Since its launch in Riyadh in November 2022, WILD has made great strides in the Kingdom. Founded in Dubai in 2018, WILD has become an integral part of the UAE’s female leadership landscape and has now expanded its reach into Saudi Arabia. As the Kingdom gears up for the much-anticipated Vision 2030, WILD has positioned itself as a credible business, offering various solutions for companies regarding female talent solutions.
The push for female representation across the Saudi workforce is key to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which focuses on raising the share of women in the workforce from 22% to over 30% by 2030, developing their talents, investing in their energies, and providing them with the right opportunities to become leaders. Women in Saudi Arabia are now contributing to the GDP of the Kingdom, with workforce participation beginning to rise.
That said, a small number of women are in senior roles regionally and globally, yet women make up half of the workforce. The higher you climb the ladder, the more the numbers drop. Forbes calls this disparity ‘the biggest disappearing act on earth’. CEOs from Fortune 500 companies are a mere 29 women. Less than 10%. Women account for just 6% of top earners and less than 20% of board directors. A vital issue with gender inequality is a lack of female role models for younger females and emerging leaders to look up to and learn from.
The push for female representation across the Saudi workforce is key to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030
Initiatives such as WILD are pivotal in supporting women to climb the leadership ladder, equipping them with the right tools, mindset, and skills to lead teams and the business to massive success.
“After launching WILD KSA in November 2022, we are seeing a keen appetite for the private sector to invest in their female talent to achieve the required governmental mandates and quotas,” says Emma Burdett, Founder of WILD.
WILD’s unique offering includes using an AI diagnostic tool to assess the ‘gap analysis’ and then building customized solutions based on the results, including female leadership training, coaching, and events for female empowerment. The overall objective is to support, in particular, emerging female leaders. After being on the ground in both markets with a critical focus on the emerging leader level, the WILD team has spotted an opportunity for the small subset of very senior females to come together in their own hub as a peer group.
“We have spotted a niche in the market for bringing together very senior females in a think tank as a peer group and meeting of minds,” Emma explains.
Women account for just 6% of top earners and less than 20% of board directors
Senior females in their minority often take on a lot of additional responsibility in their roles, mentoring younger females, leading panel talks or female networks with a lot of extra-curricular activities. These don’t contribute to KPIs and targets and there is therefore an imbalance of how much they are giving to how much they are receiving.
“Women at this level often feel isolated with little support but are still ambitious and keen to grow, evolve and learn. This level is critical to the overall success of gender equality for the company and the economy as a whole,” says Emma.
With this in mind, WILD’s latest innovation has been launched. The WILD Leadership Mastermind – WLM. Kicking off mid-February 2024, this is a vetted group of high-level women from both the UAE and KSA who will come together as a group where norms are challenged and ground-breaking ideas are born. The mastermind group, in partnership with Saudi Projects, will be led by three inspiring female leaders: Emma Burdett WILD Founder, Maryam Telmesani, Saudi National and renowned sustainability expert, and Laura Wojciechowski, Partner and Media Director, Saudi Projects.
Over the 12 weeks the female leaders from a variety of disciplines within the WILD Leadership Mastermind will come together to create change, coupled with learning from guest experts on topical subjects such as AI for social and economic reform, digital transformation, design thinking, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and sustainability. The findings and discussions will be collated and published in a white paper for policy change.
Over the 12 weeks the female leaders from a variety of disciplines within the WILD Leadership Mastermind will come together to create change
“We are thrilled to launch the WLM. A thought leadership circle with diverse female leaders forming a high-level network. This mastermind will provide women leaders with the opportunity to come together, be heard, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge across a spectrum of disciplines and industries. When women come together, change happens,” Emma says.
“As a Saudi female leader, I appreciate the direction and the realization efforts of Saudi Vision 2030 to empower Saudi women. I look forward to a fruitful collaboration with WILD driven by their passionate leader and founder, Emma Burdett,” says Maryam Telmesani.
“I am joining forces with WILD to help women understand their full potential. We are absolutely delighted about the WILD and Saudi Projects Leadership Mastermind partnership, which will be a critical catalyst for personal and professional growth and development for senior female leaders in Saudi Arabia and the region,” says Laura Wojciechowski.
Are you a high-level female leader who resides in the UAE or KSA? Would you love to be part of a peer group with other high-level female leaders to innovate, evolve, and learn? If you want to apply for the WILD Leadership Mastermind, please click this link.
Applications close the first week of February.