Women’s networks play a pivotal role in tackling gender inequality, and WILD: Women in Leadership Deliver is a platform for all women to come together, create connections, collaborate and conquer. The WILD philosophy stems from an authentic desire to transform, evolve and step up. WILD seeks to inspire women to become agents of possibility; helping women advance in the workplace and to achieve personal growth.
“I have seen first-hand the power of a women’s network,” Founder and CEO Emma Burdett explains. “They create a space for women to be heard, gain support, and not only do business but also make friends along the way.”
Emma has been in the region for nine years, working in the corporate sector. Prior to this, she was in London selling real estate software. “I have worked largely in male-dominated sectors over the course of my career and encountered many challenges, such as bias, discrimination, bullying and being fired; all for being a woman. I was, in fact, thrown out of a client’s office in London in my earlier career for being ‘just a silly girl and what do women know about real estate’. This is when I cultivated a passion for wanting to make a difference. I didn’t want another young woman to go through what I had.”
Arriving in Dubai in 2014, Emma initially worked for several manufacturers. “My degree is in supply chain management, although I’ve always had business development roles. I founded WILD after a mental breakdown. I founded WILD in 2018 and wrote the concept from scratch after creating a smaller women’s network in 2016 on behalf of a company I worked for. I spotted a niche in the Middle East for a women’s platform to bring both existing and future leaders together, to share knowledge and expertise, collaborate and support one another all in the quest for gender equality Women’s networks play a pivotal role when it comes to gender equity.”
Also, INSEAD qualified in gender studies, Emma organizes formal discussions to bring both men and women to the conversation. “It begins with awareness,” Emma says. “Men play a key role as engineers of change and allies for women. A couple of years ago I wanted to serve on a deeper level. After going through many challenges, I knew I could use the experience to support other women. I became a transformational coach, supporting women to overcome fears to become confident leaders, creating WILD success and fulfilment. I also personally mentor women who want to create social impact side hustles or businesses. This sets my soul on fire. I recently supported a client who owns a recruitment company in visioning and executing a masterclass series to give back to the community, and also another client who is passionate about supporting working mothers. She recently launched a platform called the Generation Makers Academy.”
Also, INSEAD qualified in gender studies, Emma organizes formal discussions to bring both men and women to the conversation
WILD Women Collective
Within every woman lives a WILD woman filled with passion, creativity and knowing. WILD is for ALL women to Connect, Collaborate and Conquer.
“WILD promotes inclusivity, so we are for female leaders at the top of their game and younger females starting out. It’s crucial for younger females to have role models and mentors who can support them along their journey and give them someone to look up to in their careers,” explains.
“We just launched our official membership – WILD Women Collective – WWC. We are creating a tight-knit community to offer support and personal development tools so women may thrive both in and out of the workplace. More often than not, we tend to focus on leadership skills and can neglect our health and wellbeing. As the Founder of this quickly growing business, my intention is for women to look, feel and be ABUNDANT. This unique membership focuses on the all-around woman and incorporates a blend of wellness, leadership, self-leadership and power skills. We want women to create WILD success, meaning and fulfilment in their lives so women can become powerful leaders. WWC will also connect women across borders with our APP which is in development. WILD is leading with concepts that haven’t been done before.”
Within every woman lives a WILD woman filled with passion, creativity and knowing
WILD in Riyadh
The plan is to scale WILD across the GCC and other Middle East countries. “We are back in Riyadh on the 28 February for a groundbreaking event and also to launch WILD Women collective,” Emma says. Next on the list is WILD Qatar for 2023, and after the Middle East, and then, Emma comments, “Who knows, I have always had a big vision to take WILD global over the next five to 10 years.”
The upcoming event in Saudi Arabia, WILD Riyadh, sees an all-star selection of female guest speakers coming to share a personal journey story of courage. “This event most definitely sets out to challenge the status quo. It is being held in the VOV gaming centre, the Zone, Riyadh. The event partner is a design and build company, INC Group, which worked on this venue. It is a traditional gaming centre with gaming seats and huge screens. The message overall is gaming is not just for men,” Emma says.
