IHG hosted a roundtable discussion on inspiring more Emirati women to aspire for international success in the field of Business, Arts and Hospitality
On the occasion of Emirati Women’s Day this year, IHG® Hotels & Resorts hosted a session to discuss and recognize the journey of six prominent Emirati women across various professional fields.
The two-hour event at Hotel Indigo, Dubai Downtown yesterday, saw Roudha Al Marri, the highly admired co-author of UAE 101; Nayla Khaja, first female Emirati film writer, director and producer; Ahlam Bolooki, Director of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature; Amna Al Hashemi first female Emirati chef patron to open her own restaurants ; Fatma Alawi, Deputy Director and Head of Expo Operations Centre and Aida Mohammad Al Busaidy, Director, C2C Campaigns and Marketing Management, Dubai Tourism discuss career paths, opportunities, challenges and the way forward for Emirati women in the coming years. The session, which paid homage to this year’s Emirati Women’s Day theme of “Women: Ambitions & Inspiration for the Next 50 Years”, also revealed inspiring anecdotes to success, taking risks and overcoming barriers.
Fatma Alawi, Deputy Director and Head of Expo Operations Centre said: “It was empowering for me to part of a strong cadre of accomplished Emirati women. The discussion was enlightening; we discussed not only the differing paths we have taken in our careers, but also talked about the common theme of hard work, adaptability and attention to detail that helped us become proficient in our fields. I hope the talk inspires young Emirati women to take the leap into discovering what they are passionate about and growing in their chosen career.”
Aida Mohammad Al Busaidy, Director, C2C Campaigns and Marketing Management, Dubai Tourism, commented: “In line with our visionary leadership’s commitment to women’s empowerment, the UAE has vastly improved the quality of life for our female citizens, enabling Emirati women from all strata of society to unlock their true potential and play a pivotal role in building a new era for the country. Now, more than ever one can see the achievements of Emirati women in all sectors, be it in corporate, business, retail, events, travel and tourism, as well as their dedication towards developing and enhancing the UAE’s cultural and creative communities. Our tourism sector, in particular, continues to beckon Emirati women, providing them so many incentives and career opportunities, as part of efforts to create the industry’s new generation workforce. With the world effecting far-reaching changes during the ongoing transition to the new normal, Emirati women employed across the tourism ecosystem have also confidently taken up the challenge, leveraging their professionalism and talents to further enhance the UAE’s position as a multi-faceted global destination.”
Talking about the event, Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG said: “It was our privilege to host the illustrious panellists and listen to their inspiring achievements and journeys. They serve as role models to all of us but especially the aspiring Emirati women who want to make a mark in their career of choice. We also encourage more Emirati women to explore their professional journey within the tourism and hospitality sector which is at the core of the UAE’s future.”
At the same event, a partnership was announced between Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown and The Zay Initiative, a non-profit organization that is focused on advancing the preservation of cultural heritage through digital archiving of Arab historical attire and their stories. Together, they are calling all fashion designers to design their own version of a contemporary UAE Women’s “Thawb” as part of a competition. More information can be found on www.hotelindigodubai.com.
Hotel Indigo is IHG’s boutique lifestyle brand, and Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown was the first Hotel Indigo property to open in the region last year. IHG® Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, currently operates 100 hotels across eight brands in the Middle East, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, voco™and Six Senses with a further 57 hotels in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years.
