Women In Leadership

Chairwoman, Shamsa Bint Suhail Award for Creative Women

Director, Rewaq Cultural Center

Carole Spiers

Chief Executive Officer

Carole Spiers Group

TV Anchor,

Emirates News – Dubai One TV

Viewpoint one:

InspireWhat is the secret to creating, developing and producing a greater number of leading women in business? Historically businesses have operated a ‘carrots’ and ‘sticks’ approach to get performance out of people. Today, we need to become leaders who inspire performance in people.

Viewpoint two: Innovate 

It is said that inactive leadership gets you nowhere, reactive leadership gets you in trouble, and overactive leadership gets you lost. Proactive leadership however, puts you in pole position every time. Leadership (and its battle field) is never static, and the ability to learn, adapt and innovate is key for the most successful women in business.

Viewpoint three: Influence

A great number of global authorities argue that leadership is nothing more than ‘trusted influence’. This year’s forum moves beyond merely defining a leader, to exploring the ability of a leader to influence others – those considered followers and those outside that space. You cannot have complete control over culture, society, politics and the working environment, but you can strive to influence them.

Her Excellency Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor

Wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Patron of the 2^nd Women in Leadership Forum Asia 2012

It is a known fact that in many international development and corporate circles there exists a glass ceiling and a plethora of barriers that prevent women’s progress towards equity and economic stability whether it is in the glass ceiling posed in the corporate setting for educated women working in the world’s affluent Fortune 500 companies or stick floor in the realm of the labour market where a significant majority of the world’s women are employed.The discussion on Transforming Barriers into Opportunities will seek to identify the types of challenges that women face towards their upward mobility and progress in the rural and urban setting, in the office space and the labour markets all the way up to the Board Rooms. Through a compare and contrast of these challenges, the economic intersections of barriers to women’s advancement, a case will be made how leadership and empowerment opportunities for women can transform the hierarchies of oppression that women have faced over many decades into a pyramid of progress.

Using the different forms of barriers to women’s economic empowerment, the address will focus on strategies for increasing opportunities for women, the role of the civil society, international organizations such as the UN, the State and women’s groups in transforming the negative into positive through employment of grassroots and higher level strategies for women’s advancement in the economic sphere.

Almas Jiwani

President, United Nations Gender Equality & Empowerment of Women

CEO/President, Frontier Canada Inc

Empowering Women through Inclusive Business ModelsThe welfare of communities in the developing world is heavily influenced by the welfare of women in those communities. Women contribute disproportionately to their communities, in terms of the labour force, growth of food, and contributions towards key pillars of the community such as education and healthcare. Yet women are the least able economically to make the vital contributions necessary to keep their communities growing.There is overwhelming evidence that partnerships between public, private and development sectors are integral to successful economic mainstreaming of women as part of the developing world’s economic growth story. Indeed, the futures of large corporations and the communities they serve are inextricably linked. It is essential for these corporations to rethink their business models and ensure they take into account the development and growth of the local communities and in particular, the economic empowerment of women in these communities.

This keynote demonstrates how by partnering with the public, private and development sectors, large companies such as Coca-Cola are uniquely positioned (and indeed obligated) to leverage their extensive distribution system and value chain to economically empower and enable women in local communities. It also shows how to do this in a way that benefits the long term interests of the communities in which they operate.

You hear specific examples of how women are being economically empowered by large businesses today, and how these efforts can be improved in the future. You see the benefits of such initiatives to women, their communities and the corporates and public institutions that support them. The specific needs of women entrepreneurs – and how the private and public sectors can work together to provide women with the resources they need to attain economic empowerment – are also discussed.

Susan Mboya PhD 

Group Director, Eurasia Africa Group for Women’s Economic Empowerment,

The Coca-Cola Company

Key points I would like to address include:

Her Excellency Fatima Al Jaber

Chairperson, Abu Dhabi Business Women Council

Chief Operating Officer, Al Jaber Group

The universe and my shower curtainI grew up surrounded by stunning dunes, camels and even baby snakes on our balcony. Two decades pass and a giant city grows, making the past seem surreal – and with it comes energy, confusion, love, inspiration, fear and ambition. My 33 years in the UAE have turned me into an observer, seeking opportunities in challenging situations. As the UAE took bold strides on the global stage – I was taking my own. With growth came thousands of stories that I would love to share with the world.

