Dubai World's Chief Financial Officer honoured at Emirates Business Women Award 2008

Selected from around 90 applicants, Maryam Sharaf was presented the 'Overall Winner in the Professional Category' Award by Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Expressing her gratitude, Maryam Sharaf stated:

"It is truly an honour and privilege to be acknowledged for ones work. I would like to thank the EBWA for this award. Our nation has certainly come a long way in the past few decades and this is primarily due to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who has encouraged and urged women to actively partake in contributing to the national economy."

"This progressive ideology has led to greater women emancipation with more and more women taking up leadership roles in our country. HH Sheikh Mohammed has inspired and empowered us all. Of course, Sultan Bin Sulayem has also been my mentor, and a great support. Our country offers incredible opportunities to everyone, irrespective of their gender and it is up to us to explore our potential and push ourselves hard to achieve our dreams," she added.

Earlier this year, Ms. Sharaf was recognized as one of the 'Top 12 Gulf Business Women' by MEED magazine

Maryam Sharaf was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer of Dubai World in July 2006 after previously serving as the Group's Financial Controller.

She has been with the company for five years and has more than 20 years' experience in the finance industry.

At Dubai World, she has successfully maintained a solid and effective system of internal financial control overseeing the company's finances.

Her responsibilities at Dubai World include ensuring financial stability, overseeing corporate funding, risk-mitigation strategies, and maintaining banking relationships with local and global banks.

Maryam Sharaf is also board member of Dubai World Corporation and various other boards in the Dubai World Group.

She also sits on all Dubai World's Investment Boards.

Speaking about her achievements, Ms. Sharaf said: "Becoming Group CFO of one the largest holding companies in the globe, has been my greatest achievement till date. It has been an exhilarating journey for me and my people. The growth of our organization has been exponential to say the least, i.e. from being a small group of companies just a few years back to being a global conglomerate today. We have not just achieved great financial performance over the years, but also seen year on year growth of business, high efficiency in savings, attracting highly skillful people from various parts of the world to work as one entity, all with same overall objectives having a common family environment, with a desire to grow together."

Ms. Sharaf was drawn to the corporate world right from the start.

She was recognised as a budding leader when she was one of the first people selected for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Program and Mohammed Bin Rashid Government Leadership Program.

In spite of all her achievements the accolade that she cherishes and values the most is being nominated for "Valuing All People and Business Ethics", while she was working with Conoco Philips in 1999 and 2000.

EBWA is one of several programs initiated by Dubai Quality Group to promote business excellence in the UAE by encouraging enhanced quality and service.

EBWA is one of the foremost awards in the UAE that recognizes the extraordinary contributions of women, and operates with the aim of cultivating equal opportunities and building a better society.

Winners are chosen based on five criteria: Leadership; Future Goals and Performance; Business, Professional and Career Achievements; Community Contributions and Participation; and Innovation.