< Previous30 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAR C H 2 0 21 WOMEN OF INFLUENCE IN THE ARAB WORLD 2021 “I HAVE WATCHED WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST CONQUER THE WORLD AND STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS IN UNIQUE WAYS.” CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER, ZAFAR LEGAL ASSOCIATES RISING STARS Farah Zafar F arah Zafar has over 20 years’ ex- perience in the Middle East. She was instrumental to the growth and success of prominent development companies, Omniyat and Al Mazaya Hold- ings (publicly listed – Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar) and has worked for the region’s most prominent leaders and visionaries. Zafar is a proven right hand to the CEO and the board, is known as the stra- tegic support and execution capability for the group. She is an experienced chief le- gal officer, executive board member and is known for her ability to structure and grow billion-dollar development entities, mo- tivate and lead strong teams and provide clear and focused legal, development, cor- porate and investment support across all industry sectors. She is passionate about female empowerment, the growing role of women in the Middle East and provides mentorship to the younger generation of female executives. Zafar is also a budding tech entrepreneur and is seeking to rede- fine the corporate landscape and help pro- fessionals monetise their passion.M A R C H 2 0 2 1 C EO M I D D L E E A S T 31 WOMEN OF INFLUENCE IN THE ARAB WORLD 2021 What advice would you offer young women considering a career in cor- porate law at university in 2021 – can you outline a few differences in the profession between when you studied and today? When I studied law it was a different era, entailing long nights in the library conduct- ing legal research, reading precedent case studies and learning the law. Advances in legal technology, modern software and AI mean that students can now retrieve in- formation at the click of a button, so my advice would be to spend time developing key skill sets of successful lawyers such as communication, analytical skill develop- ment, strategic and commercial skills to legal scenarios. Technology is disrupting every sector, including legal, so I would advise young women lawyers to adopt and embrace technology and develop understanding of key sectors such as e-commerce, health, education, SaaS, technology and fintech as these are the growing sectors of tomorrow that will require a different type of corpo- rate lawyer. The lawyers of tomorrow will need to be adaptable in a way that lawyers have never needed to be in the past and so one must build a network of expertise across many functions to be relevant today. You’re a budding tech entrepreneur – can you tell us a bit about your prod- uct, its USP and the key value it of- fers independent professionals? As a highly experienced chief legal officer who has worked with some of the region’s largest entities, have you noticed any change in representation when it comes to women’s participa- tion in the legal sector over the past couple of decades? When I moved to Dubai 20 years ago, I was one of the few female professionals and it was a challenge to navigate and succeed in a male-dominated environ- ment. However, the UAE has made ex- cellent strides in the support and recruit- ment of women across all sectors and especially in government and quasi-gov- ernment entities. I have always said that if it wasn’t for the progressive leadership of the UAE and, more recently, Saudi Arabia, I would never had been given the opportunity of working as CLO for these large organisations and be given a seat at the table. We are seeing the rise of more women across all sectors, including the legal field, and I believe it is the responsi- bility of successful women everywhere to nurture the talents of the next generation of aspiring female executives. I have been fortunate enough to wit- ness the rise of Arab women across all sec- tors. I have watched women in the Middle East conquer the world and step out of the shadows in unique ways in order to pave the way for others. To be able to see this and be a part of this serves as a constant source of inspiration and I hope to see a future of more female CEOs and female entrepreneurs in the tech space. What are three professional values you’ve always abided by that have aided your career growth? I’ve always strived to implement profes- sional values of discipline, respect and integrity into my professional and per- sonal life. Discipline is required if you are to achieve your dreams. I have always be- lieved that you must be the hardest work- ing person in the room, perform more than is expected of you and learn every day. I believe the future is technology and I am pursuing various ventures in the tech space, which I believe has exponential growth po- tential. I have been fortunate enough to work for the region’s most visionary rulers and CEOs and have learnt over the past 22 years how to build successful billion-dollar corporations, how to raise