DUBAI: Coinciding with International Women’s Day (IWD), global law firm, Reed Smith, along with global consultancy HKA, has launched a webinar series, titled ‘Maximising female talent in construction’, celebrating women in the MENA construction industry. The three sessions, starting in March and running until September 2023, seek to support the drive for greater gender diversity in the construction industry and will feature leading women in the sector from the Middle East to share their experiences, challenges, successes, and insights.

As part of Reed Smith’s global Women’s Initiative Network (WINRS) program, leading female lawyers from the UAE construction disputes team have collaborated with HKA to host the series.

Attracting and retaining female talent in the construction industry, the first of the webinars hosted by Reed Smith and HKA, will take place on 21 March moderated by Michelle Nelson, Reed Smith’s leading construction disputes partner in the Middle East. The panel will focus on root causes of gender disparities in the MENA construction industry starting with the life-cycle of career development from education through to challenges associated with attracting and retaining female talent in the industry, to best practice, ideas and innovations for change.

Reed Smith and HKA have put together an impressive panel of speakers to share their experiences and insight. Panellists include Emma Seymour, senior partner at Gratiya Advisory, Chris Bernard, partner at Global People Recruitment & Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, HKA, and Alison Watson MBE, founder and chief executive at Class of Your Own Limited.

Michelle Nelson, Reed Smith’s leading construction disputes partner in the Middle East, said: “The Chartered Institute of Building in the MENA region has an estimated 1,300 members, of which only 190 are female. Along with HKA, our aim is to create and develop a ‘women in construction’ initiative tailored to the region to address this very issue. Our collective ambition through this initiative is to establish a forum and platform which invites challenging conversations among organisational leaders in the industry with an eye toward promoting change and advancing equity and inclusion.”

Dimitrios Tousiakis, HKA Partner – Expert Services, said: "Through our long-term and geographically broad experience in the construction industry, we recognise the vital role that women play in our field. We believe that diversity and inclusivity not only strengthen the construction and engineering teams but also leads to better outcomes for the clients. This joint initiative with Reed Smith demonstrates our commitment to creating a work environment that values and supports women in construction, providing opportunities for training, career advancement, and leadership roles. We look forward to meeting our talented female colleagues and industry leaders and learning directly about their experiences, concerns, and ambitions towards a more gender-balanced construction industry."

The webinars are designed for all women currently working in or looking to enter the construction industry, including emerging talent, future leaders and those at the pinnacle of their careers. Men are equally welcome and encouraged to join the webinars. Each session will feature a premier industry voice, sharing their experiences, lessons learned, and insights that will fuel the next generation of female leaders.

Other sessions in the series will focus on “Breaking the mould – how women can succeed in the construction industry” (June 2023) and “Pay it forward – why mentoring matters for women in the construction industry” (September 2023).

To attend the webinar, please register on: Maximising female talent in construction                 

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About Reed Smith

Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions and regulatory matters.

Our team of 3,000 people (including more than 1,700 lawyers) operate across 31 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia to drive progress for our clients, for ourselves and for our communities. For more information, please visit www.reedsmith.com.

About HKA

HKA is a leading global consultancy in risk mitigation and dispute resolution. Headquartered in the UK, HKA brings a proud record of excellent service and high achievement to bear on today’s challenges. As trusted independent consultants, experts, and advisers, we help clients manage disputes, risk, and uncertainty on complex contracts and challenging projects.

We work with government agencies, local authorities, contractors, legal firms, and other professional service providers, as well as owners and operators, financial institutions, and insurers. Clients have access to leaders and problem-solvers who decode complexity through collaborative working and innovative thinking, making the best possible outcomes a reality for our clients, every time.

As well as more than 500 expert witnesses, HKA now has in excess of 500 advisors and consultants – across 40+ offices in 18 countries – with the skills and experience that are essential to get to the heart of even the most complex issues.

For more information about HKA, visit www.hka.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter (@HKAGlobal) and Facebook.