Women in business: Significant increase in female candidates

Cass Business School, part of City, University of London, welcomedits tenth intakefor its Executive MBA Programme (EMBA) based in DIFC’s Centre of Excellence, reaffirming its commitment to higher education in the Middle East. Women comprise nearly 30% of the new class of over 40 students, one of the highest levels of female participation for tier-one business schools in the region. Meanwhile in London, the home of Cass Business School, this year’s EMBA class consists ofover 50% female candidates, reflectingthe gender diversity throughout the School.
With an average age of 35 years old, Cass Business School’s EMBA attracts some of the finest talent in the region, with students enrolled from Deloitte and Touche Middle East, Majid Al Futtaim, Mercer Consulting, HSBC, Du, Dubai Properties Group, Microsoft, Thomsons Reuters, and more. The British Embassy’s Consul General, Paul Fox welcomed the diverse cohort students to the two-year course, which runs until the autumn of 2018.
Professor Marianne W Lewis, Dean of Cass Business School, commented:
“I’m delighted to welcome our tenth intake to our Executive MBA in Dubai.The diversity of this year’s class will make for an exciting learning environment. I am confident that the ambitious men and women joining us from across the world will find the next two years invaluable, and help propel them towards their career goals.
“I look forward to hearing how this year’s cohort gets on, and wish them all the very best during their time at Cass Business School.”
According to a study of 3,000 listed companies published by Credit Suisse, greater gender diversity in management correlates with better financial performance, superior return on equity, and higher stock valuation.Despite this statistic, a study conducted last year by Dubai Cass Business School MBA Alumni RayhanahNatangcop-Guinomlaconcluded that only three of nearly 170 board members in 20 big companies listed in both Abu-Dhabi and Dubai stock markets are females, suggesting that there is still more work to be done in the UAE. 
Paul Fox, The British Embassy’s Consul General in Dubai commented:
“It was an honour to be a part of the welcome for the new students on Cass Business School’s Executive MBA. Cass, which this year marks its 50th anniversary, is an excellent example of the UK’s world-leading education system. Executive MBA is a strong and pioneering programme which will serve the students well in their future careers.”
Cass Business School has made gender diversity a key focus area for its MBA programme, and offers two scholarship options for female candidates who demonstrate outstanding achievement and potential in their fields.  
Cass Business School ranks among a group of only 1% of all business schools worldwide with triple accreditation from AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB. The flexible EMBA programme is delivered on weekends to allow working professionals to take the course, and a range of compulsory and elective modules are taught by world-class professors from London and around the world.