Women Board of Directors launches Ambassadorship Program to advance female leadership in automotive and mobility
The program aims to empower senior executives to lead strategic dialogue around diversity, innovation, and sustainability, while spotlighting the transformative impact of these leaders across emerging and legacy industries.
As part of the program's official launch, WBD hosted its first Auto & Mobility Roundtable on 22 April, in collaboration with AWR Mobility, AWR Trading, and DiliTrust. The event featured a keynote address by Sanaa Ouahmane, who shared insights from her personal and professional journey, and discussed the evolving opportunities for women in the traditionally male-dominated automotive field.
The roundtable also convened several female industry execs to explore themes such as rethinking leadership, advancing sustainable business practices, and expanding career pathways for women in STEM, operations, and customer-centric roles.
Sanaa Ouahmane is recognized as a pioneer in her realm. In her current position, she has driven significant innovation and growth, transforming SHIFT Car Rental into a market front-runner with a fleet of over 13,000 vehicles across more than 16 locations nationwide. She also launched SUBSCRIBE ME, a car subscription platform offering flexible mobility solutions. With nearly twenty years of experience, Sanaa has led business transformations, including at Almana Group in Qatar, and has overseen AWR's diversified portfolio.
Her commitment to fostering a thriving organizational culture is exemplified by initiatives she led like the award-winning 'I CAN WOW' program, which earned the company the the Dubai Quality Group's 'Organizational Culture' Award in 2023. Sanaa's leadership and influence in the mobility sector has also been recognized through multiple industry accolades, including the prestigious title of CEO and Trailblazer in the UAE's Mobility Sector.
Commenting on her ambassadorship with WBD, Sanaa said: 'It's an honor to take on this role and contribute to a meaningful shift in how we view leadership across the mobility landscape. Opportunities like these create the perfect spaces that we need to empower more women in decision-making roles, and collectively work together to unlock fresh perspectives that open the door to smarter services, more inclusive experiences, and stronger connections with the communities we serve.'
She added: 'At AWR Mobility and AWR Trading, we believe that progress is driven by challenging the status quo and driving forward with intention, and these are principles that align closely with those of the Women Board of Directors. This shared vision makes this ambassadorship a natural fit. Together, we are committed to cultivating environments where every voice is valued, where every perspective brings meaningful change, and where women can lead across industries, not just in mobility, but everywhere women deserve to have a seat at the table.'
'The launch of our ambassadorship program marks a transformative leap forward for Women Board of Directors,' said Poonam Chawla, founder and Chief Visionary Officer of WBD. 'This isn't just another initiative — it's a movement to rewrite the rules of leadership. We are calling on visionary executives across all industries to join us as change-makers in this critical mission. Together, we will elevate exceptional women leaders to their rightful places of influence, shatter the glass ceilings that hold organizations back from true excellence, and transform boardrooms into engines of innovation through diverse perspectives.'
The Auto & Mobility Roundtable — which was attended by a select audience of key decision-makers — additionally explored talking points such as how female leaders help bring new perspectives to develop new products and services that meet the needs of a diverse and specific customer base, and how with female inclusion in leadership teams, strategies become more creative, customized and experiential.
About Women Board of Directors (WBD):
WBD is a UAE-based high-powered networking and training platform dedicated to bridging the gender gap and promoting female representation at C-level and on corporate boards. It brings together influential leaders — both women and men — to create impactful initiatives that support and elevate women in business across various sectors.
(https://www.womenboardofdirectors.com/)
AWR Mobility and AWR Trading
AWR Mobility and AWR Trading are key business units within the AW Rostamani Group, focused on providing innovative solutions across the automotive and mobility sectors. AWR Mobility is a leading player in the UAE's mobility landscape, offering services such as SHIFT Car Rental, which has grown into a market leader with a diverse fleet and extensive corporate clientele.
The division also launched SUBSCRIBE ME, a pioneering digital car subscription platform. AWR Trading, on the other hand, oversees a broad portfolio of automotive-related businesses, including partnerships with global brands like Total Energies, Ceat Tires, and Amaron batteries. Together, these divisions contribute to the growth of the mobility sector by embracing innovation, operational excellence, and strategic partnerships to meet the evolving needs of customers across the region.
