The event commenced with a welcome note from Aisha Alqabandi, who highlighted the event's significance in celebrating and elevating Kuwaiti and Khaleeji women who have made significant strides in leadership roles.
The program began with Ms. Lama Chalhoub, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar Lead at MSD, sharing inspiring insights from her career, including the importance of allyship and support on the leadership journey. She also touched on the significant transformation that Kuwait has witnessed in recent years, reflecting a positive shift towards gender equality. Lama's extensive experience and achievements set a motivational tone for the event, as she called for the pursuit of a future where no one suffers the consequences of preventable diseases.
Stories of Leadership of Women in Kuwait:
This session featured a panel moderated by Dr. Arezou Harraf, Founder and CEO of Learn & Evolve LLC and Vice Chair of ABCK-AmCham Kuwait. Distinguished panelists included:
- Dr. Lubna Al-Kazi, Professor at Kuwait University and Founder and Director of the Women’s Research and Studies Center, which is presently in charge of implementing the gender component of the Kuwait National Development Plan and the Vision 2035 of New Kuwait.
- Dr. Manal Al-Hasawi, Founder and Managing Partner of Think Tank Strategy Consulting and Chairman of the Kuwait Society for Strategic Planning. She has been advising government members on strategy development, implementation and communication for change for over 10 years.
- Ms. Shaima bin Hussein, Managing Partner at H projects and Chairperson of the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises of Kuwait. Her main focus is on women's financial literacy, educating them on the fundamentals of investment and financial planning.
The panelists shared their unique journey as women in leadership positions, insights, and the challenges they have overcome, providing the audience with inspiring stories of resilience and success from diverse perspectives.
Empowering Women’s Health: Taking Control and Thriving:
The second session focused on women’s health, moderated by Stephanie Tasrini, Associate Director for Communications at MSD in the GCC region. Esteemed panelists included:
- Dr. Hamad Bastaki, Head of the Communicable Disease Control Division at the Ministry of Health in Kuwait. With extensive experience in public health, Dr. Bastaki has significantly improved vaccination coverage and digitalized vaccination records in Kuwait.
- Dr. Fatheya Salama, Director of Sidra Pharmacy. Dr. Salama is a highly accomplished healthcare professional with over 23 years of experience in hospital pharmacy and leadership.
- Ms. Lama Chalhoub, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar Lead at MSD, who discussed the importance of women taking ownership of their health for better public health, given the central role they play in the wellbeing of their families and communities
This session emphasized the importance of taking control of women’s health and thriving. Before the panel discussion began, a poll was conducted to engage the audience, and a video on HPV awareness was shown.
Both sessions featured Q&A segments, providing attendees with opportunities to gain further insights from the speakers. The event wrapped up with recognitions and a group photo, followed by closing remarks by Dr. Arezou Harraf, expressing gratitude to all attendees and participants for their engagement and contributions. The event ended with a networking lunch, providing attendees an opportunity to connect and further discuss the day's inspiring sessions.
The 'Stories of Leadership from Women in Kuwait and the Gulf' highlighted the significant contributions of women leaders in the region and emphasized the importance of empowering future generations. The event provided a platform to explore and educate the audience on HPV awareness, advocacy, and the unique experiences of women in leadership. ABCK-AmCham Kuwait is proud to have facilitated such an impactful event, fostering dialogue and inspiration among the region's leaders.
About ABCK-AmCham Kuwait: Established in 1985, ABCK-AmCham Kuwait is a non-profit organization composed of Fortune 500 corporations, small and medium-sized companies, and prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs, both American and Kuwaiti. ABCK-AmCham Kuwait serves as an advocate for American interests in the state of Kuwait. For more information, please visit our website at www.amchamkuwait.org or follow us on social media @abck1985.
About MSD: For more than 130 years, MSD has brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities.
MSD products have been present for over 30 years in the GCC region through local distributors in the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar & Oman.
