Speakers
View the prominent global figures, industry leaders, and experts who presented at the Women's Economic Empowerment Global Summit.
The Women's Economic Empowerment Global Summit featured international leaders, experts, and advocates sharing insights across key economic and social sectors.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Under Secretary General and Executive Director - UN Women
Keynote: Opening Ceremony / WEEGS Pledge Panelist: Access to Innovative Learning, Cost of Violence on Women's Economic Participation
H.E. Reem Al Hashimi
Cabinet Member and Minister of State for International Co-operations
Keynote on Government Policies and the private sector’s responsibility in women’s economic advancement
H.E. Afra Al Basti
Director General of Dubai Foundation for Women and Children and Member of the Federal National Council
Closed Session: Emirati Women’s Journey in the Economy: Potential & Possibilities
Veronika Roux
Senior Vice President Head of Business Development and Sales in Middle East of Sodexo
Driving WEPs Implementation: From Promise to Practice- Bafana Khumalo
Director of Strategic Partnerships at Sonke
The Cost of Violence on Women’s Economic Participation - Dr. Daanish Mustafa
Department of Geography at King’s College London
The Cost of Violence on Women’s Economic Participation - Tala Al-Jabri
Strategy consultant specializing in socioeconomic development and transformational government interventions in the Middle East and East Africa
Opportunity to Grow - Carla Koffel
Executive Director, Pearl Initiative
Government Policies and the Private Sector’s Responsibility in Women’s Economic Advancement - Joelle Zilliox
Director for Purchases in the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Africa - Sarah Sanders
Partner Bahrain - Financial Accounting Advisory Services Partner
Moderator: Building an Inclusive Sector: Transport, Logistics and Travel - Sandy Tantra
Head of Brand Marketing, Google Asia Pacific
Access to Innovative Learning - Sadaffe Abid
CEO/Co-Founder of Circle
Elevate Platform briefing - Mayrilian Cruz Blanco
Former Head Of Women’s Football Development at FIFA
Science, Health and Sports: Ecosystems - Jamila Belabidi
Purchases Group Manager - Brand and Business Service Purchases Global Talent, Alliances and Communications Agencies, P&G
Briefing on Gender-responsive Procurement - H.E. Khawla Al Mulla
Chairwoman of The Sharjah Consultative Council
Closed Session: Emirati Women’s Journey in the Economy: Potential & Possibilities - Dr. Mouza Al Shehhi
Director of UN Women Abu Dhabi Office
Closed Session: Emirati Women’s Journey in the Economy: Potential & Possibilities - Safiyah Al Shehhi
Presenter and Writer
Moderator: Closed Session: Emirati Women’s Journey in the Economy: Potential & Possibilities - Anne Githuku-Shongwe
UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office Representative
Moderator: Government Policies and the Private Sector’s Responsibility in Women’s Economic Advancement - H.E. Nada Askar Al Naqbi
Director General of the Sharjah Women Sports Foundation
Science, Health and Sports: Ecosystems - Anna Falth
Manager WeLearn | WEPs | Buying From Women | Empower Women, UN Women
Moderator: Access to Innovative Learning - Alice Laugher
CEO of Commitment to Good
Driving WEPs Implementation: From Promise to Practice - Anvita Varshney
Board Member of Dubai Angel Investors
Opportunity to Grow - Fahmi Quadir
Chief Investment Officer at Safkhet Capital
Financial Innovations and Solutions - Virginia Tan
Co-Founder and President of Lean In China
Financial Innovations and Solutions - Anu Bhardwaj
Founder of Women Investing in Women Digital
Financial Innovations and Solutions - H.E Lina Sabaitienė
Former Vice-Minister of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania
Financial Innovations and Solutions - Abdullatif Al Sayegh
Founder of Al Sayegh Media
Moderator: Media and Marketing Creators - Hala Kazim
Life Coach
Power Talk: Enabling Environment for Women - Rizwan Beyg
Design Consultant and Social Entrepreneur
Power Talk: Enabling Environment for Women - Assia Riccio
Founder of Evolvin Women
Power Talk: Enabling Environment for Women - H.E. Jassim Al Blooshi
Chairman of Sharjah Tatweer Forum
Power Talk: Enabling Environment for Women - H.E. Hessa Buhumaid
Minister of Community Development
Power Talk: Enabling Environment for Women - Andy Butler
Global Supplier Citizen Lead, Procter & Gamble
Industry Leaders Supporting Gender-Responsive Procurement - Randah Taher
Innovation and Education Expert
Youth Session: Innovative Teams and the Creative Process - Hana Y. AlSyead
VP - Diversity and Chairwoman Steering Committee, Olayan Women Network (OWN), Olayan Financing Company
Government Policies and the Private Sector’s Responsibility in Women’s Economic Advancement - Ambassador Dr. Enas Mekkawy
Director of the Department of Women, Family and Childhood at the General Secretariat of League of Arab States
