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Women leaders transforming GCC's economic landscape: A new era of influence
Leaders redefining governance, growth and sectoral execution across the Gulf
- PUBLISHED: Sun 25 Jan 2026, 8:00 AM
- By:
- Sana Eqbal
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Across the GCC, women are no longer entering leadership narratives as symbols of inclusion or policy milestones. They are emerging as operational decision-makers, shaping capital flows, corporate governance and sectoral transformation across finance, energy, healthcare and industrial markets. Their influence is increasingly measurable, reflected in balance sheets, expansion strategies and institutional reform rather than representation metrics.
This shift mirrors a broader evolution in the Gulf’s economic model. As GCC economies accelerate diversification and open key sectors to foreign capital, leadership capability has become a strategic asset. Boards, regulators and investors are prioritising execution over optics, and women are increasingly occupying roles where policy intent meets commercial delivery.
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The following profiles highlight ten women whose leadership carries direct relevance for investors and market participants. They are not grouped by advocacy themes or social milestones, but by sectoral impact, scale of responsibility and strategic reach across the GCC.
Finance and Capital Markets
Hana Al Rostamani, Nationality: Emirati; Group CEO, First Abu Dhabi Bank (UAE)
As CEO of the UAE’s largest bank by assets, Hana Al Rostamani oversees an institution central to regional liquidity, project finance and cross-border capital deployment. Under her leadership, FAB has expanded its international footprint while maintaining strong capital adequacy and balance-sheet discipline. For investors, her role signals continuity and institutional strength at the core of the UAE’s financial system.
Sarah Al Suhaimi, Nationality: Saudi; Chairperson, Saudi Tadawul Group
(Saudi Arabia)
As chair of the Saudi Stock Exchange, Sarah Al Suhaimi sits at the centre of the kingdom’s capital market reform agenda. Her leadership has coincided with increased market participation, regulatory modernisation and the integration of Saudi equities into global indices. Tadawul’s evolution under her tenure directly affects market depth, foreign investor access and valuation transparency.
Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar, Nationality: Kuwaiti; Deputy Group CEO,
National Bank of Kuwait (Kuwait)
One of Kuwait’s most senior banking executives, Shaikha Al Bahar plays a key role in strategy, risk oversight and regional expansion at NBK. Her influence extends across corporate banking and regional operations, offering investors visibility into Kuwait’s financial sector governance and cross-border capital flows.
Energy, Infrastructure and Industry
Tayba Al Hashemi, Nationality: Emirati; CEO, Adnoc Offshore (UAE)
Leading one of Adnoc’s most strategically important operating companies, Tayba Al Hashemi oversees offshore production critical to the UAE’s energy output. Her role intersects directly with upstream investment, energy security and operational efficiency, areas of continued relevance even as the region expands into renewables.
Wadha Ahmad Al Khateeb, Nationality: Kuwaiti; Senior Executive, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (Kuwait)
Operating within one of the GCC’s most influential state-owned energy entities, Al Khateeb contributes to operational strategy and sector modernisation. Her leadership reflects the gradual but meaningful evolution of governance within Kuwait’s energy sector, a key determinant of long-term fiscal stability.
Healthcare, Technology and Services
Fouziyah Al-Jarallah, Nationality: Saudi; Owner & Group CEO, Hayat National Hospitals Group
Fouziyah Al-Jarallah is CEO of Al-Inma Medical Services Company, which operates the Hayat National Hospitals Group. The group runs six hospitals, recording over 1.5 million patient visits and 40,000 surgeries annually. In 2024, it partnered with GE HealthCare to equip three new hospitals. She also serves on national healthcare governance bodies in Saudi Arabia.
Hind Bahwan Nationality: Omani; Founder and Chairperson, Hind Bahwan Group
Hind Bahwan is founder and chairperson of the Hind Bahwan Group, which spans 12 companies across technology, energy, infrastructure, education and lifestyle sectors. She also founded and chairs Bahwan CyberTek Group. In 2024, the group expanded internationally through acquisitions, and she was appointed chair of the Family Business Council Gulf.
Logistics
Henadi Al Saleh, Nationality: Kuwaiti; Title: Chairperson, Agility, Kuwait
Henadi Al Saleh is a senior executive at Agility, where she has led investor relations, financial planning and analysis since joining in 2007, and has held her current role since 2014. Agility operates across six continents with 65,000 employees, generating $3.7 billion in revenue in the first nine months of 2024, and was listed on ADX in 2024.
Policy, Strategy and Institutional Development
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Nationality: Emirati; Chair of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court (UAE); Vice Chair and Managing Director of 2PointZero
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri holds a senior strategic role at the UAE Presidential Court, where she chairs the International Affairs Office, overseeing international partnerships and long-term policy coordination. She is also CEO of 2PointZero, a global investment company focused on smart sustainability, food systems, climate solutions and future-oriented industries. Her work sits at the intersection of government policy, sovereign investment strategy and ESG-aligned capital deployment, positioning her as a key figure in the UAE’s sustainability and international investment agenda.
Dana Nasser Al Sabah, Nationality: Kuwaiti; Executive Director, Kuwait Projects Company (KIPCO)
As part of the leadership at one of Kuwait’s most influential investment groups, Dana Al Sabah contributes to portfolio strategy across financial services, real estate and industrial holdings. Her role reflects the increasing professionalisation of family-linked investment entities across the GCC.
Beauty and Fashion
Huda Kattan, Founder and CEO, Huda Beauty, UAE
Huda Kattan founded Huda Beauty in 2013 after building an online following through her beauty blog, launched in 2010. The brand has since grown into a globally recognised cosmetics company with operations and distribution spanning multiple international markets. In 2020, Kattan stepped back from the chief executive role, returning in February 2024 as CEO following a period as co-CEO. Her return marked a renewed strategic focus, including a brand identity refresh unveiled in mid-2024 and the launch of the Ube Obsessions collection in January 2025. Based in the UAE, Kattan also serves as a board member at Humantra and chairwoman of HB Investments, reflecting her expanding role in consumer-facing investment and brand-led entrepreneurship.
Leadership as an investment signal
What unites these leaders is not visibility, but institutional consequence. They operate in sectors where policy direction, capital allocation and execution discipline intersect. Their decisions influence how markets function, how capital is deployed and how reforms translate into operational outcomes.
For investors assessing the GCC, leadership depth is increasingly a proxy for market maturity. The presence of women in senior decision-making roles across banking, energy, infrastructure and healthcare reflects a broader recalibration of governance standards. It signals continuity, professionalism and a growing emphasis on performance over perception.
As the GCC advances towards 2030, leadership capability will matter as much as regulatory reform or fiscal capacity. These women are not shaping narratives. They are shaping systems, and in doing so, reinforcing the Gulf’s position as a serious, investable economic bloc.
Selection criteria:
Current leadership roles in 2025
Senior decision-making positions in government, state-linked entities or private enterprises
Demonstrable operational or institutional impact, including scale of responsibility
Sectoral relevance to the GCC’s economic and investment landscape
Active roles influencing policy, capital allocation or market execution
Sana Eqbal is a journalist with over 10 years of experience and a media strategist specialising in corporate communications, public relations, digital media, and content management.