Maryam Sharaf, Dubai World’s Group Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer on Sunday, (October 25, 2009) won the prestigious “Leading Woman CFO” Award, instituted by the Women in Leadership Forum.
The Award was organised under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minsiter of UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, by the Dubai Business Women Council in partnership with naseba, a leading business information company and creator of the Forum, as an educational and networking platform for women leaders in the region.
Present at the glittering award ceremony at Burj Al Arab were Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, Wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Scott Ragsdale, Chairman, naseba Group, among some 500 leading women politicians, business leaders, policy makers, professionals and entrepreneurs from around the world.
Maryam Sharaf, Dubai World’s Group Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, said:
“Financial management of Dubai World is a team effort and I regard this award as welcome recognition of the work my finance team and the management of Dubai World have undertaken, particularly in this more difficult environment. I would like to thank the Dubai Business Women Council and the naseba Group for this initiative and I hope the award will encourage more women to pursue the financial sector as a career. It is both challenging and worthwhile, contributing fundamentally to the success of an organisation.”
Ms Sharaf, who has been CFO of Dubai World since 2006, was recently named as Group COO. She holds both posts concurrently. She is a board member of Dubai World and various other boards in the Dubai World Group.
Ms Sharaf has won several awards for her corporate achievements. In 2008, she won the Emirates Business Women Award, and was named by MEED Magazine as one of the “Top 12 Gulf Business Women”.
The three-day Women in Leadership Forum discussed thought-provoking topics such as “Where would the World be with More Women in Leadership?” and “Women as Business leaders”.
The Dubai Business Women Council proactively encourages participation of women in various economic sectors. It seeks to enhance their role by encouraging their participation in investment activities, providing training programmes and conducting studies to help them become successful businesswomen.