As early as two decades, a woman has successfully adapted to leadership in the Middle Eastern corporate boardroom to regulatory ecosystems. My journey has been satisfactory with a wealth of exposure. Fast track to the present, the UAE and the greater Middle East continue to experience rapid transformation over the evolving role of women in leadership. The progress has been promising, but the challenges continue to demand intentional effort, strategy, and systemic change along the way.
I am not only reflecting a journey; but also a call to action: for women ready to lead and for institutions prepared to empower them.
The Rise of Female Leadership in the UAE: More Than Symbolic
In the Arab world, the UAE is very unique in putting women first in national development. As of today, 66 percent of UAE government employees are women while 50 percent of seats on the Federal National Council are taken up by women feat achieved by only a couple of global economies.
More encouragingly, the UAE Gender Balance Council is doing very well in addressing the gap between males and females across all sectors-private and public. The Global Gender Gap Report 2023 from the World Economic Forum placed UAE first in the region for gender equality.
Part of the story, however, is told by such powerful numbers.
Real leadership isn’t only about representation-it’s about power in decision-making, economic participation, and access to development in leadership-things that leave much to be desired.
The Private Sector: The Next Frontier for Inclusion
While the women in government have made big strides, much work still needs to be done in the private sector. In a KPMG report on Women in Leadership in the Middle East, it was found that among board members in the top listed companies in the UAE, only 7% are women and below 5% are in C-suite executive jobs in sectors such as technology, finance, and logistics.
This shows that there is a gross disconnect: women are very well educated (making up over 70% of UAE university graduates) yet are scarce in leadership positions.
Realignment of certain structures will help fill that gap: presence of clear policies to hire inclusively, leadership mentoring programs, family-friendly workplace culture, and promotion among peers without any level of unconscious bias.
Culture and Confidence: The Human Side of the Barrier
There is an issue of erosion of self-confidence, which very subtly stands as a challenge that I have observed outside external conditioning lying within.
The treatment that women receive in a patriarchal world, though some would consider it progressive, such as the UAE, results in many women being conditioned to undervalue their potential, waiting to be permitted to enter the arena and claim a position while being buffeted by social expectations around caregiving and all that balancing. And here you have a pipeline of talent full of prospects yet shackled by invisible chains.
This is where coaching, mentoring, and role modelling make a difference. At UNFOLD and ICONIC ALPHAAS, we don’t simply train or mentor; we nurture mindsets. We cultivate women’s executive presence, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence for sustainable leadership.
The Digital Economy Is a Game Changer
The digital economy is yet another factor transforming women’s leadership.
Women, more freely than ever before, now have the flexibility to work remotely, work on gig platforms, and monetize their content. Initiatives like Womenpreneur and She Leads Accelerator are helping capitalize and mentor women-led startups.
A study conducted in 2024 by Dubai SME found that more than 48% of new entrepreneur licenses were issued to women. This underscores the fact that an entrepreneurial state of mind is thriving, and in many cases, it has outperformed the traditional structures.
It’s not simply about business in terms of money; it’s about freedom and financial resilience.
Public Policy: Momentum That Needs to Continue
Having evolved the legal framework for the better, the UAE is an example to other countries in the region. From laws that safeguard women from being harassed at work to those that afford them maternity benefits and equal pay as well as property rights, the UAE has it all. The annual measure, namely the Gender Balance Index, now aims at giving awards to institutions that actively encourage women to assume leadership positions.
But laws don’t create a culture. What is required are active enforcement and public awareness campaigns, as well as institutional accountability-especially among smaller organizations and traditional sectors.
My Experience: Leading with Purpose, Not Just Position
Although my journey is pretty personal concerning leadership, it is closely linked with the ecosystems of the free zones in Dubai, commercial real estate, and national projects like Expo City Dubai. All those boardrooms I entered and public policies I helped formulate around have just one thing in common: empathy, strategy clarity, and courage.
This is what you want to pass on to the next generation of women leaders.
This is what drives ICONIC ALPHAAS to recognise women across sectors. This is why UNFOLD builds its strategy on sustainability, inclusion, and innovation. And this is why I keep talking and writing and mentoring-not to teach but to activate.
Closing Thoughts: From Barriers to Breakthroughs
Women in the Middle East are not simply rising; they are rewriting the rules. But we must act faster and together.
To the women reading this: You are not an exception. You are indispensable.
To the companies, leaders, and policy makers: Gender equity is not simply a path of nice-to-haves. It is a growth strategy. It is an ethical imperative. And it is the only way to forge ahead.
Let us not just talk about breaking barriers; let us make the doors and hold them open.
Join me at UNFOLD or ICONIC ALPHAAS for the nurturing of women leaders ready for the future. Together, we are not envisioning change; we are already enacting it.