Females account for 70 per cent of 10,000 UAE nationals employed by the banking industry in the country, according to the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS).
“At EIBFS, we feel we have contributed in our own way through our education and training programmes, which have witnessed the increasing participation of Emirati women,” said Jamal Al Jasmi, the general manager of EIBFS, adding that the "vision and constant encouragement of our leaders ... inspire every woman of our country to play their role in the country’s economic progress."
The ratio is the highest of any sector in the country, said Mr Jasmi.
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EIBFS, founded in 1983, offers educational programmes and training sessions in banking and finance with campuses located in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. More than 2,000 students have received their undergraduate degrees from EIBFS.
Women accounted for 43 per cent participants in the institute’s training courses and workshops last year. In the academic education programmes, which include BSc and diploma courses, women’s participation increased to 55 per cent of the total students registered for the academic year.
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Last year the organisation, working alongside the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, selected the “best and brightest” senior female executives to attend a two-week programme in Virginia. “We honour the efforts of Emirati female talent in the industry by awarding them the coveted annual Distinguished Women Award in Banking & Finance Sector,” Mr Al Jasmi said in May.
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However, for the financial services industry, women are still vastly outnumbered. The management consultancy Oliver Wyman conducted a study that showed females making up 20 per cent of boards and only 16 per cent serve as executives. The analysis was based on 381 financial services institutions in 32 countries.
“At the current rates of growth, financial services globally will not reach even 30 per cent female executive committee representation until 2048,” the report said.
