The Securities and Commodities Authority said that all listed companies in the UAE are now required to have at least one female director on their board. Getty
The Securities and Commodities Authority said that all listed companies in the UAE are now required to have at least one female director on their board. Getty
The Securities and Commodities Authority said that all listed companies in the UAE are now required to have at least one female director on their board. Getty
Two thirds of public sector jobs in the UAE are carried out by women. Female representatives also comprise half of the seats in the Federal National Council, and the country boasts nine female cabinet members, including Shamma Al Mazrui, who, at the time of her appointment, was the youngest government minister in the world. While other countries struggle with patriarchy, the Emirates embraces women in power.
That embrace, however, has not extended fully to the country's private sector. Last August, Aurora50, a UAE-based social enterprise that seeks to "tackle the world's most pressings challenges", held The Board Summit, a forum to discuss the ongoing issue of gender diversity and inclusion at the board level. In the UAE, only 3.5 per cent of board seats at publicly traded firms are occupied by women. That is a far lower share than the number of women who are ready and willing to lead. According to a poll conducted at the summit, 55 per cent of women in attendance said they would take on these senior roles, if only they were offered the chance.
The Middle East’s Power Businesswomen 2021 – 10) Mona Almoayyed, managing director of Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons. Courtesy: Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons. Source for rankings: Forbes Middle East
9) Heike Harmgart, managing director – Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Region, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Harmgart is responsible for the bank's operations across the region with a business volume of $2.4 billion each year. Courtesy: ERBC
8) Nezha Hayat, chief executive of Morocco's Capital Market Authority. The Morrocan businesswoman is also president of CFA Maroc, a non-profit organisation that promotes women's rights. Courtesy: The Clinton Global Initiative
7) Wadha Al Khateeb, deputy chief executive – Mina Abdulla Refinery, Kuwait National Petroleum Company. Courtesy: KNPC
6) Lubna Olayan, Saudi Arabian chief executive of Olayan Financing Co. Bloomberg
5) Sarah Al Suhaimi, chairperson and chief executive of the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul). Al Suhaimi also heads the asset management firm NCB Capital. Bloomberg
4) Rania Nashar, chief executive of Saudi Arabia's Samba Financial Group, became the bank's first CEO in 2017. She stepped down as CEO in January but is also a senior adviser to Public Investment Fund governor Yasir Al Rumayyan. AFP
3) The UAE's Hana Al Rostamani was appointed chief executive of First Abu Dhabi Bank in 2021, becoming the first woman to lead a local bank in the UAE. Courtesy: FAB
2) Renuka Jagtiani, chairwoman and chief executive of UAE-based Landmark Group, a regional retail conglomerate. Courtesy: Landmark
1) Raja Al Gurg, the managing director of UAE-based Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, has topped Forbes’ list of the most powerful businesswomen in the region. Al Gurg is also president of Dubai's Business Women Council and is on the board of HSBC Middle East. Amy Leang / The National
Full gender parity in the GCC could contribute as much as $830 billion to the region's economy
On Sunday, their prospects received a boost. A statement released by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority mandates that all listed companies in the Emirates now require at least one female director in their boardrooms. The requirement will see the UAE join an all-too-small club of nations that use the law to address gender inequality at the director level.
Having one woman, of course, ought to be a mere starting point. Other countries can provide insight on what is possible once the momentum builds. In 2005, Norway, a country often held up for its world-leading levels of parity, passed a law mandating boards to comprise at least 40 per cent women. After a few years the results were clear. Between 2001 to 2008, the share of female directors in the country jumped by 35 per cent.
And yet, in all but a few countries – Egypt being another in the Middle East – laws mandating women's participation at the highest levels of business remain rare. Sceptics often site concerns that they detrimentally rush a process that develops over time, leading to inexperienced management, a downturn in profitability and even morale-destroying resentment among male colleagues.
In fact, the opposite is true. A lack of progress on this front ignores opportunities for economic growth. According to State Street Global Advisors' report on the issue, full gender parity in the GCC could contribute as much as $830 billion to the region's economy. If boards comprising a few people cannot reflect parity, demonstrating it across an entire workforce becomes more challenging.
This is about more than just profits. Boards reflect a company's culture. They impart confidence among female workers – and customers – that they and their unique contributions belong. Hopefully, in time it will never occur to anyone to wonder otherwise.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0 De Bruyne (70')
Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Looking for a new family pet? Here are the links to visit when it comes to adopting...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The flights Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes. The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast. The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
How to tell if your child is being bullied at school
Sudden change in behaviour or displays higher levels of stress or anxiety
Shows signs of depression or isolation
Ability to sleep well diminishes
Academic performance begins to deteriorate
Changes in eating habits
Struggles to concentrate
Refuses to go to school
Behaviour changes and is aggressive towards siblings
Begins to use language they do not normally use
FIXTURES
Saturday
5.30pm: Shabab Al Ahli v Al Wahda
5.30pm: Khorfakkan v Baniyas
8.15pm: Hatta v Ajman
8.15pm: Sharjah v Al Ain Sunday
5.30pm: Kalba v Al Jazira
5.30pm: Fujairah v Al Dhafra
8.15pm: Al Nasr v Al Wasl
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
