Beauty Empires, Banking Titans, and Tech Pioneers Reshape Regional Economies 
Arab Women’s Achievements in 2026 Essay
In contrast to breaking glass ceilings, Arab women have broken steel ceilings. Huda Kattan, founder of Huda Beauty, is an Iraqi-American businesswoman whose billion-dollar company has secured international recognition, making her a symbol of empowerment that local beauty brands aspire to be like. As a result, the United Arab Emirates is now a cosmetics R&D powerhouse that is ready to rival Seoul and Paris.
In finance, Hana Al Rostamani, CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank, remains the Middle East’s most powerful businesswoman for the third consecutive year. The matriarch of the Rostamani dynasty rules the UAE’s largest bank, which has been investing in AI-driven wealth management and issuing green bonds. Meanwhile, Shaikha Al Bahar, Deputy CEO of NBK Group in Kuwait, can also claim to be among the most influential businesswomen in the Middle East. As an active promoter of innovation, she has launched a digital transformation across 15 countries while funneling her resources into women-founded fintech disruptors as an angel investor.
Tayba Al Hashemi of ADNOC Offshore and Alisha Moopen of Aster DM Healthcare GCC join the list of accomplished women business leaders who were absent in earlier decades. The energy and healthcare sectors are now seen as viable options for women’s empowerment, with Mona Al Marzouki blazing a trail for her contemporaries in space technology and Salama Mohamed bringing her Peacefull beauty brand to a global audience of Gen Z scrollers and buyers. Notably, Joelle Mardinian’s reach of 21.5 million social media followers has helped her transform her clinic business into a media empire, blurring the lines between celebrity and mogul. Additionally, thanks to Nadine Labaki’s Oscar nomination, female film directors can now negotiate with major studios and streamers for their projects.
