Mashreq to empower women to make a career comeback with the launch of ‘Reignite’ global programme for Returning Women

The program will include guidance from career counsellors، workshops، specially curated development plans، and extended support in on-the-job training

 Mashreq، one of the leading financial institutions in the MENA region، today announced the launch of ‘Reignite’، its new Returning Women programme for female professionals wishing to resume their careers after a break. Backed by a successful launch in the Indian region driven by Mashreq Global Network، the programme is all set to be rolled out across the global locations for Mashreq.

Furthering the diversity and inclusion (D&I) agenda، the programme is suitable for any woman that has the right skill set and is looking to rejoin the workforce. From junior to senior level associates، the programme targets a diverse group of female professionals. It will be applicable to qualified women who have taken a hiatus of at least 12 months from full-time employment because of maternity، elderly care، family responsibilities، or pursuing higher studies، hobbies، or other personal priorities. In order to ensure each returnee is part of a personalised and meaningful journey at the organisation، they will be classified into groups based on their skill set، experience، and the training they will require to deliver in their chosen roles.

A well-structured return-to-work plan

In the ‘Reignite’ programme، Mashreq has charted a well-structured return-to-work plan for women at all levels with a focus on training، mentoring، and upskilling the participants so that they can competently take on their prior job responsibilities. Through its extensive network of professionals، the Bank will provide opportunities for hands-on training and access to comprehensive leadership development modules. Eligible candidates can apply to any of the current vacancies at Mashreq across the globe. During the programme، the returnees will be assigned career counsellors، who will assist them in preparing personal development plans. The participants will also attend workshops and receive extended support in on-the-job training to ensure a smooth and empowering transition to work.

Commenting on the new initiative، Ahmed Abdelaal، Group Chief Executive Officer of Mashreq، said: “The well-being of a diverse workforce affects employee morale، which has a direct impact on service delivery، quality of output، and customer satisfaction. As part of the Gender Balance & Women’s Empowerment pillar of our progressive D&I strategy، we are proud to introduce ‘Reignite’. The initiative will enable us to identify and develop the best of untapped female talent in the market while creating new career opportunities for women to empower them.” 

Hamda Al Shamali، Chief People and Intellectual Capital Officer of Mashreq، added: “At Mashreq، we are passionate about women’s empowerment، and the ‘Reignite’ programme is an integral part of our ongoing efforts in this space. We seek to remove barriers for women at work and create a gender-equal and inclusive workplace، where all employees have a chance to advance their careers based on their capabilities، qualifications، and experience.”

The programme strengthens Mashreq’s commitment to building a diverse and robust workforce by tapping into a motivated talent pool across the globe through a variety of initiatives and industry-first practices. The Bank has implemented several development programs for women، focusing on hiring women for senior management roles. Mashreq’s leadership team is dedicated to supporting women in building their careers at the company. 

Powering most prominent corporations 

Mashreq is more than half a century old bank، yet proudly thinks like a challenger، start-up، and innovator. Mashreq pioneered key innovations and developments in banking، starting with entry-level digital-first customers، all the way to powering some of the region’s most prominent corporations and wealth accounts.

The bank’s mandate is to help customers find their way to Rise Every Day، partnering through the highs and lows to help them reach fulfillment، achieve financial goals، and unlock their vision of success. 

Reassuringly present in major financial centers of the world، Mashreq’s home and global HQ remains in the Middle East، offering services wherever opportunity takes its customers.