The Business Mentor – Interview with HE Sheikha Hind bint Majid Al Qasimi

The Business Mentor

Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Majid Al Qasimi is the Chairperson of the Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), an organisation that is inspiring entrepreneurs all over the UAE. Her Excellency discusses with us how the Council is championing an equitable world for businesswomen and entrepreneurs

Can you talk us through your career? I have had a passion for porcelain art since I can remember. Initially, it was just a way of expressing myself. However, as I grew older, I knew it was my calling. A er studying fine arts at Sharjah University, I launched my own label, ‘Designed By Hind’, which has grown into a successful boutique porcelain design brand. When it comes to my association with the Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), which operates under the umbrella of the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA), the relationship began out of my deep-seated enthusiasm to give back to society. I have always wanted to make a di erence in people’s lives, particularly women. Initially, as a board member of SBWC, I learnt the ropes while contributing to the Council’s programmes, initiatives and campaigns, on both local and global levels. As Chairperson of SBWC since 2016, I take the lead in formulating its strategies and initiatives geared at empowering female business owners and entrepreneurs through training, upskilling and networking programmes in the UAE and beyond. You’re now the Chairperson of the Sharjah Business Women Council. What are the main goals of the Council? SBWC seeks to empower aspiring as well as established businesswomen and female entrepreneurs by providing an enabling, sustainable and nurturing environment for them to realise their professional aspirations and contribute actively to Sharjah’s and the UAE’s sustainable socio-economic development. Our vision is to create an equitable world for businesswomen and entrepreneurs by promoting their access to knowledge, services, support systems and resources, and assisting them with reaching their fullest potential. Can you talk us through the history of the Council? Since its inception in 2002, how has SBWC gone on to help regional women in business? Since its inception, SBWC has been supporting businesswomen and entrepreneurs to develop better business skills; opening up key business and networking opportunities for them across di erent market sectors; o ering comprehensive services catering to their every need; and creating a vibrant platform to connect them with industry leaders who mentor and train them throughout their development journey.

We enhance their competencies through upskilling and training workshops, and organise trade missions and participation in top-tier exhibitions to help them network with global experts and peers. Through our partnerships with key government and private entities, we facilitate their business set-up process and provide mentorship and consultation. We motivate our members through exclusive membership benefits, loyalty programmes, and promote their businesses through our own and our partners’ platforms. SBWC is one of the few entities in the region that accepts women members of any nationality from across the UAE. Over the years, SBWC has initiated several programmes and campaigns that have helped the council go from strength to strength. With 2,000 plus members enrolled at present, SBWC has now gone global with a new brand identity that reflects its ongoing evolution and bold vision to guide and empower businesswomen globally to realise their career aspirations, attain success globally, and be active contributors to the sustainable socioeconomic growth of their nations and communities. We are also among the few entities in the region that o ers all its services, including registration of members, via a dedicated app. Our forthcoming SBWC Mentors platform, in collaboration with Jupiter Business Mentors, will provide our members access to over 25 wellestablished mentors across various sectors and industries for consultations.

Our successful initiatives include: SBWC Pop-Up, which provides opportunities to our members to showcase their products and services via various entities and at landmark locations in Sharjah; SBWC Tours, which introduces businesswomen and entrepreneurs to SBWC’s o erings and related services; SBWC

“Whatever your goal is, keep moving forward.”

IMAGE: SUPPLIED Talks, our platform to share knowledge, explore best practices and learn from successful businesswomen across sectors; and SBWC Online Workshops, that cover the gamut of business topics to enrich and upskill our members with market knowledge. We recently concluded an action-oriented series of workshops held in partnership with Mashreq Bank, Mastercard, and 33Voices, a high-performance learning organisation and business accelerator titled ‘The Reinvention of Business Post-Covid 19’, to equip our members with the right tools, knowledge and motivation to advance in their business through post-Covid business recovery planning.

We will soon be launching a ‘Manage Your Business’ series in partnership with several Sharjah Government entities; host a special edition of SBWC Talks at the Dubai Expo 2020 in October to encourage businesswomen to venture into emerging industries such as agritech, among others; and organise a 3-month training programme for our members to properly utilise pitching opportunities. You’re a leader in business in this region – what’s it like paving the way for so many women in the GCC & Arab world? Regionally as well as around the world, more and more women are being elevated to positions of power – not just to listen and observe, but to actively participate in decision making. I feel proud, and at the same time humbled, to be one of these women, part of a new generation that is shi ing perspectives on the importance of inclusion. Having more women leaders is crucial for many reasons other than serving as role models. More importantly, women leaders prioritise putting women’s issues on front of the agenda. When women are meaningfully represented and engaged in leadership roles, then the laws and decisions are more likely to be inclusive and representative and will take diverse views into account.

