Walkers' lawyers help deliver IWIRC's first Riyadh event

The event in Riyadh on the eve of the International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL) conference brought together many of the region's most influential practitioners.

Cate Barbour, senior counsel, and Tania Diab, associate, from Walkers' Dubai office have been instrumental in setting up the IWIRC Network in the Middle East. The pair are both on the board committee and champion the network throughout the region.

IWIRC is a global initiative that has been connecting women worldwide in the restructuring and insolvency space for more than 30 years. It offers members the opportunity for leadership involvement at the global, regional, and local levels and creates programs to foster national and cross-border relationships and education. Local networks organise professional, educational and social activities within their communities and regions which are structured to meet the specific needs and interests of members. 

Speaking on her appointment as co-chair of the IWIRC's Dubai Network, Cate Barbour said: "Having experienced the benefits and support of IWIRC in other jurisdictions in which I have worked, I know the value it brings to the professional lives of women. I am very proud to be part of the team that has established IWIRC in Dubai, its first network in the Gulf and Middle East & North Africa. The success of the event in Riyadh highlights how IWIRC inspires and supports the fantastic professional women in our field, not only within Dubai but also in the UAE and wider GCC and MENA region."

Tania Diab added "The International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation is committed to the connection, promotion and success of women in the insolvency and restructuring professions worldwide. I am proud to be part of the successful group of women developing such an important initiative in Dubai and encouraging and championing women that practice insolvency and restructuring. We are already seeing strong interest in the network in the MENA region as demonstrated by the success of our recent event in Riyadh. I look forward to helping expand the network further and continuing to connect the fantastic professionals in our field."

Upcoming event:

In celebration of International Women's Day 2024, the IWIRC Dubai Network is hosting a breakfast seminar with guest speaker, Kiran Scarr. Kiran is an international lawyer, general counsel and legal COO who has spent a global career leading transformational change in the legal sector. She has twice been named General Counsel of the Year in the Middle East and widely recognised and awarded for her transformative leadership, process innovation and contribution to the legal community.

If you would like to attend this event, please contact Hayley Ryan.