
Women in Breakbulk: Middle East Edition
This is your invitation to meet women from across the Middle East and around the world who keep project cargo moving. Some may become business partners. Others may become friends you look forward to seeing every year.
They know the long days and the thrill of a project delivered on time. Many also know what it's like to be the only woman in the room. At Women in Breakbulk Middle East, you won't be.
It all starts at brunch on the first day of the exhibition, where you'll make connections you can carry through the show and beyond. After that, the Women in Breakbulk Lounge is your place to hold meetings and join workshops between appointments.
Our ambassadors help make it happen. They spread the word before we arrive in Dubai and bring women together once we're there. And there's plenty to talk about.
The Middle East project market is unstoppable, with reconstruction coming on top of everything already underway and in the pipeline. Women are helping deliver that work, and this year we're talking about how to get ready for all of it, at work and at home.
Schedule of events
Women in Breakbulk Brunch
With more project work headed for the region than ever before, how do we take it all on? The brunch program includes a keynote, an industry panel, a role-playing activity and a de-stressing, energizing wellness activity, all built around that question. And yes, there will be cake, because for women in breakbulk, we can have our cake and eat it too.
Sponsor a Table. Bring your team, clients or future partners to the brunch. Reserve a table for 8 for US$750. Reserved tables are designated with your company logo and placed toward the front. Sponsored tables are available to purchase in registration.
Women in Breakbulk Lounge
Drop in any time during exhibition hours to hold a meeting or join a workshop.
Brunch Agenda
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2027, 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Theme: How to Say Yes to More
Brunch and Networking
Fill your plate, find your table and meet women from across the Breakbulk Middle East community. Here's something to talk about while you eat: What would you like to make room for this year?
Welcome
Kick off the brunch with a warm welcome and a look at what's ahead.
Keynote: Yes, You Can Do It All (Just Not All at Once)
She leads a company and still makes time for the life she wants outside the office. How does she do it? Now you'll find out.
Our keynote speaker shares the career moves that got her to the top and how she decides where her time goes now that she's there. You'll leave with ideas for taking the next step in your own career without putting the rest of your life on hold.
Industry Panel: Ready for More
The project work is coming. How do you make sure you're ready when it lands?
Our panelists share how they're preparing now, from building up their teams to deciding what can wait. They'll also get personal, with stories about the times they took on more than they thought they could handle and what they learned along the way. You'll leave with ideas you can use at work and at home.
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Time for cake. A big one.
Each table gets a fictional character with a full life and something new she wants to make room for, like a side business or a baby on the way. Your table decides what she keeps, what she hands off and what she lets go, then builds her a plan. Selected tables share their best idea with the room. You'll leave with a worksheet you can use for your own goals.
Energy to Spare
Busy weeks have a way of crowding out the habits that keep us going. Our wellness coach shares realistic ways to fit in movement and regular meals when the days run long and the travel doesn't stop. You'll pick one small habit and figure out exactly when it fits into your week.
What's Next
Write down one idea you're taking with you. Then head to the show floor and stop by the Women in Breakbulk Lounge to keep the conversation going throughout Breakbulk Middle East.
Steering Committee
Become a Women in Breakbulk Ambassador
We're looking for 12 women to serve as ambassadors for Women in Breakbulk Middle East. Before the show, you'll promote the program on your social media channels. At the brunch, you'll host a table and keep the conversation lively. In return, you'll receive a free ticket to the Women in Breakbulk Brunch. The first 12 to respond will be selected.
Want one of the spots? Email Leslie Meredith at [email protected]. Be sure to join the Women in Breakbulk network first, so we'll have your details.
Run a Workshop in the Women in Breakbulk Lounge
Share your expertise with the Women in Breakbulk community. Lead a session yourself or organize a panel. Your workshop will be promoted on the website and across our social media channels.
Your workshop package includes:
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Logo placement in the lounge workshop schedule
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Promotion in Women in Breakbulk Middle East communications
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A spot in the special section "Meet the Women in Breakbulk Middle East" in Breakbulk Magazine
Send your workshop idea, who should attend and any additional speakers to Leslie Meredith at [email protected]. Subject to availability
Join the Women in Breakbulk Networking Group
Become a member of the Women in Breakbulk networking group and stay in touch with other members all year round. Fill out the form and include your photo and your advice to other women. All members receive free entry to the Women in Breakbulk Lounge at Breakbulk Middle East.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, membership is free. As a member, your photo, professional information and advice to women will be posted to the regional member page as well as our global member page.
Yes, the brunch must be added to your registration for a fee. Space is limited, so we recommend buying your ticket early to guarantee your spot.
No, Women in Breakbulk members may use the lounge throughout the show. Workshops are free!
Contact Leslie Meredith at [email protected]. All ambassadors receive a free ticket to the Women in Breakbulk Brunch.
This year's panel looks at how to get ready for the wave of project work coming to the Middle East, with personal stories as well as professional ones. If you have a story to share, contact Leslie Meredith at [email protected].
Write a short description of your idea, including what it is, when and where it should take place and why it will appeal to women or a group within our membership. Send it to Leslie Meredith at [email protected].
Yes. Associations can become an official partner of Women in Breakbulk Middle East or host a workshop in the lounge. Neither option requires a financial contribution.
Partners

WISTA UAE
WISTA UAE is the United Arab Emirates branch of the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA International). Approved in 2022, it brings together women working in the UAE's maritime industries through regular meetups, panel discussions and events. WISTA UAE works to increase women's participation in the sector and supports the welfare of women seafarers.

Women in AI
Women in AI is a global nonprofit working to close the gender gap in artificial intelligence. Its UAE chapter connects more than 500 women and allies in academia, industry, government and entrepreneurship. The chapter runs bootcamps, hands-on workshops, hackathons and mentoring, and promotes responsible, inclusive innovation.

Women Together
Women Together is a network of more than 1,800 members working to advance women in shipping and other male-dominated sectors. Founded by Zoe Upson, who also founded the executive search firm FACT Talent, the network brings women together to share insights and support each other's careers, with a focus on increasing the number of women in senior roles.




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