I am grateful to be growing up in an era with so many role models. This is in large part because the wise leadership in UAE has consciously invested in women and gender balance by increasing the number of programmes aimed at recruiting a new generation of female leaders. How important is it to have a support system for women in the world of business? Entrepreneurial training is, without doubt, an e ective way of bringing women into the mainstream, and leads to overall economic and social development. However, the many cultural and systemic hurdles women face make it harder for them to advance. To counter this, successful businesswomen have to collectively give a voice to upcoming and struggling female entrepreneurs, and help them make an impact. At SBWC, we have been identifying and tapping female potential in the business and entrepreneurship sectors. Through our programmes and initiatives, we have created a far-reaching support system for businesswomen and entrepreneurs from all walks of society. By motivating, training and developing the skillsets of our members, we not only enable them in their workplace but also help them evolve and grow, thus contributing to UAE’s march towards a sustainable future. What is a philosophy that you live by in your professional life? I strongly believe in the saying, “Everything happens for a reason.” There are no lost opportunities in life – it is simply nature’s way of showing us a new path, a di erent vocation or goal that is more suited to our passions and requirements. Approached with the right frame of mind and attitude, whatever happens always turns out for the best. It is important to be grateful for everything, both good and bad. Things happen because they are meant to be – we must learn to accept, embrace and go with the flow. What are some of the key lessons you would like people to take from your career? My career reflects the exposure I have had running my own business, as well as my experiences in helming SBWC. Being a businesswoman myself, I use my own experiences to formulate strategic action plans with clear objectives that promise measurable results to help attain sustainable growth and continued success. During my career, I have learned to adapt quickly to situations in order to allow myself a better chance to achieve my goals, and this is one key lesson I’d recommend professionals across sectors to take away. I also advise businesswomen and female entrepreneurs to concentrate on advancing their agenda dedicatedly – whatever your goal is, keep moving forward. Women need to step forward and shed their inhibitions to realise their dreams and aspirations, whatever they may be. If a business or a venture is what you want to start or take to the next level, SBWC is right here to empower you with the knowledge, skills and tools you need for a successful future. What are your hopes for women in the future of this country? I have endless hopes for the future of businesswomen and female entrepreneurs in the UAE. There already is tremendous government support for women’s projects and capacity development programmes here, and I believe, more investments can be made to achieve greater returns, both in terms of output and value. For instance, additional support for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that make up around 94 per cent of the companies operating in the UAE and contribute 60 per cent to the nation’s non-oil GDP, will be a gamechanger for both the future of entrepreneurship and national development. Our nation’s economic diversification policies also o er numerous opportunities for women. This can be seen especially in emerging sectors like IT, agritech, financial engineering and digital transformation, which present immense possibilities for women entrepreneurs to broaden their horizons beyond the traditional business space to areas of unlimited potential. By entering emerging sectors, businesswomen will play a key role in the economy of the future. We also hope to see more changes in the private sector geared towards creating a more enabling working environment for women, to grow as professionals and help build the future of this great country.

In my capacity as Chairperson of SBWC, my aim is to strive for an equitable world where rights and opportunities are served to all. Looking back, can you tell us about a major hurdle you’ve had to overcome? The one major lesson I learnt at the beginning of my career was how important it is to balance your personal life with your profession. I had to take a step back and ask myself: What is currently causing me stress and dissatisfaction? How are these circumstances a ecting how I perform and engage with my work, how are they impacting my personal life? Only a er I took a mental pause and acknowledged these factors could I begin to tackle them. I learnt that with the right kind of planning it was possible to achieve a worklife balance. Planning ahead and having a proper schedule is an important factor, so are simple things like maintaining a daily planner. On the opposite end of the spectrum, what have been the key milestones to date? I can never forget the moment my very first porcelain collection titled ‘Tuminah’ was launched in 2011. Its success was the starting point for my label, ‘Designed by Hind’, and I realised I had found my life’s purpose. My next major turning point was when I took over as Chairperson of SBWC. It was a golden opportunity for me to inspire and encourage women, especially those who were venturing into business without prior experience like I had with ‘Designed by Hind’. This is ‘The Icon Issue’ – who are the icons in your life? For me, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family A airs (SCFA), is a true thought leader who places human value above all else. She has been a great influence, my one true icon because from her I have learnt that inclusive human development is the most important thing in life. The inspiring vision of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher has been the main driver of SBWC’s achievements. Thanks to Her Highness’s vision, directives and unfailing support, SBWC has been able to provide support to many aspiring entrepreneurs and businesswomen in the UAE. Not just for me; Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi is the true icon for all Emirati women.