Today's Edition
MUDHI ALOBTHANI (ABU DHABI)
For women from different backgrounds, the UAE is increasingly becoming a place not only to live and work, but to build businesses, turn ideas into reality and create lasting impact.
From sustainable floristry and environmental consulting to sustainable fashion, expat women entrepreneurs are building businesses across sectors, drawn by the UAE's business-friendly environment, international connectivity, diverse market and culture of innovation.
Flowers, Emotions, Connections
For Palestinian electrical engineer and entrepreneur Malak Halabi, building her business in the UAE was deeply personal. Born and raised in the country, Halabi founded Luflora, a sustainable floral brand combining creativity, meaningful experiences and sustainability.
"Starting my business in the UAE was a natural choice. Every time I travel and return, I'm reminded of how deeply I belong here. The UAE gave me the confidence to think big, embrace innovation, and believe ideas can become reality."
Halabi said Luflora was created to give floristry greater purpose, using flowers to communicate stories, emotions and connections.
"Luflora is built on the belief that flowers carry meaning - they tell stories, evoke emotion, and create connection. My goal was to bring a more intentional and sustainable approach to floristry," she said.
Building trust in a competitive market was among her biggest challenges as a young entrepreneur. "The biggest challenge was building trust in a competitive market. As a young woman entrepreneur, I had to prove myself while learning every side of business," she said.
"Consistency was key. I focused on delivering high-quality work, continuous learning, and building authentic relationships."
Halabi said the UAE's entrepreneurial ecosystem has helped her pursue her ambitions. "The UAE provides an ecosystem that encourages ambition and innovation. Its business-friendly environment, strong networks, and forward-thinking culture make it possible to turn ideas into reality," she said.
"Being surrounded by global talent has pushed me to grow continuously. At the same time, the country's leadership and vision inspire you to think bigger."
The UAE's diversity has also shaped her approach to business. "The UAE has shown me that diversity is a major strength in entrepreneurship. Every collaboration brings new perspectives and ways of thinking," she said.
"It has also taught me to balance tradition and culture with innovation - respecting heritage while building for the future."
Sustainability's Business Value
For Lebanese entrepreneur Rim Abou Chahine, the UAE became the setting for a second chapter in her professional journey after 18 years of calling the country home.
With a background in marketing, sustainability and business transformation, Abou Chahine founded Green Impact Solutions in Dubai in January 2024. The company works with organisations on carbon management, ESG, circular economy initiatives and operational efficiency.
"Over the years, I witnessed how sustainability was evolving from a corporate responsibility initiative into a strategic business priority. That experience inspired me to establish Green Impact Solutions in Dubai in January 2024."
She said the UAE was the ideal destination because of its focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. "For me, the UAE was the natural place to start this journey. It is a country that encourages innovation, welcomes entrepreneurs from around the world, and provides a stable environment where ideas can be transformed into businesses," she said.
The company was created to address a gap she saw between companies' sustainability ambitions and their ability to achieve measurable results.
"Many companies genuinely wanted to become more sustainable, but they often struggled to understand where to start or how sustainability could create measurable business value," she said.
"I wanted to bridge that gap by offering practical, data-driven solutions that help businesses improve environmental performance while also strengthening competitiveness and long-term resilience."
Building credibility as a young consultancy was one of her biggest challenges. "One of the biggest challenges was building credibility as a young startup while competing with larger and more established consulting firms," she said.
"Every project became an opportunity to build credibility through results and client trust."
Abou Chahine also highlighted the UAE's broader entrepreneurial ecosystem, noting that the country has created one of the most dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystems in the region.
"What stands out to me is the country's long-term vision. Innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship are not just ideas, they are national priorities supported through policies, free zones, accelerators, networking opportunities, and investment initiatives."
She also pointed to the country's infrastructure and international connectivity as important advantages. "Being surrounded by businesses from all over the world also creates opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange that would be difficult to find elsewhere," she said.
Sustainable Fashion
For Mildred Domingo, Founder and Managing Partner of Luxe Series Garments and Accessories LLC, the UAE offered an opportunity to turn years of corporate experience and a creative ambition into a business.
After living in the UAE for more than two decades, Domingo left her corporate career to establish a company focused on sustainable fashion, human connection and empowerment.
"Having lived in the UAE for over two decades, my corporate career was deeply fulfilling, yet my mind continuously overflowed with creative ideas and an undeniable desire for growth," she said.
"The inspiring atmosphere of the UAE - where innovation is continuously nurtured - fuelled my belief that I could build something extraordinary."
"Driven by a lifelong dream to blend sustainable fashion with human connection and empowerment, I stepped away from the corporate world to found Luxe Series. The UAE's unique culture of opportunity provided the ideal foundation to transform this vision into reality."
Domingo said the UAE's infrastructure and international market were key to her decision. "The UAE is a global hub that actively empowers visionaries, small businesses, and foreign entrepreneurs to thrive," she said.
"Choosing the UAE was natural because it offers an unmatched business infrastructure, access to a diverse international market, and a culture that champions ambitious dreams."
Her entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by a 50/50 partnership with an Emirati co-founder. "Collaborating with an Emirati partner embodies the spirit of unity and mutual respect that defines the UAE's business environment," Domingo said.
"This 50/50 synergy brings together deep local heritage, market insight, and shared values of community and integrity."
She said the UAE's regulatory environment and government support for SMEs helped ease the transition into entrepreneurship.
"The UAE's forward-thinking policies enable entrepreneurs to build purpose-driven brands with confidence. The UAE is not just where I built my business - it's my home, and it has shaped everything I am," she said.
