The position of women in Islamic society in general and in Saudi Arabia in particular is widely misunderstood. Moreover the biased press coverage in the West is not doing much to uncover the actual power behind the veil. Explains Intisar Al-Yamani, a media manager in Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), “What adds to the negative coverage is that Saudi women do not speak enough to the Western press to raise awareness and better understanding. What is difficult for some people in the West to imagine is that Saudi women have the same main concerns as women all over the world — unemployment, poverty, health care, the welfare/safety of their children, education, discrimination and the environment. I think women should not shy away from making their voices heard and they should speak up for what they believe in — of course within the framework of their Islamic and traditional upbringing.”
Saudi women are no longer satisfied in looking for jobs in the fields of education, health, social work, broadcasting and journalism. They have new ambitions and are looking for a lifestyle which fits their personal needs in changing times. In the last decade, there have been a growing number of Saudi women working in the business sector. The Kingsom’s continuous development is creating a great many employment opportunities in new fields.
Intisar, one of the few Saudi women playing a prominent role in the corporate world, acknowledges Prince Alwaleed’s supportive role: “Many of the women who work in Kingdom Holding Company hold key positions not only because they are capable of upholding their responsibilities but because Prince Alwaleed believes their abilities are no different from their male counterparts. The prince has a very modern perspective on the importance of women’s roles.” She quickly added that the concept of ‘modern’ does not conflict with traditional values and religious duties — “the two go hand in hand.” Public Relations (PR) is a relatively new field for Saudi women. Intisar admits that PR is handled differently in the Kingdom because of cultural differences: Islam enjoins women to behave modestly in public.
Educated in London where she obtained a Bachelors degree in Arts and Education, and a Masters in Media and Communications, she believes her studies abroad have given her a unique insight into multi-cultural communication: “I am at an advantage being a Saudi as I was able to adapt and utilize what I had learnt to how PR works here.”
Intisar plays a critical role in one of the most active departments of the Kingdom Holding Company. The Corporate Communications Department channels all the news about Prince Alwaleed and the Kingdom Holding Company to the global media. KHC is the largest company in the Arab World with local, regional, and international investments in media, banking, industries, entertainment and hotels. Prince Alwaleed is also known for his charitable and philanthropic activities such as the $19 million donation to tsunami victims in 2005. He is widely respected for the constant flow of help he provides to needy people all over the world. Intisar’s pioneering work and passion for media and communications comes at a cost. She has shifted her focus on her career and set aside her professional art practice. Her artistic career took off in 2001 with an exhibition held at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London. Her collection of paintings was subsequently shown in Austria, Bahrain, Syria and the Far East. Intisar admits that she can only paint when she gets the time: “I have many ideas in my mind that I have not yet put on canvas. I predict an explosion of expression very soon but when? I really don’t know.”
Her responsibilities are very demanding but always challenging. Working at Kingdom Holding Company requires professionalism and a lot of work: “Employees of KHC are not afraid of being pushed past the limits of their proficiency and skill. I think that the fact that I have lived abroad for a long time helped in this respect,” she explains.
She does not feel she is making sacrifices rather compromises, learning the skills of prioritizing and quality input at work and at home. Successful career women always find that the concept of spending quality time with their families is the key to handling smoothly and equitably, both home and work responsibilities.
