A lighthouse for diversity and inclusion

It’s been said if you educate a man, you educate an individual; if you educate a woman, you educate a nation. We now know that if you include and empower a woman, you transform a business, a community and the world.

Today, on International Women’s Day 2021, I want to first salute all our female colleagues at Majid Al Futtaim for your commitment, humbleness and fantastic contribution. 2020 was a year where most of you had great responsibilities at home, and you did a tremendous job in balancing your personal lives and work life. I know that all of us fathers also had a more difficult year but if it were not for you we wouldn’t have been able to do what we did.

Second, I also want to acknowledge the tremendous work that governments in the region are doing to champion women. The public sector has been actively blazing a trail in diversity and inclusion, not just supporting but actively spearheading progress. The UAE ranked first in the Arab world and 18th globally in 2020 for its commitment to advancing women’s rights. Women make up 66 per cent of public-sector workers here, with 30 per cent in leadership roles. Saudi Arabia is also making great strides, as are others.

Ironically, it is the private sector that is holding back – its numbers bring the overall female participation in the workforce down to 41 per cent. And therefore it is at the corporate level that much work needs to be done.

Third, I want to affirm that Majid Al Futtaim has long been committed to enabling women; and continuing to empower our women MAFers is a top priority for us. Part of the reason is pragmatic: Diversity in the workplace translates to richness in sound and thoughtful decision making and success in business outcomes. Part of the reason is our commitment to our communities: It has been proven that increased women’s employment in the region can catalyze socio-economic wellbeing and a brighter future.

We are striving to not only recruit women to the workplace but to develop them and provide an environment and opportunities conducive to their growth. We are committed to talent, which has no gender; to diversity; and to have women in senior leadership roles in the company. There are many examples where we have walked the talk, and this is something we are very proud of. We acknowledge that there is more that needs to be done, and we will stay the course to ensure that we remain a talent powerhouse and continue to attract, retain and escalate female talent.

This is an issue that is close to my heart. As the father of two daughters, Yasmina and Maria, I am already thinking of their future, how they will be able to make their mark, make a difference and contribute to their environment and to society. So it is even more crucial for me to ensure that we at Majid Al Futtaim will always be a lighthouse when it comes to gender diversity.

Finally, I want to also salute those women who are breaking new ground, holding the door open for others, and encouraging other women by their presence, participation and powerful contribution.

Over the course of my career, I have had the honour of meeting incredibly impressive women. From government ministers to change drivers and industry leaders, these women continue to shape and better the world around us. As a proud father of two daughters that stand on the cusp of adulthood, I cannot thank those that have gone before them enough for paths they have cleared, challenges they have overcome and the pre-conceptions they have corrected. 

Thanks to the incredible journey these women have navigated, Maria and Yasmina are able to step into a world that welcomes differences, that values diversity, champions equality and is unrelenting in its demand for excellence regardless of gender. Singling out just one of these women would not only be impossible, but also a disservice. So on this International Women’s Day, I choose to celebrate my daughters, leaders of tomorrow and representatives of a brighter future for the generations to come.