The DIFC Family Wealth Centre (DFWC) and the Arab International Women’s Forum (AIWF) are putting women’s leadership in family businesses firmly on the regional business agenda.
The two organisations brought together business leaders at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) for the “Women-Led Family Business in the Global Economy” roundtable and networking event. The gathering formed part of AIWF’s 25th anniversary programme and focused on the growing role of women in family enterprises, governance and succession.
The discussion comes as family businesses continue to play a major role across Gulf economies. DIFC said its family wealth ecosystem includes 1,408 family business-related entities, representing a 36% year-on-year increase, alongside 1,409 foundations, up 67%.
Women’s Leadership Moves Further Into the Family Business Agenda
Women are taking on increasingly visible roles in family-owned companies, from executive positions to board seats and ownership responsibilities. That shift is changing how some family businesses approach leadership, governance and long-term succession.
The DIFC and AIWF roundtable put that change at the centre of the discussion. The first panel, titled “Women-Led Family Business: Leadership, Legacy and Transformation,” examined how women leaders are balancing the responsibilities of running established enterprises with the need to prepare those businesses for the next generation.
The session was moderated by Haifa Al Kaylani OBE, President and Founder of AIWF. Speakers included HE Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson and Managing Director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group in the UAE; HE Mona Al Moayyed, Managing Director of YK Almoayyed & Sons in Bahrain; and HE Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC in Oman.
Their participation reflected the regional reach of the discussion, bringing together women leaders from major family businesses across the Gulf.
Succession Planning Becomes a Strategic Priority
Passing a family business from one generation to another involves much more than transferring ownership. Families must decide who will lead, how decisions will be made and which governance structures can keep the business moving when leadership changes.
That makes succession planning a growing priority for established family enterprises. At the DIFC event, the discussion connected succession with stronger governance and greater participation by women at the family and corporate board level.
DIFC has developed the Family Wealth Centre to support families and family businesses with issues including governance, succession and multigenerational wealth preservation. Its expanding ecosystem reflects Dubai’s growing position as a destination for families managing complex business and wealth structures.
For companies approaching a generational transition, having the next generation involved early can make a significant difference. It also creates room for women within those families to move from informal participation into formal leadership positions.
DIFC Introduces Women in Family Leadership and Governance Programme
The event also marked the launch of the Women in Family Leadership and Governance Programme, developed by the DIFC Family Wealth Centre in collaboration with Hawkamah and AIWF.
The programme is designed to increase women’s participation in family business governance and encourage stronger female representation on family and corporate boards. It combines leadership development with practical areas such as governance, succession and board participation.
Participants will have access to specialised education, peer engagement, mentorship and governance insights. The programme gives women from family enterprises a structured setting to build the skills and relationships needed for more senior responsibilities.
For DIFC, the initiative also strengthens the wider family wealth ecosystem by addressing a part of succession that can sometimes receive less attention: preparing women to participate directly in the governance and strategic direction of family-owned enterprises.
The Next Generation Gets a Seat at the Conversation
Preparing future leaders has become increasingly important as Gulf family businesses expand into new markets and professionalise their operations. Younger family members are entering businesses with different expectations around leadership, technology, ownership and career development.
The DIFC gathering addressed this through a second panel, “Empowering the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Family Enterprise.” The discussion focused on the opportunities and challenges facing women who are preparing to take greater responsibility within family businesses.
Nilufer Gunhan, Senior Executive and Board Member of AIWF, moderated the panel. Speakers included Basma Alzamil, Family Business Advisor at LGA Global in Saudi Arabia; Farida El Agamy, Attorney at Law and General Manager of Tharawat Family Business Forum in the UAE; Nisha Jagtiani, Group Director and Board Member of Landmark Group in the UAE; and Hanan Saab, Founder, Co-Owner and Managing Director of Pharmamed in Lebanon.
The focus on emerging women leaders is particularly relevant as established businesses prepare for ownership and management transitions. The next generation will need to understand not only the family legacy but also the governance and commercial demands of running modern companies.
AI Is Changing the Family Business Conversation
Artificial intelligence is adding another layer to the transformation taking place inside family enterprises. Businesses are assessing AI for operations, customer engagement, workforce management, analytics and new products, while family owners must also consider how these technologies affect long-term strategy.
The DIFC and AIWF discussion linked women’s representation in leadership with the ability of family businesses to respond to major economic and technological shifts. Stronger governance can give families clearer processes for making decisions about technologies such as AI while keeping those decisions connected to broader business objectives.
This matters particularly for businesses moving between generations. The incoming generation may be more willing to experiment with emerging technologies, while established leadership may place greater emphasis on protecting the business model and family legacy. Effective governance can provide a framework for both priorities.
Dubai Continues Building Its Family Wealth Infrastructure
The women’s leadership initiative sits within a much broader effort by DIFC to build Dubai into a major centre for family wealth, family enterprises and succession planning.
According to DIFC, its ecosystem includes 1,408 family business-related entities, while the number of foundations has reached 1,409. The centre’s work extends beyond conventional wealth management, covering structures and services that help families preserve assets, manage businesses and prepare for future generations.
That ecosystem is becoming increasingly important as wealthy families look for professional governance structures and international platforms from which to manage their businesses and investments.
The new women’s leadership programme adds another dimension to that strategy. Instead of treating succession simply as an ownership question, it places leadership development and board participation into the conversation.
For Dubai’s family business community, that is a practical shift. The next generation is already arriving, and women are increasingly part of the group expected to lead it.
Sources
- DIFC — Family Wealth Centre and AIWF advance women’s leadership in family enterprise
Read the DIFC announcement