and structure funding, sustainable growth, exits, list- ings and how to motivate and lead strong teams. To be able to utilise my skill set with passionate co-founders to build the next unicorn is the next challenge. Given the recent pandemic, the adop- tion of tech in every household and global unemployment, we believe the future is not that of large corporations but of the independent professional, who needs to be able to derive an income and presence on- line. Currently there are 50 million content creators across social media platforms, but only 2 million of those are able to generate real revenue. My co-founders and I are building a fully integrated platform that will assist content creators, independent profes- sionals and businesses in monetising their skills and passions online. We are develop- ing the first creator-driven platform that elevates both creator and consumer expe- riences through a revenue-generation plat- form, so it’s exciting times ahead. Our vision is to redefine what making a living means to people on a global scale and help people get paid for doing what they love, on their terms. ‘LAWYERS WILL NEED A NETWORK OF EXPERTISE TO STAY RELEVANT’ HIGHLY EXPERIENCED CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER FARAH ZAFAR BELIEVES THE SUCCESSFUL LAWYERS OF TOMORROW WILL NEED TO HAVE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF TECHNOLOGY WHILE RESPECTING OLD-SCHOOL VALUES OF LOYALTY AND INTEGRITY32 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAR C H 2 0 21 henin Hamid is the founder and CEO of Inspire – a Dubai-based events and experience agency thriving in challenging times thanks to her agile leadership and vision. “Women leaders are still underrepre- sented in all sectors around the world. Yet we have seen that the countries with the best coronavirus responses had one thing in common: strong women in leadership positions. Women have leadership skills such as empathy, the ability to listen, rea- son and find a collective solution that sets them apart. “This is why the narrative of a strong leader is no longer only a man making the decisions. Today, we see a more nuanced, collaborative effort, gathering all points of view to find the most effective solution. “The same qualities that once wrong- ly deemed women ‘too emotional’ or ‘too unfit’ to lead are the same qualities that are setting great leadership standards across the world today. These lessons are worth noting as we all seek to rebuild our countries and economies.” CEO, INSPIRE GROUP RISING STARS Shenin Hamid S “THE COUNTRIES WITH THE BEST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES HAD ONE THING IN COMMON: STRONG WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP.”M A R C H 2 0 2 1 C EO M I D D L E E A S T 33 Hamid used passion and talent to build her business from scratch at 19 years old, making her one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in the UAE. “I worked many freelance jobs as an events and activations manager, which gave me an existing idea of where the market was going and what it lacked. I was quick to introduce changes to the clients from the perspective of their end consum- er, who were largely millennials. “It was as simple as putting myself in the consumers’ shoes and asking what I’d like to see, what I’d be interested in inter- acting with in an activation. Soon, these odd freelance jobs turned into sustained long-term clients, which led me to register our agency and begin my own entrepre- neurial journey.” A pan-GCC growth story Under her leadership, Inspire has grown from an idea in her living room into a re- gional success, executing between 200 and 250 events and experiential cam- paigns a year across Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait. “I come from an entrepreneurial family where both my grandfathers were very successful businessmen. I remember watching them go to work early in the morning and come back late afternoon, taking work calls throughout the day, mak- ing difficult decisions in com- plete calmness, always being switched on,” she notes of her own journey. “Owning and learning from my mistakes was the best gift I could give myself. All of the above had its own bittersweet price to pay but it only allowed me to appreciate, celebrate and cherish every milestone whether small or big in my career equally. Working through a pandemic In 2020 Inspire was awarded Most In- novative Production Agency of the Year, highlighting its ability to successfully pivot under the natural circumstances leading to the coronavirus while still ser- vicing its clients and ensuring even bet- ter results. Under Hamid’s leadership, In- spire has grown significantly through the years by offering tailor-made, technology-driven event and acti- vation experiences to clients across the globe. “The events industry is very male dominated globally,” notes Hamid. “Speaking of the UAE, I see enormous opportunities for women compared to other parts of the world, which is an abso- lute necessity in this time and age. How- ever, women-led businesses often and still continue to struggle in securing start-up funding because unfortunately the hold- ers of the capital have not been diverse in our industry. “We need more female-led initia- tives that don’t only cater to the tech sector but also to the marketing, adver- tising and events sector. Government- backed funding for women-owned busi- nesses that allows access to funding, mentoring and access to networks: po- tential suppliers and customers.” “WE NEED MORE FEMALE-LED INITIATIVES THAT DON’T ONLY CATER TO THE TECH SECTOR BUT ALSO TO THE MARKETING, ADVERTISING AND EVENTS SECTOR.” 