Across the Arab world, a powerful generation of women is redefining leadership, resilience, and impact. From royal visionaries and pioneering entrepreneurs to influential media figures and trailblazing policymakers, these women are shaping industries, driving reform, and inspiring progress on a global scale. They are thinkers, builders, and changemakers, united by purpose, empowered by knowledge, and guided by the belief that influence is not just about power, but about creating lasting change for their communities and beyond.
Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Al-Missned – Chairperson & Co-founder of Qatar Foundation
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned stands out as an Arab woman of exceptional influence, renowned for her visionary leadership and lifelong dedication to education and social reform. As Chairperson and Co-Founder of the Qatar Foundation, she has transformed Qatar into a global centre for learning and innovation, driven by her belief that human potential is a nation’s greatest asset. Her impact extends far beyond national borders as she continues to champion women’s empowerment and youth development across the Arab world. With her distinctive blend of modern vision and cultural grace, Sheikha Moza redefines leadership, inspiring generations to dream boldly and shape a brighter future.
Queen Rania Al Abdullah – Queen Consort of Jordan
Queen Rania Al Abdullah stands as a beacon of contemporary Arab leadership, combining compassion, intellect and cultural pride with a global outlook for positive change. In 2025, she continued to advance causes close to her heart: education, women’s empowerment and sustainability, from unveiling Jordan pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka to supporting local artisans and entrepreneurs in Al Salt. Her advocacy for children’s rights and social justice resonates far beyond Jordan, reflecting her profound belief in equality and human dignity. With elegance and purpose, Queen Rania redefines modern royalty, using her platform not for prestige, but to inspire progress, empathy and opportunity across the Arab world.
Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani – Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Doha Film Institute, Reach Out to Asia and Qatar Leadership Centre & Co-Chair of Fashion Trust Arabia
Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani represents a dynamic model of Arab female influence, navigating art, culture and education with striking purpose. As Chairperson of Qatar Museums, the Doha Film Institute, Reach Out to Asia and the Qatar Leadership Centre, and as Co-Chair of Fashion Trust Arabia, her vision has fuelled a cultural renaissance in Doha and beyond. In 2025, she spearheaded landmark exhibitions and cultural collaborations, including the Qatar–Argentina & Chile 2025 Cultural Year, and led the Nation of Evolution campaign for Qatar’s museum sector. Sheikha Al Mayassa is not merely collecting art, but cultivating ecosystems of creativity, leadership and global cultural dialogue, proving that true influence emerges when ambition meets purpose.
Lubna S. Olayan – Chair of the Executive Committe & Deputy Chair of Olayan Financing Company (OFC)
Lubna S. Olayan is a Saudi businesswoman who has long been a trailblazer in the Arab business world, and in 2025, she continues to redefine leadership with both purpose and impact. As Chair of the Executive Committee and Deputy Chair of Olayan Financing Company, she guides one of the Middle East’s largest diversified conglomerates with quiet strength and strategic foresight. This year, she further advanced the Group’s support for female-led tech ventures, most notably investing in a UAE-based AI company through her family office, a move that underscores her steadfast commitment to closing gender gaps in entrepreneurship. With every initiative, Lubna Olayan embodies influence rooted in innovation, integrity and inclusive progress.
Amal Clooney – International Human rights lawyer & Co-Founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice
Amal Clooney is a British-Lebanese human rights lawyer and Co-Founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice. She stands as a formidable advocate for justice, with influence that spans continents and causes. Through her work, she champions the rights of victims of genocide, sexual violence and media repression in more than 40 countries. In 2025, she was recognised by British Vogue as one of the 25 most influential women and began her tenure as Visiting Professor of Practice in Inter- national Law at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, where she is shaping the next generation of changemakers. She embodies the belief that true power lies not only in the courtroom but in transforming society for the many.
Huda Kattan – CEO & Founder of Huda Beauty
Huda Kattan is an Iraqi-American makeup artist, beauty blogger and entrepreneur whose name has become synonymous with modern beauty innovation. After launching her beauty blog in 2010, she founded Huda Beauty in 2013 alongside her two sisters, transforming it into one of the world’s most influential cosmetics brands. Having briefly stepped down as CEO in 2020, Kattan returned to the helm in 2024, unveiling a refreshed brand identity later that year. In January 2025, she introduced Ube Obsession, the brand’s latest collec- tion, reflecting her flair for trendsetting creativity. Beyond Huda Beauty, she serves as Chairwoman of HB Investments and sits on the board of Humantra, further cementing her role as a global leader in beauty and entrepreneurship.
Rania Al-Mashat – Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat stands out as a dynamic force in Arab leadership, steering Egypt’s economic future with bold vision and strategic precision. Appointed Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in July 2024, following her tenure as Minister of International Cooperation since December 2019, she has played a pivotal role in shaping Egypt’s development agenda. Dr. Al-Mashat spearheaded the creation of the NWFE Platform, designed to mobilise climate finance and strengthen international partnerships for Egypt’s green transition. Her leader- ship has earned global recognition, including being named the Most Visionary and Outstanding Minister of International Cooperation in Africa in 2022 by the George Washington University Institute of African Studies and the GE7 Initiative.
Farida Khamis – Chair of Orientals Group & Yasmine Khamis – Chair of Oriental Weavers Carpets
Sisters Farida and Yasmine Khamis are Egyptian businesswomen who assumed leadership of Orientals Group in 2020, carrying forward the legacy of their late father, Mohamed Farid Khamis. Through its flagship brand, Oriental Weavers Carpets, the Group exports to 118 countries and holds a diversified portfolio that includes the British University in Egypt, Egyptian Propylene & Polypropylene, and Shorouk Academy. In September 2024, the Group signed a USD 1.5 million contract with Integrated Renewable & Sustainable Communities to install a 2.5 MWp solar power plant at its largest manufacturing facility in 10th of Ramadan City. In July 2025, they unveiled the OW Haptech Store, the world’s first phygital carpet retail experience, in Mivida, New Cairo.
