Womanthismonth.com June 2024 9 Professor Riyad Y. Hamzah Prof. Riyad Y. Hamzah is the current President of the Royal University for Women and a distinguished academic leader with an extensive background in higher education. He previously served as the President of the University of Bahrain and holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Houston, USA. A Professor of Biotechnology, Prof. Hamzah has significantly contributed to the development of Bahrain’s educational landscape. As the Secretary General of the Higher Education Council in Bahrain, he established the national university accreditation system and launched both the National Higher Education Strategy and National Research Strategy. Prof. Hamzah played a pivotal role in the inception of the Arabian Gulf University, serving as Vice-President from 1994 to 2005. Prof. Hamzah was the Editor-in-Chief of the Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research and also a founding and Board of Trustees member of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED). In recognition of his contributions, Prof. Hamzah was awarded the Medal of Highest Distinction – First Degree by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in 2011. Seema Prem Seema Prem is an accomplished engineer and the driving force behind FIA Technology Services, a company dedicated to financial inclusion in India and beyond. Seema has since become a Fintech pioneer with a passion for using technology to solve real-world problems. Her concept of addressing financial exclusion after researching financial systems gained recognition at the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition, which inspired her to return to India and establish FIA as the CEO and Co-Founder. FIA’s mission is to provide unbanked and underbanked populations access to financial services through innovative solutions, operating about 35,000 banking centres. Recognised for her impactful work, Seema was recently interviewed by Melinda Gates and featured at the United Nations General Assembly for FIA’s social impact. Hala Sulaiman With 25 years of experience in strategic management and communication, Hala Sulaiman has founded multiple public and private sector startups. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Beyond Borders Consulting and the Co-Founder of AlRawi Media, an awardwinning audiobook app specialising in Arabic books. A member of the Bahrain Businesswomen Society Board and a founding member of the Bahrain Chapter of the Global Entrepreneur Network, Hala holds a BA in Mass Communications and Marketing from the University of Bahrain and an MBA at Strathclyde University. She has numerous certifications in public relations, marketing, HR management and leadership. Previously, Hala was Tamkeen’s Director of Marketing and Communications, where she played a key role in positioning the organisation to empower Bahrain’s labour market and private sector. Hala has also worked in audio, visual and print media, serving as a correspondent for Bahrain Radio & Television Corporation, MBC FM, Arab News and Gulf Daily News. WTM Awards And, of course, this journey wouldn’t be complete without our readers. You can scan the QR code to visit the official Woman of the Year Awards website where you can nominate stellar women for various categories. Voting for shortlisted candidates will follow the nominations.
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