Founder of WILD, immersed in the female leadership landscape in Saudi Arabia, trailblazing SDG5.
It’s been an exciting time for WILD over the last six months. Launching in Saudi Arabia as the first women’s network to enter the Kingdom has been a proud accomplishment. After launching WILD in the UAE in 2018, KSA was always part of Emma’s vision for WILD as she had several women contact me from the Kingdom asking when I was going to take WILD to KSA.
“We raised the bar in February this year as we took over a VOC gaming centre in Riyadh to hold the second WILD Riyadh event. 130 diverse women came together to network with purpose and to be inspired. The feedback and impact we made was amazing. We are leading the way for females in KSA.” says Emma, Founder, WILD.
Since that time WILD has held several VIP private events to bring awareness to gender equality and diversity and inclusion.
Led by WILD and Saudi Projects, an event was held bringing men and women together to discuss Vision 2030, along with the rapid changes with regards to the female leadership landscape in KSA. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reflects a strong political resolve to empower women, raise the level of their economic participation, and build on their capacities and knowledge.
Laura Wojciechowski, Media Director and Partner at Saudi Projects, commented: “We are thrilled to partner with WILD in our collective pursuit of empowering women in Saudi Arabia. It is a priority at Saudi Projects to amplify the voices and achievements of women who are making a significant impact in various fields.
“By aligning our goals with the Saudi 2030 Vision, we are committed to fostering an inclusive society where women have equal opportunities to thrive and contribute to the nation’s development. Through this partnership, we aim to showcase the remarkable stories of Saudi women and inspire others to break barriers and pursue their dreams.”
Vision 2030’s Saudi female empowerment reforms were recognized by the World Bank, which ranked Saudi Arabia as the top economy for the most progress toward gender equality in their 2020 Women, Business and the Law Report. Vision 2030 is creating new opportunities that women are seizing, with their workforce participation rising to 37% in 2022.
“This was a first for me at an event like this and WILD was definitely the best place to start. I felt ready to share my humble experience, background and knowledge, it was overall wonderful. As a Saudi female, I felt empowered and the experience was motivational.” Manal Nawar – Interior Designer, Petromin Corporation.
“Stepping into the WILD event on “Integrating Design and Diversity for a Sustainable Future” was an absolutely thrilling experience! It filled my heart with joy to witness the incredible transformation happening in Saudi Arabia’s work environment & culture, as it actively champions diversity, inclusion, and empowers women. Taking the stage as a speaker, I felt excitement and gratitude to share my journey, contributing to a society of fairness and inclusivity. The panel discussion inspired us with ideas, motivation, and empowerment. It reinforced my belief in diversity; I will cherish this experience and am honored to support my country’s vision 2030 for a brighter tomorrow.” Ghassan Gamal – Operational Excellence, Boeing.
As part of the commitment to the region, WILD is signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United Nations Global Compact Network chaired by Maryam Telmesan to further solidify its commitment to supporting women in KSA. Emma, WILD Founder is set to become the SDG5 Ambassador as WILD offers its female leadership community and suite of solutions to companies who are a part of the UNGC (United Nations Global Compact) network.
“I’m a person of impact; I aim to influence positive change throughout my interactions whether it’s a professional or a personal one. My work in the sustainability field allows me to take serious actions to make the world a better place and be a voice of change. Moreover, sustainability is about people, and gender equality is a main target to achieve; so, what better platform to support and empower women than WILD! Michelle Obama once said: “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in other people’s lives” and I’m keen on joining forces with WILD to help women understand their full potential, overcome the workplace challenges, speak & learn about how to balance personal & business lives of working moms, and exchange stories of our journeys to inspire each other and help achieve the vision of WILD.” Maryam Telmesan, Board Chair of Global Compact Network Saudi Arabia l CSO l Sustainability & Change Management Consultant.
WILD recently held a private VIP event for female leaders at Cipriani restaurant, Riyadh. The purpose of the event was to explore the changes and challenges for women over the last few years and how WILD can best support women to excel in all areas of their lives.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to sit with inspiring women at the event led by WILD. Thank you for creating an environment for us to share our voice, experience and knowledge. The conversation and insights were truly inspiring. I learned so much from this discussion and gained such a unique perspective. Thank you Emma for giving me the opportunity to sit with the most brilliant minds.” Mona Almuhr, Business Development & Stakeholder Manager, Atkins.
Women who participated in the VIP event:
- Aishling Collins, Director of Architecture, Red Sea Global
- Amal Al Somali, CIO, ABB and MISK 2030 leader
- Mona Almuhr, Business Development & Stakeholder Manager, Atkins
- Abeer Al Janahi, Assistant Manager, Saudi Entertainment Ventures, SEVEN
- Sophie Cheung, Portfolio Strategy Assistant Manager at Red Sea Global
- Dareen Al-Tawal, Lead Cost Manager at Turner & Townsend
- Amal Khawaja, Associate Director, Head of Strategy & Transformation & Diversity and Inclusion
- Hala Abdullah Alzahrani, Business Manager- THE LINE
“I feel privileged to be immersed in the female leadership landscape in KSA. I am impressed by the level of intelligence, ambition and talent of the women I have had the pleasure of engaging with. This is the beginning for WILD KSA. I am proud to be at the helm and to provide a platform for women’s voices, whilst offering unique and invaluable experiences for women; from events to leadership training, to leading a diverse, powerful community of women. We have an opportunity to connect women across an entire region as the first and only platform to do so.” highlights Emma.
WILD has become a respected and integral part of the UAE leadership scene and is taking this experience and credibility to the next level with its KSA expansion. As part of its commitment to providing a platform for women in KSA to share their voice, WILD is launching: A Talk on the WILD Side. – Amplifying women’s voices, providing meaningful insight and candid conversation with diverse women from across the Kingdom. This initiative will involve a series of interviews with diverse women in KSA which will be published in Saudi Projects, with a vision and strategy next year to turn this into a live, filmed podcast series.
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