from voluntary commitment to regulatory compliance is established (EU AI Act, SB 253 California, ISSB/TCFD).
- See: MP-02, NS-01
- EU AI Act
- The European regulation on artificial intelligence (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), the first binding legislative framework in the world for AI systems. Progressive implementation between 2024 and 2026, with obligations on high-risk systems from August 2026.
- See: MP-02
F
- Family office
- A private structure dedicated to the management and governance of a family's wealth. Single family offices serve one family; multi-family offices pool services across several families.
- See: MP-04, NS-01
- Decision fatigue
- The progressive deterioration of an individual's decision quality as the number of decisions required increases. A systemic risk invisible to conventional dashboards.
- See: MP-05
- Sovereign wealth fund - SWF
- A state-owned and state-managed investment fund designed to deploy budgetary surpluses or commodity revenues within an intergenerational perspective. Global assets estimated between 13 and 15 trillion dollars (2025).
- See: MP-04
G
- Sovereign governance
- The set of principles, structures and practices by which a nation or institution steers its investment and resource-allocation decisions in the interest of present and future generations.
- See: MP-04
- GPTW - Great Place To Work
- An international organisation that evaluates and certifies workplace quality within enterprises, based on indicators of trust, pride and camaraderie.
H
- Family holding company
- A legal structure through which a family holds and governs a portfolio of assets - financial, real estate, industrial - within an intergenerational transmission framework.
- See: NS-01
I
- ICF - International Coaching Federation
- The foremost global organisation for the certification and regulation of the coaching profession. Author of the Code of Ethics (2025 edition) and the AI Coaching Framework and Standards (2025). ICF compliance entails the explicit distinction between Advisory and Coaching, respect for the coachee's autonomy and a posture of non-judgement.
- IFRS - International Financial Reporting Standards
- International accounting standards published by the IFRS Foundation, adopted in more than 140 jurisdictions. The IFRS Foundation also hosts the ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board), which sets ESG disclosure standards.
- IFSWF - International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds
- An international forum convening sovereign wealth funds from around the world. Author of the Santiago Principles (2008) and organiser of the annual Dialogue (Abu Dhabi 2025, Athens 2026).
- See: MP-04
- Contextual intelligence
- The capacity to read the cultural, political and relational codes of a given environment and to factor them into decision-making. A central governance competency in Arab World, African and multicultural contexts.
- See: MP-04, MP-05, NS-03
- ISSB - International Sustainability Standards Board
- A standard-setting body established by the IFRS Foundation, setting global sustainability and ESG disclosure standards for institutional investors.
M
- Maieutics
- The art of guiding a person towards the elaboration of their own answers through questioning, without providing diagnosis or prescription. A fundamental Socratic concept in ICF-compliant coaching. The central posture of Nana Zakia Heritage in its governance coaching interventions.
- Decisional maturity
- The capacity of an executive, an organisation or a nation to govern its strategic choices with discernment, autonomy and transmissibility. Distinguished from technical competence by its ethical, contextual and relational dimensions.
- See: MP-01, MP-04
- Arab World
- A civilisational and geographical space encompassing the nations of Arab language and culture. Primary area of engagement for Nana Zakia Heritage: Gulf (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain), Maghreb (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria).
- MP - Private Memorandum
- A Nana Zakia Heritage publication format: an in-depth, single-topic strategic analysis structured in four sections (diagnosis, reference framework, operational translation, regional dimension) plus a deontological summary. Dominant posture: Advisory.
N
- SN - Strategic Note
- A Nana Zakia Heritage publication format: a strategic questioning instrument addressed directly to the executive. Mixed Advisory/Coaching posture. Distinguished from the MP by its more challenging format and its explicit pivot towards inner questioning.
- NZH - Nana Zakia Heritage
- A strategic advisory and executive governance coaching house founded by Nana Zakia. Positioned since 2025 within the segment of the governing elite: sovereign wealth funds, state institutions, family offices - operating across the Arab World, Africa and internationally. ICF compliant. UNDP certified. Advisory capacity limited to twelve concurrent mandates. Brand register: sovereign distinction, the vocabulary of statecraft, restrained elegance.
O
- Neutral observer (posture of the)
- The capacity of an executive to suspend judgement, to perceive the multiple realities of a single situation, and to resist confinement within a binary framework (for/against, ally/adversary). A competency of strategic discernment, not of indecision.
