Breakbulk Middle East to promote women’s participation in industry

Dubai / WAM

Breakbulk Middle East (BBME), the region’s largest breakbulk and project cargo event, will host the ‘Women in Breakbulk Breakfast, as part of its commitment to increase the female participation.
The forum will feature top female executives, who will discuss ways to overcome challenges they face in the sector. They will also offer insights and tips to aspiring female professionals on how they can move up the ladder and change the male-dominated narrative within the maritime, project cargo and breakbulk industry.
Due to be held under the patronage of the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), on February 1-2 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, BBME will bring together professionals including women from different sectors, enabling end-to-end supply chain dialogue.
Facilitating female participation in the dialogue about the future of the sector is essential for the development of the segment. By focusing on women leaders in the through the Women in Breakbulk Leadership Forum, the primary aim of BBME is to bridge the gender gap in the breakbulk and project cargo industry. It further aims to attract some of the brightest young female talents in this key segment.
Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport, Affairs, MoEI, said, “In a fundamentally male-dominated profession, we have seen quite a few women leaders rise to top management positions and even start their own ventures. This has largely been due to their individual efforts but also due to the support they have received. The UAE provides females equal opportunities as men to follow their dreams and establish their careers in the fields they choose. In line with our vision, I believe that Breakbulk Middle East has maintained an active role in inclusion of females through the Women in Breakbulk initiative, where aspiring professionals can witness first-hand the success stories of their counterparts.”
Nawal Yousef Alhanaee, Director of the Future Energy Department, MoEI, said, “Closing the gender gap is of utmost priority to enhance the business landscape. Introducing young female professionals to successful women in the sector will encourage them to be more enthusiastic about their field because they can envision themselves as top leaders one day. Breakbulk Middle East has introduced a wonderful platform to facilitate discussions on how the industry can encourage young women to choose a career in the sector. This will help develop local talent in the Middle East and create better organisational structures for the future generations.”
A 2021 survey conducted by Gartner Inc shows that women comprise 41 percent of the supply chain workforce in 2021, up from 39 percent in 2020. According to the survey, every leadership level saw an increase in representation, except the executive level that witnesses a slight decline. In 2021, women accounted for 15 percent of executive level roles, down from 17 percent in 2020.
Leslie Meredith, Marketing Director, Breakbulk Events and Media, said, “Bridging the gender gap is an ongoing challenge. Year after year, at Breakbulk Middle East, we ensure that we highlight this issue by addressing the challenges. Companies are becoming more aware due to the greater emphasis on Inclusion and Diversity; however, we still have to continue our efforts to spread awareness about roles in the industry that women can occupy, motivating them to be actively involved in the sector and excel at it. This year too, as part of the ‘Women in Breakbulk’ initiative, we will unite women leaders to share their perspectives on the skills that are important for continued success in the industry.”