Zulekha Haywood is an American business professional and only child of supermodel business woman, Iman, and former NBA player, Spencer Haywood. She was born on the 5th of July, 1978 and has decided not to follow her parents in the modelling or professional sports career. Zulekha’s has held business analysis, account management, demand planning, procurement, and other roles within operations. She has also been an open advocate of a significant personal health change after dealing with weight issues since she was a child. At 48 years old in 2026, Zulekha lives a fairly private life, focused on her career and family.
Who is Zulekha Haywood?
Zulekha Haywood was born into a famous family and has kept a low profile as a corporate professional. She’s the daughter of Somali-American model and entrepreneur Iman and basketball legend Spencer Haywood.
Instead of entertainment, Zulekha turned to education, building up her experience in business analysis and corporate operations. She has also created a family life that is away from the spotlight of the media.
| Aspect | Details |
| Full Name | Zulekha Haywood |
| Nickname | Zu |
| Profession | Business Analyst, Accountant, Demand Planner, Corporate Professional |
| Date of Birth | July 5, 1978 |
| Age (2026) | 48 Years Years old |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Hometown | Raised in the United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Not publicly detailed |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Education | Mercy High School; Michigan State University |
| Marital Status | Married to Jason Young |
Zulekha Haywood Age(As of 2026)
Zulekha Haywood’s birthday is July 5th, 1978. She is 48 years old in 2026. Her zodiac sign is a cancer.
Physical Appearance, Fitness & Lifestyle.
Zulekha has shared publicly her years-long struggle with weight and the physical and emotional toll it took on her. She underwent weight-loss surgery and made significant lifestyle changes afterward, which she has spoken about in personal narratives about how it changed her health and sense of self.
In a televised interview on TODAY.com, Zulekha discussed her lifelong battle with weight and shared that she lost approximately 170 pounds through her transformation journey
Family Background
Zulekha is Iman and Spencer Haywood’s only child. Her father and mother were married in 1977 and divorced in 1987.
They divorced and a custody battle ensued, with Haywood having primary custody. Zulekha had links with both sides of her family, but stayed away from the entertainment industry to a large extent.
She also has half-siblings from her parents’ other relationships: on her father’s side, half-sisters Nikiah, Isis, and Shaakira; and on her mother’s side, a half-sister, Alexandria Zahra Jones — Iman’s daughter with the late musician David Bowie, whom Iman was married to until his death in 2016. She also has a step-brother, Duncan Jones, David Bowie’s son from a previous relationship.
Early Life, Education & Rise to Success
Born into the spotlight of her two famous parents, Zulekha made her way out of the spotlight. She chose to go off the career path of her parents, which were modeling and professional basketball, and instead attended school and went into business.
She graduated from Mercy High School, and then went on to study at Michigan State University, graduating with a degree in Human Resource Management.
Zulekha started her career with the work that is related to Iman Cosmetics. She then moved through a series of roles of administration, account management, revenue planning and planning for demand.
She went on to acquire business analysis, inventory, procurement, customer management and corporate planning skills.
Personal Life
Zulekha Haywood married Jason Young in 2016. The Youngs had their daughter Lavinia Rose Young in August 2017.
Zulekha has taught herself to live less like an actor or actress and more like a normal human being, which is all but her parents’ style of life. She has not been very open about her marriage, her children or her family life.
The fact that she has not highlighted her own presence in the public eye is a reflection of her desire not to be known by the public because of her family’s fame.
Zulekha Haywood Professional Career Highlights
Career at Iman Cosmetics
Zulekha Haywood joined Iman Cosmetics in her junior career as Executive Assistant/Account Manager. At this early stage, she got introduced to many different aspects of the business like sales, customer communication and business side of beauty industry.
Shift to Business Forecast and Analysis
The development of her career led her to the roles that are more business forecast, demand-side related and analytical. She was a Demand Analyst and Revenue Forecast Manager where business information was turned from data point sets into valuable insights on the customer demand, refining of planning and supporting revenue decision making.
Working at REPCO
Reports indicate that Zulekha has also worked with companies such as Jay Manuel Beauty, Taymark Inc., and Portu Sunberg, continuing to build her expertise in customer relationship management, demand analysis, inventory, and procurement planning.
Supply Chain Background
Gradually she became a specialist of a very dynamic segment which is supply chain operations. She performed many activities like inventory management, demand forecasting, procurement planning, vendor coordination all the while, which was the reason that different businesses kept efficient operational mechanisms.
Becoming a Consultant
Zulekha worked in the business sector and then turned to being an independent professional. She is able to tap her experience at the different levels of project coordination, operational planning, supply chain and business process activities for meeting different corporate needs.
Highlights
| Area | Details |
| Education | Michigan State University |
| Degree | Human Resource Management |
| Early Career | Roles at Iman Cosmetics |
| Professional Focus | Business analysis and corporate planning |
| Additional Experience | Demand planning, procurement and inventory |
| Personal Milestone | Major weight-loss transformation |
| Family | Married in 2016; daughter born in 2017 |
Interesting Facts
- Zulekha is one of the children of Iman and Spencer Haywood.
- She decided not to pursue a career in modeling or professional sports, but rather a career in the business world.
- She attended Michigan State University to get her degree in Human Resource Management.
- She has started her career with relation to Iman Cosmetics.
- She has had experience in business analysis, demand planning, and corporate operations.
- As part of her big fat loss journey, she had to undergo gastric bypass surgery.
- In 2016, she married Jason Young.
- She became a mother to daughter Lavinia Rose Young in 2017.
Zulekha Haywood Net Worth (As of 2026)
The daughter of supermodel Iman and former NBA star Spencer Haywood, Zulekha Haywood has been quietly establishing her own separate financial empire and her net worth is currently estimated to be $4 million. She has developed a successful corporate career as a business analyst, accountant and corporate strategist, not just because of her family’s fame, but through her own abilities. Throughout the years, she has held several executive level positions with her mother’s company, Iman Cosmetics, and as a business analyst, had the opportunity to lead strategic account management with large companies.
Social Media Presence
Zulekha Haywood has had a fairly quiet social media career. She’s not a big fan of the “influencer lifestyle”, and she’s not one of those influencers who post a lot about her family.
Her online presence is minimal and reflects her overall demeanor of maintaining privacy and choosing to pursue a career outside of the entertainment industry.
Conclusion
Zulekha Haywood has carved out her own niche as a person of fame apart from her parents, Iman Haywood and Spencer Haywood. She was surrounded by fashion and professional basketball growing up, but chose education and corporate business as her career path.
She has held roles ranging from business analysis, demand planning, to account management and procurement. Zulekha has also experienced a massive personal health change and created a private family life with her husband and child.
In 2026, at the age of 48, Zulekha is still a relatively unknown entity, with a career that is independent, resilient and chooses to stay away from the spotlight.
FAQs
Zulekha Haywood is an American business professional and sole child of supermodel Iman and former NBA player, Spencer Haywood.
She is 48 years old in 2026.
Yes. In 2016 she married Jason Young and they have one daughter named Lavinia Rose Young.
She has held corporate roles in business analysis, demand planning, account management, procurement and related roles.
She’s most famously the daughter of Iman and Spencer Haywood, and has had a successful solo career in the corporate world.
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