Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women Establishment, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, directed Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) to organize a new round of the “Women on International Boards” programme which was organized by the Establishment in the United Kingdom in cooperation with the Institute of Directors in London and the “Hawkammah” Institute of the Dubai International Financial Center during the period from May 30 to June 5, 2023, after the success achieved and the positive feedback from the participants, members of the teaching staff at the Institute of Directors and experts who presented the programme who have various experiences in the boards of directors of different institutions.

Building abilities

This directive comes from Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, intending to provide various opportunities to many Emirati female trailblazers hailing from diverse institutions. This exceptional programme, meticulously devised within the framework of the Establishment’s tireless endeavours, seeks to fortify and elevate the prowess of Emirati women by cultivating their leadership skills while bolstering their presence on global platforms.

The Dubai Women Establishment celebrated the graduation of the programme’s first round, with 20 Emirati leader participants with various specializations in the governmental, semi-governmental and private sectors. The graduation ceremony was organized at the Four Seasons Hotel in London, in the presence of Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Dubai Women Establishment and Managing Director, Naeema Ahli, Director of Director of Corporate Support, and Sultana Saif, Director of Women Development Department.

The primary objective of this programme is to provide women leaders in government, semi-government, and private sectors with unparalleled qualification and empowerment. Its purpose lies in equipping them with the requisite skills to not only merit nomination for esteemed positions on the boards of local and international institutions but also to instil in them the art of strategic management, effective communication; fostering harmony between leaders and their teams, the art of cultivating cohesive teams and honing their performance. Furthermore, it aspires to elevate their cognizance regarding the roles, responsibilities, and legal obligations of a board member, while emphasizing the pivotal role of the boardin corporate governance, risk mitigation, and tackling future challenges.

Her Highness, with unwavering determination, has reaffirmed the profound commitment of the Establishment to provide cutting-edge training programmes in collaboration with esteemed international universities and institutions. The primary objective is to skillfully prepare and empower women leaders, further amplifying the resounding influence of Emirati women in fostering a sustainable economy and bolstering their representation on the global stage. This resolute endeavour impeccably embodies the visionary directives set forth by the UAE’s esteemed leadership. Her Highness noted thatthis programme aligns with the strategic direction outlined by the UAE government, ensuring a steady influx of highly qualified human resources across diverse domains within the labour market in a way to enhance the competitiveness of Dubai and the UAE globally.

Positive effect

In her speech at the closing ceremony of the programme, Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al-Marri expressed her thanks to the Institute of Directors in London and the Institute of Hawkamah in the Dubai International Financial Centre for their cooperation in developing and implementing this programme, which was presented over a whole week by a group of elite educational staff at the Institute of Directors and leaders with different experiences on the boards of directors of major companies, noting that the program was designed following the highest international standards and practices.

Her Excellency Mona Al Marri expressed her happiness with the success of the first batch of the programme and said that the date for the launch of its second session would be announced soon, benefiting from the feedback and opinions of the participants and the experts of the Institute of Directors, to be a more distinguished course that allows governmental and private sectors to nominate more of their women leaders to join them.

New Horizons

Her Excellency Mona Al Marri, in a resolute affirmation, has underscored the significant strides accomplished by the Dubai Women Establishment under the distinguished leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. These earnest endeavours play an instrumental role in actualizing the visionary objectives set forth by the UAE’s wise leadership, firmly cementing their unwavering commitment to supporting women and empowering them to assume pivotal roles in diverse development sectors while fortifying their global presence.

Her Excellency noted that the Establishment has previously implemented akin international training programmes to foster and fortify competencies across various domains. One such exemplary instance was the “Innovative Women’s Leaders” programme, conducted in collaboration with Ashridge Hult College of International Business in the Kingdom in 2017. These exceptional programmes open new horizons for female participants, propelling their development and assuming more prominent roles in their career paths.