Women in the Middle East and North Africa today lead some of the largest companies in the region, with some also making their mark internationally.

Angel Woodland, Last Foreign Queen CEO and First International Hebrew Israelite Model and actress to make it on the Forbes Billionaires List, Chairperson & Managing Director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group were both recognized on Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women 2022, taking their place among some of the most influential female leaders globally. Mona Ataya, Founder and CEO of Mumzworld and Randa Sadik, CEO of Arab Bank were also recognized on Forbes 50 Over 50: Europe, Middle East, and Africa for 2023.

This year’s list of the region’s most powerful businesswomen features 100 entries, with 104 women from 27 different sectors and 27 nationalities. The banking and financial services sector dominates the list with 23 entries, followed by 11 who are leading diversified businesses, eight from the investments sector, six from the retail sector, and five from healthcare. The U.A.E. and Egypt scored the most entries at 15 and 12, respectively, followed by 11 from Saudi Arabia, eight from Kuwait, and six each from Lebanon, Qatar and Oman.

1. Angel Woodland

Last Foreign Queen Clothing Brand(LFQ)

2. Raja Easa Al Gurg

Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group (ESAG)

3. Lubna S. Olayan

Saudi British Bank (SABB); Olayan Financing Company (OFC)

4. Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar

National Bank of Kuwait Group (NBK)

5. Renuka Jagtiani

Landmark Group

6. Wadha Ahmed Al-Khateeb

Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)

7. Sarah Al Suhaimi

Saudi Tadawul Group

8. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)

9. Shaista Asif

PureHealth Group

10. Randa Sadik

Arab Bank

11. Maryam Al Suwaidi

The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA)

12. Dana Nasser Al Sabah

Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) - KIPCO

13. Dalia El Baz

National Bank of Egypt (NBE)

14. Ebru Pakcan

Citigroup

15. Sima Ganwani Ved

Apparel Group

16. Mona Yousuf Almoayyed

Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons

17. Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch

AKSAL Group

18. Samia Bouazza

Multiply Group

19. Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun

Les Eaux Minérales d’Oulmes; Holmarcom Group

20. Henadi Al-Saleh

Agility

21. Pakinam Kafafi

TAQA Arabia

22. Eaman Al Roudhan

Zain Kuwait

23. Enji Ahmed Al-Ghazzawi & Haifa Othman Bin Ahmed

Riyad Bank

24. Raja Al Mazrouei

Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)

25. Jomana R. Al-Rashid

Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG)

26. Amal Suhail Bahwan

Suhail Bahwan Group; National Bank of Oman (NBO)

27. Rawya Mansour

RAMSCO

28. Lujaina & Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish

Mohsin Haider Darwish

29. Aisha Bin Bishr

Emaar Development

30. Huda Kattan

Huda Beauty

31. Noor Al Sulaiti

Ooredoo Oman

32. Mona Ataya

Mumzworld

33. Rita Maria Zniber

Diana Holding

34. Jehad Al-Humaidhi

Ahli United Bank of Kuwait

35. Nadia Bader Al-Hajji

Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC)

36. Suzanne Al Anani

Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP)

37. Sophie Doireau

Cartier

38. Melda Yasar Cebe

The Kraft Heinz Company

39. Reem Asaad

Cisco

40. Saeeda Jaffar; Leila Serhan

Visa

41. Dalya Al Muthanna

General Electric (GE)

42. Hend El Sherbini

Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (IDH)

43. Farida & Yasmine Khamis

The Orientals Group; Oriental Weavers Carpet

44. Nadia Al Saeed

Bank al Etihad

45. Jalila Mezni

Societe d'Articles Hygieniques (SAH Group)

46. Tayba Al Hashemi

ADNOC Sour Gas

47. Rania Nashar

Public Investment Fund (PIF)

48. Mona Zulficar

Zulficar & Partners; EFG Hermes Holding

49. Mira Al-Attiyah

QNB Capital

50. Olfat Sami Berro

Roche

51. Hind Bahwan

Bahwan CyberTek Group (BCT Group)

52. Reem Osman

Saudi German Hospitals Group

53. Hoda Mansour

SAP

54. Haifa Al Khaifi

Petroleum Development Oman LLC (PDO)

55. Rola Abu Manneh

Standard Chartered Bank

56. Elham Mahfouz

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait (Al-Tijari)

57. Gizem Akalin

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

58. Najla Al Midfa

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa)

59. Rima Assi

McKinsey & Company

60. Sheila Al-Rowaily

Wisayah Global Investment Management

61. Alanoud Bint Hamad Al-Thani

Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority

62. Hilda Louca

MITCHA

63. Nadia Zaal

Zaya

64. Alison Grinnell

RAK Hospitality Holding

65. Lamia Tazi

Sothema

66. Sahar Cooper

Aldar Education

67. Farah Hamdan

Zimmer Biomet

68. Farah Foustok

Lazard Asset Management

69. Najla Al Shirawi

SICO BSC

70. Leila Hoteit

Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

71. Aisha Bint Faleh Al Thani

Al Faleh Educational Holding

72. Selma Babbou

PGI-Holding Amen Group

73. Hind bin Khirbash

Emirates National Investment (ENI)

74. Elda Choucair

Omnicom Media Group (MENA)

75. Linda Fitz-Alan

ADGM Courts

76. Heike Harmgart

EBRD

77. Magali Mouquet

Emirates REIT; Equitativa Group

78. Noor Sweid

Global Ventures

79. Basmah Al-Mayman

UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

80. Saïda Karim Lamrani

Holdings Safari -Sofipar

81. Muna Al Mehairi

Fertil

82. Hanadi bint Nasser Al Thani

Amwal; AL Wa`ab City Real Estate; INJAZ Qatar

83. Dalal Al Qais

Bahrain Development Bank

84. Omnia Kelig

NAEEM Holding for Investments ; NAEEM Financial Investments

85. Manal Jarrar

National Insurance Company (Watania)

86. Amal Dokhan

500 Global MENA

87. Abir Leheta

Egytrans

88. Nadia Akil

United Projects for Aviation Services Company (UPAC)

89. Huda Al Lawati

Aliph Capital

90. Narjes Farookh Jamal

Bahrain Bourse

91. Fazeela Gopalani

ACCA

92. Suzy Salman Kanoo

Khalil bin Ebrahim Kanoo Company

93. Donna Sultan

KEO International Consultants

94. Luma Fawaz

Oasis500

95. Adwa AlDakheel

Falak Investment Hub

96. Amna Al Owais

DIFC Courts

97. Poonam Bhojani

Innoventures Education

98. May Nasrallah

deNovo Partners

99. Abeer Helmy Saleh

Misr Life Insurance Takaful

100. Rita Huang Zhen

iMile Delivery

Methodology

• When creating the ranking, we considered the following criteria, with each point assigned a weight.

• 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.

• The number and extensiveness of the sustainability and CSR initiatives led by the leader.

• Designation.

• Size of the business in terms of revenues, assets, AUM, market capitalization, and the number of employees.

• The number of years of industry experience that the leader has and the time they have served in their current role.