The Empowering Princess

Anna Schebsdat is multifaceted, challenge-oriented and currently working for one of the world’s top business schools as part of City, University of London. With global experience across different continents, Schebsdat has a unique and inspiring path in th

the world we live in is a network and we cannot achieve an equal and tolerant world in silos. We need to collaborate to ensure long-term and sustainable change. We must invest in the development of our communities, the building of cross-cultural bridges and the empowerment of women and youth. Alwaleed Philanthropies has successfully contributed in these areas, as well as disaster relief, which made it an honour to be appointed as the Secretary-General and work on impactful and fulfilling projects.

to provide vital resources in times of need, while simultaneously empowering communities to ensure a stronger and healthier future.

The biggest achievement for me is meeting the people who are directly impacted by our initiatives. Through our partnership with UNICEF, I was privileged to visit Laos for a vaccination drive where I met the children and families that would now be protected from preventable diseases. When you see the results of the projects that you work so hard to deliver, it fuels the passion and determination to continue supporting those in need.

Additionally, on both the local and global level, working with Turquoise Mountain has been very fulfilling. I understand the need to safeguard our traditions and heritage for the future. We have worked in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Myanmar to champion local craftsmanship and empower women through greater economic independence. I believe that this opportunity not only lifts up participating women but gives them a voice to inspire future generations.

Each and every one of us has the potential to make a positive impact in the world. This has always driven me in the work I do, simply, I want to do what I can to make a positive difference in our global community.

Achieving equality for women is a global challenge, however, in Saudi Arabia I am proud to see female participation and empowerment holding a firm place in the government agenda and as part of Vision 2030. There are more and more opportunities opening up, from providing greater freedom of movement to launching the first women’s football league to boost participation in sports.

Importantly, I am glad to see a concerted effort to provide greater employment opportunities for women in the Kingdom. Most recently, it was announced that the country aims to provide one million jobs for Saudi Arabian women by 2030 as part of the reform plan. I believe that employment opportunities are vital to create a more equal world, where women garner greater independence. I have been fortunate to work on projects at Alwaleed Philanthropies that will help meet this goal. For example, we have offered training and employment programmes for female law graduates through our Waeya Legal initiative, as well as encouraging artisans, particularly women, with artistic, technical, and economic opportunities with Turquoise Mountain.

There is more to be done but I believe we are on the right track.

The next generation has inspired me with their dedication to tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges. I have already seen how the youth of today has harnessed their passion and drive to shape the world we live in. My advice would be to take every opportunity that comes your way, whether big or small, you do not know who you will meet and where it will lead you. I would also urge youth to strive to have a positive impact on their local and global communities. Whether the humanitarian field or in the laboratory, each and every one of us has the potential to make real, lasting and meaningful change.

Changing perceptions of women and of the Middle East has always been a hurdle for us across the region. There needs to be greater participation and representation on both a global and local level. On one hand, we need to continue to address the barriers that women face, especially when it comes to tackling socio-cultural challenges and employment opportunities. We have made great strides, however, I believe we must continue to harness the power of women for a better future. When you invest in a woman’s health and empowerment, it has a ripple effect, helping families, communities, and countries achieve long-lasting benefits.

On the other hand, some of the challenges across the region are often exaggerated on a global scale. These cultural misunderstandings need to be overcome through greater cross-cultural collaboration.

We have built bridges by promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue within Prince Alwaleed Academic Centres located at leading universities across the world. This is a barrier that requires a long-term approach, by changing perceptions of both the Islamic and Western world. We are proud to be part of the conversation, and also, authentically portray the lives and experiences of people across the region.

Firstly, I am proud to have played a role in Alwaleed Philanthropies reaching one billion beneficiaries. It is a great accomplishment for the whole team, and we look forward to supporting more people in future. Secondly, it was an honour to be appointed as the UN-Habitat Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Arab States. It was a milestone for me to support the work of UNHabitat through greater access to housing and reconstruction for vulnerable communities across the region.

Another achievement in my career was writing my novel, Children and Blood. I was glad to have been recognised within the literary field while also encouraging discussion around difficult socio-cultural issues in the Middle East.

Simply, I believe that power is mindset. If you believe you can do something, you have the power to do it.

Why did you choose a career in the executive education sector and who inspired you?

Education lit up the path to many beautiful things that happened to me in life. My passion and expertise are in global education management, to which I dedicated the past ten years. It has given me a sense of purpose throughout my career as I help shape candidates’ development by matching their needs with the appropriate solution. The education sector plays a crucial role in economic growth through reskilling and upskilling. I thoroughly enjoy advising and bringing empowerment to executives when it comes to the refining of their skillsets.

What does it take to pursue a global career?

You need to get out of the comfort zone and for that you need self-confidence. Confidence, in my view, comes from self-awareness and appreciating oneself. Success is the result of hard, passionate work and being courageous to move countries.

What exciting ventures have you been involved with in the past months?

Alongside my full-time work for a business school where I had many challenges as the Education industry underwent rapid changes towards e-learning, I have joined Columbia UAE Alumni Association as a Board Member, led Columbia’s Business School UAE Chapter, received a Harvard online certificate, continued taking Arabic lessons and moved forward with a non-profit project, which combines art and education under an intercultural exchange umbrella. I have also started to work on a PhD research proposal and writing a chapter for a book, which I never thought I would pursue.

What has been your proudest moment to date?

