CATEGORIES

Sofitel Le Scribe Paris Opéra

Deep in the heart of the Opera district in Paris sits one of the city's most historic hotels.

These Middle East-Based Firms Listed On Foreign Exchanges In Q1 2022

Several Arab companies are tapping into the booming trend of blank-check companies as they seek a faster road to public trading with less regulatory scrutiny than a traditional IPO.

Egyptian Blue Chips Riding The Storm

As Egypt faces an economic crisis, these three Egyptian companies are growing regardless.

ROADMAP FOR REFORM

Jean-Christophe Durand, CEO of the National Bank of Bahrain, is leading the bank through a transformative time. As Bahrain invests in expanding its economy, financial services, and net-zero goals, NBB is seeing its profits rise as it aims its focus firmly at the future.

METAL RUSH

Although he's been at the helm for little more than two and a half years, Ali Al Baqali, CEO of Alba, has seen the company's performance go from loss-making in 2019 to ground-breaking in 2021. Now he's focusing on a new ESG roadmap to lead one of Bahrain's biggest companies to a greener future.

MARKET MOVER

Since he became CEO and Managing Director in 2019, Syed Basar Shueb has overseen a remarkable period of growth for Abu Dhabi's International Holding Company, resulting in a market cap of $140 billion and making it the most valuable company in the U.A.E. Not bad going for someone who started with the group working in IT.

Ambition

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.

The Super Rich Planning Super Lifespans

Besides collecting art, philanthropy, and real estate investments, some billionaires also use their fortunes to channel millions into a less-common investment plan—life extension. Here’s how some of the world’s richest have been planning for a longer future. Net worths are as of April 10, 2022.

THE MONEY CLASSROOM

With her financial comparison website and accompanying education program now acquired by SHUAA Capital, Ambareen Musa, Founder and CEO of Souqalmal, is onto her next challenge. She’s on a mission to revolutionize regional financial literacy by building a multipurpose on-demand platform.

World's Top 5 Richest Millennials

While elder millennials are now entering their 40s, they are still among the youngest billionaires in the world. Here are the five richest millennials—that is those born between 1981 and 1996—from Forbes’ World’s Billionaires 2022. Net worths were calculated as of March 11, 2022.

Four Seasons Hotel George V

Springtime in Paris is a refreshing experience for a traveler from the Middle East. Bitingly cold at times but awash with blue skies and sunshine (apart from the odd, unexpected flurry of snow or sprinkling of showers), it’s a lovely time of year to explore the city’s bustling streets and famous cultural sites.

TURNING DOWN THE HEAT

Doaa Gawish, Founder of The Hair Addict, has built a thriving community as well as a successful business. As she expands her products across the GCC, she's also educating consumers on how to love and embrace their natural and curly hair.

How Women Are Investing Wealth

Studies are showing that women around the world are getting richer and more financially savvy, and as they do so their influence on global economies is also growing.

Forbes Under 30 Forum

In March, a global cohort from the Forbes’ Under 30 community gathered at the World Government Summit 2022 at Expo 2020 Dubai. Participating in a number of panels throughout the two-day event, the entrepreneurs gave their insights into tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues.

6 Lesser-Known Women Billionaires Behind Successful Brands

Besides collecting art, philanthropy, and real estate investments, some billionaires also use their fortunes to channel millions into a less-common investment plan— life extension. Here’s how some of the world’s richest have been planning for a longer future. Net worths are as of April 10, 2022.

BOTTOM LINE

Hannah Curran, Founder of U.A.E. nappy and wipes brand PureBorn, is building a global business by tapping into demand for eco-friendly baby products.

