Women To Watch At GITEX Global 2021: Dr. Sara Al Madani, Serial Entrepreneur As a female entrepreneur, Al Madani believes her strong convictions and beliefs in her work and ideas have protected her from any gender-based setbacks in the industry.
By Tamara Pupic Edited by Aby Thomas
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Besides showcasing how technology is redefining the way we live and work, GITEX Global 2021, which will be held in-person on October 17-21, 2021 at Dubai World Trade Centre, will shed light on the revolutionary role of female tech entrepreneurs in building the future. We take a closer look at some of the women in tech taking centerstage at the show- make sure to keep an eye out for them at GITEX Global!
Dr. Sara Al Madani is an Emirati fashion designer, restaurant owner, and serial entrepreneur whose accomplishments have led her to be appointed a board member at Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as a board member of the UAE SME Council by the Ministry of Economy of Dubai. "I became a tech entrepreneur as I wanted to introduce more ethics in the industry, because I can see the tech industry taking over and forgetting the importance of humans by focusing only on robotics and automating things," Al Madani says. "I wanted to be that entrepreneur that takes tech, and makes it part of our future, without forgetting the importance of humans. Business is about making money, but it's also about how you make your money. Business has ethics and morality as well."
As a female entrepreneur, Al Madani believes her strong convictions and beliefs in her work and ideas have protected her from any gender-based setbacks in the industry. "If you feel like your gender is an issue, then your gender will always be an issue," she says. "I feel like we're all humans, and there's no difference between men and women. I remember attending a tech conference in Los Angeles, where a man was on stage saying that technology is a man's industry. In that moment, I swore and made a promise to become a tech entrepreneur to prove that women are huge in tech, and that they shape the future. My first tech company was in Los Angeles, and not in my hometown, because I wanted to show people that I can do it. So, yes, women are taking over the tech space too- it will take us time, but we will get there."
As a speaker at GITEX this year, Al Madani says she will be highlighting why a city like Dubai is the place to be as an entrepreneur in the world today. "It's a city that pushes us to be great, gives us the opportunity, and has the vision," Al Madani says. As such, expect the unexpected is Al Madani's best advice for those attending GITEX 2021. "If you are a tech entrepreneur that loves innovation, if you have a story to showcase and bring it to the world, if you are a technology junkie, then GITEX is the home for it all," she concludes.
Al Madani will talk on Future Mobility on 20th October and on the Creative Economy stage at GITEX Future Stars.
