
The pandemic has shaken the world as we know it both professionally and personally. Many of us have had time to reflect or rethink our careers. aspirations and indeed futures. Our roles and that of accountants, in particular, have become wider and more important than ever before and we’ve seen first-hand how this profession offers a secure and flexible career whatever your age. However, many of us know that climbing the corporate ladder to senior leadership is often and long hard road, given that just 8% of chief executives globally are women according to the latest Forbes report. And just 3% of the CEOs in financial services are female.
ACCA Middle East, Women in finance program is designed to help you navigate your way up the corporate ladder by talking about the issues that really matter.
Over the course of the year and beyond, we’ll be teaming up with successful business leaders from across the region, industries and job functions to bring you a wealth of information, knowledge and learning opportunities.





Saudi Arabia with its ambitious 2030 Vision has seen a sharp uptake in women in the workforce: 32% of Saudi women are now in the workforce and the figure continues to rise.
Post-Covid 19 and the ‘great resignation’ more employers are waking up to the fact that retention makes sound business sense. From improvements in flexibility to mental health policies and of course remuneration, is it time to focus more attention on reminding your current employer, instead of your next one, that you’re the best hire they could hope to find – and keep?
We are delighted to announce that our next Women in Finance session; Leading the Next Generation, will be hosted by Helen Brand, CEO, ACCA. This session will look at what it takes to get on the board and the talent the BIG4 look for when recruiting.

Deloitte point out in their 2021 report Within Reach: Leadership, representation and gender equity in financial services that “Even with a recently increased focus on DEI initiatives, the proportion of women in leadership roles within financial services firms has modestly risen from 22% to 24%.”
In an age of permanent distraction, James Gibb, Senior Director and Chief of Staff at Dell Technologies talks about how we can be our most productive selves to really get things done.
Read our latest report that talks about how you can “get things done” the smart way!
LinkedIn is the world’s leading professional platform and one of the most powerful tools to connect you to new opportunities. Yet for many of us, it’s often an infrequently tended space – a neglected corner of our digital ecosystem that is often ignored in
favour of personal social media spaces such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Find out how you can Sharpen Up Your LinkedIn Profile here.
Listen as ACCA joins Tricia Evans, Business Coach in a Thought-Provoking Session; on how to BE SUCCESSFUL ON PURPOSE and how to stay relevant in a changing world:
What do you want? When was the last time you asked yourself what you want? It’s a question that can seem almost a little antagonistic when someone else asks us, but that’s because taking the time to give a truly honest answer often requires deep soul-searching.
Read our latest “What’s your vision” article here.

Launch Event:
Lessons from Business Legends
ACCA Middle East is delighted to invite you to the official launch of its Women in Finance program. Join us as we listen to business leaders talk through their path to success and provide you with some key takeaways to help you climb the corporate ladder.
Join us as we talk you through becoming a positive disruptor.
By definition, a positive disruptor is someone who challenges current organisational trends and habits and strives to find positive alternatives.
The reality is that “positive disruptors” are one of life’s luxuries, especially in an organisational. Watch Here
Women In Finance Focused Articles
Contributors
Fazeela Gopalani
Head of ACCA Middle East
Sam Achampong
Regional Head of CIPS Middle East & North Africa (MENA)
The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply
Cynthia Corby
Partner, COO and Transformation & Strategy leader, Audit and Assurance,
Deloitte Middle East
David Mackenzie
Group Managing Director
Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Racha AlKhawaja
CEO
TPL Investment Management
Ltd

Adam Ashcroft
CEO and Founder
The Advantage Coach

Tricia Evans
Business Coach

Susan Heaton-Wright
Creator of the Superstar Communicator™ methodology