30 WOMEN BEHIND MIDDLE EASTERN BRANDS 2022

Women in MENA are increasingly taking on leading roles within the region’s largest enterprises, but they are also establishing their own successful businesses in rising numbers, with operations in all sectors of the economy. Some of these businesses are garnering international attention, with some arguably shaping the sectors they perform in. Forbes Middle East’s list of 30 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands features brands across six countries in MENA. The U.A.E. is home to 13 of these successful businesses, followed by Egypt with eight and Lebanon with five. The list also represents 18 different nationalities, with Egyptians dominating the list with 11 entries, followed by Lebanese with four entries. Some of these brands are now international labels appearing at the world’s most anticipated events, such Rayan Al Sulaimani’s Atelier Zuhra, who dressed Paris Hilton at the 2022 Grammys. Huda Kattan was also recognized on Forbes’ list of America’s Self-Made Women 2021.

BUILDING ON MEMORIES

Mouna Abbassy is on a mission to make her skincare brand IZIL the number one name in science-led natural beauty, inspired by the heritage of her Moroccan home. She’s redefining the sector by relying on more than good marketing.

20 WOMEN BEHIND MIDDLE EASTERN TECH BRANDS 2022

Our list of 20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands highlights the female founders and cofounders of some of the region’s most successful tech-enabled platforms and apps. This year’s ranking highlights a diverse group of people from 17 different nationalities working in 13 sectors, whose businesses are predominantly based in the U.A.E. with 13 entries, followed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, each being home to two of these companies. Some of these companies are leading the startup ecosystem in MENA, such as Rita Huang Zhen’s iMile for delivery services, whose company was also the ninth most-funded startup in the region in 2021. Others, such as Mona Ataya and Leena Khalil of Mumzworld and Anuscha Ahmed Iqbal of Spotii, have successfully led some of MENA’s most significant exit deals in 2021.

The World's 5 Most Valuable Healthtech Unicorns

The global boom in unicorns doesn' seem to be slowing down. There were 1,050 private companies with a valuation of over $1 billion as of March 2022. Here are the five most valuable healthtech unicorns in the world, according to CB Insights. None are more than seven years old. Figures are as of March 11, 2022.

Nose for Business

Swabs for Covid testing made Copan CEO Stefania Triva a billionaire. Despite countless buyout offers, though, she's snubbing the dealmakers and keeping the company firmly in the family.

How Much Money Are At-Home Covid-19 Tests Bringing In?

Seven of the most prominent test makers are navigating a whiplash marketplace.

What's In A Name?

Facebook is not the first company to decide to start a new chapter with a new name. These household brands also launched with different monikers to what they now use.

Transforming Trucking

With a $10.5 million pre-Series A funding round under his belt, Sherif Taher, co-founder and CEO of Egypt-based trucking technology platform Naqla, is driving digital change in the country's road freight sector.

REFINING PHARMA

Said Darwazah, Executive Chairman of Hikma Pharmaceuticals, has helped build his family business into a global enterprise over the last 41 years. With a market cap of over $6.2 billion, the Jordanian company is today competing with international heavyweights.

THE MIDDLE EAST'S TOP 50 HEALTHCARE LEADERS

MEET THE REGION’S MOST IMPACTFUL AND INNOVATIVE LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM.

Microsoft's Milestones

This year, Microsoft celebrates its 47th anniversary. Here's a glance at some of the company's biggest achievements in that time.

MENA's Most-Funded Healthtech Startups

Entrepreneurs in MENA are increasingly digitizing healthcare services, and investors' appetite is also growing. Here are five of the region's most-funded healthtech startups, which have raised over $70 million in total funding to date. We have only included startups no more than seven years old. We excluded startups that were acquired, merged, or have gone public. Cut off for disclosed funding was March 16, 2022.

5 Non-Health Companies Investing In Healthcare

These five global titans in tech and retail are leveraging their knowledge, experience, and resources to push forward innovation in the multi-trillion-dollar healthcare industry.

HARNESSING HEALTHTECH

Sherif Beshara, CEO of American Hospital Dubai and Group CEO of the Mohamed & Obaid Al Mulla Group, has been investing in Al and robotics to stand out in the U.A.E.'s competitive private healthcare sector. With plans for a care network in place, education could be the next game changer.