Event
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Summit
Awards
Big Project ME – JUNE / JULY ’25
Stay ahead with the latest insights in the construction world.
ME Consultant ME – SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER ’25
Stay ahead with the latest insights in the construction world.
Awards Categories
ED&I Programme
Acknowledging impactful diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Enterprise Champion – Female Leadership
Awarding the woman who has led the most successful consultancy start-up or growth of a construction consultancy.
Gender Empowerment Champion
Recognising those dedicated to advancing gender equality.
Human Capital Manager
Celebrating those driving diversity within their organisation.
Workspace Inclusiveness Champion
Honouring inclusive work environments.
Youth Mentoring Champion
Commending exceptional mentors promoting diversity and inclusion nurturing youth development
Mentoring Champion
Commending exceptional mentors promoting diversity and inclusion.
People of Determination Facilities Champion
Celebrating accessible facilities and inclusion for individuals with disabilities.
Woman Brand Equity Champion
Recognising a woman who has played a transformative role in her company’s public perception as a women’s equal opportunity front-runner.
Woman Lifetime Achievement
Honouring a woman with an outstanding and proven track record of promoting gender issues across major organisations, whose work spans more than a decade.
Women’s Executive Empowerment Champion
Celebrating a woman executive who has successfully shifted the awareness of the organisation’s day-to-day culture towards gender inclusiveness.
Women’s Lobbying Champion
Honouring a female executive who has had the most vocal impact on leveraging industry change on vital gender issues.
Women’s Team-Building Champion
Recognising the women who have done most to build gender-inclusive teams, whether for specific project management tasks or as part of enhanced client liaison.
Summit Agenda + Schedule
Gender equality and the Law
While we hear a great deal about the quest for workplace gender equality, to what extent are its views and tenets inscribed in local law? How are these laws actually enforceable? What do individuals do when their company blatantly flouts its legal obligations?
Transforming company performance
When a business has indeed adopted a level playing-field for the advancement of women professionals, what does it stand to gain in terms of solid, actual performance? We look at case studies proving the importance of women in critical, senior decision-making roles.
Lobbying organisational change
When a business is reluctant to change – or simply not aware of its prejudices – lobbying for reform can be a difficult and arduous process, and even risk jeopardising career progress. But there are cogent, clear steps to take, and here we explain the conversations that work without the fear of alienating senior management.
Inclusiveness for People of Determination
A reluctance to interview and recruit People of Determination means ignoring a huge talent pool of suitable candidates for any number of roles. What are the procedures that can best be used for effective outreach to People of Determination? How to combat any aspects of engrained prejudice and seamlessly integrate this talent into the workplace?
Networking
08:30
Registration and Networking
Registration and snacks / networking outside the main hall at the Habtoor Grand Resort, JBR
HOST INTRODUCTION
09:30
Event Introduction
Paul Godfrey introduces the critical themes of the day’s forthcoming debates, presenting some challenging statistics for the present state of gender equality in the GCC Construction sector.
Keynote Address
09:45
The School of the Future Program – Reimagining Education to build professional Gender Balance
Naomi Miles
Vice President of Human Resources, Middle East and Africa
AtkinsRéalis
Fireside chat
10:15
The User Experience: creating a neuro-diverse and wellness-focused built environment
Speakers
Paul Godfrey
Farah Addada
Samit Seth
Fireside chat
10:45
From Expert to Leader: Driving Change in a Male-Dominated Industry
Speakers
Paul Godfrey
Kasia Halliday
Panel Discussion
11:15
The ‘C-Suite’ panel: Transforming Company Performance – Cultural Intelligence & ROI
Moderator
Paul Godfrey
Speakers
Olga Litkovets
Shannon Bell
Engi Jaber
Iryna Akulenka
Emma Jordaan
Sarah Chessis
Panel Discussion
12:00
ED&I & Gender Equity as Paradigms for Competitive Advantage
Moderator
Natalia Barroso
Speakers
Jincy Mariam Rinu
Cristina Amate Munoz
Zoe Stanford
Laura Davies
Melia Abs
Panel Discussion
13:15
Beyond Tokenisation: Lobbying for Organisational Change
Moderator
Sarah Saxon
Speakers
Dr. Gunjan Bhatia
Nada Abdel Khalek
Dr. Rana El-Dabaa
Naomi Miles
Panel Discussion
14:45
The Diversity Quotient: Commercials and the role of inclusive teams
Moderator
Paul Godfrey
Speakers
Dr. Dalia Hafiz
Natalia Barroso
Dr. Gunjan Bhatia
Nicola Trivett
Dr. Harpreet Seth
Awards Programme
Awards Registration
16:30
Registration and Networking
Doors open 30 minutes prior to the event start time, offering guests the opportunity to connect over welcome drinks.
WELCOME
17:00
Welcome + Conversation
A warm welcome to all attendees, followed by a brief on-stage conversation with a leading industry voice, sharing key perspectives on the day’s themes and broader developments within the industry. Drinks and canapés will be served.
AWARDS
17:30
Awards Presentation
The highlight of the evening – our awards ceremony will celebrate excellence and innovation across all categories. Finalists will be announced, followed by the presentation of the winners. Enjoy drinks and canapés as we honour the achievements of our peers.
Event Conclusion
18:30
Closing Address
The host will officially close the 2026 Women in Construction / ED&I Awards, marking the end of a memorable evening of recognition and inspiration.
With Experts and Peers
Future Leaders
Speakers
Our speakers play a vital role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the event, positioning it as a benchmark for the regional market. These industry experts provide valuable knowledge, insights, and address key challenges facing the sector.
If you are interested in contributing to the discussions and sharing your expertise, please reach out to paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com to get involved and be part.
2025 Winners
nominees.
Benefits of Attending?
Sponsor?
Attend
Expand your network
Gain industry insights
Unified team Vision
Gain expertise from
experts
Learning opportunities
Inspiration and motivation
Collaboration and
partnerships
Sponsorship
Industry leadership
Strategic brand positioning
Speaker thought leadership
Targeted marketing and exposure
Product/Service Promotion
Solve Problems with Solution Providers
Media Exposure
Registrations
For any further enquiries please contact:
Paul Godfrey
paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com
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AtkinsRéalis
Climatize
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HKA
JLL
Cundall
+Impact
RIB
ME Consultant
Big Project ME
ME Construction News
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Participate
Participate in this conference through exhibiting, workshops, panel discussions, or presentations; a prime platform to connect with future business potential and more. Engage with industry leaders shaping purchasing and specification decisions and explore tailored sponsorship opportunities to your KPIs and business objectives.
Contact us to learn more of all the possibilities
Summit Entry
Date & Time
Summit – 9am to 3pm
Awards – 7pm to 10pm
Venue
Contact us
Content
Paul Godfrey
Head of Content
+971 55 472 9717
paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com
Priyanka Raina
Associate Editor
+971 4 375 5475
priyanka.raina@cpitrademedia.com
Sponsorship
Andy Pitois
Publishing Director
+971 4 375 5473
andy.pitois@cpitrademedia.com
Marketing
Phinson Mathew George
Director of Marketing & Media Operations
+971 4 375 5476
phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com
Lakshmy Manoj
Marketing Executive
+971 4 375 5476
lakshmy.manoj@cpitrademedia.com