Girl power!

Back in 2007 former fmME editor Becca Wilson launched Women in Property and FM. Well, it's back with a bang. Read on to find out what it's all about...

Who is the group open to and why?

Joanna Saward, Modus Group: Firstly, this is a women's only group and that's not because we want to create any kind of bias within the industry, it's simply because the property and FM sectors are traditionally, and currently, male dominated.

Becca Wilson FSI software solutions: There are also the cultural challenges to think about. Yes, Dubai is quite liberal and many men and women mix and do business together. But it is important to remember where we are and that although Dubai is very cosmopolitan, other areas in the Middle East still do business rather differently.

We felt it was important to respect local values and ensure there was a platform available for all women who are interested in keeping up-to-date with industry topics, while learning from peers and taking valuable information back to their business that will ultimately, help them to implement best practice.

JS: As we mentioned, we have now opened it up to the wider property and FM sectors, and we hope to attract those linked to these areas like fit-out, interiors, architects etc.

When did the first meeting take place?

JS: We arranged our first meeting in May, with an aim to gauge interest and then discuss how we could take this forward.

We had about 30 female professionals turn up for the first meeting and, as a result, in our second meeting in June, we were able to formalise an agenda and introduce the group to a more topical and structured forum.

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