Dalia Khorshid – Group CEO and Managing Director of Beltone Financial Holding
Dalia Khorshid is the Group CEO and Managing Director of Beltone Financial Holding, one of Egypt’s fastest-growing financial institutions. Under her leadership, Beltone Capital signed a joint venture agreement with CRIF in December 2024 to establish a new entity offering a range of solutions, including debt capital market instrument ratings, SME and corporate borrower ratings, ESG services, and onboarding technology for lenders in Egypt. In August 2025, the company reported record results for the first half of the year, with operating revenues more than doubling to EGP 6.3 billion and net profit after tax and minority interest reaching EGP 1.3 billion, a 60% year-on-year increase.
Henadi Al-Saleh – Global CEO of Agility
Henadi Al-Saleh is a Kuwaiti businesswoman who joined Agility in 2007, over- seeing investor relations, financial planning and analysis before rising to the top of the organisation. She was appointed Global CEO in May 2024, following a decade-long tenure as Chairperson of the Board of Directors from January 2014 to May 2024. Under her leadership, Agility, a company employing more than 65,000 people across six continents. In 2024, the company generated USD 3.7 billion in revenues and held assets valued at USD 13.3 billion. Earlier that year, its subsidiary Menzies Aviation acquired a 50% stake in Jardine Aviation Services Group in Hong Kong, while in May 2024, Agility Global was officially listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
Sheikha Hind Bahwan – Founder & Chairperson of Hind Bahwan Group
Sheikha Hind Bahwan is a renowned Omani entrepreneur and the Founder and Chairperson of Hind Bahwan Group, a diversified conglomerate with a global presence across technology, renewable energy, education, and lifestyle. She also founded and chairs Bahwan CyberTek Group (BCT), which operates in 50 countries and serves over 1,000 clients, including Fortune 500 companies. In 2024, BCT acquired STOICS IT’s operations in Cyprus, the UAE, and India, further expanding its international footprint. That same year, she was appointed Chairperson of the Family Business Council Gulf. She has previously served on advisory boards for Deutsche Bank and the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics.
Jomana R. Alrashid – CEO of Saudi Research & Media Group (SRMG)
Jomana R. Alrashid is a Saudi businesswoman and the CEO of Saudi Research & Media Group (SRMG), the leading integrated media group in the MENA region, as well as Chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation. With visionary leadership, she has spearheaded SRMG’s digital transformation and growth strategy, achieving exceptional results over the past three years. Under her creative direction, SRMG recorded revenues of USD989 million (SAR 3.71 billion) in 2022, a remarkable 22% increase from the previous year, demonstrating her success in implementing data-driven, audience-centric strategies that have diversified revenue streams and ensured the group’s sustained financial strength throughout the past years.
Hend El Sherbini – Group CEO of Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (IDH)
An accomplished Egyptian business leader, Dr. Hend El Sherbini has been at the helm of Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (IDH) since 2012, after leading Al Mokhtabar from 2004. Under her visionary guidance, IDH has grown into one of the region’s largest diagnostic networks, operating 608 branches across Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia. In 2024, the company reported revenues of USD85 million and net profits of USD15 million during the first nine months alone. Further consolidating its regional footprint, IDH increased its stake in Biolab KSA to 79% through a USD3.2 million acquisition in December 2024. El Sherbini’s leadership continues to set new benchmarks in healthcare excellence and cross-border expansion.
Mona Zulficar – Founding Partner and Chair of Executive Committee at Zulficar & Partners Law Firm & Chairperson of EFG Holding
Mona Zulficar is one of Egypt’s most distinguished lawyers, renowned for her expertise in major restructuring, project finance, and M&A transactions. Throughout her remarkable career, she has led landmark deals including EgyptAir’s commercial aircraft mortgage financing in 1989, Egypt’s first BOOT powerplant projects in 1998 and 2002, and the dual listing of Orascom Construction on Nas- daq Dubai and the EGX in 2015. As Founding Partner and Chair of the Executive Committee at Zulficar & Partners Law Firm and Chairperson of EFG Holding, she continues to influence Egypt’s legal and financial landscape. Beyond her corporate leadership, she is the Founder and President of Al Tadamun Microfinance Foundation, empowering underprivileged women entrepreneurs.
Dr. Raja Easa Al Gurg – Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group LLC
Dr. Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson and Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, stands among the Arab world’s most respected business leaders. Building on the legacy of her late father, she has driven the Group’s continued success while championing women’s economic empowerment across the re- gion. As Founder of the Dubai Businesswomen Council and Board Member of Dubai Chambers, Dubai Chamber of Trade, and the Dubai Women’s Association, she continues to shape the UAE’s business landscape. In April 2025, the Group’s subsidiary, Mac Al Gurg, signed a distribution agreement with Nova Siria to expand product availability across the UAE, marking another milestone under her visionary leadership.
Lamis El Hadidi – Egyptian Presenter
Lamis El Hadidi is one of Egypt’s most respected television presenters and journalists, known for her sharp intellect and fearless approach to current af- fairs. A graduate of the American University in Cairo, she began her career in print and international media before rising to prominence on Egyptian television. Over the years, her in-depth interviews and analytical commentary have made her a trusted voice in Arab journalism. In September 2025, El Hadidi started her new program, Al Sora (The Picture), on Al Nahar chanel. Recognised among the Arab world’s most influential women, El Hadidi continues to shape public discourse with insight, integrity, and impact.