200-250 Successful event executions annually across the Gulf34 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAR C H 2 0 21 s an American who has lived in the Gulf for over a decade, Sarah Omolewu has positioned herself as a facilitator for US brands seeking to expand into the region through franchise opportunities and joint ventures. She co-founded a boutique marketing and PR agency in Atlanta, Georgia special- ising in fundraising for celebrity non-profit foundations prior to moving to Dubai in 2009 and founding Maven Marketing and Events two years later. Omolewu got her first break in the entertainment industry fresh out of university while working in sales at V-103FM, the top radio station in Atlanta. While there, she learned how Fortune 500 brands such as Coca-Cola, Lincoln and Delta use celebrities to mar- ket their brands – insights that would later shape her journey as an entrepreneur. Maven is the first privately-owned marketing agency to have organised a ma- jor red carpet movie premiere in the UAE (Suicide Squad with Will Smith in 2016) and was also the first to bring celebrity cloth- ing line pop-up stores to Dubai (Jaden and Willow Smith MSFTS and Nicole Richie’s House of Harlow 1960 in 2015). As its founder, Omolewu is proud to have led the first female-owned agency to se- cure talent for the Saudi market, includ- ing Ronaldinho and Kevin O’Leary at Misk in 2018 and Usain Bolt for the G20 Youth Summit in 2020. “The high expectations set for me by my parents became part of my nature at a young age,” says the entrepreneur. “When I found myself in a room of all men in Dubai, negotiating a contract to orchestrate an ac- tivation with a current NBA player, which was also a regional first, I was not shaken. On the contrary, I was in my element. Our NBA All-Star weekend concept, headlined by the late Kobe Bryant, went on to win the MEEAS Award for Best Special Event in the region.” Though the events industry has been severely impacted by Covid-19 over the past year, Omolewu is looking forwards, not backwards. “I remind myself that change happens at the edge of comfort. While 64 percent of Fortune 500 companies already have a presence in Dubai, there is immense potential for economic symbiosis between the US and Middle East for medium- sized businesses. My profile allows me to serve as a bridge between both markets. I use my regional experience to support US businesses (primarily female and minority- owned) with cultural insight, logistics and valuable investor introductions that sets them up for success in the Gulf.” While Omolewu has always been pas- sionate about helping other women real- ize their dreams, it’s a mission that’s only grown stronger after Kamala Harris’ his- toric appointment as the first female Vice President. “It’s hugely inspiring to see a woman of colour shatter so many glass ceilings, especially someone who is also the daughter of immigrants. Let’s keep push- ing, ladies.” “THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS SET FOR ME BY MY PARENTS BECAME PART OF MY NATURE AT A YOUNG AGE.” MANAGING PARTNER, MAVEN MARKETING AND EVENTS RISING STARS Sarah Omolewu A Strategic planner There is a big potential for economic symbiosis between the US and the region’s medium-sized businesses, Sarah Omolewu saysM A R C H 2 0 2 1 C EO M I D D L E E A S T 35 ajat Mohamed Sharif is in- strumental in fostering a culture of open communi- cation, gender equality and corporate social responsibility. In her role in HR at Gulf Petrochemical Industries Com- pany (GPIC), Sharif has a deep under- standing of the importance of being in charge of disseminating company rules and policies, and leading by example. She exercises professionalism and dis- cretion at all times, and makes sure she listens to the concerns of every employ- ee and resolves problems in line with GPIC vision, mission and values. She has over 30 years’ experience in HR and IT and holds a BSc in Information Technology from Ahlia University in Bahrain and an International Diploma in Computer Studies. Sharif joined GPIC in 1986, and specialises in all as- pects of HR from strategy and perfor- mance to recruitment, succession and talent management, and worked her way up the ranks at GPIC. race Najjar has 25 years of global experience as an ad- visor, lead engineer and pro- gram director and became an entre- preneur and founder in 2010, of Align Management Solutions Najjar has es- tablished strong partnerships for PMI in the region especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Najjar