Caption: Project Management Professional, Genevieve Stockwell

Two leading female engineers from Aurecon will join a select group of 250 global female leaders at the 4th Annual Women in Leadership Forum, taking place on 21 – 22 November in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Aurecon – a leading provider of engineering, management and specialist technical services with a diverse global team based in offices in 25 countries – is proud to be an official Supporting Partner of the prestigious event.

Themed ‘Inspire, Influence and Innovate,’ the forum includes a series of inspirational keynote addresses from high-profile female leaders, interactive panel discussions as well as networking sessions, which will all centre around advancing women in the economy and increasing their business opportunities in the workforce.

Two of Aurecon’s very own leading women, Genevieve Stockwell and Louise Adams, will join delegates and dignitaries from around the world at the prestigious event. Both Stockwell and Adams are engineers who have risen through the ranks and now hold senior management positions in the company.

Genevieve Stockwell is a Project Management Professional (PMP) with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Project Management from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She joined Aurecon’s Dubai office in 2007 and has worked her way up to take on the role of Operations Manager for Aurecon’s in Qatar.

While based in Dubai, Stockwell undertook the project management for the acclaimed Meydan racecourse roads development project. She credits her remarkable career growth to determination and Aurecon’s commitment to maximising their resources talent pool by attracting, retaining and developing female talent.

 Caption: Project Infrastructure Director, Louise Adams

Louise Adams is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 14 years of sound experience in multi-disciplinary projects in land development, such as her involvement as Project Infrastructure Director for the master planning of the Qatar Science and Technology Park. Adams joined Aurecon’s Adelaide office in 2000. She is currently the Country Manager for Aurecon in the UAE and is responsible for the operations and performance of Aurecon’s Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices.

Adams’ skills set has allowed her to undertake project work around the world; “I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked in Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Guyana, Pakistan, Libya, Singapore, North America, Iran and the UAE,” she says. “My job has played a big part in equipping me with the skills, sensitivity and confidence to work within and alongside various cultures, and across national borders.”

Stockwell and Adams are prime examples of women whose hard work and enthusiasm have resulted in successful careers at leading organisations like Aurecon, particularly in the traditionally male-dominated sector of engineering.

Abbie Wright, Diversity Manager at Aurecon, accounts this to the organisation’s commitment to delivering a global diversity strategy that identifies opportunities for the greater attraction and retention of a diverse workforce.

“The success of our diversity programme is directly linked to our ability to analyse our workforce demographic and identify where gaps exist. We can then implement and measure the success of programmes and activities aimed at increasing a diverse pipeline into senior positions,” says Wright.

These are the kind of issues that will be addressed at this year’s Women in Leadership Forum in the Middle East, with key topics such as ‘Champions of change – engaging men in diversity challenges’ and ‘Sustainable policies in creating economic opportunities for women’ under discussion.

Wright adds, “We are proud of Genevieve’s and Louise’s achievements and hope that they will benefit from participating in this exciting forum – continuing in this way to serve as role models for other women in the business world.”