New Age CEOs

  Moving to the UAE, I expected the usual challenges women face in business around the world. But then I stumbled upon a post by Mansi Panchal that completely changed how I see things here. She’s not just talking about progress, she’s spotlighting a revolution that’s already underway. Mansi laid out the numbers that stopped me in my tracks: over 23,000 Emirati businesswoman managing projects worth more than AED 50 billion ; women holding 15% of board seats in national chambers; and a staggering 30% of entrepreneurs in the UAE are women. In just the past decade, Dubai alone has seen a 60% rise in female-led businesses. That’s not a gentle shift, that’s a tidal wave. What really hit home for me was Mansi’s emphasis on how this isn’t accidental or symbolic. The UAE government is actively reshaping the business landscape to support women. From the National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women to the Gender Balance Council, there are real policies and resources behind this mome...

  Moving to Dubai, I was instantly captivated by the city’s energy. The skyline shoots up faster than you can blink. Success stories flood LinkedIn feeds - founders closing million-dollar deals over coffee, startups skyrocketing from pitch decks to penthouses overnight. It’s intoxicating, and as someone thinking about launching a business here, I felt that same rush of excitement. But then I came across a post by Mansi Panchal that made me pause. Mansi pulled back the curtain on Dubai’s startup scene - a world where the “fast-track” hype often masks deep, dangerous cracks. She talked about startups with all the right external markers: big investors, slick branding, rapid hiring. They look flawless on the surface. But behind closed doors? Chaos. No real structure. Teams pushed to burnout. When the honeymoon phase ends, the whole thing collapses, often within a year. Dubai’s obsession with speed, scaling fast, raising fast, going viral fast, isn’t just unrealistic, it’s risky. Mans...