Ebru Özdemir, Chair of the Board of Directors of Limak Group of Companies in an Interview with Al-Qabas
The investment is not only in stone, but also in people
I strongly believe that female leaders can change the world
There are clear salary differences between men and women, even in leadership positions
Women face challenges at work that men do not understand, so there are programs to empower women
Interview with Al Qabas Newspaper, Kuwait — She believes that women are the best in leadership positions, and she thinks they have the ability to accept differences and avoid discrimination. She believes that the world will change for the better with women in leadership. She recognizes that women face discrimination in favor of men in leadership positions and even in wages!
She considers Kuwait her second home and believes that investment is not only in the construction of buildings, but also in the construction of human culture and arts. She leads a group of companies in the field of construction and engineering, which is one of the most important in the region.
Al-Qabas interviewed Ebru Özdemir, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Limak Group, Limak İnvestment Chairperson, and the President of the Limak Community Foundation for education, culture, and health. They discussed women leaders and how to empower women to reach positions.
In 2015, Limak started the first project in Kuwait, which was the West Abdullah Al-Mubarak Infrastructure Works. It was completed and handed over in 2017. During that period, Limak Insaat Kuwait was established as an independent subsidiary of Limak Holding through the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) under the Foreign Direct Investment Law.
Since then, Limak has signed several projects, including the Infectious Disease Hospital, South Abdullah Al-Mubarak Infrastructure Works, and their most important project, the New Kuwait International Airport. Ebru stated, “We aim for the project to obtain the LEED GOLD Certificate. We are also looking to participate in other projects that contribute to the Kuwait Vision 2035 ‘New Kuwait,’ and we aim to contribute to the transformation of Kuwait into a financial center.”
Women still face challenges in seeking higher positions, and unfortunately, many men do not understand this. These challenges can hinder women from achieving their career goals and becoming leaders in the companies they work for.
One of the biggest challenges is workplace inequality, which is also prevalent in the engineering and construction sectors. Men dominate leadership and executive positions, and women face challenges that are not comparable to those faced by men. Women’s income is usually lower than men’s at all stages, and the salary difference becomes more pronounced in senior positions.
One of my main goals is to create a bond among women and build a generation of sisters who support each other in business. This unity can foster coherence, passion, enthusiasm, and excellence, providing a strong foundation for progress in their work. In senior and executive positions, we need an “Executive Sisters Association” that can serve as a catalyst for increasing gender equality in the workplace. However, before that, we must be united. It is not enough to merely have a seat or sit at the board table. Leaders need to speak with confidence, make their voices heard, and share their opinions because that is what creates policies.
Engineering has always been a part of my life. I grew up in a family of engineers, with my mother being the only engineering student among Turkish students in the 1960s, and both my father and brother being engineers. I was constantly surrounded by engineers, and this environment sparked my interest in the field. It felt natural for me to choose a career in engineering.
In 1997, after completing my studies and obtaining my master’s degree from Fordham University in New York, USA, I returned to Turkey and started my career at Limak directly. I have worked in almost all sections and departments of the company, gaining valuable experience along the way.
“You cannot become what you do not see, as simply as it is. If we do not have the opportunities, we will not be able to change anything. Women in the private sector who want to become leaders in the future have to meet women who have already faced the same challenges. Thus, career guidance is important. It helps you think about the challenges, how to face them, lets you know when you can start a business or when you make a decision about your career, and it helps to systematically think about how to deal with challenges. Career guidance is an important component of the Turkish Engineer Girls Program which we have been taking care of through our company in Turkey. In order for the program to be successful, participants must complete several hours per month and receive guidance from their mentors.”
Engineering has always been a part of my life. I have an ideal engineer mother who strongly believes in empowering women. I had to follow her path and the career that my family built. Inspiring a new generation of female engineers has always been a personal concern of mine, and I am fortunate to have been able to establish the Turkish Engineer Girls Program in 2015.
I wanted to take action and spent a lot of time thinking about it. I am grateful to my friends, family, and colleagues who have cooperated with me. We started to contemplate how we could empower women in engineering, what we could offer, and what we could expect. We observed existing projects in this sector worldwide and devised our plans, much like what we did for our engineers’ project!
It has been four years since Limak launched its empowerment program in Turkey. Over 100 students have graduated from universities across Turkey in various cities. Currently, we are in the process of selecting a new group of students to participate in the next batch of the program.
With Limak’s global expansion and the increasing number of mega projects both inside and outside Turkey, we decided to launch the program in Kuwait under the Limak Foundation. As you know, Limak is responsible for the construction of Kuwait’s iconic New Kuwait International Airport. Our commitment to Kuwait extends beyond construction works; it is much more profound. We believe that investment is not limited to financial resources. Therefore, the Kuwait Engineer Girl’s Program was launched in October 2017 with the aim of enhancing professional capabilities within Kuwait. We seek to encourage more Kuwaitis, especially females who constitute the majority of Kuwait University graduates, to work in the private sector.
Women face challenges that are often not understood by many men. A professional program that is specifically tailored for women will focus on the work-related challenges that women encounter, which are often distinct from those faced by men, particularly in terms of self-skills.
A professional program centered around women creates a “sisterhood” that I strongly believe helps women find strength and support from one another. Moreover, when we have more women leading such programs, it provides an opportunity for young women to learn from experienced women and connect with women in leadership positions. This instills them with confidence and inspires them to advance in their careers.
