MILA SEMESHKINA, CEO & PRESIDENT OF WE CONVENTION, INTRODUCE THE WE CONVENTION 2025.
To those who are not yet familiar with WE Convention, I am proud to say that it is the world′s largest and most influential forum dedicated to women′s leadership and entrepreneurship. It was founded by the Women′s Empowerment Council with the aim to provide women with information, inspiration and a network of support. I see our convention not as just a conference but a movement. With a global media outreach of over one billion in three years, we amplify the voices of female leaders and entrepreneurs, inspiring change and action.
This year we decided to go with the theme: ᳓ALL IN: Career, Money, and Life᳓, to dive into what it really takes to succeed as a woman without compromising any part of life. Of course, this is easier said than done. Even our speakers have vastly different experiences and opinions on the subject but I believe that each attendee will find answers to their challenges. It′s impossible not to since we are bringing in more than 100 global leaders including executives from Microsoft, Meta, Estée Lauder, Kraft Heinz, Oracle, LinkedIn - powerful, influential women who achieved success from ground up. Our lineup is spearheaded by veritable cultural legends. Dame Anna Wintour has shaped modern fashion with her visionary mind and eagle eye for talent and potential. Candace Bushnell managed to turn a newspaper column into a sensational guide to women′s freedom, our right to shape and define our lives. To hear them in person is truly the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
In just two days, attendees will receive lots of practical insights and ready-to-apply strategies - from the main stage, in workshops, during roundtables and mentoring sessions. They will also join a community of peers sharing their experiences and solutions, connecting and forming bonds of mutual interest and support. Not to mention a chance to attend our unforgettable WE Night which has already become one of the brightest highlights of Dubai′s social life.
We are very far from exaggerating the impact of these meaningful interconnections. The poll we conducted after the WE Convention last year showed that 90% of participants were eager to come back for the next event, while 24% cited the convention as the breakthrough point in their careers. They said it gave them a clearer vision of how to reinvent themselves both personally and professionally, reshape career goals, accelerate or scale businesses, and build stronger leadership paths. This impact is why the event grows in scale and influence each year.
There is another testament to that. In 2025, I had the honor to be named the Gulf Business Woman Leader of the Year at the 13th annual Gulf Business Awards. I don′t consider it my award - it belongs to all the ladies in the world, all the women leaders. I believe that we should speak up more, louder, take the center stage and serve as role models for other women. Strong, successful, female role models are essential if we want to encourage young girls from every part of the world to strive for better education, self-fulfillment and success. We need to show them they can do it by example because a good example works better than a thousand words. This is what WE Convention is for about.
This being said, I want to praise our speakers for not sugarcoating anything. Road to long-term success is never easy. It takes discipline, massive effort, persistence and unwavering focus on what you want to achieve. Great careers are built over decades, not weeks or months. That′s why this year we decided to discuss how to do it without postponing life for too long, or making sacrifices we would later regret.
I am deeply grateful to WE Council - my strong team of over 30 extraordinary women - for their efforts in organizing the event. Besides our annual convention that will feature WE Awards for the first time, we are expanding our media presence with this magazine, planning new free business courses, seminars, multiple large-scale events and other initiatives to provide women with education and access to the tools they need to thrive.
My foreword to WE Convention 2025 will be incomplete without words of praise to Dubai, where the government has created a highly supportive environment. It allows women from diverse cultures and religions to feel safe and supported - that′s why spirit of entrepreneurship among them is so strong. Studies show that 84 % of women in the UAE consider starting their own business. And we are here to help.
