Entrepreneurial women across the world are leading the way in tapping into the power of the digital economy to succeed and grow. As a celebration of their achievements, Mastercard has announced the inaugural Women SME Leaders Awards 2022, the first initiative of its kind to recognise and further empower women-owned and run SMEs in the Middle East and Africa. Nominations are now open for the awards and can be submitted by Monday while those interested in attending the virtual awards ceremony, during which the winners will be announced on March 29, can register. Small enterprises in trading owned and run by women and with a turnover of less than $13.6 million and employing between six to 50 people are all invited to participate. All female individuals or businesses who have their headquarters or offices in the Middle East and Africa or offer their services to these markets can submit their nominations for one or more of the 22 awards. The awards allow for individuals to win in more than one category. “At Mastercard, we believe that women-owned businesses are the catalyst for economic growth, improving the lives of everyone, everywhere. The passion that women SME owners display is unmatched and they raise the bar for everyone. That is why Mastercard has curated the Women SME Leaders Awards to recognize and celebrate women entrepreneurs across Middle East and Africa,” said Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President, Market Development, EEMEA for Mastercard. Small enterprises in trading owned and run by women and with a turnover of less than $13.6 million and employing between six to 50 people are all invited to participate The awards are jointly curated by the Entrepreneur Middle East team who will vet shortlisted companies and then pass onto the judging committee that will be chaired by Mastercard. Following the independent evaluation of the shortlisted candidates by each of the judges, the winners will be decided by a vote. The Women SME Leaders Awards 2022 judging committee consists of: Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President, Market Development, EEMEA for Mastercard Mona Zulficar, Chairperson of EFG Hermes Holding Nejoud Al Mulaik, Director of Fintech Saudi and Tamara Pupic, Managing Editor of Entrepreneur Middle East The awards stemmed out of the inaugural Mastercard SME Confidence Index conducted last year which revealed that 81 percent of women entrepreneurs in the Middle East and Africa have a digital presence for their businesses, compared to 68 percent of their male counterparts. In terms of the digital footprint of these women entrepreneurs, social media leads the way, followed by a company website. These findings were aligned with Mastercard’s global commitment to connect 25 million women entrepreneurs to the digital economy by 2025, as part of its goal to build a more sustainable and inclusive world. The index further suggested that growing confidence levels in digital as a business imperative, is tied to a deeper understanding and wider recognition among SMEs of the advantages that result from a growing digital economy. Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realise their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. Blurb