Women in Business

Baofriend is an Asian fusion F&B concept that launched in the UAE in 2022, and this year has seen it grow from its original location in Dubai to now operate a space in Abu Dhabi as well.

Park realized that there was an opportunity to bring Korean skincare to the UAE in a way that blends perfectly with Emirati culture, and it's a notion that she has stuck to as she set up and built Lamise Beauty.

"Today, there is something called 'Emkaner,' like a stamp for our clients, which shows their high quality, commitment, and making it happen in the education sector."

Ranked as a leading country in gender equality in the region according to the World Economic Forum's 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, the UAE is trailblazing equality and opportunity for women.

"I have found that leadership must be strongly founded in authenticity, and the transparency that comes with taking on such an approach."

Held under the theme of this year's International Women's Day, the forum brought together individuals from the education, healthtech, retail, and commerce sectors to discuss and debate ways on how they can truly #EmbraceEquity within their workplaces.

Launched in 2020, Maeya's clothing line-up includes leggings, sport tanks, fitness shorts, t-shirts and loungewear designed for women, irrespective of their age or size.

Female executives or business owners who have their headquarters or offices in Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, or offer their services to these markets, need to submit their applications here before April 22, 2023.

"I've noticed that many women hesitate, and want to 'be better prepared' before they start anything. Today, my biggest piece of advice is to just start."

For a startup ecosystem still in its infancy, and for a country that traditionally had very few women in the general workforce to begin with, it's remarkable how far KSA has come in such a short period of time.

The use of the term "superwoman" has begun an insidious transformation into a new, not-so-empowering paradigm, a competitive discourse challenging its subjects as to who can be the most exhausted, the most overworked, leaving everyone vying for the top spot of the "busiest" woman. As opposed to a superpower, it sounds more like a syndrome.

PepsiCo's US$18.2 million partnership with CARE International's She Feeds the World (SFtW) program, powered by the PepsiCo Foundation, aims for an integrative approach to sustainable food systems by putting women empowerment at the heart of its program.

Women should not have to make the choice between being a mother and having a career. We should have an environment where it is encouraged to do both.

"Many of the problems we work on as entrepreneurs are so much bigger than us and our individual companies, so even on the days when it seems like nothing works, remembering that you are making a difference, no matter how small, helps."

"It's not about money or power or status, but about who you are, and what you value, and how you can contribute to others. When you get a taste of that, it's hard to want to go back."

"There's no school where you go to in order learn creativity. It doesn't exist."

"I personally consider that my work is an extension of myself, and my values don't stop or start when I go home or get into the office."

A big part of Al Mazrouei's vision at KFED is also to align with the UAE's march towards gender equity, whose progress she has seen first-hand as an Emirati businesswoman.

"I cannot say this enough. There is nothing wrong with failure. Every lesson I have learnt, everything that has allowed me to excel in any way, came off the back of a big failure, when I thought that the world was ending- but it didn't."

An ever-evolving industry fueled by creativity and passion, art has transformed to play an increasingly important role in supporting economies through tourism, developing cultural understanding, and facilitating innovation.

The shift from competition to collaboration is the key to success.