Power Players
We’re beginning the year as we mean to go on with a power list packed with exceptional individuals at the head of many of the most influential and transformational companies in the Middle East—and they're all women, which just makes it all the more special for me.
Most of the people on this list have been working their way up a steep career ladder for decades to reach the top of their professions. And let's not forget how much the world has moved on in those decades. If there were glass ceilings to be smashed, these are some of the titans that first smashed them.
However, surprisingly (being blessed as I am to get to meet some of these leaders) many don't actually speak about glass ceilings. They speak of the support they received from their teams and their families, and the determination they always had to fulfil their goals. They speak of challenges and hard work and being constantly able and willing to change and innovate. They remember late nights and long projects, and getting back up after multiple failures. And they talk about the future and the change they can't wait to still make, because being at the top doesn't mean you stop. They are proud to be female leaders for sure—but mostly, they're just leaders.
It is important to take a moment to remember what unites us, even in the world of business. And every leader has common traits—they're obsessive and stubborn and they know how to inspire people. It's attitude, talent and luck. None of these traits are specific to gender, age or nationality. So, as with every women's issue, I look at this with pride and I hope that the markets around us continue to evolve so that we see more women on all of our lists as this decade moves forward, for no reason other than when it comes to our passions we are equal in every way that counts.
Within these pages you will find quite a few new names on our list this year —22 to be exact—which we've helpfully marked for you, and many that you will have heard of before. We champion the record breakers and the game changers, and take a look at the Under-30 Arab innovators that made it to the Forbes U.S. list for 2020. Enjoy.