PwC Middle East in Qatar in collaboration with Microsoft Qatar held an interactive event focusing on ‘Women Leading Transformation in Qatar’, aimed atsparking a conversation around the role of female leaders in the technology sector. The event focused on exploring the pivotal role of women in technology and the initiatives shaping and inspiring the future generation of women in tech in the country.
During the event, the conversation was led through the lens of Bassam Hajhamad, Qatar Country Senior Partner and Consulting Lead, PwC Middle East, Lana Khalaf, Country Manager, Microsoft Qatar, alongside Dr. Safa Messaoud, scientist at the Qatar Computing Research Institute, where each of them shared unique perspectives of how they measure their impact within the workforce and industry, offering valuable advice to young professionals. Their findings served as key learnings for women in technology. The panellists were joined by PwC Middle East’s Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Director, Zina Janabi, who emphasised on PwC Middle East’s commitment to creating a culture where professionals feel included, valued, supported, and celebrated.
Bassam Hajhamad, Qatar Country Senior Partner and Consulting Lead, PwC Middle East, said: “Fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech sector is pivotal to the country’s digital transformation space. Increasing gender representation in technology could unleash huge economic opportunities for businesses. Our alliance with Microsoft reinforces our commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion supporting Qatar’s digital agenda.”
Young professionals also had the space to speak on a compelling panel to discuss Qatar’s fast-evolving technology landscape. Speakers Latifa Al-Thani, Strategic Account Executive at Microsoft, Rahaf Abutarbush, Qatar Emerging technologies lab lead at PwC Middle East, Fatima Al-Hijji from the Oil & Gas sector, and a young professional at CMU in Qatar, touched on emerging trends in gender equality within the Qatari tech sector, offering a glimpse into the future of diversity and inclusion in the country.
Lana Khalaf, Country Manager, Microsoft in Qatar, said: “I believe it is crucial that we continue to encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM skills and career opportunities in the field of technology. Fostering diversity in the tech industry benefits everyone by promoting innovation, addressing societal issues, and ensuring a more balanced and prosperous future for Qatar.”
The event also included a teaser for the report launching in March as part of the Case for diversity series, providing attendees with an exclusive preview of insights on the regional workforce around the theme of career breaks and return to work programmes.
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Established in the Middle East for over 40 years, PwC Middle East has 30 offices across 12 countries in the region with around 11,000 people. (www.pwc.com/me).
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