Nayla Al Khaja

Chief Executive Officer,

D-SEVEN Motion Pictures and D-SEVEN FZ LLC

Soha Nashaat

Senior Advisor and Board Member,

Barclays Bank (Suisse)

Alia Moubayed

Director and Senior Economist Middle East and North Africa,

Barclays Capital

Founding Partner and Chairman,

Landmark Properties LLC

Chief Executive Officer,

Al-Sale Eastern Co. Ltd

Founder & Chief Executive Officer,

Active-M Investments LLC

Womenomics 101: Leveraging your value in the workplace

Womenomics – the future of the 21^stcentury economy lies in the hands of women. Studies have shown women are performing better in school and university than men, and that they are the catalyst of a nation’s growth.This panel discussion addresses how corporations directly benefit from women in the workforce -especially women leaders.

Viewpoint one: Higher trend growth

How and to what extent does the increase of women in the workforce (and in leadership roles) improve the financial performance, productivity and employment appeal of a company? What is the added value of women in the workplace?

Viewpoint two: What women want

What are women looking for in an organisation when considering their long term career plans? Understand what they need and explore the reasons why they leave.

Viewpoint three: Retaining women talent

How can you keep your women employees and benefit from their added value? Should specific policies and processes be put in place to help retain women talent?

Carole Spiers

Chief Executive Officer,

Carole Spiers Group

Deepali Bagati PhD

Senior Advisor,

Catalyst.org

Managing Director India / Middle East / Southeast Asia,

Monster.com

Snr Manager Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility,

Business Planning and Strategy, NBAD

Managing Director,

SKOPOS Consulting

Hermoine Macura

TV Anchor,

Emirates News – Dubai One TV

Azza Al Qubaisi

Vice Chairperson,

Abu Dhabi Business Women Council

Head of Business Development and MarketingBusiness Banking Group (SME),

NBAD

President,

Business & Professional Women (BPW-Kuwait)

Founder and Chairperson,

Qatariat.org

Founder and Managing Director,

E.Treanor Media

he changing face of leadership in the Middle East: Where we were, are and will beWorking women in the GCC do not face the same opportunities and experiences as their counterparts in the West. Refl ecting on the progress of professional women in the Middle East and understanding the key factors impacting your work environment is important to your future success. This session reveals the unique personal and life challenges affecting the professional prospects of Arab and expat women.

Viewpoint one: Culture, society and their impact on the business landscape

The Arab world is in the midst of great transformation and change. Balancing aspirations and professional drive with culture, tradition and societal norms is a constant challenge for women in the region. What role does culture and society play in infl uencing your career ambitions? How will they impact future opportunities for women in business?

Viewpoint two: Local talent

With studies showing Arab women outperforming their male counterparts at school and university, why is the same growth in management roles not being realised? Explore the future vision of women in the region and discuss their changing role in the local economy and society.

Viewpoint three: International expertise

Expat women represent a signifi cant portion the women’s workforce in the Middle East, contributing their international experience to the local business scene. What challenges, environment and opportunities do they encounter? If there was an ‘expat woman’s guide to working in the Middle East’ what would it say?

Nisreen Sadek

Head of News,

Alaan TV

Dr Mouza Ghubash

Chairwoman, Shamsa Bint Suhail Award for Creative Women

Director, Rewaq Cultural Center

General Manager,

Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Senior Business Degree Lecturer, Australian College of Kuwait

MENA Regional Representative, ISM

Managing Director,

SKOPOS Consulting

The impact of innovation on company competitiveness: Are women the key?Studies clearly show that innovation is a key factor in ensuring an organisation’s competitive advantage. Evidence shows that more corporations are emphasising the importance of innovation combined with the creativity of their female employees.What does innovation mean to you? Why do experts argue that women are the key to innovation, job creation and impacting the economy?

Cheryl Snead

President and Chief Executive Officer,
Banneker Industries

Member of the Board of Directors,
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

Women breaking barriers in men-only environmentsIn the Middle East, there are countless industries and professions still typically dominated by men. This session features a group of inspiring women who have conquered these arenas. Innovation is not exclusive to new products, systems or technologies – these women are innovating their spaces, changing the working environment and evolving societies.

Nashwa Al Ruwaini

Founder and Chief Executive Officer,

Pyramedia

Ghaniyah bin Dhaeer Al Yafei

EOR Strategic Advisor,

ADCO

Deputy Director-General,
United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV)

Director, Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA),

United Nations

Chief Executive Officer,

The Hope Research Center

Planning, Internal and Online Manager,

Masdar

Just between us men…Most industry leaders are normally male majority. There are examples however, of industries who understand the benefits of gender neutrality and capitalise on female talent. Such industries include healthcare, communications and entertainment.This panel features men at the top of their careers and highlights the male perspective on women in their industry.

