Dubai Chamber to support 'Women In Leadership' Forum in Dubai

The Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) - operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chamber - is one of the Forum's strategic partners.

HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is Honorary President of the DBWC and was elected to the position in May this year. HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein is also patron of this year's WIL Forum.

Speaking on its decision to partner with the WIL Forum, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry Director General, HE Eng Hamad Buamim said, "The Dubai Chamber has been a big advocate of women in leadership."

"Since its inception some four decades ago, the Chamber has been providing a fitting platform for women's growth in the work place. Today, women represent 50% of the total workforce of Dubai Chamber as well as 40% of the top management team and 22% of the middle management level," he said.

Added Buamim, "The initiative of the Dubai Business Women Council that empowers the role of UAE businesswomen in developing their economic, social and cultural status in life by helping them to develop their own business enterprises is a bright example of the Chamber promoting women entrepreneurs."

Buamim said that in addition to supporting women in reaching the very highest levels of the Chamber, it also provided each employee with a tailor-made development plan created according to each individual's needs.

The Chamber also introduced several HR policies to promote development and provide women with an ideal work environment to allow them to excel in their jobs. These include flexi-time work arrangements and a work-from-home policy, amongst others.

"The Chamber's strategy for the development of women in the workplace was recognised and confirmed as successful when the Executive Director of the Human Resources Department at Dubai Chamber, Azzah Al-Sharhan, won the HR Director of the year 2008 award during the GCC HR Excellence Award ceremony held in Dubai in June this year," Buamim added.

Speaking of the DBWC's role in Dubai, Buamim said that the Council proactively encourages participation of women in various economic sectors, seeking to enhance their role by encouraging participation in investment activities, providing training programs and conducting studies to help them become successful businesswomen.

The Dubai Business Women Council works with the Dubai Chamber to foster equal opportunity in the world of commerce by designing programmes and policies to give businesswomen the right opportunities to develop their own enterprises.

Speaking about Dubai Chamber and DBWC's support of the WIL Forum, Sophie Le Ray, Chief Executive Officer of Naseba, the producer and organiser of the WIL Forum, said:

"The Women in Leadership Forum is the perfect platform to help Arab women expand their role in the business world. The support and partnership of Dubai Chamber and DBWC proves the commitment these organisations have towards empowering and motivating women in the region, from both a social and economic perspective."

"We believe that initiatives such as the Women in Leadership Forum will definitely contribute to the empowerment of Arab women in this region," she added.