Shayma honored for her exemplary leadership and continuing efforts to promote female entrepreneurship in the UAE
January 09, 2018
Under the patronage of His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Award for Young Business Leaders successfully held its gala awarding ceremony recently at Zaa’beel Hall 6 of the Dubai World Trade Centre. During the event, Dr. Shayma Nawaf Al Fawwaz, Founder and CEO of ‘GOSSIP The Brand,’ an Emirati brand and homegrown concept with a global vision aimed to innovate and provide sustainable solutions across the social entrepreneurship landscape, was awarded the ‘Best Female Entrepreneur Award’ in recognition of her exemplary leadership and continuing efforts to champion the cause of female entrepreneurship in the UAE. ‘GOSSIP The Brand’ is composed of key multi-ventures that includes an F & B arm, an event management service and a brand management company handling leading luxury brands like Tiffany and Hermes, to name a few.
The win is the latest addition to Shayma’s success story, who has been widely recognised and acknowledged as one of the country’s top female businesswomen and key player in the Food & Beverage (F&B) segment. Aside from this new award, she is also the recipient of the Arab Woman Award 2017 for Entrepreneurship. Shayma has previously served as a member of various panels that discussed practices and policies pertaining to female entrepreneurs, including NAMA, the pioneering edition of the biennial WEEGS – Women`s Economic Empowerment Global Summit; Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival; and SHEERA: YAL panel discussion: Driving Innovation in the Food and Beverage Sector. His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, invited GOSSIP Cafe and Dessert in support of entrepreneurship and to celebrate Shayma’s success during the UAE edition of the ‘Pitch@Palace’ initiative held in Abu Dhabi.
Shayma said, “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, affirmed the importance of women when he said, ‘Emirati women continuously affirm their presence and active participation in the march of development.’ We graciously thank him for his leadership and for serving as an inspiration not only for Emirati women but for local entrepreneurs as well. This award is a huge achievement and will further inspire and drive me to promote and support local entrepreneurship and the women empowerment—shining out as an example for others to follow.”
Now on its 10th edition, the Mohammad Bin Rashid Award for Young Business Leaders recognise and reward distinguished entrepreneurs In the UAE and the Arab world. The award is also a part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and now supports the Dubai 2021 Plan in its aim to encourage younger generations to innovate and promote an entrepreneurial culture as well as an ideal environment for creative ideas. The award has continued to receive the support of various local and federal entities as well as private sector financial institutions and companies in enabling SMEs to remain key pillars of economic activity and encouraging entrepreneurs to launch projects at the local and international levels.