Viewpoint one: What men want

In order to influence the men at the top, a more honest understanding of their goals, objectives and vision is needed. How are successful men affected by women in industry?

Viewpoint two: Less talk – more action

Listen to men who recognise the value women add to industry and ultimately how women are just as important as men in taking action and getting results?

Viewpoint three: It’s all about the ROI

What are the results of engaging women within industry? Why should men embrace women in their field and understand the ultimate financial reward in their field?

Steve Halligan

Founder and Managing Director,

The Core Group

Lex Heslin

President and Chief Executive Officer,

Beautiful Earth Group

Chief Finance Officer,

Arabtec Holding PJSC

Managing Director and Head of Middle East and North Africa,

Barclays Wealth

Group Vice President-Corporate Communications,

TAQA

Inspire, innovate and influence through impact and awareness: What women need to know about mediaThe media has played a crucial role in raising awareness of the experiences of working women in the Middle East. Traditionally men have been the ‘face’ of a company, however more leading businesswomen are being featured in the public media sphere.This session takes a closer look at how women leaders can work more closely with local, regional and international media.

Eithne Treanor

Founder and Managing Director,

E.Treanor Media

Viewpoint two: Knowledge transfer

Leadership is not about being great, but rather developing great people. Leadership does not stop at the top, and knowledge transfer is key to identifying the leaders of tomorrow. Discover the value of continued education, training and development of your future leaders.

Viewpoint three: Social entrepreneurship

With great power comes great responsibility. Leadership at the top goes beyond your company or organisation. Mentorship outside the office walls and influencing your environment is imperative for the continued growth of leading women in business. Discover alternative ways in which your contribution can make a difference in supporting leaders of the future.

Maali Alasousi

Chairwoman,

Tamkeen for Development

Group Director, Eurasia Africa Group for Women’s Economic Empowerment,

The Coca-Cola Company

Vice President, TCO,

Maersk Line Shipping Service

Founder,
MAWRED

Partner,

Mckinsey & Company

Practical application workshop sessions focused on a specific topic or theme. Participants are given the opportunity to select their workshop of choice and take part in a highly interactive session delivering practical application and skill development.

Workshop A

Led by: SKOPOS Consulting

Values Driven Leadership

The values and beliefs of a leader are instrumental in determining the culture of an organisation, and an organisation’s culture is instrumental in driving its performance. Thus, the leader’s personality, values and beliefs are a significant influence on the performance of an organisation, or any group of individuals that share a common identity.

The most successful cultures are value-driven, vision-guided and embrace the values of ‘adaptability’ and ‘continuous renewal.’ They care about and embrace all stakeholders equally.

Ahmed El Nashar

Management Consultant,

SKOPOS Consulting

Organisational Development Consultant,

SKOPOS Consulting

Led by: Carole Spiers GroupShow stress who’s boss!: 4 proven steps to beat your stress today!This workshop is for everyone – from an individual who needs to effectively manage their own stress, to a manager, supervisor or team leader who has to deal quickly with any stress-related problems in the workplace. Carole delivers practical answers to the many questions you all have about managing stress to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

This presentation is full of tips and strategies, that will leave you feeling confident that you can handle stress in a way that will not only deal with the effects of excessive pressure on personal performance and relationships, but also with the root of the problem.

‘Show stress who’s boss!’ is a motivational workshop to equip you with all the skills, tools and techniques to help reduce stress.

Carole Spiers

Chief Executive Officer,

Carole Spiers Group

Led by: Ernst & YoungNature or nurture? Decoding the DNA of the entrepreneurNow more than ever before entrepreneurship is seen as a major source of economic growth and job creation. But what makes up an entrpreneurial mindset? This question is echoed in boardrooms around the world, with many chief executives keen to encourage internal entrepreneurial thinking and innovation as a way to reinvent their business and stay ahead of the competition. Ernst & Young has surveyed almost 700 entrepreneurial business leaders from around the world to gain insight into the minds of today’s most successful entrepreneurial leaders to discover what makes them so successful.

Ginnie Carlier and Tom Kingsley take you through some of the insights from the research and introduce two local entrepreneurs who tell their own story of how they became leaders in their fields. The session is designed to be interactive and you will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions about the Ernst & Young research and also the entrepreneurs themselves.

Omar Al-Shamsi

Portfolio Manager- MENA Equities,

National Bank of Abu Dhabi

Head of VELVET, Private Banking for Women, Private Banking-Northern Emirates,

National Bank of Abu Dhabi

Led by: AFBFX

Lead your success in Forex Investment

Rami Ghaleb Abu-Dra`a

Chief Technical Analyst,

AFBFX