What It Takes to Build, Invest, and Lead: Lessons from Glow by Citron’s CEO

Sara Chemmaa is a founder and former venture capital and strategy executive with deep experience across consumer brands, technology, media, and large-scale corporate transformation.

She is the Founder and CEO of Citron and its next evolution, Glow by Citron – globally distributed lifestyle brands designed for modern families and active, on-the-go lives. Her entrepreneurial journey began in 2017 after becoming a mother and struggling to find mealtime products that were safe, functional, and well designed. What started as a personal solution evolved into a globally recognized brand.

To date, Citron has sold in excess of 1.5 million products across multiple categories and segments, spanning babies, children, and young adults. Today, the brand operates in 49 countries, is stocked in 1,000+ retail locations, and is trusted by families worldwide. Known for its thoughtful design, safety standards, and functionality, Citron has become a category leader in family lifestyle essentials.

As her children grew older and their routines evolved, Sara expanded the brand ecosystem with Glow by Citron. Originally created with her own children in mind, Glow naturally grew alongside them into teenage years, sports, travel, and busier schedules. Designed for school mornings that turn into workouts, pilates sessions, padel matches, and long travel days, Glow delivers elevated hydration and lifestyle products that move seamlessly through every part of the day – while remaining rooted in Citron’s core values of safety, quality, and design.

Before founding Citron, Sara built her career in investment banking, management consulting, and corporate strategy. She worked at Société Générale in investment banking before joining McKinsey & Company, where she advised senior leadership teams on strategy, growth, and operational transformation.

She later joined MBC Group, where she held senior roles across corporate strategy and investments, and served as Co-Head of MBC Ventures, the group’s venture capital arm. In this capacity, she led and evaluated early- and growth-stage investments across technology, media, digital platforms, and consumer-facing businesses. Alongside her VC role, she worked closely with group leadership on IPO readiness, global expansion initiatives, and M&A activities, contributing to complex, large-scale strategic decisions.

Sara holds an MSc in Economics and Finance and brings a rare combination of financial rigor, strategic vision, and emotional intelligence to both investing and brand building. Known for her hands-on leadership style, creativity, and sharp commercial instinct, Sara builds businesses the same way she lives her life – with energy, intention, and balance. Outside of work, she can often be found on the padel court, at sunrise Pilates, traveling, spending time with her children, or experimenting behind the DJ decks.

Through her work as a founder and former investor, Sara Chemmaa builds brands that scale with purpose, evolve with real life, and create long-term value across consumer and technology ecosystems. To stay updated, visit Glow by Citron here https://glowbycitron.com/ and get social via https://www.instagram.com/glowbycitron/