In recent years, Nawal Al Hosany has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments. In 2007, she became the first female Deputy Director in the history of the Abu Dhabi Police Department.

Written by: Laura Fulton

In recent years, Nawal Al Hosany has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments. In 2007, she became the first female Deputy Director in the history of the Abu Dhabi Police Department. In May

2008, she won the Emirates Businesswomen Award for her professional and career achievements. In 2009, she sat alongside some of the most influential players on the global environmental scene; her latest accomplishment is no less impressive.

On 7th February 2010, after eight days of hiking, freezing temperatures and intense physical exertion, Nawal reached Uhuru Peak of Kilimanjaro Mountain, the highest free-standing mountain in the world, 5,895 meters above sea level.

“I think we underestimated how challenging it was going to be,” says the current Associate Director of Sustainability at Masdar City.

“In the beginning, it was easy. We were just taking a pleasant walk through the rain forest and it was sunny all the time. By day six though, the going got a lot tougher.

“On the sixth day, we had a hail storm and the weather turned terrible as we were climbing the Western Breach. We took the Lemosho route, the most remote and most challenging climbing route, so they had to axe our way up the side of the mountain. The steps were so big I couldn’t even reach them,” recalls the slight Nawal, who completed the climb with a close friend.

“Three times I slipped and almost died. Kilimanjaro is one of the most underestimated mountains in the world because people think it’s easy but it’s not.”
So what possesses a regular Emirati lady — who loves shopping and luxury as much as the next girl — to forgo makeup, a hairbrush, and showering for eight days?

“It was a combination of different elements. My friend and I went to Kenya last August and saw Kilimanjaro. The more we read about it, the more interested we became in it. There have been several publications on the impact of climate change on Kilimanjaro and how the snow is melting. At the same time, we were debating on how to work more on our fitness and hence the adventure to climb Kilimanjaro seemed to be the ideal challenge to take on,” explains Nawal.

“I used to be very fit, but then I got too busy to exercise, so one of my motivations to do the climb was to get back into shape – but it was more about mental endurance than physical endurance; it was really a case of mind over matter. My friend Ruba would start losing energy, but then she would put on her favourite music and she would pick up the pace. It’s all in the mind.”

While Nawal doesn’t consider herself to be a tomboy, she’s also not afraid of getting her hands dirty. Her office, on the top floor of a row of portable buildings, overlooks the dusty construction site that is Masdar City. But being a little different is nothing new to Nawal.

“I’ve travelled a lot, but I always chose interesting destinations over big cities like London. I’d rather go to little villages in the south of France than just go to big, flashy cities,” says the globetrotter.

“When I joined the Projects Engineering section of the Abu Dhabi Police Headquarters, there were no women there. I was the first and one of the very few in the force generally.”

Not only does Nawal excel at shining in an environment filled with men, she also believes in change. After thirteen years with the police department – five of those spent as the head of Design Studies in the Engineering Department – she seized the opportunity to join a team committed to sustainable development. In August 2008, Nawal brought the PhD in Sustainable Architecture she earned at the University of Newcastle to the Masdar project. These days, Nawal is in charge of the sustainability aspects of the project – and deeply passionate about her position.

“I built a successful team who are well organised and capable of using innovations, tools and models to track the capital’s carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable practices, governance codes, renewable energy supply, and city demands. The work also includes the incorporation of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) concepts in all city aspects. One of the main objectives of the Sustainability Unit is to build more capacity for engagement with both the community and international professional bodies. Since my appointment at Masdar, I have been involved in building up bridges and outreach programmes with the local communities. This includes giving public lectures, successful bids for community initiatives, and support for sustainability research in UAE.” explains Nawal.
So how did Nawal come to be such a fearless, confident woman?

“I was a little rebellious growing up, but my parents were very supportive. My father was so supportive; he never had a problem with me travelling by myself and I was never made to work in an all-female organisation,” says Nawal, who is he eldest of eleven children.

“Most of the time in professional settings, I’m either the only woman or one of very few. There were so many times when I was with the Abu Dhabi Police that I would walk into a room and be the only woman. I still go to business meetings now where I’m the only woman.”

Walking into the room as the only woman so many times certainly helped to prepare her for the letter she received from former US president Bill Clinton last September.

“I was in Toronto when I received an e-mail from the Clinton Global Initiative which I could hardly believe was real. It had an attached letter from Bill Clinton asking me if I would sit on a panel with him and Brad Pitt in New York to share my international experience with Masdar,” recalls Nawal.

“I shared the backstage room with the rest of the panel, including Brad Pitt, and he actually said to me, “I’m so excited to meet you.” I responded: “You know you are Brad Pitt, right?” It was weird but so wonderful. He was really nice.”

What’s next for Nawal Al Hosany? It appears anything is possible – and while there may be more mountains in her future, Nawal is confident and ready.

“It’s impossible to know what’s going to happen, but on a professional level, as long as I’m motivated and I’m excited to go to work when I wake up, I’ll stay with Masdar. On a personal front, life is good—you just need to know how to live it!”