Government Policies and the Private Sector’s Responsibility in Women’s Economic Advancement - Noor Al Noman
Director of Department of Sharjah E-Government
Speaker: Women in Technology - Tom Nauwelaerts
Managing Director of Momentum Logistics, Gulftainer
Moderator: Building an Inclusive Sector: Transport, Logistics and Travel - Mrs. Bettina Wittlinger de Lima
Frankfurt School of Business, Gender and Product Development
Financial Innovations and Solutions Panel - Zarin Tasnim Isra
Student
Panelist: Energy and Environment: The Missing Piece - Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf
Interim Provost Masdar Institute
Panelist: Energy and Environment: The Missing Piece - Maysoun Ramadan
Head of Communications and Public Affairs ME - Roche Diagnostics ME FZCO
Moderator: Science, Health and Sports: Ecosystems - Rania Rostom
Chief Innovation Officer - MENA & Turkey, GE
Panelist: Energy and Environment: The Missing Piece - Dr Mari Luomi
Senior Research Fellow - Emirates Diplomatic Academy
Panelist: Energy and Environment: The Missing Piece - Esther Ndichu
Vice President of Public Affairs at UPS Middle East and Africa
Panelist: Building an Inclusive Sector: Transport, Logistics and Travel - Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
Filmmaker
Panelist: Sector-specific: Media and Marketing Creators - Dr. Amal Ibrahim Al Ali
CEO - Cardiff Management Consultants
Panelist: Power Talk: My Journey - Dima Najim
UAE Managing Director, EFE-Global
Panelist: Access to Innovative Learning - Reem Aslan
Gender, Management and International Development Specialist
Speaker: Youth Session - Kawthar Bin Sulayem
Founder of KBS Communications
Power Talk: My Journey - Dr Nawal Al Hosani
Deputy Director General Emirates Diplomatic Academy, Director of the Zayed Future Energy Prize
Energy and Environment: The missing piece - Bel Pesce
Founder of FazINOVA
Panelist: Access to Innovative Learning / Moderator: Women in Technology - Diana van Maasdijk
Founder, Equileap
Panelist: Driving WEPs Implementation.. From Promise to Practice - Dr. Shayma Nawaf Fawwaz
Founder and CEO, GOSSIP the Brand
Panelist: Industry Leaders Supporting Gender-Responsive Procurement - His Excellency Abdulla Al Saleh
Under Secretary of the Foreign Trade and Industry at the UAE Ministry of Economy
Keynote at WEEGS Closing Session - Dr Mai Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber
Deputy Medical Director - Healthpoint
Panelist: Science, Health and Sports: Ecosystems - Luna Shamsuddoha
CEO - Dohatec
Panelist: Women in Technology - Elizabeth Filippouli
Founder and CEO - Global Thinkers Forum
Power Talk: Enabling Environment for Women / Moderator for panel: cost of violence - Nkiru Joy Okpala
National Coordinator - Nigerian Women in Business Network
Panelist: Government Policies and the private sector’s responsibility in women’s economic advancement / Judge: Opportunity To Grow - Jacqueline Kyosiimire-Lugemwa
Scientist at MRC / UVRI - Uganda Research Unit
Panelist: Science, Health and Sports: Ecosystems - Arda Batu
Secretary General - TURKONFED
Panelist: Driving WEPs implementation: From Promise To Practice - Sonia N. Jorge
Executive Director - Alliance for Affordable Internet
Panelist: Women in Technology - Abdullahi O. Adan
Head of Consumer Banking - Kenya
Panelist: Financial Innovations and Solutions - Yasmeen Lari
Architect
Panelist: City planning: From Inception To Application - Mariam Farag
Leading CSR Program at MBC Group
Panelist: Media and Marketing Creators - Sana Bagersh
CEO - BrandMoxie
Panelist: Media and Marketing Creators - Dr Amany Asfour
World President of International Federation for Business and Professional Women
Panelist: Science, Health and Sports: Ecosystems - Shaloo Garg
Oracle Veteran
Panelist: Women in Technology - Geeta Mehta
CEO and Founder - Asia Initiatives
Moderator: City Planning: From Inception To Application - Mavic Cabrera-Balleza
CEO and International Coordinator - Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)
Panelist: The Cost of Violence on Women’s Economic Participation - Tatiana Takikawa
Entrepreneur and Sales Director at Agro Assai
Speaker: Power Talk: My Journey - Javette Hines
Director, Head of Supply Chain Development, Inclusion and Sustainability - Citi
Panelist: Briefing on Gender-responsive Procurement - Fida Taher
Founder Women in Business
Panelist: Media and Marketing Creators - Elizabeth A. Vazquez
Moderator for Session 3: Industry Leaders Supporting Gender - Responsive Procurement - Dr. Eng. Montaser A. Hiyari
Panelist on session 19: City planning - S.N. Nyeck
Panelist on Panel 2: Industry leaders supporting gender-responsive procurement - Tia Kansara
Panelist on city planning: from inception to application - Alexandra Baldeh Loras
Panelist on Media and Marketing creators - Heba Al Emara
Panelist on Financial Innovations and Solutions