Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), an affiliate of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA), recently hosted more than 30 delegates representing a diverse array of industries from the Netherlands and Brazil as part of its ‘Women Invest in Women’ networking series aimed at forging closer ties, sharing knowledge, expanding business acumen, and exploring promising investment and business opportunities in the emirate of Sharjah.

The ‘Women Invest in Women’ networking series is part of SBWC’s international efforts aimed at enhancing cooperation by bringing women from all over the world to Sharjah to explore partnership and business opportunities in the emirate, and to also expand and grow in Sharjah, the UAE, and across the region. SBWC also sought to connect businesswomen from the UAE with their counterparts in the Netherlands and Brazil to enhance commercial ties between the two sides and to introduce the overseas delegates to the varied business services and incentives available to facilitate growth of both traditional and non-traditional businesses in the emirate.

Following the networking session, HE Sheikha Hind bint Majid Al Qasimi, SBWC Chairperson, said: “SBWC believes in the exponential power of female entrepreneurship and our members met with delegates from the Netherlands and Brazil in the spirit of friendship and collaboration to exchange knowledge and expertise to achieve lasting solutions that best support women in business. Women business owners bring new ideas and perspectives to the table, and their innovations in services and products have the potential to transform and redefine our collective futures.”

She added: “SBWC was founded under the directives and guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, to provide a strong platform for women to build effective partnerships in a multitude of sectors. The ‘Women Invest in Women’ networking series reinforces our commitment to catalyse the growth of women-owned enterprises and leverage the power of collaborations to expand growth opportunities and unlock the potential of accessing new markets and verticals.”

Carine de Meyere, Founder and President of Women of the World, an interactive platform for women from all walks of life, commended the Chairperson of SBWC for her exemplary leadership in organising the networking session to champion female economic empowerment. She said: “Our participation at the networking session is to connect female entrepreneurs in the West with their counterparts in the UAE and broaden the scope of both commercial and cultural cooperation. Women must take a leading role at the table and be part of key decision-making processes. I believe the UAE is a role model in empowering women to be equal partners in society.”

Patricia Brazil, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder of Future Business, who led the all-women Future Business delegation to the UAE for the second time, thanked SBWC for the opportunity to forge ties amongst women business owners from various nations to foster and support entrepreneurial success. She said: “Our delegation comprises of women entrepreneurs from a cross-section of industries in the private sector, and hail from different parts of Brazil. SBWC’s networking session was an incredible platform for our members to seek new opportunities in business and connect with the local entrepreneurs in Sharjah to explore new partnerships.”

The networking session was held at The Chedi Al Bait in Sharjah in the presence of SBWC members with entrepreneurs, experts, and business leaders representing Women of the World from the Netherlands and Future Business, a Brazil-based organisation.