EY has launched its inaugural Corporate Finance Woman of the Year (CFWY) competition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The initiative encourages Saudi women to pursue careers in the private sector, particularly within transaction services and corporate finance. The competition is open to university students and offers them the opportunity to consider different ways of thinking while empowering them to achieve success in their professional-related endeavors in the future.

Rana Sanyoura, Partner, Transaction Advisory Services (TAS), KSA CFWY Sponsor, EY, said: “The CFWY competition was developed by EY to support the next generation of female Saudi business leaders, especially those interested in pursuing a career in corporate finance. There is a breadth of untapped potential among the female youth and they will play a pivotal role in developing the local economy. It is a testament to our continued commitment to providing young Saudis with a platform to expand their knowledge, network and opportunities in the workplace.”

Female Saudi nationals completing their undergraduate degree or a minor in accounting, finance, economics, or political science who are interested in participating must be graduating in or before January 2020. Students who are enrolled in a postgraduate program or master’s degree should have graduated in or before January 2020 with six months or less of work experience. Those interested in applying can review the eligibility requirements and send an email to: campus@ae.ey.com

After submitting an individual case study and group activity, the group of finalists will compete at the national level in Saudi Arabia in January. The winning applicant will then go on to compete at the global CFWY competition in London in February.

The CFWY competition is also taking place in the United Arab Emirates, where one female Emirati business student will be announced as the country winner. She, along with the Saudi Arabia winner, will compete against the 15 other winners from countries such as: Australia, Germany, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, UK, and US. — SG