Shahd Alhamdan

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The two-day National Businesswomen Forum, which is taking place at the Four Season Hotel in Riyadh entitled “Reality & Advancement of Female Investments in the Kingdom”, kicked off on Tuesday.



The forum, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC), aims at examining the reality of female investments in the Kingdom and the challenges facing them and mechanisms to overcome them. It also endeavors to raise awareness among businesswomen on new regulations and systems related to investment facilitation, as well as laws related to women’s affairs. In addition, it also discusses introducing business initiatives – particularly from the private sector – which are concerned with developing female skills in the finance, training and recruitment sectors.



Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Dr. Reem Alfrayan, Director of Businesswomen Sector at the Council of Saudi Chambers, explained that the first session of the forum would be about developing female investments. Secretary-general of Media and Banking Awareness Committee of Saudi Banks Talat Hafiz is the session’s moderator.



The forum conveys businesswomen’s views to executive bodies in both the public and private sectors in order to create a convenient business environment for female enterprises and set mechanisms that incentivize further involvement of Saudi women in the investment sector.



The speakers for this session are Princess Lolowah Al-Faisal, and the Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr. Tawfiq Al Rabiah, Member of Shoura Council and Chairman of the Affairs and Energy  Saleh Al Hussaini, and Minister of Labor  Dr. Mufarrij Al Huqbani.



Alfrayan said “I think that it is a wonderful opportunity to have the decision makers as well as anyone in the investment field to be in the forum. It is a great chance to conclude the forum with new suggestions and visions that are touching the present reality.”



Alfrayan further said on the second day, the forum will stress on the topic of female investment in the Kingdom between diversity and concentration, which will be moderated by Dr. Hanan Alahmadi, a member of the Shoura Council.  Several female speakers are taking part in this session including Dr. Wafaa Al Mobeirek, Dean of College of Business in Princess Nourah University; Faten Bondugji, and Dr. Elham Al Dakheel.



Today’s (Wednesday) sessions will discuss the role of women leadership and female investment enhancement. Female members from Qatar and Bahrain chamber will participate in regional experience in developing female investments session.



“In this stage women should be thinking about the opportunities that they have. I am a positive thinker. I think the country and the government are very supportive for women and men in the business field on how we can maximize the benefit that we can get. We have several sectors that are financially concerned. Now we should focus on developing the knowledge of free enterprise,” she added.