Dubai-based Women Board of Directors’ (WBD) inaugural Ambassadorship Program to advance inclusive leadership across key industries in the Middle East has appointed Sanaa Ouahmane, CEO of AWR Mobility and AWR Trading, as its first Brand Ambassador for Women in Mobility. The recognition highlights her two-decade track record of automotive and mobility stewardship in the UAE and MENA region.
The program aims to empower senior executives to lead strategic dialogue around diversity, innovation, and sustainability, while spotlighting the transformative impact of these leaders across emerging and legacy industries.
As part of the program’s official launch, WBD hosted its first Auto & Mobility Roundtable on 22 April, in collaboration with AWR Mobility, AWR Trading, and DiliTrust. The event featured a keynote address by Sanaa Ouahmane, who shared insights from her personal and professional journey, and discussed the evolving opportunities for women in the traditionally male-dominated automotive field.
The roundtable also convened several female industry execs to explore themes such as rethinking leadership, advancing sustainable business practices, and expanding career pathways for women in STEM, operations, and customer-centric roles.
Sanaa Ouahmane is recognized as a pioneer in her realm. In her current position, she has driven significant innovation and growth, transforming SHIFT Car Rental into a market front-runner with a fleet of over 13,000 vehicles across more than 16 locations nationwide. She also launched SUBSCRIBE ME, a car subscription platform offering flexible mobility solutions. With nearly twenty years of experience, Sanaa has led business transformations, including at Almana Group in Qatar, and has overseen AWR’s diversified portfolio.
Her commitment to fostering a thriving organizational culture is exemplified by initiatives she led like the award-winning ‘I CAN WOW’ program, which earned the company the the Dubai Quality Group’s ‘Organizational Culture’ Award in 2023. Sanaa’s leadership and influence in the mobility sector has also been recognized through multiple industry accolades, including the prestigious title of CEO and Trailblazer in the UAE’s Mobility Sector.
Commenting on her ambassadorship with WBD, Sanaa said: “It’s an honor to take on this role and contribute to a meaningful shift in how we view leadership across the mobility landscape. Opportunities like these create the perfect spaces that we need to empower more women in decision-making roles, and collectively work together to unlock fresh perspectives that open the door to smarter services, more inclusive experiences, and stronger connections with the communities we serve.”
She added: “At AWR Mobility and AWR Trading, we believe that progress is driven by challenging the status quo and driving forward with intention, and these are principles that align closely with those of the Women Board of Directors. This shared vision makes this ambassadorship a natural fit. Together, we are committed to cultivating environments where every voice is valued, where every perspective brings meaningful change, and where women can lead across industries, not just in mobility, but everywhere women deserve to have a seat at the table.”
“The launch of our ambassadorship program marks a transformative leap forward for Women Board of Directors,” said Poonam Chawla, founder and Chief Visionary Officer of WBD. “This isn’t just another initiative — it’s a movement to rewrite the rules of leadership. We are calling on visionary executives across all industries to join us as change-makers in this critical mission. Together, we will elevate exceptional women leaders to their rightful places of influence, shatter the glass ceilings that hold organizations back from true excellence, and transform boardrooms into engines of innovation through diverse perspectives.”
The Auto & Mobility Roundtable — which was attended by a select audience of key decision-makers — additionally explored talking points such as how female leaders help bring new perspectives to develop new products and services that meet the needs of a diverse and specific customer base, and how with female inclusion in leadership teams, strategies become more creative, customized and experiential.