- See: NS-03
- OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- An international organisation comprising 38 member countries, publisher of governance frameworks (Principles of Corporate Governance, Principles on Artificial Intelligence) used as methodological references in Heritage publications.
- OPCO - Skills Operator
- A body accredited by the French State, responsible for funding and supporting professional training. OPCO standards determine the eligibility of training and coaching programmes for corporate funding.
P
- Pacte Dutreil
- A French fiscal mechanism providing a 75% exemption on the value of transferred shares in the context of succession or gift, subject to conditions of collective conservation commitment and active management. Tightened by the 2026 Finance Act.
- See: NS-01
- Decisional patrimony
- The capacity for discernment, governance culture and ethical maturity of an executive or institution, regarded as a transmissible asset. A central concept of the Heritage philosophy: the sole patrimony that no technology can replicate.
- See: MP-04, NS-01
- PIF - Public Investment Fund
- The sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, one of the largest in the world with approximately 700 billion dollars in assets (2025). A pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.
- SME - Small and Medium-sized Enterprise
- An enterprise with fewer than 250 employees and annual turnover not exceeding 50 million euros (European definition).
- Santiago Principles
- A set of 24 voluntary principles of sound governance for sovereign wealth funds, adopted in 2008 by the IFSWF. Grounded in transparency, accountability and operational independence. Reaffirmed at the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (2025).
- See: MP-04
Q
- The sovereign wealth fund of Qatar, with approximately 450 billion dollars in assets under management (2025).
- QVCT - Quality of Working Life and Conditions
- An expanded framework of QVT integrating the material, organisational and managerial conditions of work. In the Heritage approach, QVCT is repositioned as an indicator of governance health - not as an HR policy.
- See: MP-02, MP-03, MP-05
- QVT - Quality of Working Life
- A concept designating the conditions under which employees perform their work and their perception thereof. Superseded in French law by QVCT since the ANI of 9 December 2020.
R
- Strategic cognitive regulation
- A set of practices (physiological, attentional, relational) aimed at restoring an executive's capacity for discernment under conditions of overload. Distinguished from simple stress management in that it addresses the cause (the quality of judgement) rather than the symptom (tension).
- See: MP-05
- RETEX - Lessons Learned Review
- A structured post-event or post-project analysis process aimed at capitalising on learning, identifying good practice and preventing the recurrence of errors.
- RNCP - National Register of Professional Certifications
- The official French register listing state-recognised certifications and diplomas, classified by qualification level.
- ROI - Return On Investment
- A ratio measuring the profitability of an investment. In executive coaching, the ICF and MetrixGlobal document a median ROI of 3 to 7 times the initial outlay.
- PR - Public Relations
- The body of communication actions aimed at managing the image and reputation of an organisation among its stakeholders.
S
- Decisional sovereignty
- The capacity of a nation, institution or organisation to govern its strategic choices autonomously, with clarity and transmissibility. It is not reducible to political or economic independence: it engages the maturity of judgement of those who decide.
- See: MP-04
T
- TCFD - Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
- A financial disclosure framework for climate-related risks, which has become the standard reference for institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.
- Turnover
- The rate of staff renewal. An indicator of an organisation's capacity to retain its talent. Enterprises with structured recognition programmes observe 31% lower turnover (WorldatWork).
- See: MP-03
- Adelphic succession
- The transfer of power, patrimony or responsibility between siblings within a ruling family or economic dynasty. A frequent mode of succession in Gulf monarchies and family holding companies of the Arab World. Distinguished from classical patrilineal succession (father to son) by its relational complexity: a multiplicity of claimants, latent rivalries, the absence of natural hierarchy. It requires an explicit governance framework to prevent the fragmentation of decisional capital.
- See: MP-04, NS-01
U
- UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
- The United Nations agency dedicated to international development. UNDP certification forms part of the accreditations held by Nana Zakia.
V
- VUCA - Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity
- A conceptual framework describing the permanent operational environment of internationally oriented organisations: market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty, systemic complexity, informational ambiguity.
- See: MP-01
W
- WEF - World Economic Forum
- An international organisation based in Geneva, publisher of the Future of Jobs Report (2025) and the Global Risks Reports. A recurring data source in Heritage publications on human competencies and the transformation of work.