Rising Talents’ share personal and professional journeys at Global Women’s Forum Dubai

DUBAI, 24th February, 2016 (WAM) -- Participants at Global Women’s Forum Dubai met with three of the GCC ‘Rising Talents’ yesterday, gaining perspective into the personal and professional journeys of some of the region’s most talented young women. The session took place at the Rising Talents hub in the Discovery - the signature creativity space at the heart of Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society meetings, featuring Sarah Amiri, Emirates Mars Mission Science Team Leader at the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), and Chairperson of the UAE Council of Scientists, Aisha Saeed Harib, CSR Investment Specialist and Social Entrepreneur, and Amani Shajera, Head of Studies and Research Department at Supreme Council for Women. The session was moderated by Mary Fitzgerald, Journalist and Analyst, and Women’s Forum Rising Talents alumnus, Ireland. The Rising Talents hub, which is being led by one of the UAE’s leading banks, FGB, spotlights women of under 40 years of age, across all business sectors, who have demonstrated remarkable skills and courage in their professional and personal lives, acting as catalysts for change within their companies and communities. Created by the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society, the Rising Talents initiative is built around a strong belief in identifying and nurturing women’s talent for the future of global business and society. The session explored a wide range of topics, including the nature of leadership and the importance of taking risks, horizontal mentoring, learning lessons from failure and lessons to pass on to future generations of women aspiring to progress and succeed in the business world. The session also featured a video which showcased previous Rising Talents, and explored what the Rising Talents programme is and what it hopes to achieve, along with a Q&A session. Sarah Amiri, Emirates Mars Mission Science Team Leader at the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), and Chairperson of the UAE Council of Scientists, said, "I’ve always been surrounded by family members, including my mother and aunt, who are professionals. It never crossed my mind that it’s not possible to balance various responsibilities, including a personal and professional life, so they have always been role models for me." Aisha Saeed Harib, CSR Investment Specialist and Social Entrepreneur, said, "Risk is very important – without risk, we cannot achieve our leadership journey. When I said I wanted to join the army, people asked me why, as a woman, I would want to do that. I was already in a good job, but I wanted to take on a challenge. I wanted to prove myself, and that women are capable of fulfilling a role like this, just like men. Women in the UAE have always enjoyed the same rights as men, and as a national service graduate, I want to open doors to other women." Amani Shajera, Head of Studies and Research Department at Supreme Council for Women, said, "The lessons I’d pass on to other young women is to not be afraid of change. The biggest risk I ever took was to change my major in 2013, and I’m still teaching now. These women should also take every opportunity they come across, and look for them too, whether it’s locally or abroad. They should have self-confidence, be prepared, improve their skills and learn as much as they can." The Rising Talents initiative at Global Women’s Forum Dubai will recognise seven talented women from the GCC region. These women will also become members of the international Women’s Forum Rising Talents Network, which currently features over 160 women, representing some 50 countries. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395291964161.html