Corporate Ambassadors Program

"Bahrain Corporate Ambassadors Program - November 2008"

As part of their membership in the MENA Businesswomen’s Network, the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society (BBS) recently hosted their Corporate Ambassadors event, “Business Exchange Forum: Bahraini and American Experiences” supported by the Council for Arab Businesswomen, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), Vital Voices Global Partnership, the Economic Development Board and Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Not only did the event provide an opportunity for networking and discussion of critical issues in Bahrain, such as leadership and management, the Bahrain Free Trade Agreement and government set-aside programs for small and medium sized businesses, the participants compiled a list of twelve recommendations related to these topics that the BBS will follow up on to implement.

During the panel discussion on effective leadership, decision making and management featuring Julie Lenzer Kirk, President and CEO of Path Forward International and H.H. Dr. Sheikha Hussa Saad Al Abdulla Al-Salem Al-Sabah, participants were encouraged to utilize their vision and passion to be effective leaders, while also reaching out to others for guidance and support. Following this panel, participants resolved to push for more women in parliament and the judiciary and to create a network of women already in leadership positions to allow them to support one another.

Julie Adair Minerva, Senior Public Affairs Advisor at Holland + Knight provided participants with practical tips for accessing the U.S. market during the panel discussion on the Bahrain Free Trade Agreement. These tips included encouraging small and medium sized businesses to create websites and to network with other business owners in Bahrain and the U.S. She also recommended that business owners form a delegation to travel to the U.S. to make in-person business connections. Participants agreed that this was essential and are forming a delegation to promote women-owned businesses abroad.

The final panel discussion focused on creating a government set-aside program for small and medium sized businesses, similar to the 5% set aside program for women and minority owned businesses in the United States. Barbara Kasoff, President, CEO and Co-Founder of Women Impacting Public Policy provided an overview of the program and the importance of collecting data on the impact of small and medium sized businesses on the economy to present to the government when lobbying for a set aside program. She also emphasized the need for clear guidelines and procedures following the implementation of this type of program. Participants pressed Dr. Abdulaziz Abul, a panelist and member of the Council of Representatives in Bahrain to support a set aside program and he suggested various committees of the Council this program could be presented to. Following this discussion, the participants resolved to bring this proposed program to the government and collect coalition partners, led by the BBS.

Immediately following the close of the event, the BBS began to reach out to potential partners, in addition to MEPI and Vital Voices, to begin to implement the recommendations made by the participants. The Corporate Ambassadors event inspired all involved to increase their efforts to support women leader and business owners through various laws, policies and programs.

Business Exchange Forum: Bahraini and American Experiences
Event Summary_ English
Event Summary_ French
Agenda_ English
Agenda_ Arabic
Basic History of the Small Business Administration (SBA)
A Twelve Step Program for Success
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