Dubai, UAE, 15 August 2017 —  Leading businesswomen from some of the most influential and successful firms in the UAE gathered today at CBRE’s inaugural ‘Women in Business’ event and engaged in a dialogue about women’s empowerment in the workplace. Hosted by the global real estate consultancy, the breakfast event is the first in a series with a focus on gender parity and opportunities for women in the region. The event featured inspiring female leaders from the public and private sectors and their diverse success stories. The discussion also provided the audience a unique opportunity to learn from, connect with and inspire one another.

The event was opened by Nick Maclean, Managing Director, CBRE Middle East and moderated by Loretta Ahmed, CEO, Grayling Middle East. The female-only panel consisted of businesswomen from various industry verticals namely:

  • Ruqayya Alblooshi, Head of Government Identity and Events at the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future

  • Maryanne Iles, MENA Portfolio Manager, Shell

  • Zoë Cousens, Middle East representative of Guernsey Finance & CEO, Castellet Consulting

Commenting on the event, Nick Maclean said, “CBRE as a business is committed to accelerating the role women play in its offices globally. We are proud of our existing programmes such as the CBRE Women’s Network that attracts, recruits and retains some of the most successful women in the business world. We’re extremely committed to harnessing skills and aiding success and advancement in our company and in the broader real estate industry.”

“In an industry which typically attracts more men, we’re very pleased that we have a higher proportion of female professional staff at CBRE globally at around one third compared to the industry standard of around 13%.  Our Dubai office boasts of 51% women climbing the corporate ladder to C-Suite positions. Today’s ‘Women in Business’ Panel is a unique opportunity for us to support our own, but also to reach out to young women exploring careers in business.”

Moderating the event, Loretta Ahmed commented on the progress the region is making to facilitate more career opportunities for women. She said, “It is clear that gender parity has undergone a dramatic shift in recent years and the progress continues. The Middle East region has made enormous strides to create an exciting environment for women in the workplace with a growing number of events and forums. However, we can all do more to support women’s careers for the benefit of the business world and the overall economy. This will help ensure a sustainable talent pool of women for board positions in the future.”

The CBRE event comes at an opportune time as discussions around women are top of mind with the upcoming ‘Year of Zayed’ in 2018.

“It is important to remember that His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan created the establishment of the Women’s Union in the 1970s to create opportunities for women in society. Since then the government has prioritised equality for women, pushing for greater presentation in the public and private sector and providing young women with role models that inspire them and their career choices. Women now make up 66% of the public sector with 30% in leadership roles,” said Ruqayya Albooshi, a speaker at the event and Head of Government Identity and Events at the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future.

“During his ten-year rule, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has achieved significant milestones to advance the position of women in the UAE. His belief has always been that women constitute half of societ and that positivity, innovation and creative energy were never exclusive to men. His aspirations for women have no limit and we can all stand to be inspired by our leader on his vision for the future of women,” concluded Albooshi. 

The CBRE event was attended by a cross-section of women from various businesses and sectors across all levels and is set to become a regular exchange of expert advice and opinion.  

© Press Release 2017