Female entrepreneurs eye investment opportunities

Dubai: Having traded more than 18 million stocks last year, female investors in the Gulf hold Dh40 billion of the region's wealth, according to reports.

An increasing number of entrepreneurial women, having achieved success in their businesses, are looking to invest and expand on their current assets.

"Women entrepreneurs everywhere realise and see the value of developing in business and in investment opportunities in the area," says Layla Al Fahim, co founder with Khawlah Lootah of Al Durrar.

Fahbin Anwar, owner of the Semiramis Hotel and CEO of Azher Al Sharq, a management consultancy firm, has been an entrepreneur for seven years. As a first generation business woman she believes that the UAE is a very supportive environment to start a business and invest.

"If I had started my business elsewhere, I would have faced a lot of difficulties as a woman. Here I found I had a lot of support from the local community and the government. I find they have huge respect for women here."

Simplified process

Laylah also found the country supportive and friendly. "The process in itself is quite easy in setting up business. It is encouraged and facilitated by the simplified process and we feel that the government strongly supports and encourages the efforts."

While female entrepreneurs were traditionally involved in fashion, home and PR oriented businesses Layla believes the landscape is changing.

"I used to think mostly retail and fashion until I met some very strong business women who head huge companies dealing with everything from industrial products to beauty products."

Amani Choudhry, CEO of Mayfair Wealth Management, says that at present, the market is seeing the emergence of a specific type of female financial investor.

"We are seeing a growing number of Gulf ‘traderettes', who are a new breed of female traders seeking high-level investments to help them pave a legitimate path to increasing their portfolios," said.

The trend of female success and influence in the workplace has been growing steadily.

A 2008 survey conduct by Bay.com on women in the Middle East Workplace stated that professional women were making a positive headway in competing with men in workplaces around the GCC.

It stated that 43 per cent of women felt that their gender had not affected their career prospects and 22 per cent of women felt that their gender had impacted their career prospects positively.

Senior ranks

The survey also stated then that 76 per cent of all women surveyed indicated that women already today occupy the senior ranks of the companies in which they work.

The social restraints of a traditionally patriarchal society are less of an issue now, allowing women to work their way up in the workplace says Layla.

"We have noticed that women's achievements have been a source of pride. I am sure the challenge is there for some of us and we hope we can be supportive to other women who face the demands of being good at every role.

"I have seen men being the most supportive to their daughters or their wife. I think times have changed and people want to change. We are changing into a worldwide society who looks for solutions."