‘I’m not a big fan of being in the spotlight,’ says Jazla Hamad ACCA. Nevertheless it is an experience she has been trying to get used to since becoming the first female Emirati partner in the 96-year history of Deloitte Middle East (DME) in 2022.
‘That was one of my proudest moments,’ says the audit and assurance partner, who joined the firm in 2008, when female Emirati auditors were rare in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and even more so in the private sector.
Thankfully, there are now more female auditors and more Emirati women in the UAE workforce. ‘We have made huge strides, due in large part to the UAE leadership championing gender equality,’ says Jazla.
‘We need more championing of gender parity’
However, challenges such as pay gaps and lack of female representation remain. ‘We would have expected at this point to have more women in leadership positions. We need more recognition from leaders, across the region and the wider world, that there is still gender inequality. We need more championing of gender parity.’
But, she adds, a lot has been done in terms of diversity and inclusion. ‘We are moving in the right direction.’
Nationalisation plans
The UAE workforce is becoming more diverse in other ways too, as government targets for Emiratisation and nationalisation reduce reliance on expatriates and increase the presence of Emirati talent.
It is a progression Jazla is keen to get behind. ‘My personal ambition is to develop and empower UAE nationals to succeed in professional services, and create future ambassadors and leaders in this area,’ she says.
In support of her personal and professional goals, she has taken on a number of additional roles. She is a member of the DME Nationalisation Advisory Council, is audit and assurance UAE nationalisation leader, and co-leader of the firm’s UAE in-country value (ICV) programme.
‘It was an incredible honour to be a part of COP28’
The UAE government’s national ICV programme aims to localise supply chains and develop new local industries, services and private sector jobs, with a view to diversifying and growing the economy, and making it more competitive, while at the same time supporting Emiratisation initiatives. As an authorised ICV certifying body, Deloitte performs the audits that organisations need to demonstrate their compliance with the national programme.
Green transition
In developing its economy, the UAE has also encouraged companies to focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and the green energy transition. For example, in 2016 UAE was the first Middle East country to sign the Paris Agreement, and sustainability reporting has been mandatory for listed companies since 2020. In 2023, when UAE hosted COP28, Jazla was invited to speak.
‘It was an incredible honour to be a part of COP28,’ says Jazla, who shared perspectives on how audit can add credibility to circular businesses and enhance investor confidence. She highlighted growing investor demand for an independent third party to assure accuracy, completeness and robustness of ESG-related information, and the importance of frameworks and standards to support this.
Developments on the non-financial reporting landscape and emerging requirements for non-financial and financial disclosures and reporting are increasingly part of the ‘day-to-day’ for auditors. Jazla enjoys the constant change in and around audit and assurance. ‘There are always new challenges. It doesn’t become mundane,’ she says, citing automation as another exciting area.
‘We need to be agile and continue learning to stay relevant in a digital, data-driven world’
Staying agile
During 14-plus years at Deloitte, Jazla has seen massive changes in the use of technology and sees the benefits and opportunities it can deliver to auditors and to their clients: ‘It requires a lot of updates to knowledge and skills, but we are living in a digital and data-driven world, and we need to be agile and continue learning and acquiring new skills to stay relevant,’ she says.
Making the best of opportunities is a way of life for Jazla. ‘The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and execute it,’ she says, quoting His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of UAE, prime minister and ruler of Dubai. ‘These words are so inspiring,’ she says. ‘I always strive to do better. I am competitive, even with myself.’
‘I try to pay forward the opportunities I was given in life’
This competitive attitude can be seen in her hobbies, which include shooting and fencing, although she also enjoys recreational activities that allow her to relax and to reflect.
‘I wake early each morning and walk my dog,’ she says; she is also a keen horsewoman, and tries to go riding in the desert at least twice a week. ‘It gives you a lot of energy,’ she explains. ‘It’s refreshing,’ which is something she also appreciates about her experiences at Deloitte.
Mentoring help
‘Working alongside leaders, colleagues and peers who mentor and train women into key leadership roles has been a refreshing experience,’ she says. Her time at the firm has helped to shape her personal and professional growth and ambitions. ‘I was fortunate to have formal and informal mentorship opportunities, which have had a huge impact on my career development.’
Holding a globally recognised ACCA qualification has also had an impact. ‘It gives you international reach and huge credibility on your technical capabilities,’ she says. Jazla is on the ACCA Management Advisory Committee for the UAE and has held similar roles in the past. ‘I try to pay forward the opportunities I was given in life as much as possible, in both a personal and a professional capacity.’
