Forbes Middle East Honors 100 Influential Female Leaders Shaping The Business Landscape In 2024

Forbes Middle East has unveiled its signature annual list of the region’s most powerful businesswomen for 2024, ranking the most successful, influential, and impactful women in business, championing the way to a brighter, fairer future. The list was constructed based on the size of the business, the individual’s impact, achievements, and performance over the last year, and the scope of CSR and other initiatives led by the person. Leaders of family businesses were excluded this year.

Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of the First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), leads the list for the second consecutive year. She was also recognized on Forbes’ list of the World’s Most Powerful Women 2023, ranked at 63 overall and 14th in the finance category globally. Two Kuwaiti powerhouses – NBK Group’s Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar and KNPC’s Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb – round up the top three.

The 2024 list features 100 entries, with 104 women from 27 sectors and 28 nationalities. Egyptians dominate with 17 women, followed by 14 Emiratis, and Saudis and Lebanese with nine women each. Leaders in banking and financial services make up over a quarter of the ranking with 26 entries, followed by healthcare with 13, and investments and technology with six entries each. A wave of 35 newcomers have joined this year’s list from 15 different sectors.

Three industry titans broke into the top 10 for the first time: Dana Nasser Al Sabah, Group CEO of Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) – KIPCO; Shazia Syed, Unilever’s General Manager – North Africa, Levant, and Iraq & Arabia Senior Customer Development Lead; Reem Asaad, Cisco’s Vice President – Middle East, Africa, Türkiye, Romania & The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Of the top 10 ranked women, 50% work within the banking and financial services industry, and two Pakistani trailblazers represent the region’s non-Arab, diverse senior leadership.

Top 10 Most Powerful Businesswomen In The Middle East 2024

1. Hana Al Rostamani

Nationality: Emirati

Group CEO, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)

2. Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar

Nationality: Kuwaiti

Deputy Group CEO, National Bank of Kuwait Group (NBK Group)

3. Wadha Ahmed Al-Khateeb

Nationality: Kuwaiti

CEO, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)

4. Shaista Asif

Nationality: Pakistani

Cofounder and Group CEO, PureHealth Holding

5. Dana Nasser Al Sabah

NEWCOMER TO TOP 10

Nationality: Kuwaiti

Group CEO, Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) – KIPCO

6. Randa Sadik

Nationality: Jordanian

CEO, Arab Bank

7. Sarah Al-Suhaimi

Nationality: Saudi

Chairperson, Saudi Tadawul Group

8. Maryam Al Suwaidi

Nationality: Emirati

CEO, Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA)

9. Shazia Syed

NEWCOMER TO TOP 10

Nationality: Pakistani

General Manager – North Africa, Levant, and Iraq & Arabia Senior Customer Development Lead, Unilever

10. Reem Asaad

NEWCOMER TO TOP 10

Nationality: Egyptian-American

Vice President – Middle East, Africa, Türkiye, Romania & The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Cisco

Click here to view the full list of the Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2024.