{"url":"https://www.mepmiddleeast.com/power-lists/women-in-mep/women-in-mep-beyond-barriers","title":"Women Breaking Barriers in MEP Leadership","domain":"mepmiddleeast.com","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/1181339/pexels-photo-1181339.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","pexelsSearchTerm":"women engineers leading","category":"Nature","language":"en","slug":"1f1b1f83","id":"1f1b1f83-40b2-4bd9-92f2-a10e2e18ebe5","description":"Profiles women leaders in the MEP industry challenging male-dominated perceptions through technical expertise and strategic roles.","summary":"## TL;DR\n- Profiles women leaders in the MEP industry challenging male-dominated perceptions through technical expertise and strategic roles.\n- Aneesa Naser Bittar led a **$300m tender** win using real-time cost-tracking amid fluctuating prices.\n- Women must gain budget ownership, decision-making, and visibility to drive inclusive sector evolution.\n\n## The story at a glance\nThis article profiles women in the MEP sector across the GCC who are breaking barriers as CEOs, engineers, and directors by prioritizing data, outcomes, and leadership. Key figures include Reshma Bhaskaran of Cornerstone, Shiney Jacob, Aneesa Naser Bittar of Royal Advance Electromechanical, Mariam Alqaydi of BK Gulf, Sawsan Dahham of SIENA, and Muna Bakri Ahmed. It highlights their 2025 mindset shifts and achievements amid growing sustainability and giga-project demands. The piece spotlights their push for real authority over token representation.\n\n## Key points\n- Reshma Bhaskaran combats assumptions of women's technical inadequacy by leading with performance data and first-principles thinking, using AI as a thinking partner, and advocating budget ownership for women.\n- Shiney Jacob notes women stay invisible due to not showcasing work; she pushes for visibility platforms, awards, peer mentoring, and a leadership philosophy of deliberate happiness and work-life balance as a responsibility.\n- Aneesa Naser Bittar addresses underestimation on-site through consistent results and visibility; her 2025 highlight was securing a **$300m tender** with a real-time pricing dashboard for volatile materials.\n- Mariam Alqaydi, once the only Emirati woman on a male-heavy site, shifted from tasks to outcomes, earned Accredited Tier Designer certification, and embraces mistakes as growth under pressure.\n- Sawsan Dahham built SIENA's collaborative culture, opened a Beirut branch, and stresses investing in people for loyalty while pursuing personal work-life balance tailored to individual values.\n- Muna Bakri Ahmed overcame early credibility doubts by over-preparing in procurement; she shifted to trusting her judgment and highlights double standards in negotiations.\n\n## Details and context\nThese women face common hurdles like assumptions of lacking technical skills, site underestimation, and exclusion from conversations, often in high-stakes GCC projects involving data centers, sustainability, and smart buildings.\n\nTheir strategies emphasize evidence-based leadership: Bhaskaran's data diagnostics, Bittar's live dashboards, Alqaydi's outcome focus, and Jacob's call for structured recognition build credibility over time.\n\nIn 2025, many adopted mindset shifts like first-principles problem-solving or trusting judgment, aligning with industry pressures from AI integration, energy optimization, and mega-projects.\n\nThey envision women leading approvals, standards, and executive roles by 2030, moving beyond representation to authority in core decisions.\n\n## Key quotes\n- **Reshma Bhaskaran**: “Give women budget ownership, decision-making power, and technical leadership. Not just a seat at the table.”\n- **Shiney Jacob**: “Women remain largely invisible because they rarely invest time in showcasing their contributions.”\n\n## Why it matters\nWomen leaders are reshaping the MEP industry from a perceived man's world into one driven by data, sustainability, and inclusion amid GCC giga-projects. For engineers, firms, and projects, this means more precise outcomes, agile bidding, and innovative cultures that boost efficiency and loyalty. Watch for greater female authority in executive roles and AI tools by **2030**, though progress depends on deliberate industry investment.","hashtags":["#mep","#women","#leadership","#gcc","#sustainability","#ai"],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.mepmiddleeast.com/power-lists/women-in-mep/women-in-mep-beyond-barriers","title":"Original article"}],"viewCount":3,"publishedAt":"2026-04-07T04:08:34.264Z","createdAt":"2026-04-07T04:08:34.264Z","articlePublishedAt":null}