The Rising Tide of Women Entrepreneurship in Dubai

By: Rachita Sharma, Special Editor | Monday, 9 May 2022

The last few years have seen more and more women rightfully claiming their spot in the global corporate landscape. Although the pandemic did further widen the gender divide in the workforce with women having to face the brunt, yet their strides have only been increasing. The Middle East is no different. The region in enroute a paradigm shift in terms of rising number of women entrepreneurs and business leaders establishing and running successful organizations.

According to statistics, the region now has more than 52 female CEOs leading large organizations that range from a variety of sectors. BFSI, telecom, hospitality, consumer goods, healthcare, and human resources are some of the major verticals seeing a larger participation of women leaders in the Middle East.

A report by Magnitt concluded that 11 percent of VC funding in the United Arab Emirates in the year 2021 was received by enterprises that had female-only founders, and 13 percent investment went to enterprises with joint female and male founders. On the flipside, the international average of VC investment received by women led startups is a measly three percent. Qatar and Saudi Arabia are also some of the few GCC countries with dedicated business centers and incubators specifically for women.

Underneath the encouraging numbers lay the social, political and economic factors that have acted as catalyst for this evolution. Changing perceptions, government policies, and other change agents by implementing reforms across the board are some of the factors that have helped in breaking the gender stereotypes associated with women and their participation in the workforce.

While women were considered as an essential component of creating a healthy family life, they are now also being motivated to find a voice of their own. With social outlook changing and modernization being adopted, more and more women are expanding their predefined roles as family makers to conquer the board rooms as well.

We at Women Entrepreneur magazine thought it an opportune time to shine the spotlight on some such success stories. The current edition of the magazine presents to you a list of 10 illustrious women leaders who have risen to success as entrepreneurs and business leaders alike. We present to you their unique stories and introduce you to their perspective on leadership.

Do let us know your thoughts.