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Women Leaders Arab Women Who Made History In 2023

The world saw many Arab women achieve firsts in 2023. Here are six of them.

MENA's Most Powerful Businesswomen Leading: Family Firms

These ten MENA-based businesswomen have inherited the helm of some of the region's largest family conglomerates.

BIG PLANS - SAAD BIN ALI AL KHARJI

Saad bin Ali AI Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism, aims to leverage the success of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to carve out a space for Qatar in a highly competitive regional tourism landscape, with the goal of boosting the tourism sector's contribution to GDP from 7% to 12% in 2030.

THE MIDDLE EAST'S 100 MOST POWERFUL BUSINESSWOMEN 2024

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

MISSION POSSIBLE: NOOR SWEID

Noor Sweid, Founder and Managing Partner of Global Ventures, is overseeing assets under management of $300 million while investing in founders driven by purpose. As she makes moves to inspire and support homegrown entrepreneurs, she's leading the way for women in a male-dominated field.

BEYOND BORDERS - HEIKE HARMGART

Heike Harmgart, Managing Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), has been overseeing an investment portfolio of $9 billion as of December 2023, since she assumed office four years ago. Now, she's amplifying the bank's impact amid regional challenges.

ALL ADDING UP: FAZEELA GOPALANI

Fazeela Gopalani, head of the global accountancy and finance association ACCA in the Middle East, is pushing further for female representation in the field while showing the next generation the benefits of an Al-supported career in finance.

THE $93 TRILLION WEALTH TRANSFER

BOOMERS AND THEIR ELDERS CONTROL $93 TRILLION, OR TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICA'S HOUSEHOLD WEALTH. FORBES 400 MEMBERS PHIL KNIGHT, CHARLES KOCH, BARRY DILLER AND HAROLD HAMM GIVE A MASTER CLASS IN HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR MONEY GOES TO CHARITY AND CHILDREN.

MOVING FORWARD

Faisal Albedah, Managing Director and CEO of SAL Saudi Logistics Services, took the company public in November 2023, leading it through the year's second-biggest IPO for Saudi Arabia, with a market capital of over $3 billion. Now, he wants to make the kingdom a global logistics hub, connecting East with West.

THE MIDDLE EAST'S TOP CEOS 2023

Localization and Growth Boost CEO Success In MENA

TURNING THE TIDE

Ahmed AI Shamsi, Managing Director and CEO of SWS Holding, is making moves to tackle the challenges of water scarcity while growing business. With the company having recently been acquired for $463.2 million, the CEO has his eyes on further investment.

Soy Sauce Scientist

Peggy Cherng built PANDA EXPRESS into the McDonald's of Chinese food by using her engineering background and big data to exponentially spice up sales-making her a multibillionaire along the way.

Confessions Of A Closed-End Fund Bargain Hunter

Retail buyers have a poor grasp of closed-end investment companies. That creates opportunities for Florida money man ERIK HERZFELD.

Snapshot: Climate Action Builds In MENA

COP28 wrapped up in Dubai in December, with participants confident that a number of impactful decisions and commitments had been agreed. However, many countries in MENA have been taking strides towards more sustainable economies for several years.

MENA's Top 20 TikTokers

Here are MENA's top TikTokers, according to TikTok Middle East, based on their impact and trends over the last year, including video creations, views, account growth, likes, and interactions. Numbers are as of December 13, 2023.

MENA's Serial Startup Founders

Startups in MENA raised a total of $2 billion across 376 deals in the first 10 months of 2023, according to Wamda, spanning various sectors. Here are some founders who have founded two or more, attracting both direct foreign investments and regional investors.

World's Top Venture Capital Investors Of 2023

These are the top five investors featured on Forbes' 2023 Midas List, from cryptocurrency investors to global capital managers.

Female Chiefs Making Historic Appointments In 2023

This year has seen some wins for gender diversity in leadership. These 10 notable companies appointed their first women CEOs in 2023, embracing a new era of inclusivity.

New Middle East CEOs 2023

These are some of the most notable Middle East-based CEO appointments in 2023.

Meet The CEOs Leading The World's Largest Companies

From energy behemoths to financial giants, these five executives lead the world's largest companies. Company figures are as of May 2023, and ranking follows Forbes' 2023 Global 2000 list.

BLOOMING

With over $190 million in funding, Floward's cofounders Abdulaziz AI Loughani and Mohamed AI Arifi are reshaping the way people shop for flowers and gifts. Today, the duo is leading an IPO plan, with the startup planning to go public in the second half of 2024.

Rise Of The Tractor Bots

Monarch CEO Praveen Penmetsa wants to save America's farms with robots. Can Old MacDonalds learn new tricks?

SUSTAINABLE 100

The Middle East is investing in a sustainable transformation, with initiatives underway to advance the harnessing of clean energy sources, innovations in waste management, water conservation, green architecture, and cultivating food sovereignty through smart and sustainable agricultural projects.

NO TIME TO WASTE

Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of the BEEAH Group, has overseen the holding company's growth from a small waste management facility to a regional renewable power player. As MENA drives forward its green agenda, his job has only just gotten started.

BUILDING BRIDGES

Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the U.A.E.’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Minister in Charge of Talent Attraction and Retention, has been a key player as the country embeds its commitment to sustainability. His challenge now: inspiring others to use business as a platform for positive change.

FEEDERS

The cofounders of Saudi's RedSea are on a mission to change how food is sourced in harsh climates, building luscious farms in the arid desert to feed over a billion people.

10 Government Climate Change Leaders

These 10 leaders in government in the Middle East are using their influence to create positive change.

Middle East Consumers Prioritize ESG And Sustainability

As the Middle East gears up to host COP28 in the U.A.E., sustainability has become the hot topic of the year. This heightened awareness has alerted consumers to their choices, prompting them to adopt more eco-conscious choices in their purchasing decisions.

In Numbers: Younger Generations Drive The Rise Of Resale

Underpinned by the impact of social media, economic stresses, and a change in purchase intention, the global resale market has been on the rise, led by younger generations. Here are some facts and figures highlighting this surge of conscious consumption.

The Race To A Low-Emission Future: How MENA Oil And Gas Giants Are Adapting

Oil and gas operations account for nearly 15% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions globally, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency. Over 600 billion in investments are required to cut oil and gas emissions in half by 2030. Here are some notable investments and initiatives by oil and gas firms in MENA in their journey to a low-carbon future.