establishes partnerships to build government cadres’ capabilities, inspiring others to become part of the PMI certified program. Under her wing, PMI has estab- lished strong connections with influen- tial organizations in the region through regional, national and international roles. Najjar has played a pivotal role in bringing the importance of project management to the surface and has been instrumental in accentuating two giants from the MENA region – Emaar and Saudi Aramco – as finalists for PMO of the year Award in 2021 and in 2019, respectively. s the head of a leading con- struction company in Ku- wait, Dena Al Nashie is proud to be at its helm; however, this has not come without challenges. In 1990 she was delighted to be accepted to Ku- wait University to study engineering. Unfortunately, the Gulf War forced her to flee to Sydney. Determined, she ap- plied to universities in the region, but was rejected. She persisted and wrote appellate letters and was able to get a meeting with the Dean of the Univer- sity of Sydney. Following that meeting, she was accepted and achieved her Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering by 1995. In her first role, she worked as an acoustic consultant with Renzo Tonin & Associates. Al Nashie returned to Kuwait in 2001 to establish her family’s construc- tion business. Al Nasser Al Nashie United Company became one of the most renowned names in the market. MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE, MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA ENERGY, POWER AND CONSTRUCTION HR & CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, GPIC ENERGY, POWER AND CONSTRUCTION Najat Mohamed Sharif CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AL NASSER AL NASHIE UNITED COMPANY ENERGY, POWER AND CONSTRUCTION Dena Al Nashie Grace Najjar NGA36 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAR C H 2 0 21 man’s government has named Haifa Al Khaifi as head of a new company that controls the country’s biggest oil block, a rare appointment for a woman in a male-dominated sector in the Middle East.Al Khaifi will be chief executive officer of Energy Development Oman, which ultimately owns the sultanate’s 60 percent stake in Block 6, a huge field capable of producing around 650,000 barrels of crude each day. She joins from Petroleum Development Oman, the Gulf nation’s state-run oil and gas exploration and production firm, where she was chief financial officer. Al Khaifi is also chairwoman of the Saudi Arabian unit of State Street Corp. EWA is one of the most prominent national organisa- tions that support women in the energy sector, especially renewable and clean energy and sustainability. DEWA is one of the largest govern- ment organisations to employ women in technical positions within the energy sector across Dubai. DEWA has 1,933 women in its workforce, 80 percent being Emirati. This includes 646 female engineers and technicians at DEWA, 87 per- cent of whom are Emiratis. Female staff also actively participate in con- servation and community awareness programmes, especially those that target women. “Thanks to the vision of our wise leadership, Emirati women have ac- complished much more in a shorter period, compared to what their counterparts in other parts of the world took decades to achieve,” says Al Mehairi. CEO, ENERGY DEVELOPMENT OMAN ENERGY, POWER AND CONSTRUCTION Haifa Al Khaifi EXECUTIVE VP OF STRATEGY AND GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS, DEWA ENERGY, POWER AND CONSTRUCTION Khawla Al Mehairi D “OUR KEY PRIORITIES WERE SET AROUND BUSINESS CONTINUITY.” O anal Rostom is a prominent marathoner and mountain- eer who has achieved many firsts for Arab women. She was the first Egyptian woman to run the Great Wall of China in May 2016 and to summit Mont Blanc. She has climbed seven high-altitude mountains, including Kilimanjaro and Elbrus. She has run 13 marathons, including NYC, Berlin, Chicago, Boston and the London Mar- athon. She is the founder of Surviving Hijab, an 800,000-strong women’s only Facebook group that helps defy stereotypes and empower women who wish to wear the hijab. The group was recently awarded Facebook’s com- munity leadership fellowship award. Rostom was the first Hijabi woman to model in a Nike Running campaign, which she did in 2015 and was the first Arab to be featured in an audio guided run on the global Nike Run Club app in 2018. Manal lso became the global face of the Nike Pro Hijab in March 2017. FOUNDER, @SURVIVING HIJAB. (UN) PHILANTHROPISTS, ACTIVISTS AND CAMPAIGNERS Manal Rostom MM A R C H 2 0 2 1 C EO M I D D L E E A S T 37 ounded in the 1980s, Alwaleed Philanthropies was set up by Saudi billionaire businessman Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, chairman of Tadawul-listed Kingdom Holding which has interest in every field from technol- ogy and tourism to financial services, hospitality, media, entertainment, pet- rochemicals, aviation and more. Says Her Highness: “Throughout the last 40 years, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and