Kuwait Women’s Economy Forum Opens Under State Patronage

The inaugural Women & the Economy Conference opened at the Grand Hyatt Kuwait under the patronage and attendance of Abdulaziz Nasser Al-Marzouq, Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment, placing the State’s economic agenda at the center of the event. Lei Wa Lakom, a Kuwait-based nonprofit initiative focused on financial awareness, knowledge-sharing and community development, organized it with Kuwait University and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS).

Government officials, business leaders and academics heard women’s economic participation put on the agenda. The opening also made clear who was invited to shape it: policymakers, CEOs, global experts, investors and emerging women leaders. Organizers announced a programme of dialogue and future recommendations, but reported no adopted decisions or delivered measures.

Participation, on official terms

Taiba Alhumaidhi, Founder of Lei Wa Lakom, opened with a keynote calling women’s economic inclusion a national imperative. Abdulaziz Nasser Al-Marzouq described the event as part of the State’s economic project. “Our patronage of the Women & the Economy Conference reflects the State's commitment to women's economic empowerment as a key pillar of a more competitive and diversified national economy, in line with New Kuwait Vision 2035,” he said.

He said Kuwaiti women had shown they could contribute across sectors, and argued that dialogue among government, the private sector and academia could create opportunities. The language reaches far; the mechanism named is a conference convened under ministerial patronage. Organizers said the event aims to strengthen women’s role in national development, framing economic participation as a pillar of competitiveness and diversification.

Alhumaidhi said the conference aimed to connect policymakers, investors and business leaders and share knowledge. She thanked the minister for his patronage and attendance, along with sponsors and partners. She said the second day would continue the conversation and develop practical recommendations and strategic partnerships. Those remain goals, not reported outcomes.

Business support, with selection attached

National Bank of Kuwait announced NBK FoundHER, which Maryam Al-Nasralla, AVP – Talent Management at NBK, presented. The programme targets Kuwaiti women who already own businesses. It offers training in finance, marketing, legal fundamentals, business growth and presentation skills, plus access to experts and networking.

At the programme’s end, participants will present growth plans to a panel of judges. The panel will select projects for financial grants to put their plans into effect. The announcement doesn’t state how many grants are available or their value, or how many business owners will take part. Support combines practical training with a selection process: participants receive training, but a panel decides who gets funding.

The first panel, “Present-Day Realities,” examined women’s economic participation, challenges and success stories. Tareq Al-Saleh, Managing Director - Wealth Management at InvestGB, moderated. Panelists were Badria Alhumaidhi, CEO of Boubyan Capital; Bibi Marafie, Director of the One Stop Shop Department at the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA); Shaikha AlMugahwi, Executive Manager Premium Sales at Kuwait Finance House (KFH); and Lulwa AlFouzan, Vice President Human Resources at Kuwait Investment Company (KIC).

The second panel, “The Future of Women in the Economy,” covered artificial intelligence, fintech and policy. Ambassador Qudsi Rasheed, British Ambassador to Kuwait, moderated; panelists included Henadi Alsaleh, CEO of Agility; Kriti Gupta, Executive Director and Global Investment Strategist at JP Morgan; Satoko Nozaki, Digital & IT Director at IKEA; and Amal Al-Duwaisan, SVP of the Digital Banking Group at National Bank of Kuwait (NBK).

More discussion on the schedule

The following day’s schedule included a closed high-level roundtable at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organized with the Union of Investment Companies. It was titled “From Participation to Economic Contribution: Unlocking Women's Economic Potential in Kuwait.” Organizers also planned a talk for students at Kuwait University, titled “Your Future, Your Money, Your Move: Jobs, AI, Money & the Decisions That Will Shape Your Next 10 Years.” The programme gave prominent institutions and business figures a room to define opportunity. Whether those discussions produce changes beyond the conference remains unreported.