1. BRITISH BUSINESS FORUM
A New BBF Sector Group
for Businesswomen in Kuwait
An Swinnen
O
n 27 November the British Business Forum in Kuwait held the
inaugural meeting of its new Businesswomen Sector Group.
An Swinnen, BBF board member and owner of the British
training company BECS, chaired the meeting at the Crowne Plaza,
which generously hosted this historic event.
Doing business in the Gulf when you are a businesswoman
is not easy but fortunately, throughout my travels around
the GCC I have found businesswomen groups that provide
help and support. My first experience of this type of support
was in 2009 when I travelled to Riyadh and Dammam.
Saudi Arabia is a market full of opportunities but I was not
sure how many problems I would encounter as a woman
travelling and doing business on her own. I contacted the
Linkedin group ‘Female Professionals in Saudi Arabia’ and
within three days I received 60 messages offering help, More and more women in the Gulf are becoming
drivers, business leads and information. businesswomen thanks to globalisation and better
technology. It is perfectly possible to run a company
When I visited Doha last year I went to a workshop from home or anywhere in the world with only a laptop
organised by the Qatar Professional Woman’s Network and mobile phone. Women in the GCC will become more
(QPWN). Within one evening I had met 25 women who had powerful in the next few years. We already have many
set up their own businesses and who wanted to network. successful female business leaders – but more will follow
QPWN has published a book with their members’ stories with the help of businesswomen groups.
to encourage others.
The next meeting of the BBF Businesswomen Kuwait will be
QPWN is not the only organisation publishing books with at 7 pm on Tuesday 8 January 2013 when Hind Al-Nahed,
business stories. In Kuwait, Business and Professional Owner of Socialobby, will deliver a session on how social
Women (BPW) has done the same. BPW organises media can increase profits, credibility and visibility in a
workshops, training, coaching, conferences and seminars world market. Other members will share their
for Kuwaiti women who would like to set up their own knowledge on the subject and discuss
business but need help. I was lucky enough to get involved the legal, technical and marketing
in a few of their events and meet some of the members aspects of social media. There
who are ambitious and focused. will also be a ‘news in Kuwait’
and networking session.
The BBF
Businesswomen sector
group welcomes
businesswomen of
all sectors, ages
and backgrounds. If
you are interested in
joining please contact
An Swinnen, the BBF
Businesswomen Convener at
an.swinnen@bbfkuwait.com or
join our Linkedin group ‘BBF
Businesswomen Kuwait’.
20 DISPATCHES
W inter 2012