International Women’s Day
From oil rigs to Erbil: Senior Associate Emma Al-Baqir’s unique career path
Spotlight Q&A with CrossBoundary Women for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month
At CrossBoundary, as part of our commitment to our shared value “We can all belong here”, we believe in the principle that all genders should have equal rights, opportunities, and treatment, and recognize that different genders may require different levels of support to achieve equality.
We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has widened the gap between genders and ages significantly in employment opportunities. UN Women estimates there were five million fewer young women employed in 2022 compared to 2019, and one out of every four is not currently in school, working, or training.
In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2023 and Women’s History Month, we asked our colleagues from across the globe to share their perspectives on navigating a career path as a woman and how we can #EmbraceEquity in and out of the workplace.
Emma Al-Baqir is a Senior Associate based in CrossBoundary’s Erbil office. In Iraq, CrossBoundary’s investment advisory team works with foundations, private equity funds, impact investors, local enterprises, development finance institutions, development organizations, and government agencies to support capital mobilization.
Prior to joining CrossBoundary, Emma served as a consultant for McKinsey & Company, advising the energy industry on strategy, decarbonization efforts, and investment portfolio choices. Emma has also worked extensively within Iraq, Kuwait, and Thailand for the oil and gas industry where she was responsible for running a high-activity operational team and implementing improvements such as flare reduction programs. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering and a Bachelor in Geophysics from Imperial College London.
More from Emma below:
Name: Emma Al-Baqir
Title: Senior Associate, CrossBoundary Advisory
Location: Erbil, Iraq
Q: What excites you most about your current work?
Emma: Investment in Iraq is exciting because it is a region rich with opportunity, which is very misunderstood. In the eyes of many, Iraq has been painted as a chaotic uncivilized place, or possibly a charity case, which is very far from reality. I’m very pleased to be part of the team working towards putting Iraq on the investment map.
In the markets/sectors you serve, where have you seen the gender equity gap occur?
I believe at the junior level, opportunities for women are strengthening. This is occurring across all the markets and sectors I have worked in. Of course, family and social pressures exist in Iraq, but many girls do work as junior employees, teachers, doctors, or engineers.
The severe challenges begin, however, as you try to advance to leadership. This is true both in Iraq and also internationally. Many companies or managers have positive intentions, but the subconscious bias is difficult to overcome because the traditional image of a leader is of a man, or possibly a very senior woman. Especially for young women, the level of professionalism, presence, and commanding authority required to climb the ladder is typically much higher than an equivalent-aged man.
As a professional woman in your field, what barriers or challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
I’ve experienced the positives and negatives of being a woman. I’ve found promotions a challenge. But, in other cases, I’ve also managed to put forward my ideas to management more successfully than my male colleagues, as I’m interpreted as less threatening.
Which woman in your life has influenced your career in a positive way?
I don’t have any such woman — most of the older women in my family or social circle did not focus on their careers. When I left home to go to Thailand and work on oil rigs, my father was the one who supported me and told everyone I was tough enough to cope. When I worked on the oil rigs, everyone I met was a man so they became my role models. I suspect there are many women who are forging their way in their careers without women role models because they aren’t available. But that’s ok, and it’s also okay for men to be role models, too.
Why do we need more women in leadership?
I would say: why not? For me, it is not about pushing quotas. If there are highly capable women adding value at a level required by leadership, then they should be in leadership in recognition of their own achievements — and not held back at lower levels disproportionately whilst their male colleagues are advanced. For me, this is how we treat men, so this is what equality should be.
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Inspired by the women working at CrossBoundary? Passionate about creating lasting change in underserved markets? Learn more about our current openings and apply to join our team here.
CrossBoundary is a mission-driven investment firm committed to unlocking the power of capital for sustainable growth and strong returns in underserved markets. Our team members come from diverse backgrounds but share several qualities: curiosity, humility, integrity, a drive for excellence, and a bias for action. Sound like you? Drop us a line.
