Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), in collaboration with the American University of Sharjah (AUS), has launched a round table discussion series strongly focused on educational aspects to empower female entrepreneurs, aim to gather data, foster knowledge exchange and find solutions based on recommendations by a diverse stakeholder group, thus driving positive change within the nation’s business ecosystem.
The series of round table discussions, scheduled to be conducted over the next one to two years, will cover various aspects of entrepreneurship and startups, while addressing challenges faced by business owners in the region. By bringing together leading industry experts, academic partners, government representatives, and stakeholders these discussions will dissect topics crucial to the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Mariam bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, emphasised the importance of education and the potential of this initiative, stating, “The round table series represents another step forward in supporting and advancing business women within UAE’s sectors of enterprise. By facilitating discussions, gathering insights, and collaborating with key stakeholders, we aim to identify challenges and implement solutions that will empower both established and emerging entrepreneurs, particularly women.”
“The collaboration between SBWC and AUS reiterates our passion to drive positive change and support entrepreneurship through the power of knowledge exchange. We firmly believe that education is the cornerstone of empowering the female business community and we make sure to implement an educational aspect into everything we do. There is always room to grow, and we can learn a great deal from each other, and I am proud to have so many thought leaders participating in these discussions,” she added.
The inaugural round table session, titled “The Female Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the UAE,” took a comprehensive look at the current business landscape for female business owners in Sharjah and other emirates of the UAE. This topic was selected following a collaborative survey by SBWC and AUS, with the aim of evaluating the entrepreneurial ecosystem and pinpointing areas for enhancement and possible improvement.
The roundtable featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including Ahmed Abu Eideh, CEO of Invest Bank; Dr. Hasnan Baber, Assistant Professor at the Department of Management, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship at AUS; Dr. Jamal Maalouf, Assistant Professor at the Department of Management, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship at AUS; Dr. Narjess Boubakri, Dean of School of Business Administration at AUS; Hessa Abdalla, Community Engagement Coordinator at Sheraa.
The list of speakers also includes Saeed Al Suwaidi, CEO of Ghanim Al Suwaidi Holdings; Meera Nofal AlMashwi, Senior Business Development Administrator at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Foundation at Ruwad; Alya Hamad Taryam Al-Shamsi, SBWC Advisory Board Member; and Mai Sultan Bin Haddah, Head of the International Cooperation and Partnerships at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI); and Rashed Sawaqed, Project Development Advisor at Ruwad.
