Leadership Without Borders: Women in Export Control Open New Horizons

On 10 October 2025, a workshop titled “Leadership Without Borders: Women’s Leadership in Export Control and Its New Horizons” was held in Bishkek, organized by the Export Control Centre to support the Government of Canada as part of the Women in Export Control (WEC) initiative. The event took place at the Skeramos Creative House and gathered representatives of government institutions, expert communities and young professionals engaged in strategic trade and export control.

Purpose of the Event

The workshop aimed to strengthen leadership competencies among women working in the export control system, foster strategic thinking, confident communication, and professional resilience in a high-responsibility environment inherent to this field.

Key Focus Areas

Throughout the program, participants discussed and practiced:

  • the role and distinctive features of women’s leadership in export control;
  • essential competencies for effective decision-making and strategic engagement;
  • psychological tools for resource recovery and emotional resilience under pressure;
  • building strategic influence and confident professional positioning.

Training sessions were conducted by Maksim Kalinichenko (MBANK) and Diana Daniyarova, Executive Coach at IFC and certified psychologist. The closing creative session allowed participants to express their leadership vision through an art-based pottery workshop, symbolizing personal transformation and strategic thinking through hands-on creative process.

About the WEC Initiative

The Women in Export Control (WEC) initiative seeks to build a professional network of women experts in strategic trade and export control, promoting mentorship, peer learning, and broader representation of women in international security and technology governance processes.

Looking Ahead

Participants expressed readiness to continue developing their leadership skills and confirmed interest in upcoming WEC programs, including regional dialogue platforms, networking events, and capacity-building activities.