Media honour for Bahraini bizwoman

A Bahraini woman was featured by a global media outlet as one of the most influential businesswoman in the Middle East. CNN featured a Bahraini businesswoman in their recent article titled “These women are shaking up the Middle East’s business world in 2016.” Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Managing Director Mona Almoayyed was featured along with six other businesswoman. The others featured were from UAE, Kuwait and Lebenon.

“Mona Almoayyed was born into one of Bahrain’s most successful family businesses -- in the 1940s her father founded Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Group, a conglomerate with interests from cars to construction. Working to prove herself, Mona became the first Bahraini woman elected to the board of a public company, Maritime and Mercantile International, and in 2001 was chosen ahead of her brothers as MD of the family firm. She oversees 1,000 national staff and over 100 international brands,” CNN wrote about the Bahraini entrepreneur.

“When I joined my family business, I was given clerical work -- unlike my brothers. I had to work harder than them to make my father recognise my work. When you are a woman, nothing comes easy in business. Women have bigger responsibilities at home yet they have to compete with men at work. At times women have to work double as hard to reach where men reach easily. My advice to women is to not give up and continue working hard until their boss recognises them. We have to fight for equal rights to men. We will not be given our rights on a silver plate,” Almoayyed was quoted as saying.