I always had to prove myself adjusting to new cultures – from embarking on an international career by moving to different countries to being part of challenging projects from scratch and building success stories. One of them was opening and building the Middle East office for my previous employer. It was the brand's first international expansion and, at the age of 28, I was working within the executive education industry for the world’s top schools such as MIT, Wharton and Harvard. I also took on an additional challenge of the Executive Programme in Management at Columbia Business School in New York to upskill myself despite juggling the challenges of a firsttime mother. Later I was appointed to lead the Columbia Alumni UAE Chapter, where we built on the success story alongside our eighty-three alumni clubs worldwide.

How has COVID-19 changed learning and how do you see it continuing to change?

The education sector is surely even more competitive and there is a drive for institutions to deliver an attractive value proposition without diminishing the experience for students. Investment in an effective IT infrastructure is no longer a choice or added value, it became a must overnight. Blended learning, accommodating international students, growing the youth in particular in the Middle East – COVID-19 has exacerbated the need for innovation in education. With these changes, additional challenges arise. Such as, privacy and security of studying online and decreased socialising impacting learning soft skills with limited human interaction.

Did you have a mentor and if so what knowledge did they impart?

I am blessed to be surrounded by my family and friends who inspire me. My family always encouraged me to be the best version of myself, work hard and get the best education possible. I had some very inspiring mentors who advised me on how I can approach my career, for example, never to come with a problem, but approach with solutions. It is great advice I was given at the start of my career.

This is ‘The Power Issue’ – what does power mean to you?

Being compassionate, graceful, well-rounded and a socially intelligent person. Making an impact and to be able to inspire others to do better. For women, it also means being both, strong and soft. As well, the outer beauty should not outweigh the inner beauty. A woman’s power is also in her being filled with goals, self-innovation, values and drive. Being modest yet charismatic, refined and put together is what a woman should cultivate. I do believe that our power as a woman is our natural ability to bring love, beauty and nurturing that matters the most and is my daily calling as a woman. However, it should not stop me from achieving my other aspirations. This all is the power in my opinion.

The Mother of the Nation revealed the landmark day celebrated on August 28 will have the theme “Preparing for the next 50 years: women are the support of the nation”. What does this mean to you?

I want to congratulate Her Highness The Mother of the Nation and Chairman of the General Women Union, Sheikha Fatma bint Mubarak on this occasion and “Preparing for the next 50 years: women are the support of the nation”, this theme holds a deeper meaning as it highlights two things. First, it celebrates 5o years of Emirati women’s success that made the UAE what it is today. This success wasn’t possible without our leader’s vision, the late Sheikh Zayed, and his vision for women as he entrusted Sheikha Fatma to lead this. Second, it’s because he trusted us to achieve the UAE’s goals. In this interview, I would like to say that we accept this challenge on behalf of my peers.

You are known for supporting young Emirati women to achieve their goals and empowering them to be the best version of themselves, what drives this within you?

It’s not something out the ordinary for a female leader to do; this is something you should do as a leader. Leadership is not about superiority but about building partnerships with your team and community. The majority of my team in my last mission, as Director-General of Smart Dubai, were women. I didn’t plan it to turn out this way, but this resulted from the brilliant and talented women we have in the region. Ladies run most of the strategic agendas in Smart Dubai.

The support of the UAE’s leadership broke a glass ceiling here that women in other countries don’t have. We also have the help of the community around us, including our families. It’s not only their ambition but also the support of the UAE through its women empowering policies and regulations that allow ladies to work smoothly.

Where do you think women in the UAE get their motivation from?

Women have always been at the forefront of Dubai’s futuristic plans. I was entrusted with establishing the first-ever smart city of its kind, Smart Dubai, and managed to build a team that made Dubai a role model for cities globally. It was a passion to build Dubai’s name in the ICT sector. I’m proud to be the first lady globally to be entrusted with such a mission. What was the most important step you took during your journey with

Where do women stand in Dubai’s futuristic plans?

Selecting the proper team members for Smart Dubai, I’m so proud we grew a fantastic calibre of people, many who graduated from and moved to higher positions. Supporting people’s passion is not easy.

Smart Dubai? The most important quality a person should have to work in Smart Dubai?

To be passionate about life. As a leader, it’s to give your team members space to try new things and learn about their interests.

They come from our Emirati, Arabic, and Islamic values: hospitality, tolerance, and openness. We shouldn’t segregate them from our work environment; we should take these values and integrate them into our corporate values. I’ve done this in my previous position because people give more when treated with more respect.

Were these core work values always with you?

I think it’s the will to make people happy. When people are happy, my soul lights up. It’s also the small details in life; to me, they are blessings. I enjoy every single moment in life because I appreciate life.

What is the source of your power? Has the COVID-19 experience added to your view of the future and in what way?

Indeed it did. COVID-19 taught me not to take everything for granted. It also taught me that no challenge is unbeatable with proper planning. It changed our priorities.

What is your advice to young individuals aspiring to become successful in their respective fields?

Being successful is easy and challenging at the same time. It’s simple because you have only to follow your dreams, but it’s hard because no single success in life is a coincidence, it has to be hard work and planning. Yes, follow your dreams but work hard for them. Struggles are stones you have to step on, but they make us more resilient.

My late father taught me to be yourself and to be authentic. We need to sharpen our soul, to reflect and see our strengths; you cannot copy other people’s passions. You have to respect your needs and listen to your internal voice.

What is the most invaluable advice you’ve received? What do you think of the progress of female empowerment in the Middle East?

I’m happy for Saudi women and the huge leaps and successes happening in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, I believe Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, still have room for improvement and I look forward to continuing to see this.