The Qatar Businesswomen Association will on November 11-12 host its fourth annual ‘Qatar International Businesswomen Forum’, which is expected to feature speakers and panellists from across the world.
The forum to be organised in co-operation with the Interactive Business Network (IBN) under the theme ‘Arab Businesswomen as Change Makers’, will be accompanied by the Qatar Businesswomen Award 2013 to recognise and celebrate contribution of business and professional women in Qatar.
The award, to be held on the first day of the forum during a gala dinner, is based on five criteria namely: Leadership; Future Goals and Financial Performance; Business, Professional and Career Achievement; Community Contribution; and Participation and Innovation.
During the forum, speakers, panellists and delegates from the Gulf and the Arab world as well as from Europe, the US, Canada, Russia, Malaysia and Australia, will discuss leadership potential and style for women.
Speaking yesterday at a press conference held at St Regis Hotel to announce the event, Qatar Businesswomen Association chairperson Aisha Alfardan said: “It is common knowledge that this forum has achieved considerable success and a leading status in its first three annual sessions during 2010-2012 and it is my promise to you today that this year’s forum will make a new and major step forward and will continue to boost its status and reputation as one of the leading and most effective and relevant events in the region.”
She explained that the main theme of the event for this year concerns mainly issues of leadership in business, exploiting the capabilities of women and removing barriers to the social and business role of Arab women including their leadership styles as well as encouraging, promoting and financing entrepreneurship and innovation.
While announcing the plan to hold the Qatar Businesswomen Award alongside the forum this year, she said that workshops related to the award will start at the beginning of April.
Alfardan maintained that the achievements recorded so far by the association would not have been possible without the support and leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
“We consider al the efforts we have made in recent years as a token of appreciation to our wise government and for Qatari women for what they have achieved,” she added.
IBN chief executive officer Raed Chehaib said that the forum was expected to attract more participants this year than last year when 800 attended the event.