“Is Consulting Still Just a Boys’ Club? Peeking into the Consulting Industry in the Middle East”

“Are they allowed to go out?” “Are they allowed to drive?” “Do they have to wear the burqa even if they are not Muslims?” are unequivocally some of the most common questions that pop into mind when one thinks of women in the Middle East.

It was not uncommon for women to be treated as second-class citizens; unfortunately, they still are in some parts of the world. Even more widespread was the treatment of women in the Middle East. Controversially, in the Middle East, this has a lot to do with them being a predominantly Islamic region. Job opportunities and working wages for women vastly differed from those of their male counterparts. This prejudice was evident in every field, and the same goes for consulting, a renowned “boys’ club.” A quick internet search reveals that despite Middle Eastern women having some of the highest levels of education among any female population in the world, 13 of the 155 countries with the lowest rates of female labor participation are located in the Middle East1, which, for lack of better words, stinks.

However, it’s 2023, the 21st century, and things are looking up. As they should.

With skyscrapers touching the skies, an opulent lifestyle, lucrative pay, and, the cherry on top, zero tax, the United Arab Emirates is one of the most attractive Middle Eastern countries for workers. Anjana Rose Joseph provides a window into the perspective of a young female consultant working in a male-dominated industry in a country that is already predisposed to favor men in powerful roles. She works for one of the Big Four in this tax haven, where her duties mainly include corporate immigration within the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. In the short period that Anjana has begun her career as a woman in consulting, she has had nothing but a gratifying experience.

Women offer distinctive views, abilities, and experiences for the consulting industry, and companies that place a high priority on gender diversity are better able to handle challenging business issues. The role of women in consulting is critical to the success and growth of the industry. They will continue to contribute significantly to the industry and play a crucial role in determining the direction of consulting as long as companies promote gender diversity and equality. Women make up 70% of the university graduates in the UAE, but only slightly less than 37% of consulting hires are female2. It isn’t solely a consulting company problem. So, let’s give credit where credit’s due: society. Since working with and seeing a female consultant is not “common,” it is possible that some clients will not hire a woman, which restricts her opportunities for advancement. The difficulties do not come only from the outside but also, sadly, from inside organizations. It is not uncommon for consulting firms’ hiring practices to be organizationally structured to prefer hiring men over women just to be “safe” and because they are perceived to be the better candidate for the same level of qualifications simply because of their gender. Therefore, just entering a firm is already unfair competition for women.

But why does this happen? One of the most upsetting parts of this prejudice is how frequently female employees face penalties and discrimination just because a customer finds working with a woman uncomfortable, and as a consultancy’s primary goal is to create profit it must please the client. Which is why the organizational structure of firms makes it possible to replace a female consultant with her male counterpart rather than sticking up for their female staff, even if the female consultant is completely competent and the best choice to represent the client. But there is hope. Anjana explains that some consultancies, like her own, have undergone an organizational restructuring of sorts and are now refusing to engage with customers who only hire males in an effort to combat this prejudice. These companies understand that a consultant’s abilities and experience, not their gender, should be the deciding factor when deciding who is the best match for a job. Consulting businesses must acknowledge the value that their female workers bring to the table and take proactive efforts to guarantee that women are treated fairly and respectfully. In the end, her skills—not her gender—make her a better fit for the job.

But the taboo and practice of looking down on women merely based on their gender are still very much alive. With the help of the government and consulting firm organizations, it is taking a lot of courage for both women and men to overcome this stigma.

“There is no difference in the services that we provide and the work that we are able to do,” says Anjana. Coming into effect on January 19, 2022, the United Arab Emirates Labor Law3 specifies that female employees must be paid the same as their male counterparts, provided they perform the same job or work of equal value. Making it illegal to discriminate against women simply for being women. Big firms are playing their part as well, and this is evident from Anjana’s experience. She works with a team composed of 80% women. It is comforting to know that the industry is getting closer to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel thanks to governmental regulations and the work of consultancies.

Luckily for Anjana and for all the young women who wish to follow their passion of working in consulting, it is no longer a “boys’ club.”

By Caterina Di Summa, Tushara Nambiar, Klara Pelhjan

1.  Facts. (n.d.). UAE GENDER BALANCE COUNCIL. https://www.gbc.gov.ae/facts.html
2.  Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modelled ILO estimate) | Data. (n.d.). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS?most_recent_value_desc=false
3. Gender equality in the workplace - The Official Portal of the UAE Government. (n.d.). https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/social-affairs/gender-equality/gender-equality-in-the-workplace#:~:text=Law%20on%20equal%20wages%20for%20women%20and%20men,-In%202018%2C%20the&text=Article%204%20of%20the%20UAE,were%20performing%20the%20same%20work