DIFC FinTech Hive, the first and largest financial technology accelerator in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, revealed the 2020 launch of AccelerateHer, a female-focused career mentorship accelerator programme to empower women in financial services. The programme equips young, aspiring female executives with tools and experience to broaden their knowledge and reach in the industry. It allows them to play a more active role in shaping the future of the financial landscape. AccelerateHer also offers the 14 selected participants one-on-one mentorship from executives, where the cohort will be exposed to a diverse range of experiences such as workshops, mentorship and other activities. These allow participants to build their networks, skills, and knowledge. Women are currently underrepresented in senior roles across the finance industry globally and gender inclusion has been a focus for DIFC since it was established in 2004. The DIFC Authority leads by example by having strong representation of women on its Management Team, and over 60 per cent of DIFC Authority staff and 33 per cent of the workforce in the region’s largest financial centre ecosystem are female. Commenting on the launch, Raja Al Mazrouei, Executive Vice President of DIFC FinTech Hive said: “Following the massive success of the first edition of the programme in 2019, we have worked with our DIFC FinTech Hive partners to encourage women to apply from across the world. AccelerateHer allows young and ambitious women to build their careers in financial services and play a more influential role in driving the future of the industry. It is another way that DIFC is shaping the future of finance.” Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer for Standard Chartered Bank UAE said: “We are very pleased to be collaborating with DIFC FinTech Hive on this exciting initiative. At Standard Chartered, we believe that including and empowering women, particularly in senior roles, would be key to unlocking positive trickle-down effects for generations. This programme is an excellent platform for distinguished women in the UAE’s financial services to gain a multitude of insights on the working world and, more importantly, build their networks, skills, and knowledge.”

Applications were received from young women across different areas within financial services, who mostly have less than three years work experience. The mentees will shadow aspects of the DIFC FinTech Accelerator Programme and take part in over 20 workshops provided by partners in areas such as legal, Tech, HR, compliance, marketing and more. The second edition of AccelerateHer kicked off on 24 August, and will go on for three months, wrapping up on 30 November 2020.