Senior women from the UAE’s marketing and communications sector have been selected for the inaugural cohort of The Leadership Accelerator, a professional development programme launched by the global equality organisation Think Equal to strengthen female leadership pipelines in strategic communications roles.The first group brings together a cross-section of experienced professionals working across corporate communications, brand strategy, public relations, government advisory roles and agency leadership in the UAE. Participants include executives from multinational firms, regional conglomerates, public sector entities and fast-growing local agencies, reflecting the breadth of the country’s marcomms ecosystem.
Think Equal said the programme was designed to address a persistent leadership gap in the communications industry, where women form the majority of the workforce but remain under-represented at the most senior decision-making levels. While women hold many mid-career and senior operational posts across marketing, PR and corporate affairs in the Gulf, boardroom representation and C-suite influence continue to lag, particularly in strategy, investment and policy-shaping roles.
The Leadership Accelerator is structured as a high-intensity development track, combining leadership coaching, peer learning, mentoring and applied strategy work. Participants will focus on executive presence, negotiation, organisational influence and purpose-driven leadership, alongside sector-specific challenges such as managing reputational risk, digital disruption, ESG communications and stakeholder trust in a volatile global environment.
Organisers said the UAE was selected for the programme’s launch because of its position as a regional communications hub and its visible commitment to advancing gender balance across professional sectors. Over the past decade, the country has introduced policies aimed at increasing women’s participation in leadership, including board representation mandates and public-private initiatives supporting female entrepreneurship and executive development.
Industry observers note that the communications sector plays a unique role in shaping organisational culture and public narratives, making leadership diversity particularly significant. Senior marcomms leaders influence how companies respond to social issues, manage crises, engage employees and communicate values to global audiences. The absence of diverse voices at that level can narrow perspectives and weaken credibility, especially as stakeholders demand greater transparency and inclusion.
Participants in the inaugural cohort were selected through a competitive process that assessed professional experience, leadership potential and commitment to advancing equality within their organisations and the wider industry. The group includes women with more than two decades of experience as well as those representing a new generation of senior leaders navigating hybrid work models, AI-driven communications and rapidly changing media landscapes.
The programme also places emphasis on collective impact. Alongside individual development, participants will collaborate on projects aimed at creating practical tools and frameworks that can be shared with the wider marcomms community. These are expected to address issues such as inclusive leadership practices, sponsorship versus mentorship, and pathways for retaining female talent at senior levels.
Think Equal, which works globally to embed equality and social justice principles through education and leadership initiatives, has positioned the accelerator as part of a longer-term strategy rather than a one-off intervention. Plans are already under way to expand future cohorts across the Middle East and other international markets, with the UAE group acting as a pilot for programme design and outcomes measurement.
The launch comes at a time when the communications industry is under growing pressure to demonstrate authentic commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. High-profile missteps by global brands, coupled with heightened scrutiny of corporate values, have underscored the need for leaders who can navigate complex social expectations with credibility and cultural intelligence.
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