About DiliTrust:
DiliTrust provides the DiliTrust Governance suite, designed to overcome the challenges of digital transformation for legal departments, boards and committees. This unified, intuitive, and user-friendly SaaS platform meets the highest international security standards. It includes different modules, such as digital board and committee management as well as management of legal entities, contracts, litigation, and disputes.
Contact:
Sushmita Bose, Chief Brand Officer, sushmita@womenboardofdirectors.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Emirates 24/7
9 minutes ago
- Emirates 24/7
UAE serves as model in advancing women's leadership
The UAE has developed a comprehensive framework for women's empowerment, adopting a systematic approach to address challenges, expand opportunities and prepare women for leadership across multiple sectors. These efforts have strengthened the country's competitiveness regionally and globally. National entities, such as the UAE Gender Balance Council and Dubai Women Establishment, have contributed significantly to developing Emirati women's leadership capacities and facilitating their advancement to senior posts in both the public and private sectors, in cooperation with leading international organisations. Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Mouza Mohammed Al Ghuwais Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said that the Council is intensifying efforts to increase women's participation in the private sector and raise their representation in leadership positions. This, she said, is being achieved through strategies and initiatives aimed at creating inclusive and balanced workplaces, in partnership with strategic stakeholders from both public and private sectors. She highlighted that a number of national and international companies operating in the UAE have joined the 'SDG 5 Pledge to Accelerate Women's Leadership in the UAE Private Sector'. These companies have voluntarily committed to raising women's representation in middle and senior management roles to at least 30 percent by 2025 for the first group, and by 2028 for the second group of companies that have recently joined the initiative. The UAE Gender Balance Council Strategy 2026 aims to further reduce the gender gap across all sectors, enhance the UAE's ranking in global competitiveness reports on gender equality and achieve gender balance in decision-making positions, as well as promote the UAE's status as a benchmark for gender balance legislation. In this context, the UAE ranked first regionally and 13th globally in the 2025 Gender Inequality Index published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Naeema Ahli, CEO of Dubai Women Establishment, said that advancing Emirati women's leadership remains one of the organisation's key priorities. She noted that the Establishment continues to design and implement advanced training programmes to build leadership skills for women across sectors, while also preparing them for senior roles in international organisations through specialised programmes developed with global institutions and universities with expertise in executive and leadership education. She added that these programmes aim not only to provide women with modern leadership knowledge and skills, but also to strengthen their understanding of leadership dynamics in changing work environments and build their confidence in decision-making roles.
Emirates 24/7
39 minutes ago
- Emirates 24/7
85% of UAE retail investors back local stocks: eToro survey
A whopping 85 percent of UAE-based retail investors are currently invested in local stocks, and many are buying even more in response to global trade tensions, based on the latest edition of the UAE Retail Investor Beat by trading and investing platform eToro. The study, which surveyed 1,000 retail investors across the United Arab Emirates, revealed that UAE-based investors are strong supporters of their local market. 85 percent are currently invested in locally listed equities, with 39 percent of respondents holding Abu Dhabi stocks, 28 percent holding Dubai stocks, and 18 percent holding both. These investments reflect their confidence in the UAE economy. 63 percent of investors stated they are 'very confident' in its current performance, and a further 29 percent indicated they are 'somewhat confident'. When it comes to the long-term performance of locally listed stocks, 59 percent expressed that they are 'very confident', with a further 32 percent who are 'somewhat confident'. Looking ahead, 48 percent of investors forecast significant gains in the UAE stock market over the next 12 months, while 34 percent expect steady growth. This conviction is also evident in investors' long-term expectations. 