The GCC Context: Reform Meets Tradition
In the GCC, economic reforms and cultural transformation are reshaping the role of women in society and business.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 targets an increase in female labor force participation and supports women in leadership roles across sectors.[2]
The UAE mandates female representation on corporate boards and has become a hub for women entrepreneurs.[3]
Across Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, programs to support female education and entrepreneurship are steadily expanding.
Yet challenges remain. Despite rising participation in the workforce, women are still underrepresented in succession planning, boardroom decision-making, and investment committees. The UBS report notes that many daughters in wealthy families are well-educated, but their formal exposure to governance and structured financial decision-making remains limited. The result is a disconnect: women poised to inherit substantial assets may not feel fully prepared to manage them.
Ownership vs. Readiness
Owning wealth and being ready to steward wealth are not the same thing. This distinction is critical for families in the GCC.
The UBS survey underscores this readiness gap. Nearly 27% of women in MENA reported no investment experience, and less than half rated their knowledge of investing as medium or high. Yet the appetite to learn is clear: 62% expressed interest in becoming more active investors, with a particular focus on sustainable strategies (55%) and private markets (39%).
This appetite for learning is encouraging. Still, without targeted frameworks, many women may inherit complex portfolios without the governance experience to manage them effectively.
The risk is not about individual competence. Rather, it relates to limited opportunities for inclusion in governance and decision-making processes. When daughters are not consistently involved in board discussions or family office matters, they may have less exposure to the tools and networks that support effective wealth stewardship.
Why Readiness Matters for Families
When women inherit without preparation, the consequences can extend beyond individual outcomes:
Wealth Preservation Risks: Complex assets require informed oversight. Without sufficient exposure to governance or investment frameworks, decisions may default to external advisors or fragmented approaches that erode value over time.
Family Cohesion Challenges: Succession processes that sideline women can generate family tensions. By contrast, inclusive planning strengthens unity and continuity across generations.
Missed Opportunities for Growth: Globally, diverse leadership teams outperform those lacking gender balance.[4] The same applies to families: including women in wealth governance can expand perspectives, improve decision-making, and impact investing and philanthropy.
Building Financial Readiness: A Three-Pillar Approach
Preparing women in the GCC for stewardship is about more than teaching technical skills. It requires a holistic framework that blends knowledge, governance, and values.
Technical Understanding: This means building literacy across asset classes and understanding portfolio construction. The UBS report shows women in the region are particularly interested in sustainable and private market investments. Translating that interest into long-term strategies requires structured education and access to trusted advisors.
Governance and Decision-Making: Beyond investment knowledge, effective wealth stewardship demands governance skills: understanding family constitutions, serving on boards, and managing succession processes. In many GCC family enterprises, these structures are formalizing. Including daughters in councils and committees can ensure continuity and strengthen resilience.
Values and Legacy Alignment: Many women in the GCC express a strong interest in aligning investments with personal values, whether through philanthropy, impact investing, or legacy planning. Strategic advisory can help formalize this alignment, ensuring that inherited wealth supports both financial sustainability and family purpose.
Signals of Change in the GCC
Encouragingly, shifts are already underway:
In Saudi Arabia, studies show increasing female participation in family businesses, both in operational and governance roles, helped by empowerment initiatives and reforms.[5]
In the UAE public sector, women hold about 30% of leadership roles, and surveys indicate that 61% of employees believe having more women in senior leadership will benefit their organization.[6]
Throughout the GCC, more women are launching enterprises in sectors where they were less represented previously. Growing networks, mentorship programs, and entrepreneurial support initiatives are helping enable this shift.[7]
Still, UBS research confirms that many women in MENA turn first to online resources or family members for investment knowledge before seeking professional advice. This reliance highlights the need for structured, trustworthy channels of financial education tailored to the unique context of GCC families.
The Role of Strategic Advisors
Families across the GCC increasingly recognize the importance of preparing daughters not just as inheritors, but as long-term custodians of wealth. This is where strategic advisory plays a pivotal role.
Trusted advisors help families by demystifying private markets, facilitating governance inclusion, and aligning values with financial goals. They explain risks and diversification opportunities, guide councils and boards on integration of daughters, and design strategies where philanthropy, legacy, and wealth goals converge.
At The Family Office, we have spent over two decades advising families across the GCC on how to prepare for generational transitions. Our approach goes beyond investment management to include succession planning and governance frameworks. By integrating private market opportunities with long-term financial strategies, we help families ensure that wealth serves not only their financial goals but also their values and aspirations.
