Seventh Gulf Businesswomen Forum Ends with New Women's Empowerment

• The 7th Gulf Businesswomen Forum ended with a set of recommendations to support Gulf women economic growth
• The theme was "Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Investment"

The recommendations released at the end of the 7th Gulf Businesswomen Forum comprised a range of established recommendations aimed at empowering Gulf women, enhancing the fields of knowledge and innovation, while supporting their role in sustainable economic development of the region.

The two-day forum took place on the theme "Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Investment" at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Msheireb, which was conducted under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Chamber, and hosted by the Federation of GCC Chambers (FGCCC) in cooperation with Qatar Chamber with the support of the GCC General Secretariat and Qatar National Bank.

The second day involved a combination of three panel discussions and success stories by women entrepreneurs of the Gulf.

Sessions were also attended by Ibtihaj Al-Ahmadani, Qatar Chamber Board Member and Chairperson of the Qatari Businesswomen Forum; several delegation heads; and Noura Al Salem, Assistant Secretary-General of the Federation of GCC Chambers. Al Ahmadani and Al Salem also honored the speakers and entrepreneurs who participated.

Highlights of the first panel discussion titled “Gulf Businesswomen and Sustainable Investment,” moderated by Wadha Al-Athba, shed light on the contribution of businesswomen to the knowledge economy, challenges of non-traditional investment, and how modern technologies develop women-run projects.

The speakers in the discussion included Aisha Mohamed Al Mulla, Fatima bin Ghanem Al Kubaisi, Sulafa Jabarti, and Dr. Hanan bin Aziz Al Kindia.

The second panel, “Women Entrepreneurs in the Gulf: From Tradition to Innovation,” moderated by Nisreen Al Malik, focused on the role of education and training in enabling women to enter modern investment fields, the future of women’s entrepreneurship in alignment with QNV 2030, and sectors attracting Gulf women.

It included speakers like Dr. Fatima Yousef Al Balushi, Badriya Al Hanbashi, Dima Al Haddad, and Magda Al Aouni.

The third session was titled "Role of Arbitration in Supporting the Business Environment for Gulf Women," and was led by Dr. Mona Al Marzouqi.

Discussions focused on the importance of protecting women's investments through arbitration, the significance of transparent contracts, and the value of arbitration in resolving commercial disputes.

The attendees heard from speakers Dr. Sama Al Langawi, Amal Al Asiri, and Fatima Ghaith from the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre.

In the closing session, Noura Al Salem gave the final statement and presented the recommendations of the forum. She applauded the constructive discussions, active participation, and tangible results over the two days.