Award-winning journalist and Director of Dubai Media Academy Muna Bu Samra has many firsts. In 2016, she was the first woman to be appointed editor-in-chief of Dubai-based Al-Bayan newspaper. She went on to become editor-in-chief of the Emirati daily Emarat Al Youm.  

“Being the first woman to hold this position in the UAE marked a milestone in local journalism, and it was evidence of the ability of Emirati women to successfully fulfill this role,” she says.    

In 2008, she joined the Dubai Press Club, where she helped launch the Arab Media Forum and the Arab Journalism Award as the director of media program development. In 2013, she played a foundational role in launching the Emirati Media Forum.  

“I have great ambitions, and I love success, but I am not afraid of failure, because I believe that it is the path to success,” she says.  

Today, she is a member of the board of trustees for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award and sits on the University of Sharjah’s Communication College’s Advisory Committee.  

Muna Bu Samra always knew that she wanted to be a journalist–a career that she pursued against all odds. She believes that at its core, journalism is about constantly thinking of the greater good of people and  

Bu Samra, who covered local news for 10 years at Al-Ittihad Newspaper, believes that her career in journalism has made her more resilient. She has served as a member of the Journalists’ Association, and in 2004, she was elected as the first female member of the association’s board of directors. Soon after, she became secretary general of the association.  

Bu Samra loves movies, sports, and travel and has a passion for journalism and hard work. 

Her advice to young women in the field? “Be diligent, work hard, and learn from success and failure. You must learn from your mistakes if you want to achieve your dreams.”