At Forex Expo Dubai 2025, the discussion on “Women in Forex: Leadership Beyond Boundaries” wasn’t about counting how many women are in the room.
It was about redefining what leadership means — and why the industry’s future depends on a different kind of strength.
Speaking on the panel, Nahid Yousefi, Regional General Manager at Alpari, offered a perspective that turned the common question on its head.
When asked whether women are underrepresented in the financial sector, she replied:
“This industry isn’t lacking women.
It’s shaped by the very qualities women bring — empathy, connection, and perspective.
Forex is about understanding human behavior under pressure. And that’s where women naturally lead.”
Empathy as an Edge, Not a Weakness
Yousefi’s message echoed what leadership researcher Sally Helgesen identified more than three decades ago in “The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership.”
Helgesen argued that women’s relational, empathetic, and inclusive ways of leading were not soft skills, but the blueprint for the future of leadership itself — a future where emotional intelligence would be as essential as strategy.
Yousefi expanded on that idea, noting that empathy isn’t just a moral value; it’s a competitive advantage in today’s market.
“Traders need to feel understood.
They trust brokers who listen — not just to their trades, but to their fears and motivations.
Empathy builds the kind of loyalty data alone can’t measure.”
Redefining Leadership for a New Era
Throughout the discussion, Yousefi emphasized that leadership in Forex is genderless — but the qualities often associated with women are exactly what the industry needs most today: relational thinking, emotional balance, and collaborative strength.
“Leadership isn’t about dominance,” she said.
“It’s about stability, perspective, and the ability to make others feel safe.
Women bring that energy naturally — and it’s time to see it not as an exception, but as the norm.”
Her words resonated with the audience — many of whom noted that, in an industry built on risk and reaction, empathy and composure may indeed be the ultimate edge.
A Vision Aligned with Alpari’s Philosophy
For Alpari, Yousefi’s message reflects more than personal belief — it’s part of the brand’s DNA.
The company’s 2030 vision emphasizes transparency, education, and empathy as pillars of sustainable growth.
It’s a philosophy that sees trust as the real currency of the market — and empathy as the skill that keeps it in motion.
As the session closed, Yousefi summed it up in a sentence that drew spontaneous applause:
“This isn’t a man’s industry or a woman’s industry.
It’s a human one — and the future belongs to those who lead with empathy.”