Emirati women represent 70 per cent of EWEC's female workforce, reflecting the strategic importance of advancing Emirati talent across the energy sector
EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), a leading company in the integrated planning, purchasing, supply, and system despatch services for water and electricity across the UAE, today marks Emirati Women's Day by celebrating the Emirati women who are actively accelerating the UAE’s energy transition. Their strategic leadership spans the full breadth of EWEC's operations, from integrating renewable energy at scale and advancing low-carbon-intensive water production to reinforcing grid resilience and ensuring energy security.
This year's celebration aligns with the national theme ‘We Emerge Stronger and Better,’ honouring the strength, resilience and progress of Emirati women and their fundamental role in shaping the future of the nation. After Mother of the Nation Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak announced that Emirati Women's Day will run for a full month rather than a single day, EWEC has expanded the occasion to include a programme of activations taking place throughout August and September.
Today, Emirati women represent a significant 70 per cent of EWEC's female workforce. Their vital work spans Assets; Corporate Services; Digital; Finance; Legal and Governance, Risk and Compliance; Operations; and Strategy and Planning, placing them in the roles that determine how water and electricity are planned, procured and despatched across the UAE.
Fatema AlJawdar, Manager - Business Applications at EWEC, said: "The transition to a diverse, renewable-led energy mix requires advanced digital infrastructure. As Manager of Business Applications, I guide the technical teams that deploy and govern the digital tools and data modelling systems required to balance water and electricity supply with demand. My team designs the digital backbone that enables EWEC to seamlessly integrate unprecedented volumes of solar energy into the grid. Empowering my team to optimise these critical applications allows us to do more than simply keep pace with the energy transition, it places us at the forefront of driving the sustainable future of our nation."
EWEC continues to invest in the advancement of Emirati women through structured leadership pathways, advanced technical upskilling, and dedicated mentorship programmes. These include targeted career progression initiatives, strategic project exposure, and specialised training in areas such as system operations, reverse osmosis (RO) water desalination, renewable energy integration, grid optimisation, and techno-economic planning, ensuring Emirati women are equipped to lead the next phase of the sector's transformation.
Mariam Ali Al Darmaki, Associate - Project Monitoring Engineer at EWEC, said: “As a Project Monitoring Engineer, my role ensures the successful construction of EWEC’s world-leading infrastructure developments. I actively monitor the progress of utility-scale solar photovoltaic, battery energy storage, and reverse osmosis projects from the execution phase through to commercial operation. Witnessing these gigascale facilities transition from strategic blueprints to operational plants provides a profound sense of national pride. This year's theme directly mirrors my professional journey, every complex engineering challenge we overcome in the field strengthens my technical expertise and directly contributes to building a highly resilient, sustainable water and energy sector that will serve Abu Dhabi and the UAE for generations."
From the control room to the boardroom, the leadership of Emirati women at EWEC directly enables the achievement of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy's Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 for Electricity Production in Abu Dhabi, reinforces national progress towards the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategy, and strengthens EWEC's ability to deliver a secure, sustainable and efficient energy system that serves communities, empowers industries and supports the long-term socio-economic priorities of the nation.
# # #
About Emirates Water and Electricity Company
EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company) is the sole procurer and supplier of water and electricity in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. EWEC drives the planning, forecasting, purchasing, and system despatch services of water and electricity. EWEC fulfils these vital responsibilities through the short-term and long-term balancing of bulk supply and demand for distribution companies and authorities in Abu Dhabi and other Emirates. EWEC is supporting the government of Abu Dhabi and the government of the UAE by enabling the reduction of cost whilst also providing the increased security of supply that comes from a cleaner, larger, and more integrated system.
EWEC is mandated to implement strategic initiatives that will achieve the 60 per cent clean energy target outlined in the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy's (DoE) Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 for Electricity Production in Abu Dhabi, in addition to enabling the achievement of UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, UAE Energy Strategy by 2050, and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. EWEC is accelerating Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s energy transition by diversifying the country’s energy mix through developing and deploying renewable and clean energy as well as low-carbon intensive water desalination capacities. EWEC is part of ADQ, an active sovereign investor focusing on critical infrastructure and global supply chains. For more information, please visit: www.ewec.ae.
