Abu dhabi: Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) hosted a prominent event on Tuesday, organised by PGIM, under the theme 'Women Shape Culture and Capital.' The event explored the rising influence of inclusive growth and cultural capital in reshaping global finance, with a focus on how Abu Dhabi is spearheading this transformation through a long-term economic and human-centred vision.
According to Emirates News Agency, the keynote address was delivered by H.H. Sheikha Dr. Shamma Mohammed Khalid Al Nahyan, followed by a panel discussion featuring Aisha Al Mansouri, Caroline Feeney from PFI, and Dr. Vicki Walia, moderated by Emira Socorro of PGIM. Sheikha Shamma began with a provocative question: 'Is capital male or female?' She emphasized that capital is neutral, and its impact is determined by how it is directed. She argued that the term 'women's empowerment' is outdated, as women today are not merely seeking participation but are foundational to the new economy.
Sheikha Shamma criticized the traditional financial model, characterized by competition and unilateral decision-making, as obsolete in today's complex world. She advocated for a modern economy that requires inclusive and adaptive systems, highlighting the qualities of female leadership. She asserted that the future financial system needs 'feminine intelligence' to thrive.
Sheikha Shamma introduced the concept of an 'economy of meaning,' where money embodies identity, value, and community. She highlighted women's unique ability to merge material and cultural capital, connect strategy with emotion, and combine analysis with intuition. She described intuition as 'the highest degree of data processing,' a realm beyond artificial intelligence's reach.
She praised Abu Dhabi's balanced economic approach, which pairs resilience with empathy and combines long-term vision with sustainability. Effective leadership, she noted, is defined by its inclusivity and capacity to create deep impact, rather than merely generating numbers. She emphasized women's critical role in multicultural workplaces as 'engineers of chaos reorganisation,' transforming differences into 'creative energy.'
Sheikha Shamma argued that emotional intelligence has become 'a currency that does not lose value against artificial intelligence.' While machines can calculate risks, they cannot sense them, nor can they manage relationships. She posed an interactive question about the challenges women face in financial leadership, urging attendees to claim authority through competence, innovation, and courage.
She concluded by affirming that women in Abu Dhabi today have 'the pen, the paper, the support, and the will to write the future of the economy.' Their contribution, she added, completes an economic picture that has remained unfinished for centuries. Returning to her opening question, she stated, 'Capital is neutral. But the value of money is determined by the one who holds it.' She emphasized the need for bridges rather than towers, saying, 'When a man holds money, he often builds a tower; when a woman holds money, she often builds a bridge. Today, we need the bridges that connect the components of the world - bridges that connect the towers.'