Dubai, UAE: The She Investment Summit 2026 was held on 28 January in Dubai, convening senior leaders, investors, and policymakers to examine how gender intelligence is increasingly shaping economic performance across priority sectors. The summit reflected the UAE’s transition from institutionalised female participation in leadership to a new phase defined by execution, decision quality, and long-term economic resilience.

Organised by Women Board of Directors (WBD) in partnership with AWR Automotive and Bayer, the event was held under the presence of His Excellency Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary for Economic Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Economy, and Sanaa Ouahmane, CEO of AWR Mobility and AWR Trading and WBD’s first Mobility Ambassador. The summit was hosted by Arabian Automobiles Company at the prestigious INFINITI Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road. The setting underscored the summit’s intent, grounding boardroom dialogue within the realities of operating sectors that directly influence economic resilience.

In his opening address, HE Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi framed gender intelligence as a strategic economic capability embedded within the UAE’s governance and policy architecture. His powerful remarks framed the day’s discourse: “In the UAE, we are building a future economy. That means we are building a future culture. A culture where ambition is normal, excellence is normal, and leadership is a responsibility — not a performance. In that culture, gender intelligence is not a ‘women’s topic’. It is a national competitiveness capability. So, if you want a stronger economy, a stronger institution, a stronger market — raise the standard of leadership. Not by asking women to adapt to the room, but by rebuilding the room to adapt to their talent,” H.E. Abdulaziz summed up.

Held under the theme The Intelligence Advantage: Why Gender-Intelligent Companies Will Dominate the Next Decade, the summit featured cross-sector discussions spanning mobility, healthcare, finance, and leadership. The programme reflected a clear shift in regional dialogue toward how leadership diversity is actively influencing governance quality, capital allocation, and organisational performance.

A central pillar of the agenda was the Mobility Track, shaped by Sanaa Ouahmane in her capacity as a senior executive operating at the intersection of leadership, governance, and sector execution. Her contribution positioned mobility as a practical proving ground where leadership judgment, system design, and risk assessment carry direct economic and societal implications.

“The She Investment Summit showed how gender intelligence is being operationalised in the UAE, moving beyond intent into execution,” said Sanaa Ouahmane.

She added: “In mobility, this intelligence informs how systems are designed, how risk is evaluated, and how decisions reflect the realities of how people move through cities, work, and daily life. When leadership perspectives are broadened in this way, decision quality improves and operating models become more resilient. This is where the next phase of economic performance is taking shape.”

The mobility dialogue was further grounded in operational practice through the participation of Subscribe ME, AWR Mobility’s flexible mobility platform, reflecting on how gender-intelligent leadership is applied in real operating environments, where decisions around access, flexibility, and system design directly influence customer outcomes and asset efficiency.

Throughout the day, leaders including Bayer’s Mohamed Galal Abou El Fadi, HPE’s Sherifa Hady, United Nations OCHA’s Sajeda Shawa, Mediclinic’s Dr Sara Alom Ruiz, Arqaam Capital’s Danya Bashir, and India Blockchain Alliance’s Raj Kapoor exchanged insights on embedding gender intelligence into business models, investment strategies, and product development. Discussions highlighted a shared conclusion that organisations integrating diverse perspectives at leadership level are better positioned to anticipate change, unlock new markets, and sustain long-term growth. “At Bayer, we believe science must serve all of humanity,” emphasized Mohd Galal, Sr VP/Cluster Head, Consumer Health, MENA. “That’s why gender intelligence is woven into our mission to advance health and nutrition for everyone, everywhere.”

On her part, Poonam Chawla, Chief Visionary Officer of WBD said: “The conversations taking place today reflect where the UAE truly stands.”

She continued: “Leadership diversity is now strengthening decisions, industries, and investment outcomes. Gender intelligence has become a strategic advantage, and the UAE is demonstrating how it can be operationalised at scale.”

A defining moment of the summit was the New Era of Women Leaders recognition, during which Sanaa Ouahmane presented awards to 20 women from across sectors whose leadership reflects the UAE’s transition toward outcome-driven inclusion and sector impact.

The summit concluded with a brand and leadership masterclass led by executive coach Neetu Chaudhary, reinforcing the importance of intentional leadership development as organisations align inclusive governance with measurable performance.

The She Investment Summit 2026 marked a clear point of transition for the region, positioning the UAE as a reference market where gender-intelligent leadership is actively shaping economic resilience and sector performance.

About Women Board of Directors (WBD):

WBD is a UAE-based high-powered networking and training platform dedicated to bridging the gender gap and promoting female representation at C-level and on corporate boards. It brings together influential leaders — both women and men — to create impactful initiatives that support and elevate women in business across various sectors. For more information, visit: https://www.womenboardofdirectors.com/

Contact : Sushmita Bose, Chief Brand Officer, sushmita@womenboardofdirectors.com.