On Monday 23 June AIWF President & Founder Haifa Al Kaylani OBE was delighted to participate at yet another outstanding Arab British Economic Summit 2025 held in London, contributing as a guest speaker to an outstanding panel on ‘Healthcare & Education’ moderated by Helen Barrett (Partner at CBD Corporate Services) and alongside Derek Redmon Oly, World Champion Gold Medalist and Chair of Right Brain Thinking; Kosar Dara, International Relations Manager at Cambridge City Company; and Peter Thomas, Chief Clinical Information Officer and Director of Digital Development at Moorfields Private Eye Hospital.
The panel considered how investment in human resources is equipping the new generation with the skill sets to succeed in the marketplace and lay the basis for an entrepreneurial culture in the region. The session also looked at how new technology in healthcare offers the potential to meet public need and maximise the efficient delivery of services. In her intervention, Haifa highlighted the high numbers of women graduating from Arab universities are still not translating into higher numbers of women entering the workforce and progressing in their chosen professions – and for women, this disconnect often comes down to a complex interplay of structural, social, legal and economic factors, which vary across countries but follow consistent patterns.
Across the MENA region, there is growing recognition that education systems must be reformed to prepare young people for the demands of a digital and knowledge-based economy. Yet many national curricula remain outdated and fragmented, with insufficient emphasis on AI, digital and data literacy. The drive to embed AI and digital literacies into curricula goes hand in hand with increased calls over the last few years especially to deepen ‘soft’ or human skills training within formal education systems – skills such as communication, active listening, empathy, emotional intelligence, and many other skills that in the AI-powered future of work and business, will become highly sought after and valued by the private sector. Also, encouraging more women to take leadership roles in health is vital to nurturing the next generation of women leaders in health not only through education and continued professional development but also through mentorship, role modelling, and recognition for women’s achievements in the sector.
The ABES brought together close to 600 delegates from across the Arab world and the United Kingdom, helping to shape critical discussions on economic cooperation and future partnerships. Haifa is proud to have served as an Advisory Board Member to the Arab British Chamber of Commerce for well over a decade and a half now and for AIWF to have collaborated with the ABCC on so many occasions over the years to strengthen Arab-British economic ties. AIWF extends it warm congratulations to Bandar Ali Reda, Secretary General of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, and the excellent leadership team at ABCC, for hosting such an excellent Summit.
