At the recently-concluded World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos, Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank, observed, “If you had women participating as actively as men in the economy, the GDP of the world would be 20% higher.” With touchpoints such as this in mind, the Women Board of Directors (WBD), a Dubai-based social enterprise and networking platform of women in C-Suite and top leadership positions, will host The She Investment Summit on 12 February.
The summit, held in association with DP World’s The Brain & Performance Centre, will address the challenges and seek solutions of creating an enabling ecosystem to facilitate women empowerment in key corporate roles in the GCC. Additionally, it will foster conversations on how women can be elevated to board positions — a talking point in the UAE, which has started implementing the regulation of having at least one woman member on corporate boards.
Princess Lolowa Nawaf Mohamed Al-Saud, who leads the Board of Directors at Mawaddah Development Association for Family Stability in KSA, says “investing in women leadership today is part of every company’s mission statement — but I’m excited how The She Investment Summit will showcase leaders who have specific views on the matter, and are actually walking the talk.” Princess Lolowa is one of WBD’s Advisory Board members, and has been involved in the curation of the event.
The summit’s agenda includes panel discussions like ‘Paradigm Shift: Women Taking Charge of Traditionally Male-Dominated Sector’, ‘ESG & Sustainability: How Women-Driven Boards and Leadership Teams are Creating New Templates’, and ‘Role of Male Allies in Promoting Gender Equality’, to be top-lined by speakers such as Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President, Market Development, EEMEA, Mastercard; Dr Mariam Ketait, Regional Lead (MENA) for Aerospace Xelerated, Boeing; Noreen Nasralla, Executive Director, Al Futtaim Real Estate; Sameera Fernandes, Chief Sustainability Officer, Century Financial; and Jack Uppal, President, General Motors, Africa & Middle East.
Wassim Karkabi, Managing Partner of Stanton Chase Middle East, will be conducting the ‘How to Build your Director Brand and get more Board Roles’ workshop at The She Investment Summit. “Personal growth and branding remain critical touchpoints for women in leadership,” says Karkabi. “In a rapidly-evolving market, it’s important to remain ahead of the curve — which is why targeted training sessions can have such immense takeaways.”
The value of diverse leadership lies in the ability to foster empathy, collaboration, and inclusive decision-making — qualities that contribute to more effective and holistic outcomes, feels Hamda Baker, President of Health and Beauty, and Executive Board Member, at Gulf Marketing Group. “I look forward to the session on ‘Allies in Leadership,’ where I will have the opportunity to hear from individuals about how their support for inclusive leadership has brought benefits beyond financial success.”
WBD’s founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Poonam Chawla, says, “Women don’t just acquire skills — they cultivate communities to apply and expand them. Without ecosystems that support holistic efforts for change, the vision of collective progress remains uncertain.”
Dr Craig Cook, CEO, The Brain & Performance Centre, A DP World Company, says, “Empowering women has always been at the heart of our mission, and we are committed to driving meaningful progress toward gender parity. The She Investment Summit aligns seamlessly with our values, providing a platform to support and celebrate female leadership in business and beyond.” At the summit, The Brain & Performance Centre’s Dr Umair Qureshi will talk about the link between leadership and wellbeing, ‘The Empowered Woman’s Edge: Longevity, Wellness & Peak Performance’.
About WBD
The Women Board of Directors (WBD) is a UAE-based social enterprise and network that believes female fortitude is a mindset, and that, with the right incubation, we think like leaders and then become leaders.
We stand for goals like bridging the gender gap and promotion of female representation at the C-level and on corporate boards. And we walk the talk by building a community of strongly-networked women, curating training workshops, roundtables, and events. Learn more: www.womenboardofdirectors.com
