DUBAI —

The third edition of CBRE’s ‘Women in Business’ has taken place at the Renaissance Hotel, Downtown Dubai. The event welcomed more than 70 female business leaders from across the UAE to discuss the key challenges that still face women in the workplace and how best to ensure the professional development of females, particularly in male dominated industries. Key themes explored during the panel discussions included the barriers that contribute to the ‘glass ceiling’ effect for women, including sector specific challenges, how women can support younger female employees, the role that men must play in the advancement of women in the workplace and gender differentiators in leadership roles.

The event forms part of an ongoing initiative by global real estate consultancy CBRE to promote equality in the workplace and instigate impactful discussions around gender parity. The event was opened by Simon Townsend, Senior Director, Strategic Advisory & Consulting, CBRE Middle East and moderated by Katie Fielder, broadcaster at Dubai One’s Emirates News and Emirates 24/7. The panel consisted of highly successful women in leadership roles, namely:

• Claire Harvey, Director of Feasibility and Investment Analysis at Jumeriah Group

• Christina Struller, Director of Public Affairs at UPS

• Natasha Hannoun, Director at Integrated Alternative Finance Ltd

• Gabriella De La Torre, Director, Strategic Advisory, CBRE

Commenting on the event, Simon Townsend, said “at CBRE our focus has always been on creating an environment which allows talented individuals to flourish and where gender is irrelevant to career progression. We are firmly committed to providing a platform to allow for meaningful discussions that will ultimately act as an important catalyst for change. We are dedicated to leading the way in female empowerment and considering new ways to overcome unconscious biases and gender stereotypes that may impact the career progression of women.”

He added “this third edition of the “Women in Business” forum has witnessed increased engagement with a growing attendance from a cross-section of women from various sectors. This is a true testament to the initiative’s success as a platform for impactful debate and CBRE’s position as true advocate for diversity and inclusion across its operations.”

Earlier this year, the UAE Cabinet approved a new structure for the UAE Gender Balance Council. The restructure is part of a wider effort by the Council to support the UAE’s remit to enhancing the role of women in all avenues of work. Women are a major contributor in supporting the UAE’s Vision 2021, steering the country towards its objective to become one of the world›s top 25 countries for gender equality in the next three years. The new legislation will further strengthen the UAE’s position as a leader in global competitiveness in gender balance.

“In the last few years, we have witnessed positive developments for women in the workplace. This is particularly evident at CBRE in Dubai, which now boasts a 50% female workforce,” affirmed Gabriella De La Torre, Director, Strategic Advisory, CBRE.

“There are still a number of industries today that are male dominated, and we hope that we can positively advance the role of women through awareness and empowerment and by leveraging on important opportunities for dialogue, such as CBRE’s Women in Business. Bringing together female leaders from a number of sectors to discuss their challenges and find solutions is an incredibly important step in the ongoing journey towards gender equality,” added De La Torre.

Broadcaster Katie Fielder who moderated the event said “in the last few years we have witnessed a number of positive developments for women in the workplace, supported largely by government initiatives and private sector schemes. Women in Business provides a much-needed opportunity for us to take a step back and constructively reflect on our progress so far and the factors that are still preventing women from succeeding. It is extremely important that the UAE’s female leaders continue to work together to explore how we can further accelerate progress.” — SG