THE MIDDLE EAST'S 100 MOST POWERFUL BUSINESSWOMEN 2024

Despite challenges, female leaders are continuing to grow in numbers and influence.

From groundbreaking entrepreneurs to visionary corporate leaders, women in MENA are leaving their mark in every sector and industry. For example, Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of the First Abu Dhabi Bank, who leads the list for the second consecutive year, was also recognized on Forbes’ list of the World’s Most Powerful Women 2023, ranking at 63 overall and 14th in the finance category globally. Shaista Asif, Cofounder and Group CEO of PureHealth Holding, led one of the region’s largest IPOs, raising a total of $986 million by offering 10% of its issued share capital on the first market of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

This year’s list of the Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2024 features 100 entries, with 104 women from 27 different sectors and 28 nationalities. The banking and financial services sector leads the list with 26 entries, followed by healthcare with 13, and investments and technology with six entries each. There are 35 newcomers to the list, from 15 different sectors.

Methodology

When creating the ranking, we considered the following criteria.

• The impact that the leader has had on the region and the markets that she serves.

• The achievements and performance of the leader in the last year.