58 percent believe that the Middle East will deliver the most substantial returns over the next five years, followed closely by the U.S. (50 percent). When asked which UAE sectors evoke the most optimism for investments over the next 12 months, real estate topped the list at 55 percent, followed by technology (48 percent), financial services (37 percent), and energy (37 percent). Commenting on the findings, George Naddaf, Managing Director at eToro MENA, shared, 'The DFM and ADX are among the best-performing stock exchanges in the world this year, outperforming the S&P 500 by a considerable margin. Against this backdrop, our research confirms that investor confidence in the UAE market remains strong, supported by resilient performance across local indices, solid macroeconomic indicators, and sustained earnings across key sectors. Investors are favouring real estate, technology, financial services, and energy, as these sectors continue to benefit from government-backed initiatives. The fact that 85 percent are already invested in UAE equities reflects a clear preference for local opportunities in the current environment.' Despite strong confidence in their local market, geopolitical risk is firmly on the minds of investors: 90 percent say tariffs and trade wars will significantly impact their portfolios in the next six months, and 89 percent have already adjusted or plan to adjust their investments in response. While the most common way investors are adjusting their portfolios in response to trade tensions is by increasing exposure to UAE equities (53 percent), a close second is increasing allocations to commodities (51 percent). This corresponds with respondents choosing gold or precious metals as the most resilient type of asset in a volatile trade environment (49 percent). Crypto (45 percent) was the second-most popular option, and it is already the most held asset class among UAE investors, currently with 54 percent invested. George Naddaf added, 'With 90 percent of investors anticipating an impact from tariffs and trade wars, and 89 percent adjusting their portfolios accordingly, UAE investors show an impressive level of adaptability. Besides local stocks, many are reallocating towards commodities such as gold and oil, which are viewed as reliable hedges against external volatility. This suggests a disciplined, dual-track approach: reinforcing exposure to domestic markets that are shielded from the impact of tariffs, while managing risk through defensive asset classes.' Uncertainty is not deterring investors from continuing to seek opportunities in the market. 65 percent of UAE retail investors have already increased contributions to their investment portfolios over the previous months, and 76 percent expect to increase contributions over the next three months.
Arabian Business
an hour ago
- Arabian Business
Railbus' crucial development hub in Dubai Silicon Oasis to be ready by May 2026
Railbus, a leading player in solar-powered, autonomous, and elevated transit systems, said it has made major progress on its new engineering and development hub at Dubai Silicon Oasis, and expects to complete the Railbus Development Hub (RDH) by May 2026. Now under construction, the RDH covers 50,000 square feet and will play a crucial role in the company's future plans when complete. Designed to accelerate the creation and deployment of sustainable, next-generation transport systems, it will serve as the backbone of Railbus' global operations. Dubai hub powers Railbus global vision Railbus is a start-up company that creates the first 100 per cent solar-powered mass transportation system. Registered in the US and headquartered in Dubai, the company said the RDH is purpose-built to support every stage of product development – from initial concept to final deployment. Anthony Joy, the Head of Engineering at Railbus, commented: 'This facility will not only centralise our engineering and production efforts but also create an environment where innovative ideas can move quickly from concept to reality. 'The RDH will give our teams the tools and collaborative space needed to deliver world-class sustainable mobility solutions.' The facility will feature several dedicated zones, including… Engineering and Design Centre: Supports full lifecycle management, including structural simulations and safety systems engineering. Assembly and Fabrication Zone: Equipped with modular production stations and advanced manufacturing tools for scalable assembly. Testing and Quality Control Lab: Built for comprehensive mechanical, electrical, and environmental system testing. Innovation Lab: A space for rapid prototyping, materials research, experimental design, and HMI development. Supplier and Integration Hub: Enables close coordination with clients and global subsystem partners. Showroom and Executive Boardroom: Designed for strategic presentations, vehicle displays, and investor engagement. Railbus has been in the news ever since Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced plans to introduce the system during this year's World Government Summit. RTA's plans include a transport system that will feature vehicles measuring 11.5 meters in length and 2.65 meters in width, with each unit carrying 40 passengers at speeds of up to 100kph. According to the Railbus website, the vehicles' lightweight design and flexibility will reduce infrastructure maintenance costs compared to Dubai's Metro track system. The network will be elevated and end-to-end 100 per cent congestion-free. It will be built with ultra-light non-corrosive composite materials, which will be non-disruptive to build and quick to set up. Individual sections will be fabricated off-site, minimising assembly time.
