Change 'poses new challenges'

Change 'poses new challenges'

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2 MIN READ

Dubai: Women entrepreneurs and professionals in the Middle East may not be prominent or making news headlines on a regular basis.

But according to a group of businesswomen they are increasingly making their mark in the region, despite challenges, bringing about a transformation not only in the world of business but also in society.

The fact that more women are getting into business is reflective of a strong economic development in the region, said Maureen Kempston Darkes, president of General Motors Latin America, Africa and Middle East, at yesterday's roundtable on Women in Business at the 2006 Arab Strategy Forum.

"Outstanding progress is being made by Arab women."

And this progress of women in business can be attributed to initiatives taken by the government in the case of UAE, believes Raja Easa Saleh Al Gurg, managing director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, a leading business house in the UAE. Appointing women to the Council, she added, was a progressive government step that showed that the it was supportive of women taking an active part in fostering both economic and social development.

"In every sector they [women] are there. You name it. And that itself is an achievement," Al Gurg said. "We as women have full opportunities."

But as the business environment undergoes a change becoming more structured than ever before there is also an evolution, rather a revolution, of women of the region taking place, according to Shaikha Hanadi Bin Khalid Al Thani, vice chairperson and managing director of Qatar-based investment firm Amwal. And the businesswomen of today, she believes, are facing a different set of challenges.

Al Thani listed some of the challenges, the biggest of which is, in a changing environment, to have the confidence to take the necessary risk, go ahead and innovate.

Darkes agrees, saying that though there are more opportunities for women today, there is a need to "give them a sense of confidence."

For that, she said, holding up new role models in society and "mentoring can play a very critical role," in instilling that feeling of confidence.

Al Thani added the other challenge for today's women entrepreneurs is to understand the idea of failure that if one fails, "that's not the end of it but that one has to try again in a different style."

And, of course, there are the usual financial and legal issues which brings with them different management styles an entrepreneur should be conversant with, Al Thani said.

Last but not the least, points out Darkes, is to find ways to ensure a proper balance between work and family life that is "critical to the success of any society."

Creativity and flexibility in integrating women into the workforce can ensure that and for that to happen senior leaders in business need to engage in discussion.

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