DIFC Family Wealth Centre and Arab International Women’s Forum Advance Women’s Leadership in Family Enterprise

Highlighted the impact of women’s leadership on family business growth, sustainability and longevity.

EVENTS

ME-HR & LEARNING

10/10/20263 min read

DIFC Family Wealth Centre (DFWC) and the Arab International Women’s Forum (AIWF) today convened business leaders from across the region at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, for the ‘Women-Led Family Business in the Global Economy’ roundtable and networking event. The event, which took place as part of AIWF’s milestone 25th anniversary programme, examined the evolving role of women as leaders within family-owned enterprises across the region and in the global economy.

Through this joint initiative, DFWC and AIWF highlighted the impact of women’s leadership on family business growth, sustainability and longevity. Discussions explored how greater representation of women on family business boards can strengthen governance, foster innovation and enhance long-term resilience as family businesses respond to AI and other shifts in the global economy.

DFWC and AIWF are committed to supporting and promoting family enterprises. As MEASA’s largest family wealth ecosystem, DFWC supports family businesses and ultra-high-net-worth individuals with the expertise, services and structures needed to preserve and grow wealth across generations, with a focus on areas including succession planning and governance. DIFC’s family wealth ecosystem continues to expand rapidly, with 1,408 family business-related entities, up 36 per cent year-on-year, and 1,409 foundations, up 67 per cent. In the Gulf, family businesses contribute around 60 per cent of GDP and employ more than 80 per cent of the workforce.

His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, welcomed key guests ahead of the event. In her opening remarks, Haifa Al Kaylani OBE, President and Founder of AIWF, reflected on AIWF’s 25 years of supporting women’s leadership in the private sector, family businesses and economies across the region. Abdullah Jefri, Division Director, GCC, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group, delivered the Guest of Honour keynote.

The event placed women’s leadership at the centre of discussions on how family businesses preserve their legacies, prepare successors and respond to new opportunities in the global economy. The first discussion, Women-Led Family Business: Leadership, Legacy and Transformation, examined how women lead established family enterprises while planning for change across generations. Moderated by Haifa Al Kaylani OBE, the panel welcomed HE Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson and Managing Director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, UAE; HE Mona Al Moayyed, Managing Director of YK Almoayyed & Sons, Bahrain; and HE Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC, Oman.

The second discussion, Empowering the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Family Enterprise, explored the skills, support and opportunities that aspiring leaders need to thrive in family business structures. Moderated by Nilufer Gunhan, Senior Executive and Board Member of AIWF, the session brought together Basma Alzamil, Family Business Advisor at LGA Global, Saudi Arabia; Farida El Agamy, Attorney at Law and General Manager of Tharawat Family Business Forum, UAE; Nisha Jagtiani, Group Director and Board Member of Landmark Group, UAE; and Hanan Saab, Founder, Co-Owner and Managing Director of Pharmamed, Lebanon.

During the event, DFWC launched the Women in Family Leadership and Governance Programme in collaboration with Hawkamah and AIWF, a landmark initiative aimed at advancing women's participation in family business governance and promoting greater representation of women on family and corporate boards.

The programme forms part of DFWC's broader commitment to supporting family businesses with the knowledge, networks and governance capabilities needed to navigate succession and preserve wealth across generations, while empowering the next generation of leaders. Through specialised education, peer engagement, mentorship and practical governance insights, the initiative seeks to strengthen women's contributions to leadership, succession planning and strategic decision-making, helping to build more resilient, inclusive and future-ready family businesses across the region.

The Arab International Women’s Forum

The Arab International Women's Forum was founded in London in 2001 by Haifa Al Kaylani OBE to support women's economic empowerment and leadership, and advance youth engagement in the MENA region and globally. From our base in London and from the heart of the MENA Region, AIWF convenes global and emerging leaders from government, public service, business, civil society, academia and media to create an Arab world where women are empowered to make a positive impact as equals and as leaders, in their communities, in grassroots advocacy, in parliament, in the economy, and in societal development overall.

Anchored in integrity, DIFC is the platform for success, driving the future of finance.

For further information, please visit our website: difc.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and X @DIFC.