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Women are becoming a powerful force in the investment world
Empowering women in wealth planning isn’t just a matter of equity; it is an essential tool for building lasting, resilient family wealth structures
- PUBLISHED: Thu 12 Mar 2026, 9:39 PM
- By:
- Nada Al Yazdi
Across the Mena region, women’s wealth has shown unprecedented growth over recent years. More women than ever are building businesses, advancing in their careers, inheriting assets and choosing to invest.
According to data by Investment International, women accounted for 18 per cent of Mena investors in 2024, positioning the region ahead of some European markets. Even more encouraging is the rising share of women among new investors. The Mena region is an undisputed leader in this space, with 24 per cent of new investment firm clients being female in 2023.
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Empowering women in wealth planning isn’t just a matter of equity; it’s essential for building lasting, resilient family wealth structures.
Investing the woman’s way
Many women have the tendency to step back and delegate the responsibility for investment decisions to a partner, a parent or an adviser. While this approach may be practical, it takes women’s own goals and values out of the equation.
Some of the misconceptions commonly encountered are that women are too risk-averse to invest, they don’t have the education to understand what they’re investing in or are simply not able to grasp the concept of investment. With perception, it’s often easy to categorise women into one large homogenous group, but they all have different levels of knowledge of the investment arena, just like any other subject. It’s not true that they don’t like taking risks, they just don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.
When women do take charge of their own investments, they are often thoughtful and disciplined. Women investors tend to ask more questions and want more details about the long-term impact of their investments.
Research has suggested that such behaviour can translate into strong results over time. This clearly shows that when it comes to investments, women’s instincts are sound; they simply need to be supported with clear information and a trusted partner.
Women in charge of their own wealth
Actively managing one’s wealth is about moving from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat of one’s financial journey. For many women, this shift is simply about independence – not relying on someone else to take decisions for them. Emotional wellbeing is another reason to stay involved. A well-thought-out plan turns uncertainty into clarity, and even missteps become part of the learning curve.
This is where guidance matters. A financial adviser can demystify markets, explain options in plain language and build strategies that reflect the type of investor they’re dealing with – time horizon, responsibilities and appetite for risk. And as knowledge deepens, confidence rises, enabling women to take informed, values-based investment decisions and opening new opportunities to grow their wealth.
Wealth according to women
When women talk about what wealth means to them, few mention just a pile of money in their bank account. The word that comes up again and again is freedom. That freedom is often deeply practical, such as not having to worry about children’s education or parents’ health, but it also involves the ability to invest in their own dreams.
When more capital is consciously managed by women – from first-time investors to millionaires – and aligned with their values, the impact is profound. Women want to use their wealth for something bigger than themselves. Their investments support sustainable businesses, inclusive workplaces and causes close to their heart. With a strong focus on giving back to society, women’s personal compass helps steer broader positive change.
Bringing clarity into investments
While women are playing an increasing role in the investment landscape, the biggest barrier to participation is usually not the lack of capability but low confidence and limited access to financial knowledge. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), an estimated $3.22 trillion in global investment capital could be unlocked if women invested at the same rate as men. Behind that figure are millions of individual decisions to learn, ask questions and take the next step.
This could be as simple as writing down goals, reviewing current financial status and booking a conversation with a trusted financial adviser. Perfect knowledge is not necessary – only the willingness to begin.
The writer is Managing Director, Julius Baer (Middle East) Ltd.