Top Arab Women Leaders Driving Business Excellence Across Middle East 

From boardrooms to global stages, Arab women now shape big decisions in finance, health, tech, and power sectors. At the top stands Hana Al Rostamani – running First Abu Dhabi Bank, known as FAB, with steady command. Her name leads Forbes Middle East’s 2025 ranking of 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen, a title she holds for three years straight. On another front, she appears at number 60 among Forbes’ World’s Most Powerful Women in 2024. 

One way to look at it – Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar runs the biggest bank in Kuwait, shaping long-term plans while pushing greener practices across NBK Group. Meanwhile, far from finance, Shaista Asif built a health empire called PureHealth Holding, stitching together clinics, tech tools, and care systems into something new. Her work quietly shifts how medicine moves through the Gulf. While others talk change, she builds it piece by piece. 

Overseeing the region’s biggest stock market is Sarah Al-Suhaimi, leading Saudi Tadawul Group with steady presence. In health services, Alisha Moopen runs Aster DM Healthcare GCC, pushing medical reach through Gulf nations. From makeup to worldwide fame, Huda Kattan shaped Huda Beauty into a major name. Meanwhile, scent trails lead back to Mona Kattan, launching KAYALI fragrances alongside her sister, shifting how Arab founders show up in beauty and style. 

Altogether, leadership roles held by these women stretch through 32 industries and involve 29 different countries of origin, the largest group coming from the UAE with 46 names listed – Egypt follows at 18, then Saudi Arabia at 9. Operating companies in fields like banking, where 25 stand out, along with health services led by 9, tech driven by another 9, plus 5 shaping venture funding, their presence reshapes both local markets and worldwide financial landscapes.