LEGACY OF A LIFETIME
This year’s Emirates Woman, Woman of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award honoured the preeminent Emirati business leader,
Dr Al Gurg is one of the most respected business minds in the Middle East, having graced the lists of ‘most influential’ and ‘most powerful’ women in business for years.
Last month she was honoured for her life-long contribution to the business community in a glittering awards ceremony attended by dignitaries, VIPs and special guests at the Address Montgomerie in Dubai.
Dr Al Gurg is the Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, the president of the Dubai Business Women Council, the deputy chairperson of the Dubai Healthcare City Authority, a board member of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the first Emirati woman on the board of HSBC Bank Middle East. Additionally, she is the vice chairperson of the Mohammad Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, board member of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University and chairperson of the Al Jalila Foundation.
Setting an example for women who have wide-ranging ambitions, she has also spent much of her life giving back to the community; as an active philanthropist and, most recently, as an author having released her inspiring autobiography (published by Motivate Media Group) earlier this year.
In accepting her award, Dr Al Gurg highlighted what leadership and contribution meant to her:
‘Leadership is a skill and learning how to be a leader is never over – it changes daily and brings new challenges and also new opportunities every day,’ she said.
‘I also know that while we focus on the achievements of some women and we talk about the number of women in senior roles, there are so many other women making our organisations work, our communities thrive. We should know that a thriving economy, a resilient community, needs the talents of all.’
In accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award from Motivate’s managing partner, Ian Fairservice, Dr Al Gurg humbly noted: ‘You are honouring me for so much today while as far as I can remember, all I ever did was a good day’s work’.