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Part Bahrain, part UAE – HH Shaikha Jawaher Al Khalifa believes she’s got the best of both worlds. Shaikha Jawaher, a member of the Bahraini royal family, grew up in the UAE and knows the great privileges and opportunities her title brings her.
She is the founder and CEO of Dubai-based Green Aventurine Holding, with interests in real estate, commodity trading, oil and gas, footwear investment management, entrepreneurial support, marketing and advertising, trading and product distribution, and e-commerce.
His Highness Sheikh Jawah Al Khalifa
“I’m so lucky to have a name that gives me value. It’s also my responsibility to use that name to help others,” she said her story.
However, her privilege as a royal didn’t make starting a business an easy choice. Shaikha Jawaher has always been an outsider, far from the path “designed for her”.
She explained, “Coming from a conservative Arab family, there was one path for me to follow. I was supposed to choose medicine, architecture or law at university. I rejected all three and initially chose political science, hoping to pursue a career as a diplomat. “
However, she eventually had to take a different path, switching majors to International Relations, then Public Relations, and finally Business Administration.
“I’ve been trying to prove that I want to be myself,” she added.
At the same time, she volunteered at different local events and turned her passion towards women and youth empowerment.
Beyond her business interests, Shaikha Jawaher believes empowering women can translate into empowering entire families to succeed. For young people, she launched an innovation hub in Abu Dhabi to facilitate the transformation of new ideas into businesses.
“We listen to their ideas, help them raise capital and provide them with access to mentorship, skills and mentorship. I am also a member of the Global Youth Business Club, which introduces young entrepreneurs and their businesses to the global marketplace,” she explain.
According to Shaikha Jawaher, in the beginning, her “fame and connections” helped open doors to success. Her job is to stay with the young entrepreneur until a connection is made and a business partnership is established, after which her role is over.
In the UAE, she helps young innovators work with entities such as the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Dubai Tourism.
business and social change
Shaikha Jawaher, who believes business and social change must go hand in hand, recently made an investment trip to the Philippines at the invitation of Vice President Sara Duterte.
She will also help women in the country’s prisons gain skills in making clothes and bags. “We would sell the money these women make and use it to support our family,” she added.
Now, she is extending her “business for good” philosophy to India, announcing a €50 billion fund to invest in various projects and initiatives.
“I believe in working with strong, like-minded female entrepreneurs who look beyond their family legacy and want to make a difference in women’s lives,” she said.
“This includes Dipika Patel from the Patel family office. Patel supports various women’s initiatives and I believe this country will open the right investment doors for me,” added Shaikha Jawaher.
She also stressed that her vision for India would include uplifting women and families through various projects, while investing in government programs, education, water conservation and environment-related businesses.
After her first visit in February, Shaikha Jawaher plans to visit India again in May, traveling to different cities to learn first-hand what women need and how her fund can best help them.
She also thanked the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for the opportunities provided to women.
“We’re seeing so many female achievers in the region because they have countless opportunities, support and the right tools to succeed. Most importantly, the government’s respect and trust in women is displacing them,” she said.
Shaikha Jawaher aims to bring every capable woman to the global stage, witness her success, and explore how female entrepreneurs from around the world form productive partnerships.
“My specialty is connecting people … that’s what I’m going to continue to do,” she added.