UAE’s largest industrial company outside the oil and gas sector, The Women’s Network of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), recently hosted a significant summit at its Al Taweelah headquarters. The event welcomed Her Excellency Mariam AlHammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet, to discuss the growing role of women in the nation’s industrial sectors and strategies to enhance gender diversity.
The summit brought together representatives from leading UAE companies, including ADNOC, DUCAB, TechnipFMC, and Strata Manufacturing, alongside partners such as Nama Women Advancement and Impactive. EGA has set ambitious targets for gender diversity: women are expected to hold 25% of supervisory roles by 2025 and 15% of all roles by 2026. Currently, women occupy 23.3% of supervisory positions and 9.6% of all roles within the organisation. In a notable achievement last year, EGA hired 200 women—110 of whom were Emirati nationals—representing over half of its Emirati intake. The company has also seen a 131% increase in its female workforce since launching its gender diversity programme in 2022.
It was organised under EGA’s Challenger Programme, an initiative aimed at fostering gender diversity across industries. Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, EGA’s CEO, delivered the opening keynote, emphasising the importance of men as allies in achieving gender equity. A panel discussion explored how women in heavy industries are driving transformative change, resonating with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Accelerate Action.”
EGA has implemented various measures to support its growing female workforce, including modernising infrastructure to ensure inclusive facilities and launching awareness programmes to promote inclusion. Women have successfully integrated into traditionally male-dominated roles at EGA, including positions on shop floors and emergency response teams.
Her Excellency Mariam AlHammadi reflected on her journey as the first Emirati woman working at Dubai Aluminium (Dubal), now part of EGA. She stated: “Today, Emirati women are not just participants in progress—they are leading it, shaping the future across all sectors. Our journey is built on a legacy of empowerment, visionary leadership and bold legislative reforms. Our commitment remains unwavering: investing in women is investing in a prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive future for all.”
The summit also showcased updates from EGA’s “Break the Mould” initiative, which encourages young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This aligns with broader efforts under the Challenger Programme to address shared challenges in promoting gender diversity across industries. Globally, women represent 28.2% of STEM-related roles in industrial sectors like utilities and mining.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, highlighted EGA’s commitment to fostering diverse talent: “EGA is a champion on gender diversity in industry because we know that diverse organisations perform better. We aim to increase women’s participation across all levels, ensuring our workplaces reflect the full talent and diversity of the UAE.”
EGA continues to lead by example in creating opportunities for women across industrial sectors while contributing to national goals for economic inclusivity and sustainability.