This is my opinion, and it is one that I firmly believe in. I wholeheartedly support women’s professional programs, which is why we have launched the Kuwait Engineer Girl’s Program. Our aim is to enhance the capabilities of Kuwaiti engineers and nurture them to become future leaders in Kuwait.
The first batch of the Kuwait Engineer Girl’s Program graduated in March 2018, and we have already commenced training for the second batch.
During my visits to Kuwait, I make it a priority to get acquainted with the program participants and closely monitor their development and training. During my most recent visit, I met with program graduates, and this time, we will be meeting with current batch participants as well as students from Kuwait University.
The Kuwait Engineer Girl’s Program aims to create a platform for young women to learn from one another, and we value exchanging perspectives with our program partners. We consistently ask ourselves: How can we enhance the program and make it even better?
Our goal is to expand the program and provide more opportunities for its graduates, including employment and training opportunities. Equipping students with an understanding of career requirements is essential for their success, and we prioritize this aspect within the program.
Additionally, we are involved in other social projects. We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (SACGC), established by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS). This agreement aims to collaborate on establishing and operating the Kuwait Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (KIEC). Following the graduation of the first batch of Kuwaiti engineers, we have taken further steps to support the development of human capital in Kuwait.
I hold a strong belief that women leaders have the power to make a significant impact on the world. This applies not only in terms of business and financial matters but also in the realm of diplomacy. Women leaders tend to embrace diverse perspectives, place a greater emphasis on collaboration, and prioritize gender diversity, as they inherently possess a gender-neutral approach. I firmly believe that the world stands to benefit immensely from the leadership of women.
Alongside my commitment to the family’s philanthropic endeavors, we established Limak in 2016 to oversee the company’s investments in social projects. This includes managing initiatives such as the engineers’ training program in Kuwait and Turkey, which encompasses projects like the Young Engineers Program and the Engineering Program for high school students. Working on these projects with my team requires a significant amount of my time, effort, and thought, but I find fulfillment in contributing to societal development through these endeavors.
In addition, we have an exceptional project within Limak, which is the orchestra formed in 2017. I firmly believe that bridges are built not only through construction but also through cultural heritage and the arts. To invest in Turkey and beyond, we established the orchestra. Inspired by Zaki Moran, one of Turkey’s most renowned singers, we embarked on a musical journey by reviving his songs, two decades after his passing. Zaki Moran was not only a remarkable vocalist but also a writer, composer, and expert in classical Turkish music, deeply rooted in the music of the Ottoman era. We organized 14 concerts across Turkey to honor his legacy.
Art holds a special place in my interests, and I have curated collections of artwork by Turkish artists as well as artists from various nationalities. To support emerging artists in Turkey, we established an independent platform called “Square” that nurtures and promotes these talents. I also serve as a board member of this platform, actively supporting artists in Turkey and abroad. As for sports, I enjoy playing tennis.
My ambition is to inspire the next generation of engineers. However, this aspiration is not limited solely to the field of engineering. I aspire to witness more women taking on leadership positions in various sectors, including business, politics, diplomacy, and academia. This remains my greatest ambition. To achieve this, I dedicate a significant amount of my time and effort to programs like the KEG program and initiatives in Turkey. I hope to see these programs expand and flourish in the near future, graduating more participants who can then become mentors for new cohorts.
In terms of my work, as a second-generation member of Limak, my ambition is to witness the company’s growth both within and outside of Turkey, further strengthening its regional presence.
Kuwait is my second home! I feel myself among a family where I have professional and personal colleagues. I am happy to contribute to the future of this country through our projects, in addition to our investments in social initiatives such as the Kuwait Engineer Girls (KEG) program. I want to present this program as a model for Kuwait to follow in terms of empowering women and increasing their confidence.
We need this empowerment in Turkey and Kuwait, as well as in all other parts of the world. I hope to see graduates of the KEG program who are able to establish their own projects for the benefit of their country. Kuwait truly deserves this, and its people deserve it.
Kuwaiti women have received support from the state. However, there are still obstacles that Kuwaiti women have successfully overcome to reach leadership positions. The achievements of Kuwaiti women have been widely acknowledged and appreciated across various sectors, reflecting the support they receive from the State of Kuwait under the leadership of His Highness the Emir.
Gaining access to leadership positions has never been easy for women globally. Discrimination and inequality in leadership positions pose significant challenges.
There is no simple or quick solution to these challenges, but they need to be addressed collectively by all stakeholders, including policy makers, private companies, and individuals.
Ebru believes that there is still a long path to traverse in order to achieve the empowerment of women in various domains such as politics, education, economics, and law. This is applicable not just to the region, but to the entire world. It is gratifying to witness that these objectives have become significant in countries like Turkey and Kuwait. However, the challenges persist in achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment, both in our region and globally.
We need to establish a common roadmap to promote gender equality worldwide and eliminate obstacles that impede women’s progress. Making this a collective priority is essential for all of us.
Since then, Limak has signed several projects, including the Infectious Disease Hospital, South Abdullah Al-Mubarak Infrastructure Works, and their most important project, the New Kuwait International Airport. Ebru stated, “We aim for the project to obtain the LEED GOLD Certificate. We are also looking to participate in other projects that contribute to the Kuwait Vision 2035 ‘New Kuwait,’ and we aim to contribute to the transformation of Kuwait into a financial center.”
(ENDS)
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