The Emirates-Aspen Partnership hosted a private luncheon at the World Economic Forum, Dead Sea on October 22 to discuss the role of women’s entrepreneurship in the economic growth of the Middle East/North Africa. This event featured:

The Honorable Madeleine K. Albright, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group; Chair, Partners for a New Beginning; Former United States Secretary of State

Muhtar Kent, Chairman & CEO, The Coca Cola Company, Vice Chair, Partners for a New Beginning (Invited)

Soraya Salti, Senior Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, INJAZ Al Arab

Ferruh Gurtas, Corporate Affairs Director, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Intel Corporation

Tae Yoo, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Cisco Systems

Moderator:
David Arkless, President, Corporate and Government Affairs, ManpowerGroup

This distinguished panel of speakers drew upon their experience leading successful efforts to empower women entrepreneurs around the world in order to offer key insights and lessons learned. In the context of the MENA region, which approaches work best and why? The speakers also outlined the strategic rationale for investing in women entrepreneurs as a vehicle to catalyze job creation and growth of the broader MENA economy. Finally, panelists addressed the question: what kind of innovation is needed to increase women’s economic participation as entrepreneurs and in general in the MENA region, and what role can technology play in supporting these efforts?

The Emirates-Aspen Partnership is a high-level strategic partnership between the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, DC and The Aspen Institute’s Middle East Programs. The objective of this partnership is to develop an established dialogue that will cultivate seasoned relationships between civic, business, and government leaders in the US, the UAE, and the broader Middle East.

This event is by invitation only.