Circumstances can be empowering or challenging for businesswomen in the United Arab Emirates because the land is a unique blend of opportunities for fostering female entrepreneurship. It offers cultural acceptance, progressive laws, gender-balanced frameworks, access to capital, and a supportive ecosystem for growth, such as the DBWC – Dubai Business Women Council.
All of these supportive policies seem too good to be true, but the UAE is rightly setting a benchmark by backing up their talented females. Perhaps this is why they successfully paved their way regardless of social stereotypes, family responsibilities and male-dominated industries. Nothing could beat these women in resilience and determination to rule the corporate realm.
Ten Female Emiratis Revolutionising the Corporate World
Back in 1975, the female representation in the Emirati Public Sector was only 11.7%. However, development picked up pace, and in the next 25 years, the government of UAE focused on the education and empowerment of women. Then, in 2002, the government established a business networking system for them.
The former rate of female employers, which was 11.7%, grew drastically up to 66% by 2015, and this massive progression is exemplary. Today, the land of luxury and opportunities is famous for empowering female entrepreneurs, thanks to Islamic liberalism.
Hence, today, we pay these – Indomitable Goddesses of Business a special tribute by recognising the top 10 female entrepreneurs.
1. Hana Al Rostamani
Group CEO of the First Abu Dhabi Bank, Hana Al Rostamani, has been in the position since January 2021. FAB is the largest Emirati bank, and Hana is the first female CEO of a UAE-based bank. Under her influence, FAB accomplished many substantial milestones, such as a record-high profit of $3.4 billion by the third quarter of 2023.
Hana also shares her expertise as the chair of the Global Council on Sustainable Development Goals and serves as a Board of Directors for a list of prestigious organisations, such as the International Institute for Management Development.
2. Vandana Joshi
A successful founder of companies like Start Any Business (SAB), Taskmaster and MIVA, Vandana is young blood from India. She has been leading a successful career as a business owner in Dubai and has made significant contributions to female entrepreneurs in the UAE business industry.
Her company, SAB – Start Any Business, provides solutions to people with unique ideas. Together with her brand, she has helped many aspiring businesswomen by turning their dreams into reality. Moreover, her other venture, Taskmaster, offers managerial support to the future leaders through loans, trade finance services, etc.
3. Maitha Al Dossari
You must have heard of Emaar Properties, the Emirati real estate development company. Now, learn about the CEO of Emaar Entertainment (a subsidy of Emaar Properties) – Maitha Al Dossari.
She graduated in Business Administration & Finance and then studied at IMD, Switzerland, for an Executive Development Program. Later, she started working at Emaar in 2002 and handled many roles, which led her to where she is now.
With extensive experience in procurement, logistics, operations and handling of emerging markets, she is the best fit for this powerful role of CEO.
4. Maryam Al Suwaidi
First in command at the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) in the UAE, Maryam Al Suwaidi has been working for 3+ years now. She holds the recognition title for being the first female to reach such an esteemed level of corporate in the GCC – Gulf Cooperation Council.
Her contributions to the financial sector are commendable as she is a qualified assessor expert in evaluating anti-money laundering and terrorism financing systems by the Financial Action Task Force. Moreover, she is the reason SCA fruitfully issued some major legislative decisions and presented innovative electronic systems.
5. Tayeba Al Hashemi
Hashemi is the chief executive officer at one of the largest offshore energy producers in the world, the ADNOC Offshore. Working for this company since 2023, Hashemi is responsible for harnessing the energy resources in Abu Dhabi Waters.
It is her two decades of experience in the oil and gas industries that enable her to do her job quite effectively. She has also served as the CEO of ADNOC Sour Gas, Al Yasat Petroleum and has been attending ADIPEC, the world’s largest energy conference, for three straight years as chairperson.
6. Saanika Gandhi
Let’s take a moment to recognise remarkable women like Saanika Gandhi, founder and CEO of Yellow Kite Nursery. With a rich background in film, fashion, and entrepreneurship, Saanika has spent 19 years shaping the nursery, formerly known as Kangaroo Kids, into the nurturing and dynamic space it is today. Now also the author of The Yellow Kite, her passion for both education and creativity shines through in everything she does. With two decades of experience in early childhood education, Saanika’s influence extends beyond the classroom, building a strong, connected community around her.
7. Dr. Saeeda Jaffar
Jaffar is the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Visa for the GCC region. With over two decades of expertise, skills and experience in financial services, Jaffar has been employed in various leadership roles in the region.
His most significant achievements include the growth and expansion of Visa in GCC, as she attempted to stabilise digital transformation and financial inclusion. In addition, she is one of the most influential female entrepreneurs in the financial sector and an expert who aims to shape the future of digital payments in the region.
8. Rola Abu Manneh
Standard Chartered Bank of United Arab Emirates is headed under the management of Rola Abu Manneh. She is the first Emirati woman to head this prestigious authority at a major international bank. Facts confirm that it was during her reign that the bank achieved significant growth, stood up for inclusion and promoted diversity.
Abu Manneh is familiar with the banking industry as she has been working for more than 25 years now. She has been in all senior positions in the industry despite all the challenges. She is a true living legend, an inspiration, and a trailblazer for women not only in the Gulf but also all around the world.
9. Farida Abdullah Al Mazrouei
A prominent name in the corporate realm, especially in the Trading and marketing industry is Al Mazrouei. She is famous for her leadership roles in many sectors and is the director at Farida Al Mazrouei General Trading.
Her company deals in a variety of products and services. For example, household items, food, beverages, beauty tools and cosmetic items. Thus, Al Mazrouei continues to play a key role in shaping the market dynamics in the UAE, focusing on success and growth.
10. Dr. Mariam Matar
She is a pioneer of the Genetic Disease Association – GDA in UAE and is in the 55th position on the list of ‘100 Most Powerful Businesswomen in 2024′. She is Mariam, the founder and chairperson of GDA.
Her biggest achievement was getting the position of director general in Dubai’s government, which no other woman before her could reach. She was also the first Emirati female to become the undersecretary of the UAE’s minister of Health. This girl is surely going places!
As the leading figure at GDA, Mariam has raised awareness about genetic disorders. She even established the Department of Community Research at Dubai Health Authority for that purpose.
A Message by Powerful Businesswomen of UAE
Undeniably, being a businesswoman in the UAE is one of the most rewarding experiences due to the supportive ecosystem, progressive policies and numerous growth opportunities.
Despite being a conservative society, they have made significant progress in embracing women’s empowerment in the corporate realm.
This shows how cultural norms have been evolving through the years, and society is growing tolerance for women in leadership roles. In addition, the country’s unwavering commitment to gender equality makes it easier for female entrepreneurs to dream. Dream Bigger!
However, every path has twists and turns. Navigating becomes quite a challenge, although women like Maryam Al Suwaidi, Saanika Gandhi, Hana Al Rostamani and many more continue to be indomitable.