initiated projects to empower women across Saudi Ara- bia. We have seen how education-led initiatives and access to resources have provided greater economic and employ- ment opportunities and have greatly supported women reaching their pro- fessional goals. it has been paramount for our programmes to empower women through greater access to resources, in- creased training opportunities, and the promotion of entrepreneurship.” F SECRETARY GENERAL OF ALWALEED PHILANTHROPIES PHILANTHROPISTS, ACTIVISTS AND CAMPAIGNERS Princess Lamia Bint Majid Al Saud38 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAR C H 2 0 21 eace in the Arab world is HH Sheikha Intisar Al Sabah’s life vision. From her native Kuwait, it guides her work as an en- trepreneur, philanthropist, author, film producer, and columnist and is the source of her mission to empower chil- dren, young people, and women. Her social enterprises include Prismolo- gie, Intisars, and Ebbarra, non-profits Alnowair and Bareec and the charita- ble Intisar Foundation. HH Sheikha Intisar is often seen in refugee camps across the region, offering solace to women suffering from war trauma. HH Sheikha Intisar’s own personal victory over trauma caused by the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait fuels her conviction to spare no effort to self-empower Arab women. A testament to that is Intisar Foundation’s pioneering One Million Arab Women initiative, a 30-year plan to alleviate trauma in one million Arab women impacted by the brutality of war, through drama therapy. FOUNDER, INTISAR FOUNDATION PHILANTHROPISTS, ACTIVISTS AND CAMPAIGNERS HH Sheikha Intisar Al Sabah P uhi Yasmeen Khan is a hu- manitarian, a philanthropist, a social activist, an entrepre- neur and a fashion guru with a pas- sion to work for the welfare of the un- derprivileged in the society. She is an enthusiastic social worker who is pas- sionate about making a real difference to big issues like environment, poverty, health, education and family welfare. She possesses an in-depth under- standing of charitable activities and dealing with government officials, companies & individuals. She has extensive knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their application for the benefit of the society. She works extensively for issues relating to women empowerment, as well as being a regular responder to urgent cases of poverty, homelessness and need. Yasmeen Khan is also the founder of JYK- Weekender Trading. I know that gender equality is an area in which we can really make a difference especially to local women in war- torn countries where women aren’t afforded the same opportunities as men,” says Laugher, a vocal advocate for Sustainable Development Goals whose humanitarian projects focus on high-risk environments. Today, thousands of CTG consultants work around the world enabling humani- tarian projects. CTG provides staff- ing solutions and HR management services to the humanitarian and de- velopment sector in fragile and con- flict- affected regions. CEO, COMMITTED TO GOOD (CTG) PHILANTHROPISTS, ACTIVISTS AND CAMPAIGNERS CSR & CHARITY INITIATIVE EXPERT & CONSULTANT PHILANTHROPISTS, ACTIVISTS AND CAMPAIGNERS Juhi Yasmeen Khan Alice Laugher J“ “GENDER EQUALITY IS AN AREA IN WHICH WE CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”M A R C H 2 0 2 1 C EO M I D D L E E A S T 39 “THE ARAB SPACE PIONEERS PROGRAMME IDENTIFIES THE MOST COMPETENT ARAB SCIENTIFIC TALENT.” er Excellency Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri is the UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technol- ogy and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency. In her role as Minister of State for Ad- vanced Technology, Her Excellency spear- heads the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s efforts to empower the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolu- tion technologies and promote research and development in the advanced science and technology sector, in order to create new industries that drive the shift towards a knowledge economy. This, in turn, con- tributes to the overall mandate of the Min- istry to strengthen the UAE’s industrial base, ensure in-country value and raise the competitiveness of local industries. As Chairwoman of the Space Agency, Her Excellency is responsible to oversee the Agency’s mandate of guiding the space sector, ensuring its contribution to the na- tional economy and to the UAEs sustain- able development. H UAE MINISTER OF STATE FOR ADVANCED SCIENCES IN THE GOVERNMENT, CHAIR OF UAE SPACE AGENCY, DEPUTY PROJECT MANAGER OF THE EMIRATES MARS MISSION UAE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS, RULERS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri Her Excellency is also the Chairwoman of the Emirates Scientists Council, Chair- woman of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Council, Chairwoman of the Dubai Future Academy Board of Trustees, and Deputy Project Manager and Science Lead of the Emirates Mars Mission (Hope) at the Mo- hammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Next >