Mentorship Is a Duty, Not a Favor

“I didn’t get here alone, and I make sure no one else needs to do so either,” says Ghada El Kari, Chief Strategy Officer at W Group Holding.

In an article published by Campaign Middle East on mentorship as the cornerstone of meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), El Kari spoke about the responsibility of leaders to transform access into impact. For her, mentorship is not about handholding, but about building structures that ensure visibility, confidence, and opportunity for the next generation of women leaders.

“As a woman in the C-suite, I see mentorship not as a favor, but as a duty to pull others up with me. I know what it feels like to walk into a room where you’re the only woman, to speak up even when your voice shakes. That’s why I lead by example, because visibility matters, confidence multiplies, and doors open wider when we push together.”

For El Kari, mentorship is not an optional initiative but a cultural foundation: “Mentorship isn’t an add-on, it should be part of our culture. It’s how we’re rewriting the playbook, creating spaces not just for women to rise, but to lead, shape and thrive. That’s the legacy I want to leave.”

El Kari reframes mentorship as the missing link between good intentions and lasting change, an essential shift from individual victories to systemic transformation.