Joumana Karam, Head of Marketing MEA at ACER shares her views on promoting gender equality, her journey and advice for aspiring women in an exclusive chat with Techitup ME
What are your views on this year’s IWD 2025 theme “Accelerate Action”, how can we truly achieve diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
Joumana Karam: This year’s theme is a reminder that although we have seen a lot of progress when it comes to integrating more women in the workforce and promoting gender equality, we still have a large gap to fill and at the current progress rate, I think it could require more than 5 generations to achieve that. It is time for us to multiply our efforts both individually and collectively.
It starts with the importance of parents in understanding their role and responsibility in educating their daughters and encouraging them to reach their full potential. It is just as important that the education systems provide and create increased opportunities for girls to gain more knowledge and awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusion. This could happen for example by providing more live discussions, seminars and workshops. On a corporate level, It’s highly important that HR policies are adapted to further accommodate women in the workplace without causing them to sacrifice their important roles within their families. This could include flexible working hours, equal advancement opportunities or customized training on diversity. Governments also have a crucial role in accelerating women empowerment by supporting women in leadership and decision-making positions and by implementing new policies and providing access to quality education, health support, business training, economic understanding and equal rights all round.
Can you share your journey into the tech world and what inspired you to pursue this, where did it all start?
Joumana Karam: I was always fascinated by the subjects of Maths & Science from a young age. I wanted to study engineering and be like my maternal aunt and uncle who were engineers in the telecommunications and civil engineering industries. My parents were very supportive of my choices. I graduated with dual masters in electricity and electronic engineering, and then decided to pursue a career in IT to be part of the new innovations that are, and will change our everyday lives.
Who would you consider your role model, someone who constantly inspires you? (Does not really have to be from the professional world only, can be someone at home too )
Joumana Karam: I consider both my mother and my aunt as my role models. My mother treated my siblings and I all equally and never shied away from advocating women’s rights. She supported my early decision to move to Dubai away from my family and my support network and today she is still my anchor and support.
My aunt is my ally and my mentor. She showed me that women can do whatever they set their minds to, and that it is fine to be a minority in a man’s world. I learnt from her that women have a great inner force and can make a difference wherever they are.
Rapid Fire (Let’s get to know you more)
- Dinner with a famous personality, who would it be? – Women who managed to make a name in the early days of technology like Ada Lovelace, Margaret E. Night & Katherine Johnson.
- One skill you wish you could learn instantly? – Playing the piano
- Android or Apple? – Android
- WhatsApp or Telegram? – WhatsApp
- Phone call or text message/email? – Both
- Beaches or Mountains? – Mountains
- Coffee or Tea? – I love both and need both in my life
- Early Bird or Night owl? – Night owl
- Books or Movies? – Books
- Winter or Summer? – Summer
- Online shopping or in-store shopping? – In-store shopping
What advice would you give to women starting off their careers, aspiring to enter the tech/business field?
Joumana Karam: I would first highlight the sheer magnitude and impact that the technology evolution has had on the world we live in today. It has had an impact on all aspects of our lives and on the history that is being created as we speak.
It has impacted how we think, communicate, learn, spend, develop, entertain and more. Therefore, it is crucial that women contribute to this sector, as it can become one of the accelerators of gender equality, diversity and inclusion! My advice to women is to always be curious and eager to learn in every situation, even the difficult ones. Always listen, be flexible, speak up and participate. And above all, work on your confidence and fight away any feelings of low self-esteem that many women experience at some point in their careers.