Nermeen Zeineddine, Design Lead – KSA at the INC Group, states: “The INC Group is pleased and excited to support this second WILD event in KSA. At the INC Group, being a female-led workforce, we believe in the importance of women in the workplace and the added value they give to the spirit, productivity, and discipline of the office. Hence, the decision to get involved in WILD was an easy decision. At INC, we believe WILD is the perfect platform for all female colleagues and invited guests to connect, collaborate, and conquer in their lives and professional careers. It will help to continue to provide equal rights and empower all females to grow and pursue success in their respective careers. Stay Wild, Inspire More.”
“This conference-style event will be the first of its kind in KSA,” Emma comments, “and will include inspiring keynote talks, workshops, and of course an opportunity to network with incredible WILD Women!”
WILD Women Collective also hosts a number of VIP days for its members. The first was held in the UAE on the 10 February and the WILD Riyadh day will be in March.
“As the Founder of this quickly growing business, my intention is for women to look, feel and be ABUNDANT”
Membership
WILD Women Collective (WWC) is the ONLY women’s network to connect women across borders. It is for the corporate woman. WWC is a unique membership with an intention of creating a close-knit community. It is about personal growth and nothing has been forgotten or missed out: from how to meditate for results, how to present with impact, how to manage conflict, set boundaries, and importantly, how to take care of your health and wellbeing. WWC has just completed our founding member phase in the UAE, which has been a huge success. WWC in Riyadh is officially being launched at the event on 28 February, with lots of live coaching and online content, so women can join from any location.
The many benefits of WWC include, but are not limited to:
- Monthly themes – each month content will be delivered that will inspire and provide members with practical guidance in that specific area of growth
- Live Coaching – best-in-class experts along with Emma herself will share knowledge and advice live
- Practical application – with every content theme, members receive worksheets to ensure learning creates a long-lasting impact
- VIP meetups – exclusive WWC in-person meetups for networking with other ambitious and driven members; learn, grow and develop a strong foundation for future support and collaborations
- Bonus Savings – WWC members are eligible for discounts on all WILD events, products and private coaching services
- Network across borders – the ONLY community platform that connects ALL women across entire regions, with members able to stay connected via WWC events and its mobile APP.
The Founding Member rate is 333 AED a month or 3,333 AED per annum. After this initial phase, the doors are closed until later in the year. WWC will then be 444 AED per month or 4,444 AED per annum.
WILD Women Collective (WWC) is the ONLY women’s network to connect women across borders
ANYTHING is Possible!
WILD is teaming up with Saudi Projects in a partnership that will help to ensure that gender equality, a core pillar of Vision 2023, remains at the forefront of people’s minds, continuing to be an ever-present issue. “I couldn’t be more thrilled about the WILD and Saudi Projects partnership,” Emma says. “We have had much success with WILD in the UAE and we are not a newcomer to the space. The partnership with Saudi Projects will allow us to take the WILD movement across KSA.
“WILD is content rich and has impacted many women in the UAE. My vision is to drive this impact, creating change for women by giving them a platform to use their voices and also creating a community for women to excel in their lives and careers. Saudi projects are a natural fit for our WILD Growth and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Emma insists that women must invest in their own growth and development, taking ownership of their lives. “Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone to try new things, and being part of a community has several benefits. WILD has thought of it all.
“We would love to hear from potential sponsors and event partners for our upcoming expansion and leadership conferences in KSA. It really is an exciting time and I am proud to blaze a trail for women and equality,” Emma concludes.
“Our target audience is the corporate woman or entrepreneurs who have a female team. We have a large community in the UAE and launched in KSA in November 2022. My vision is to scale WILD across the Gulf and the Middle East, connecting women and trailblazing gender equality. It’s something that hasn’t been done before and a movement I am excited to pioneer.
“In terms of planning, I am thrilled to be sharing the joint venture between WILD and Saudi Projects, Emma says. “We are curating a huge WILD Transformation Leadership Day for women at the end of September to be held in Riyadh. The focus is on women in real estate, design and construction. However, all are welcome.
“ANYTHING is possible when we work on ourselves, and address fears and limitations. I want my WILD journey to inspire other women. I built WILD from scratch after a mental breakdown and had nothing. I launched WILD in 2018 with just $300. I have stayed committed, invested in myself, and cultivated unwavering self-belief. Even when things have failed, I’ve kept going. We can all transform and grow when we have the courage and willingness to do so. We need to give ourselves permission sometimes and get out of our own way.”
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