The six-month initiative that aims to bring senior women into the C-suite has opened for application in the UAE. Think Equal are hosting the Leadership Accelerator programme for the second time and they are seeking 15 women in marketing and communications who are keen to take their careers seriously. Applications close September 25, 2026. The cohort is expected to start in January and end in June 2027.
The Zawya press release from The Marketing Society UAE says that this is the second mention of a programme that attracted more than 90 applicants and only 15 women were chosen. The reason a programme like this exists is simple. Only 27 percent of GCC marketing and communications professionals report equal or near-equal representation of men and women in their management teams, according to the 2025 Think Equal Survey by The Marketing Society and Weber Shandwick.
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What the Programme Covers
There are three focus areas in the Leadership Accelerator: Community, Capability and Clarity. It does not intend to be a theoretical approach, but rather functional. The Marketing Society UAE says that the selected ones will be provided with access to CEOs and chief marketing officers from top companies in the GCC region, hands-on workshops, mentoring sessions, in-person events, and virtual master classes. The programme is grounded in actual marketing leadership in practice, making it unlike any other leadership programme available, and is adapted for the local environment.
Moreover, the programme is specifically designed to work with women who are already at the senior level, but not in the C-suite, and provides them with the tools, network and confidence to bridge the divide. The 2025 Think Equal Survey found that women are looking to develop three skills to boost their strategic influence: confident communication, persuasive influence, and negotiating. These areas are therefore central to the programme design.
Who Ran It Before and What They Said
The first cohort launched in early 2026 and included 15 women from across major UAE organisations. Among those selected were Alka Winter, Vice President of Destination Marketing and Communications at Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, and Setarah Abbas, Senior Integrated Marketing Manager at Microsoft. Others came from M42, Wego, PwC Middle East, LIPTON Teas and Infusions, The Coca-Cola Company, Abu Dhabi Airports, and Abdul Latif Jameel International, according to Campaign Middle East.
Lindsay Johnston, Senior General Manager of Corporate Marketing at Abdul Latif Jameel International, described leaving the programme feeling “energised, motivated, and ready to tackle new challenges.” Neda Lazic of The Coca-Cola Company highlighted one benefit that often gets overlooked in leadership development: having “space to think.” In industries as fast-moving as marketing and communications, that kind of structured reflection time is rare and valuable.
Who Organises It
The programme is run by The Marketing Society UAE in partnership with Weber Shandwick MENAT. Think Equal is an industry initiative by The Marketing Society, established specifically to improve gender equality at senior management levels within the GCC’s marketing and communications industry. Weber Shandwick has been a key partner of Think Equal for three years and contributed significantly to the programme’s design.
Amina Taher, CMO of Wio Bank and Chair of The Marketing Society UAE, said the programme is about unlocking potential and creating real pathways for women to lead with confidence and impact. “I love seeing women invest in themselves,” she added.
How to Apply
Applications are open to senior female marketing and communications professionals based in the UAE. The deadline is September 25, 2026. The cohort runs January to June 2027. More details and the application form are available at the Marketing Society.
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