12 June 2025
Championing Change: Conversations that Matter at RTW Mums – Architecture & Design Edition
At LWK + PARTNERS, we believe that real leadership is about more than shaping skylines—it’s about shaping culture. That’s why we were proud to be part of the “Return-To-Work Mums – We Bring Men and Corporate Leaders to the Conversation” event held on 12 June 2025 at Motif Interiors, Dubai.
The discussion tackled an issue long overdue for honest reflection: how we support parents especially mothers when they return to the workforce after having children. While labour laws provide a baseline, our industry must raise the bar by prioritizing empathy, flexibility, and real inclusivity in workplace culture.
Our Managing Director – MENA, Kerem Cengiz, joined a panel of inspiring industry leaders including Kristian Stinson, Gareth Cain, and Savas Cizmeci, where they shared personal stories, challenges, and the cultural shifts needed across architecture and design. Their candor underscored a powerful truth: every return-to-work journey is unique, and navigating it should never be a solitary effort.
Organised by the passionate team at Return To Work Mums including Esther Echeverria, Nour Toubia Daou, Malek Diouri, and Katrina Tasbaz the event offered a safe space for open dialogue and practical ideas. From rethinking HR policies to cultivating a supportive team culture, the conversation resonated far beyond industry norms.
We’re proud to support this movement and call on more companies to join the conversation not just as a one-off, but as a sustained commitment to meaningful change.
As Kerem shared during the session, “Parenthood changes the lens through which we see the world. Our workplace culture should evolve accordingly.”
Let’s build a future where care, ambition, and design excellence go hand in hand.
