The Family Wealth Center at DIFC and the Arab International Women's Forum are committed to supporting and promoting family businesses. As the largest family wealth ecosystem in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, the Family Wealth Center provides support to family businesses and high-net-worth individuals through the necessary expertise, services, and organizational structures to preserve and grow wealth for future generations, while focusing on areas such as management succession planning, leadership, and governance. The family wealth ecosystem at DIFC continues its rapid expansion, including 1,408 family business-related entities with an annual increase of 36%, and 1,409 institutions, with an increase of 67%. Family businesses play a pivotal role in driving economic development in the Gulf region, contributing approximately 60% of the GDP and employing over 80% of the workforce.
H.E. Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, welcomed a select group of guests ahead of the event. In her opening speech, Haifa Al-Kilani, President and Founder of the Arab International Women's Forum, and recipient of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), reviewed the Forum's 25-year journey in supporting women's leadership in the private sector, family businesses, and economies across the region. Abdullah Jeffery, Regional Director for GCC Affairs at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, delivered the keynote speech.
Women's leadership was the focus of discussions at the event on how family businesses can preserve their legacy, prepare leaders for management responsibilities, and navigate new opportunities in the global economy. The first session, titled "Women Leadership in Family Businesses: Leadership, Legacy, and Transformation," discussed the methods of women leading established family businesses, as well as planning for change phases over the coming generations. The session, moderated by Haifa Al-Kilani, featured Dr. Rajaa Issa Al-Qarg, Chairman and Managing Director of the Issa Saleh Al-Qarg Group (UAE); Mona Al-Muaid, Managing Director of Yousef Khalil Al-Muaid & Sons (Bahrain); and Lajeena Mohsen Darwish, Chairman of Mohsen Haidar Darwish Company (Oman).
The second session, titled "Empowering the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Family Businesses," addressed the skills, forms of support, and opportunities needed for aspiring women leaders to achieve success and prosperity within family business structures. The session was moderated by Niloofar Joonghan, Executive Director and Board Member of the Arab International Women's Forum, with participation from Basma Al-Zamil, Family Business Governance Advisor at LGA Global (Saudi Arabia); Farida Al-Ajmi, Lawyer and General Manager of "Family Wealth Forum" (UAE); Nisha Jagtiani, Group Director and Board Member of "Landmark Group" (UAE); and Hanan Saab, Founder, Co-Owner, and Managing Director of "PharmaMed" (Lebanon).
The event witnessed the launch of the "Women in Leadership and Governance in Family Businesses Program" by the Family Wealth Center at DIFC in collaboration with "Governance" and the Arab International Women's Forum; a prominent initiative aimed at enhancing women's participation in the governance of family businesses and increasing their representation on the boards of family businesses and commercial institutions.
This program is part of the Family Wealth Center at DIFC's commitment to supporting family businesses by providing them with the necessary knowledge, networks, and governance capabilities to manage management processes, leadership transitions, and wealth preservation across generations, as well as empowering the next generation of leaders. The initiative aims, through specialized education, peer interaction, mentoring, and practical insights on governance, to enhance women's contributions in leadership, succession planning, and strategic decision-making, thereby building more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready family businesses across the region.
