In a celebration of International Women’s Day, renowned Italian jewellery house Pomellato (Instagram) hosted its inaugural panel discussion at the Lana Dorchester Hotel in Dubai.
The event featured CEO Sabina Belli alongside panelists Nayla Al Khaja, Emirati film producer, and Omaira Farooq, an Emirati entrepreneur. The panel was moderated by Louise Nichol, a renowned Dubai-based presenter.
The dialogue, titled “When Women Lead,” delved into the achievements and challenges faced by women in leadership roles. From personal journeys to broader cultural and philanthropic spheres, the discussion emphasized the importance of ongoing conversation and empowerment.
As Sabina Belli, Pomellato Group CEO, highlighted: “We must turn constraints into opportunities, making dreams a reality. It’s vital to share our experiences and pave the way for future generations.”
“A common thread between women who lead is first our ability for making things happen and to make a difference – to each have the will to make dreams a realization, to turn a constraint into an opportunity to look at the positive side and not to take “no” for an answer. It’s important to discuss these topics and share our personal experiences as women to keep it as a conversation for now but also the next generation, including all the women in this region, where entrepreneurship and leadership is a really strong reality,” said Belli.
“As women we need to educate other women, we also need to change. I teach my teenage daughters, it’s not about sabotaging other women, it’s more about helping – about finding something that someone is doing and thinking perhaps can you do it differently, you can excel in a different way, but don’t sabotage other women,” said Omaira Farooq, a multi-disciplinary Emirati entrepreneur.
The #PomellatoForWomen platform, launched in 2017, champions gender equality and diversity. Through initiatives like this, Pomellato fosters a community of empowered women, supported by ambassadors such as Jane Fonda and Cate Blanchett.
Nayla Al Khaja said of the event, “Through incredible initiatives like this, there is an impact, it’s impacting women and men alike whatever stage of life they are at. There is still a long way to go, for example in my industry only three per cent of women are cinematographers and only nine per cent are female directors, while they exist, where are they? There’s a massive mountain to push with the stories we need to tell. The most important people to touch our hearts were our mothers, we are natural born storytellers, this is why it’s insane there aren’t enough women sharing stories in the world because I believe we are very good at it.”
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