A Historic Milestone for Women in Tech in the Middle East
In February 2019, Twitter made history by hosting WomenHack’s first-ever event in the Arab region. This groundbreaking event in Dubai brought together over 30 female tech professionals with leading companies across the Middle East, marking a significant expansion of WomenHack’s global mission to connect talented women with career opportunities in technology.
As Twitter shared on their official blog:
“Twitter hosted WomenHack’s first event in the Arab region, bringing together talented women in tech with companies committed to diversity.”
The Significance of Regional Expansion
The Dubai event represented more than just another WomenHack gathering—it was a watershed moment for women in technology across the Middle East. The region has seen tremendous growth in its tech sector, with cities like Dubai positioning themselves as global innovation hubs. However, women’s participation in technology careers has historically faced unique challenges in the region.
By bringing WomenHack to Dubai, Twitter helped create a platform where female technologists could connect with employers actively seeking diverse talent. The event featured an impressive lineup of participating companies including Talabat, AWS Cloud, Namshi, Property Finder, Al Tayyar Group, and BECO Capital—representing some of the most influential tech and startup companies in the Gulf region.
Inspiring Leadership on Stage
Keynote speaker Zeina Soufan, Senior Business Presenter at Dubai TV, shared insights on women’s advancement in technology and media. Her presence underscored the event’s commitment to showcasing successful women who have broken barriers in traditionally male-dominated industries.
The event followed WomenHack’s signature format: 5-minute speed interviews that allow candidates and companies to have meaningful conversations in an efficient timeframe. This format has proven particularly effective, as it removes many of the barriers that can disadvantage women in traditional recruiting processes.
Why This Matters for the Tech Industry
The Middle East and North Africa region represents one of the fastest-growing tech ecosystems in the world. Countries like the UAE have made significant investments in technology infrastructure and have set ambitious goals for digital transformation. However, achieving these goals requires tapping into the full talent pool—including the many qualified women who bring unique perspectives and skills to tech roles.
Research consistently shows that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones, particularly in innovation-driven industries. By hosting this event, Twitter and its partner companies sent a clear message: the future of tech in the Arab region will be built by teams that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.
WomenHack’s Global Mission
Founded in 2016 in Silicon Valley, WomenHack has grown to become one of the world’s largest diversity-focused recruiting platforms. With over 750 events in 130+ cities across 45+ countries, the organization has built a community of more than 40,000 members. The expansion to the Arab region represented a natural extension of this mission to create opportunities for women in tech everywhere.
As a 100% minority-owned enterprise, WomenHack understands the challenges that underrepresented groups face in the tech industry. Every event is designed to level the playing field, giving talented women direct access to decision-makers at companies committed to building diverse teams.
Building on This Foundation
The success of the Dubai event opened doors for continued growth in the region. It demonstrated that there is both demand from candidates and commitment from employers to make diversity recruiting work in the Middle East.
Thank you, Twitter, for championing women in tech across the Arab region and helping to write this important chapter in our global story.