Starting Strong

You’ve got to give it to 2021, this new year began knowing it had a dauntingly heavy weight of expectation on its shoulders. At midnight on December 31, 2020, people around the world held their breath and offered up a silent prayer for change, a new beginning, a hopeful future. One month in and I think it’s fair to say it has delivered a mixed bag so far, but as always let’s focus on the positives.

Vaccines: the most important discussion of the day. Personally, I feel very lucky that vaccines are not a new thing to me. I clearly remember rolling up the sleeve of my school shirt for a shot, and I still have a small scar from the BCG. I was not aware then of whether there were different options available, nor did I ask. But the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccinations has changed things. At the time of writing, China, the U.K., Russia, and the U.S. both on its own and with Germany have developed vaccines, and how they work, how effective they are, who will have one, which one is the best, and whether they have tiny robots in them have become common debates around many tables. One of the key questions of course is who is benefitting? Last year, two of the COVID-19 vaccines minted at least four new billionaires according to Forbes, including German BioNTech co-founder, Uğur Şahin, who joined the three-comma-club 12 years after establishing his company. In this issue we take a look at the moneymakers behind these pioneering medicines. (For the record, I have just had the first shot of Sinopharm, and so far I feel robot-free.)

Another ground-breaking event occurred last month, which witnessed the swearing in of the U.S.’s new President following an election that seemed to go on for years. But, as good as his inauguration speech was, I feel like Joe Biden’s thunder was stolen a little—and I don’t just mean by Amanda Gorman’s astounding reading. As the world watched on January 20, Kamala Harris become the first woman to be sworn in as Vice President of the U.S. This was a moving historic moment and a proud day for women everywhere. As the world’s largest economy and one of its most powerful influences, what happens in the U.S. impacts us all. For those of us that prayed to 2021 for change, this moment felt like an answer.

So, it’s fitting to be combining our first issue of 2021 with our annual list of the Middle East’s Power Businesswomen. In this ranking we celebrate the power and influence of women in the Middle East, highlighting the achievements and accolades of the region’s most fearless females heading its biggest organizations. This year we can say more than ever that these formidable business leaders have world-class strength, stamina, and ingenuity because they have all led their companies through 2020, one of the most testing battlegrounds many businesses have ever found themselves on. They are survivors, commanders, and innovators—and that’s why this list is a suitable start to this particular new year.

2021 may have a long way to go, but this feels like a good way to begin.