Cisco announced holdings its annual "Women of Impact" conference for the year 2017 themed "It's your time" at multiple sites globally and virtually. The annual event coincides with international Women›s Day on March 8 (tomorrow) with the aim of celebrating the role of women in the IT sector as well as other industries that include healthcare, education, and entrepreneurship. The event is held for a full day in over 80 cities around the world connecting more than 6500 professional women ranging from Cisco employees, customers, and partners participate and engage during the event. The conference will be held at multiple Cisco offices globally and virtually with the purpose of building bridges between women across the globe, and the assimilation of knowledge between women of the world. The local edition of the event will be held at Al Nahda Philanthropic society's headquarters in Riyadh. Al Nahda, through their philanthropic activities in the country also aims to provide women with the kills and tools necessary to become active members in their communities. The event is devoted to shedding light on women achievements in the IT sector in addition to other industries that go hand in hand with the Saudi vision 2030. Given the country's digitization ambitions, the need to drive women's participation in the workforce is more crucial than ever. The event will feature renowned speakers who will inspire and empower women to be extraordinary and overcome job market obstacles by sharing their experiences and learnings with the attendees. "Cisco has always been at the forefront of supporting a growing role for women in the job market by developing and advancing the female workforce in the company itself. The conference creates the perfect opportunity to highlight the capabilities of women, inspire them to achieve their goals, and encourage them to be extraordinary. There is no doubt that Saudi women play an integral part in transforming the nation and accelerating the country's development on all fronts," said Haytham AlOhali, Acting Managing Director, Cisco Saudi Arabia. The conference will host prominent female speakers including thought leaders and entrepreneurs from different fields in the Kingdom to share their experience, professional journey, and challenges faced on the road to their goals. The IT industry panelists include Ansam Abuljadayel, Cura Healthcare, Dr. Lubna A. Al-Ansary, Professor of Family Medicine at the College of Medicine, King Saud University (KSU), Eng. Ahlam AlSarheed, Enterprise Architecture Department Chairperson, King Fahad Medical City, and Shaima Hamidaddin, Business Development Manager, Misk Foundation. "We are proud to present the women of Saudi with Cisco's "Women of Impact" conference, as it falls directly in line with our company's efforts to empower women to unlock their true potential. The conference aims to portray the capabilities of women across all disciplines, contribute to creating job opportunities in light of recent developments in the current era, as well as encourage women to overcome all obstacles and achieve their goals," added Reema Al-Harbi, Country Transformation Project Manager, Cisco Saudi Arabia. The panel discussion for the small and medium-sized business track will include Dr. Mounira Jamjoom, CEO and Founder, Emkan Education, and Mazin Alshanbari, Business Development Manager, Takamol Holding. Global speakers will also include Sana Belaid, Senior Counsel, Cisco Systems. "We are delighted to participate in the "Women if Impact" conference as it is a clear sign of the efforts exerted in favor of women in our community. The event hopes to help enable women in their professional careers and take on leadership roles. The conference will also facilitate women's career path by shedding light on the current job market requirements," said Dr. Mounira Jamjoom, CEO and Founder, Emkan Education.
