NOORA

FOUNDING PARTNER TESTIMONIALS

TJ Lightwala

Accenture Marketing Senior Practice Lead & Inclusion and Diversity lead in the Middle East

“Being part of NOORA reflects our commitment to building a workplace culture that celebrates diversity and equality, fuelled 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 (EGA)

“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.”

Oliver Grohmann

Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Emirates Group

“The NOORA initiative dovetails with our continued efforts to empower all women at the Emirates Group, and we hope to inspire other businesses to follow suit. By combining resources, expertise and networks, we can accelerate the creation of a pipeline of women leaders who can make long-lasting impact.”

HE Saif Humaid Al Falasi

Group CEO, ENOC

“This partnership represents a strategic step for ENOC Group towards empowering our female employees and fostering an environment that champions their success, supporting their personal and professional growth, ultimately to benefit the entire Group as we strive for excellence together.”

Nabil Almessabi

Chief Human Resources Officer, TAQA

“NOORA will act as an important platform for networking and provide a community for professional women. 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.”

NOORA - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does membership give me or our company?

Your annual NOORA membership gives you access to:

4 UAE-based workshops (lunch included)
2 signature UAE-based networking events (meal included)
24/7 online NOORA platform.

Additional benefits (at no additional cost) include webinars, site visits to other member offices and mentorship opportunities.

Do I have to be UAE-based or do I have to work for a UAE company?

If you are not UAE-based you are warmly invited to join NOORA, but you must be prepared to travel to the UAE for workshops and networking events.

What is the investment cost for NOORA membership?

The investment cost to self-finance is normally Dh15,000 annually, paid upfront.

Corporations can choose between three tiers of package:

basic (1-9 members)
enhanced (10-14 members)
premium (15+).

All come with corporate discounts and differing benefits, to be discussed with our team.

What companies are part of NOORA?

NOORA was founded last year in partnership with Accenture, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Emirates Group, ENOC and TAQA.

ADDC, Central Bank International (CBI), Clyde&Co, FAB Bank and M42 Health have since joined.

Individual members come from ADIA, Carrier and Weatherford. There are over 80 members already.

What are the joining criteria to become a NOORA member?

Corporate members select staff themselves, once they have signed up to join NOORA as an organisation. Individuals apply to join.

For individuals, it is important you provide details of your professional background. We ask basic questions such as your job title, company and department, but also things like your level of management experience, how many years of work experience you have in total and the size of your company.

We vet each application personally. If your application is successful, you will receive an email from us (contact at aurora50.com) within five working days. It will contain a Stripe payment link.

Why is networking important to a woman’s career?

Research shows women climb the career ladder faster when they have a strong network, and that they network very differently to men, looking for organic relationships with shared experiences rather than alliances.

Women with a strong inner circle are nearly three times more likely to be promoted than those without one (Kellogg School of Management, 2019).

“If you are successful and well networked, you will be even more successful. This makes it a valuable asset, with a good return on investment.” Professor Dame Heather McGregor, Provost and Vice Principal of Heriot-Watt University Dubai – and a NOORA speaker – on the power of networks and social capital.

How is NOORA different from other networks?

We believe the Gulf needed a new network like NOORA because one simply didn’t exist – we looked!

There are networking groups for specialised industries, or for entrepreneurs, or there are internal company networks, but nowhere to meet like-minded, corporate career women in a safe, impartial space.

With NOORA, we don’t just run events or networking sessions: we offer upskilling with trained coaches and knowledge partners, workshops where you actively contribute and a ton of toolkits and resources.

We also offer a mentorship programme; after matching, we recommend meeting at least once a quarter.

What is the time commitment for NOORA?

NOORA sessions generally run from 8.30am – 1pm (normally on a Wednesday).

The location alternates between Dubai and Abu Dhabi around every two months (with site visits and webinars in between).

Dates are confirmed up to June so far for 2024. The full calendar can be found on the Events page of aurora50.com.

We urge NOORA members to personally attend the workshops to benefit from group activities, interactive projects and networking opportunities.

However, if they are unable to attend, they can access the virtual platform for the workshops learning materials (PDFs, videos etc).

What can I expect to do or learn through NOORA?

Workshops began in September (watch highlights from the first one on YouTube). In early 2024 alone, members have enjoyed a Dubai-based workshop on artificial intelligence, a site visit to The Emirates Group and a webinar on adaptive leadership, with our knowledge partner, Manchester University.

When you join, you fill in a baseline survey to assess your career goals and skills – this way, your needs directly feed into the sessions we run.

We focus on two key themes for each workshop: decarbonisation and digital disruption, such as AI.

Upskilling topics we’ve zoned in on from feedback so far include:

change management
effective networking
imposter syndrome & empathy
innovation and creativity
leadership and decision-making
effective networking
strategic planning & thinking

Sample agenda of a previous NOORA workshop on AI.

What is the long-term value of participating in NOORA for an organisation like ours?

With women accounting for just 31 percent of senior roles globally (Grant Thornton 2021), Aurora50 believes that social capital and a network is the missing piece in HR retention strategy.

A McKinsey study found that companies with higher gender diversity in leadership have a 21 percent higher likelihood of outperforming their peers.

The Aurora50 NOORA corporate women’s network will help your organisation be the driving force behind positive change:

Retain, empower and accelerate highly talented women employees: Our platform offers a nurturing environment where high performers (‘HIPOs’) can thrive, grow and contribute, by equipping them with career advancement skills and tools and cultivating a collaborative women’s community for mutual growth and support
Ensure future-ready success: Fuel innovative thinking and establish a high-achieving, diverse and dynamic workforce
Showcase diversity and inclusion: As a corporate partner, you’re signalling your commitment to diversity and inclusion and presenting your brand as a gender balance leader that fosters equal opportunity.
Align to global initiatives: Fulfil corporate social responsibility (CSR) requirements, including ESG goals. Our corporate partnership programme directly contributes to meeting the UN’s SDG 5, focused on gender equality and empowering women.

“If you are successful and well networked, you will be even more successful. This makes it a valuable asset, with a good return on investment.”
Professor Dame Heather McGregor, Provost and Vice Principal of Heriot-Watt University Dubai – NOORA speaker