Middle East Striving to Build a Gender Balanced Business Landscape

By: Rachita Sharma, Managing Editor | Monday, 26 August 2024

Women’s empowerment and growth has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts in the Middle East lately.

Historically known to be a male dominated society, the Middle East has seen women’s underrepresentation the work sphere for years. A 2022 report by Heidrick & Struggles concluded that standing at three percent of female leaders, the Middle East lags behind in gender diversity as compared to the global average of seven percent.

However, swift action is being undertaken by the region’s governments and companies to foster gender balance in the workforce and boost women’s participation as leadership figures. A recent survey revealed that 61 percent of UAE’s workforce is positive about women leaders’ impact on organizational success. 39 percent of responders in the same survey envision the future top leader of their current organization to be female.

Other than perception, positive change has been set in motion on ground too. Q1 of 2023 saw women’s participation grow manifolds in the workforce. The numbers well exceeded GCC’s vision 2030 targets with Saudi Arabia clocking 37 percent women representation, the highest in the region.

Women leaders in the Middle East need to lauded for their pioneering work in setting the right examples as role models for inclusive growth. The current edition of Women Entrepreneurs Review takes a step in that direction by highlighting some of the prolific women leaders from the legal field in the Middle East.

A leader in the spotlight is Ragheda El Khoury, Head of Operations, Customer Service & Legal, Fidelity United. Ragheda is an industry leader with over two decades of extensive experience in the insurance industry. In her current role as the Head of Operations, Customer Service & Legal, she has been instrumental in building and implementing the company’s operational strategy as well as optimizing the business workflows. An inspiring leader with a proven track record in Strategic Management, Communication, Product Development, and Project Management, Ragheda has done her MBA in Financial Management from the University of Bordeaux and her BS in Actuarial Science from Notre Dame University – Louaize.

We also bring to readers the success story of Elcin Erdinc serves as the Legal Counsel of Pavo Group, pioneering the establishment of their Legal Counsel Department. With a focus on preventive law and strategic risk management, she ensures legal compliance and fosters a culture of transparency and efficiency within the organization. At Pavo Group, Elçin Erdinç plays a crucial role in shaping legal frameworks that support business growth and sustainability. Her expertise ensures that legal considerations are integral to strategic planning, enabling Pavo Group to navigate complexities with confidence and integrity.

Read more about these women leaders and the secret to their success.

Do let us know your thoughts.