Bloomberg L.P. hears from diverse leaders in Dubai

Bloomberg L.P. welcomed some of the U.A.E.’s top leaders on diversity and inclusion issues and opportunities to its Dubai offices in October as part of the company’s U.A.E. D&I Week.

Covering a different topic each day including mental health and cancer awareness, a highlight was the conversation between A Fair Share Advisory Board members Rola Abu Manneh, CEO for Standard Chartered, U.A.E., and Camilla Macapili Languille, Head of Life Sciences at Mubadala, and moderated by Manisha Mehrotra, EMEA Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Bloomberg. A Fair Share is Bloomberg L.P.’s G.C.C.-focused gender diversity in finance initiative, which close to 200 women across Bahrain, the U.A.E., Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have benefited from since its inception in 2020.

Rola Abu Manneh highlighted how D&I can support recruitment and retention as well as teamwork and innovation, saying: “When you bring in diversity, you create more ideas.” This sentiment was echoed by Camilla Macapili Languille who said: “When you bring more diverse people together is when you get the best ideas and the best ways to execute on those ideas.”

Talking about practical steps to make positive changes, Camilla Macapili Languille said: “It’s important for us all to participate in D&I initiatives, both within and outside of our own workplaces, because a bigger community is a more powerful community.” On the issue of gender diversity, she highlighted the importance of all genders mentoring young women as they enter the workforce and navigate life changes.

In closing, Rola Abu Manneh noted the importance of making D&I part of an organization’s DNA, saying: “It starts with the tone from the top. If the senior leaders believe in D&I, it will trickle down and work across the organization.”

Thriving in the Middle East – Celebrating Black Businesses

Later in the week, to celebrate Black History Month, Bloomberg L.P hosted ‘Thriving in the Middle East – Celebrating Black Businesses’, bringing together four entrepreneurs and decision makers to share their personal experiences of doing business in the Middle East and Africa region.

Speakers included Alia Ahmed, Corporate Lawyer & Co-Founder In.Coming; Gbemi Giwa, Owner, Catfish Restaurant, Entrepreneur and Fitness Consultant; Joe Osawaye, Owner of Kiza Dubai and Kiza Bespoke and Lloyd Manokore, Managing Consultant, Lawyer, Emerging Africa Advisory.

Opening the discussion, Giuseppe Netti, Head of Financial Products, Middle East and Africa, and chair of A Fair Share, Bloomberg L.P. said: “Our culture values foster inclusion and promotes collaboration, because ultimately the inclusion of all means the exclusion of no one.”
Each speaker then provided their unique insights on how they have thrived within their chosen fields.

Alia Ahmed said: “The roadblocks to progression are not so much linked to race as it is linked to socio-economic status. To break those barriers in the workplace, it is important to build a more inclusive path forward for entrepreneurs of all background and spread cultural awareness across the workplace.”

When asked what black history month means to him, Lloyd Manokore said: “Black History Month is a reaffirmation of heritage for people who have been deliberately and consistently marginalized. It is also about celebrating successes and taking pride in our heritage. It is a continuum and should always be celebrated. A crucial component of the multifaceted effort is introducing the young generation to the infinite possibilities out there.”

In response to the same question, Gbemi Giwa, said: “Black History Month allows us to celebrate being black in spaces that are not traditionally black and creates awareness on who we are and where we come from. As a health and wellness expert, I believe it is also an opportunity to encourage a healthy lifestyle among our community to make sure they have what they need to thrive.”

A key part of the conversation was on ways to promote and support black run and owned businesses, with Joe Osawaye saying: “When you bring value to the table the whole world will come. We need to think global when running a business, we must create products and services that attracts the world.”

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