As prepared for delivery
Your Excellency Sheikha Mayes bint Hamad Al Thani, Excellencies, entrepreneurs, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to attend the ninth Empretec Women in Business Awards.
Every economy has talent it is not using. In Pakistan, some 70,000 women are registered as doctors but do not practise: almost one in five of the country’s registered doctors. Dr Sara Saeed Khurram, who joins us today, built a company that has brought 7,500 of them back to work, seeing patients by video in communities short of doctors.
Every economy that leaves talent like that idle pays for it, in clinics that never open, firms that are never founded and growth it never sees.
Today, our twelve finalists come from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Gulf. They lead teams, apply new technology, design new products and make production more sustainable. Their firms employ workers, buy from suppliers and serve customers who had few options before. When one of them grows, a whole network of livelihoods grows with it.
Our awards were made to recognize these efforts, because recognition matters.
Investors back what they can see. They back founders they already know, in sectors they already understand. Too many women-led businesses sit outside that field of vision, however strong their results.
These awards widen it. They put women entrepreneurs in front of investors, sponsors and policymakers, and give them a record that travels. Jessica Anuna, a winner of this award in 2023 who is with us this afternoon, built Klasha to help African shoppers buy from the world, and international merchants sell into Africa in local currencies.
I thank Sheikha Mayes for joining us, and the Empretec centres, sponsors, mentors and partners who accompany these women on their journey.
Excellencies,
As I reiterate my congratulations to the winners in the four categories, allow me to express my recognition to all the finalists. They have already shown what their businesses can do. From today, many more people will be watching what they do next.
Congratulations to all of them. I thank you.