Supporting the UAE’s continued efforts to achieve 30% women’s representation in leadership roles, the new network is dedicated to women in the country and provides members with unlimited access to a real-world community of like-minded and ambitious women from diverse professional backgrounds, industries and nationalities.
The need to create such networks was highlighted in research from the US Kellogg School of Management, which revealed that women with a strong inner circle are more than three times more likely to be promoted than those without. Yet, women account for only 31% of senior roles globally.
Diana Wilde, co-founder of Aurora50, said: “We are delighted to launch NOORA with such influential and committed founding partners. Together we are forming a real-world community for like-minded and ambitious women.
“Research shows women climb the career ladder faster when they have a strong network. But no networks have existed in the UAE for the ambitious corporate career woman until now. Members will also be given opportunities to lead collaborations and solve industry challenges. Women will lead with impact,” Ms Wilde added.
Members of NOORA will have the opportunity to participate in face-to-face workshops addressing industry challenges and will also have regular opportunities to network in person. Additionally, they can connect via the online membership platform at any time.
NOORA has two chapters: a lobby for first-time managers and a mezzanine for established leaders.
Nabil Almessabi, Chief Human Resources Officer at TAQA, commented: “TAQA is pleased to be a founding partner with Aurora50 on the launch of the NOORA programme, which will act as an important platform for networking as well as provide a community for professional women across several sectors. At TAQA, we are committed to identifying opportunities that will empower and enhance the experience of our female employees and create an ecosystem where they thrive professionally and have fulfilling careers at TAQA.”
TJ Lightwala, Accenture’s Marketing Senior Practice Lead & Inclusion and Diversity lead in the Middle East, said: “At the heart of every successful business lies the undeniable power of accessible, creative, and untapped talent. At Accenture, we wholeheartedly champion open, honest, and meaningful conversations that drive us toward achieving equality for all. Being part of the NOORA initiative reflects our commitment to building a workplace culture that celebrates diversity and equality, fueled by visionary leadership. Through tangible actions and unwavering support, we strive to create an inclusive organisation where women thrive and break through barriers, ensuring they reach their full potential.”
Katherine Hahm, General Counsel and Head of Ethics & Business Integrity at Emirates Global Aluminum, said: “EGA is proud to be a founding partner of NOORA, a dedicated community designed to support ambitious women at all levels of leadership. At EGA, we’ve always championed the advancement of women in our industry, understanding that their unique perspectives and skills are integral to our success. NOORA provides a much-needed platform for women to forge connections, exchange ideas and amplify their professional growth. This partnership demonstrates our belief in the potential and capabilities of women in our industry and beyond. We’re excited to be a part of this journey, and we’re looking forward to seeing the transformative impact of NOORA on the UAE’s corporate landscape.”
Oliver Grohmann, Senior Vice President Human Resources at the Emirates Group, said: “We’re pleased to partner with Aurora50 and be a launch partner of the NOORA initiative. This dovetails with our continued efforts to empower all women at the Emirates Group, and we hope to inspire other businesses to follow suit. We believe that by combining resources, expertise and networks, we can accelerate the creation of a pipeline of women leaders who can make long-lasting impact on our industries and community.”
His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Aurora50 to launch the NOORA initiative. This partnership represents a strategic step for ENOC Group towards empowering our female employees and fostering an environment that champions their success. The UAE is one of the leading nations in the MENA at achieving and promoting gender equality, with women playing a vital role in building the community, economy and future of our country. Supporting the UAE’s continued efforts towards empowering women we at ENOC Group continuously look for such partnerships to benefit and offer valuable insights and skills, supporting their personal and professional growth, ultimately to benefit the entire Group as we strive for excellence together”.
Notes to Editors
About Aurora50
Aurora50 was founded in 2020 with a powerful vision: to achieve gender balance in the workplace. A UAE-based, training and development company dedicated to creating thriving, inclusive workplaces. Its first, successful initiative was to increase the number of women on boards in the UAE through the
Pathway20 accelerator. In 2023, it expanded its focus to support listed corporations, large private organisations, and high-growth businesses alike with all their diversity, equity and inclusion needs.
NOORA is Aurora50’s new community designed to support ambitious women at all levels of leadership, while
The Inclusion Summit in October 2023 will bring together 900+ trailblazing C-suite executives and board directors in MENA’s largest cross-industry DEI event. For more information, please visit
www://aurora50.com
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent and innovation led company with 732,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at
www.accenture.com.
About Emirates Global Aluminium
Emirates Global Aluminium was founded in 1975 and has been innovating aluminium to make modern life possible. Today EGA is the world’s biggest ‘premium aluminium’ producer and the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas industry.
EGA is equally-owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai. It is the largest company jointly owned by the two Emirates.
EGA is an integrated aluminium producer, with operations from bauxite mining to the production of cast primary aluminium. EGA operates aluminium smelters in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah, an alumina refinery in Al Taweelah and a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea.
EGA’s aluminium is the second largest made-in-the UAE export after oil and gas. In 2022, EGA sold 2.72 million tonnes of cast metal. EGA is the only UAE producer and makes the UAE the fifth largest aluminium producing nation in the world.
EGA has more than 400 customers in over 50 countries. In 2022, value-added products accounted for 78 per cent of EGA’s cast metal sales.
EGA’s aluminium is primarily used in the construction, automotive, packaging, aerospace and electronics industries. For more information visit
www.ega.ae.
