Lenovo drives female empowerment in the region at first Global Women's Forum Dubai

World-leading PC vendor announces participation as the Forum’s official technology partner

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 27, 2016 – Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) the world’s No.1 PC vendor, has announced its partnership with the first Global Women's Forum Dubai in the Middle East & North Africa region, taking place on 23 and 24 February at the Madinat Jumeirah, in Dubai. Providing a platform for celebrating the competitive advantages that cultural diversity brings to global business, Global Women’s Forum Dubai will explore innovation, learning from the past and growing for a better future.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and led by Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, President of Dubai Women Establishment and wife of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, UAE; Global Women’s Forum Dubai is co-organized by Dubai Women Establishment and the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society; and will bring together leaders from around the world – women and men – representing business, government, academia as well as art and culture.

The event will highlight new perspectives for today and tomorrow, creating a powerful, global network capable of boosting the influence of women throughout the world, conceiving innovative and concrete action plans to encourage women’s contribution to society, and promoting diversity in the business world.

Commenting on the partnership, Marc Godin, Vice President and General Manager of Lenovo Middle East & Africa, said: “Lenovo is a global company, valuing diversity and cultural integration. We have been the official technology sponsor of the Global Women's Forum in France for 10 consecutive years. We are now delighted to continue in supporting to drive gender diversity at the first Global Women’s Forum Dubai. I am confident that economies all over the world will benefit from more diverse management teams which positively impact the way companies think, act and perform.”

Global Women’s Forum Dubai will feature keynote speeches by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, wife of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein of Jordan and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UAE. The Forum will also feature high-profile Arab and international speakers including The Hon. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; H.E. Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile; H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim (GCSK, CSK, PhD), President of the Republic of Mauritius; H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi, Minister of State for Tolerance and Head of UAE Committee for the Coordination of Humanitarian Foreign Aid, UAE; and H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, UAE; H.E. Emma Bonino, former Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, Host of 'The Dr. Oz Show' and Vice-Chair and Professor of Surgery at Columbia University, as well as influential figures from the public and private sector around the world.

Marc Godin added: “At Lenovo we are committed to re-defining workplace diversity and have several programs in place to nurture female talent. This includes the Women in Lenovo Leadership (WILL) program, launched in 2007 to address key priorities for women’s growth and contributions to the company, while leveraging their knowledge and skills through partnerships with external organizations.

As a global organization, we firmly believe in the importance of management diversity and constantly see the positive benefits this brings to our company’s goals of becoming the world’s No.1 personal technology company.”

Shamsa Saleh, CEO of Dubai Women Establishment (DWE), said: "In line with the objective of our wise leadership to enhance the participation of women in all sectors, we are pleased to welcome Lenovo as Technology Partner of the Global Women's Forum Dubai; to further develop a greater awareness of the numerous advantages of and the importance of gender parity within the technology sectors. Keeping in mind that women make up over 50% of the UAE’s graduates in STEM subjects, we look forward to engaging in dialogue with our partners to explore new opportunities through innovation to develop the presence and impact of women within STEM industries."

This year, Lenovo will be represented by a diverse team, led by Marc Godin, alongside Aditi Ganguly, Virginie de Beco, Amrita Sebastian, Heba Ali and Natasha Thornton, female leaders from Middle East and Africa. Marc Godin will take part in the first-ever CEO Champions initiative in the MENA region – an exclusive interactive discussion conducted by McKinsey covering “The Power of Parity in the Workplace.” The session serves as a platform for global leaders to gather to establish new and innovative ways to drive the corporate empowerment and advancement of women in the public and private sectors.

At the Forum, Lenovo will also showcase concept technologies for the participants to engage with and introduce its innovative ThinkPad and YOGA product range to the region.