GAIA- Abu Dhabi Reshaped and now Live: A Report by Purva Grover
Abu Dhabi, UAE- GAIA is expanding into Abu Dhabi. Founded in Dubai—where the idea sparked, where the founder is based, and where the first women’s peer group took shape—GAIA was never meant to remain in one city. Its expansion into the capital is both intentional and timely. GAIA is a pioneering women’s leadership community based in Dubai with a global reach. It operates across two tiers: GAIA Elevate, a self-paced online learning platform for global members, and GAIA Leader, an intimate, in-person leadership network. Both are anchored in a single mission—to empower women to lead with authenticity, vulnerability, and growth.
Abu Dhabi holds a distinct brilliance. It is a city shaped by women who build at scale—directors, innovators, policy shapers, and institutional leaders; women accustomed to responsibility, complexity, and influence, and increasingly seeking spaces that allow for depth, reflection, and collective growth beyond titles.
GAIA Abu Dhabi launches as a closed, Director/Peer group. The format is deliberate. Closed rooms create safety. Safety allows honesty. And honesty is where meaningful leadership work begins. By limiting the cohort to senior leaders, GAIA protects the quality of dialogue and ensures a shared level of experience—removing hierarchy while preserving depth.
The first peer session was held at Erth in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi cohort will be led by Kerry Gird, GAIA Coach and Founding Abu Dhabi Lead, bringing GAIA’s established facilitation model into the capital with local sensitivity and intent.
Marisa Kamall
Marisa Kamall, Founder of GAIA, reflects on the expansion: “We started in Dubai, but GAIA was never designed to stay in one place. Abu Dhabi is home to extraordinary female leaders—thoughtful, driven, and global in outlook. GAIA is here to amplify their voices, connect them deeply, and help them rise together. This is not Dubai replicated. It is Abu Dhabi shaped—its own rhythm, richness, and strength.”
While each city will evolve on its own terms, GAIA will also bring Dubai and Abu Dhabi together through shared gatherings. Cross-emirate connection is where the network becomes a movement—where diverse rooms generate bolder thinking, faster solutions, and wider opportunity.
As part of its broader leadership ecosystem, GAIA also recently launched ChatGPShe, a bold initiative reimagining how women engage with artificial intelligence. Built on collective learning rather than top-down instruction, ChatGPShe brings women across industries together to demystify AI, share real-world experiences, and shape ethical, inclusive approaches to technology.
“With ChatGPShe, women don’t just adopt AI—they actively shape how it’s used,” says Kamall. “This isn’t about adding more tools. It’s about rewriting the answers AI gives the world.”
Together, GAIA Abu Dhabi and its wider initiatives signal a continued commitment to building spaces where women lead — not louder, but deeper, together.
GAIA is a pioneering women’s leadership community based in Dubai with a global reach. It offers two tiers: GAIA Elevate, a self-paced online learning platform for global members, and GAIA Leader, in-person leadership network in Dubai. Both share a single mission—empowering women to lead with authenticity, vulnerability, and growth. Website: www.gaiarises.com. ChatGPShe is a purpose-driven campaign designed to equip and empower women to use AI tools with confidence, creativity, and impact. Through workshops, resources, and community-led initiatives, ChatGPShe empowers women to transition from passive users to active creators and leaders in the AI space.
The Writer PURVA GROVER is a Journalist and Public Relations Expert based in Dubai.
