ShareKUWAIT: The Kuwait Institute of Banking Studies (KIBS) is proud to announce its strategic collaboration with HEC Paris’ Accelerating Women’s Leadership Program, a landmark initiative designed to empower women and foster their leadership roles within the banking sector. This collaboration underscores KIBS’s unwavering commitment to aligning with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) mandate and positions itself as a frontrunner in promoting diversity and gender equality in leadership.
As the banking industry continues to prioritize ESG principles, KIBS recognizes the pivotal role it plays in contributing to sustainable and responsible practices. The Accelerating Women’s Leadership Program is a testament to the banking sector’s dedication to inclusivity and gender diversity. Underpinned by the Central Bank of Kuwait’s directives and the industry’s collective commitment to fostering a diverse and empowered workforce, this collaboration represents a proactive step towards meeting ESG goals and promoting women’s advancement in leadership positions.
Key highlights of the collaboration include ESG mandate alignment as this collaboration reinforces KIBS’s dedication to aligning with the ESG mandate, emphasizing the Institute’s role in driving sustainable practices within the banking sector. The program also stresses leadership development as through the Accelerating Women’s Leadership Program, KIBS seeks to nurture a pipeline of talented women leaders who will contribute to the industry’s growth and sustainability.
Due to the Central Bank of Kuwait’s influence, this initiative is in line with the Central Bank of Kuwait’s directives, showcasing KIBS’s commitment to supporting national banking policies and contributing to the advancement of women in leadership roles. KIBS and HEC Paris’ collaboration reflects the industry’s recognition of the importance of diversity and leadership development in achieving long-term sustainability and success. Rana A Al-Nibari, KIBS Director General, commented, “By investing in women’s leadership, we are not only responding to the ESG mandate but also shaping a more sustainable and resilient future for the banking industry in Kuwait.”
A recap event that took place on September 25, 2023 at Kuwait’s Waldorf Astoria gathered the women who were enrolled in the program’s first cohort that was held over five days in Qatar on February 12 – 16, 2023 where they recounted their professional progression. Led by Prof Shaheena Janjuha – Jivraj, an Associate Professor in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Diversity at HEC Paris in Qatar, the hour-long discussion gathered feedback that was positive, sincere and empowering.
Afterwards, General Managers, Heads of Human Resources, Talent Management and Learning & Development Departments from Kuwait’s stakeholder banks joined the group with members of the Kuwait Institute of Banking Studies’ (KIBS) management team to observe Prof Shaheena’s presentation that summarized the program’s benefits which includes how women can lead their team to high performance and innovation, prepare their own leadership skills to access new career opportunities, strengthen their impact in building effective relationships with stakeholders across their organization, develop mental agility and an approach to innovation that is diffused across their time and finally, how to develop executive presence with effective verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate with power.
Eng. Suha Isaac concluded the event by announcing the launch of the second cohort of the program that will take place during November 2023 in Kuwait. The five-day program will include contain themes that navigate around global business environment, entrepreneurial mindset, innovation, leadership brand, strengthening self-efficacy, resources and resilience and finally, how to become an agent of change.
After being nominated by KIBS, English-proficient woman may apply to the program; she must be a leader in her respective company with a minimum of ten years of work experience. The Kuwait Institute of Banking Studies (KIBS) is a not-for-profit, semi-governmental organization that functions under the auspices of the Central Bank of Kuwait.
KIBS offers education, training, language programs and research to serve the developmental needs of the Kuwaiti banking and finance sector. HEC Paris is a globally recognized leader in executive education, making a lasting impact on organizations through the design and delivery of customized learning solutions. Leverage global resources from their branch campus in Qatar, HEC Paris provides proximity and ensures relevance for organizations operating throughout the region.
