INSEAD, a major international business school, celebrated International Women’s Day 2013 with a seminar at its Abu Dhabi campus entitled “Inspire, Impact, Empower.” The event sponsored by A.T. Kearney featured influential women leaders in the Middle East who have left a significant footprint in areas from media and entrepreneurship to the arts.
The UAE, a pioneer for the empowerment of women in the region, has led the way in placing women in leadership roles in fields in both the government and private sector with more than two-thirds of the country’s government universities populated by women.
Inspirational speakers at the event representing the UAE, the rest of the Middle East and beyond, included Sadaffe Abid, social entrepreneur; Azza Al-Qubaisi, jewelry artist, sculptor and social entrepreneur; Camilla Hall, entrepreneur; Sara Ismail Mohammed, board member, CEO, Al Bashayer Investment Company, and Soraya Salti, president and CEO, MENA for Junior Achievement Worldwide, Injaz Al-Arab as well as Rebecca Hall, principal, A.T. Kearney.
Miguel Lobo, associate professor of Decision Sciences, director of Abu Dhabi campus, spoke about the contribution the UAE has made to the promotion of women in society. He said: “The UAE government has shown great foresight in promoting the educational and professional development of women.”
Hal Gregersen, senior affiliate professor of innovation and leadership, the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, chaired professor of innovation and leadership, stressed the impact made around the world by women in a number of fields.
Haif Zamzam, an Emirati INSEAD MBA student, spoke of her own empowerment since joining the INSEAD program. She said: “One of the UAE’s greatest achievements is seen in the growing importance of Emirati women in society.
Rebecca Hall, principal, A.T. Kearney, said: “The INSEAD Women’s Day seminar has showcased that there clearly is a valuable female talent pool available here in the region.”
INSEAD marks Women’s Day in Abu Dhabi
INSEAD marks Women’s Day in Abu Dhabi
Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Endowment projects worth SR8bn launched in Makkah
Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate Company has announced the launch of several real estate projects belonging to the Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Endowment system in Makkah, with a total investment exceeding SR8 billion ($2.1 billion). These projects include commercial, residential, and hospitality developments, as well as strategic land plots, as part of the company’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s real estate sector and enhancing the quality of life in the holy city.
The announcement was made during a field tour by a delegation of high-level officials including Saleh Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites; Ihsan Bafakih, chairman of the board of directors of Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi Holding Company; Haitham Al-Fayez, chairman of Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate Company and CEO of Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Holding Company; Moath Al-Mukhudub, managing director and CEO of Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate Company; and Anas Mansour Abadi, CEO of real estate at Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Holding Company and representative of the Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Endowment, alongside members of the board of directors of both the holding and real estate companies and the executive team.
The tour included the launch of the Tilal Towers project, with an investment value of SR2 billion, featuring more than 2,500 hotel rooms, strengthening the hospitality sector in Makkah.
The delegation also visited the Tilal Village project, valued at SR2.8 billion. It is one of the prominent qualitative projects within the hospitality ecosystem in Makkah.
Furthermore, the visit covered the residential buildings within Tilal Village, comprising 828 units, with an investment of SR800 million. The delegation inspected the specialized hospital, medical complex housing, and the office and commercial plazas.
During the tour, a contract was signed for the Al-Rajhi Center project, valued at SR250 million, as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
The inspection also included the Al-Ukayshiyyah land, spanning 4 million square meters, and the Al-Ghazzawi project land, valued at SR250 million.
The tour concluded with prayers at the Aisha Al-Rajhi Mosque, the second-largest mosque in Makkah after the Grand Mosque, with a capacity for 50,000 worshippers.
This visit underscores the importance of these investments, which represent a clear direction toward enhancing the management of the endowment’s assets through diversification, redevelopment, and strategic expansion, in line with the development goals of the Makkah city and Saudi Vision 2030.
Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate, a subsidiary of Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi Holding Company, continues to provide innovative solutions to elevate the real estate sector to international standards.
