Heba Al Emara, Associate Director, Head of Middle East Relations for Vistra, an AIWF Global Partner, moderated a key panel on ‘Financial Innovations and Solutions’ during the two-day summit, which aims to create legislature framework, commercial and social awareness that supports females in all roles
The Women’s Economic Empowerment Global Summit (WEEGS) was hosted by NAMA Women Advancement Establishment in collaboration with the UN Women in Sharjah last December 2017 over a two-day summit. The objective of the Summit is to support female entrepreneurs, business owners and employee opportunities and participation in local, regional and global economic development across sectors.
This first edition and inaugural forum of WEEGS (which will be take place every two years) was held under the patronage of HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment and Honourary Patron for Global Women’s Inclusion, to achieve the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015. The event was attended by international organisations, governmental bodies, private corporations and an elite group of thought leaders and businesswomen from across the globe to share their expertise and best practices.
As part of the summit, it was an honour to participate and moderate panel 5 of day 1 entitled “Financial Innovations and Solutions”. Our Keynote was delivered by HE Lina Sabatiene (Former Vice-Minister of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania) and the panellists included Abdullahi Adan (VP Gulf African Bank), Anu Bhardwaj (CEO of Women Investing In Women Digital), Virginia Tan (CEO of She Loves Tech and Lean In China), Bettina Wittlinger de Lima (Frankfurt School of Finance & Management) and Fahmi Quadir (CEO of Safkhet Capital).
During our session, we discussed stereotypes and perceptions in the financial sector. Our conversation focused on innovative and good practice examples of responsive financial products and services particularly for female entrepreneurs and female-owned small and medium enterprises facing challenges to access debt, equity, venture capital, amongst other needs in order to encourage growth from domestic markets to the global markets.
We acknowledged that some commercial banks, venture capital, impact investment firms and other networks are already engaged to create a sustainable ecosystem through which innovative financing and investment instruments are addressing some challenges, and more importantly new investment approaches underway which will further fund innovations in fields (e.g. technology) in which women are traditionally under represented.
Our panel discussion was one of 20 panel presentations and interactive sessions over the two-day summit, all insightful and informative with the overall aim to create legislature framework, commercial and social awareness that supports females in all roles.
