Forbes Middle East has released its highly anticipated annual ranking of the region’s most powerful businesswomen, ranking leaders who are driving impact and transformation across industries for 2025
For the third year in a row, Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank—the U.A.E.’s largest bank in terms of assets—retains the top spot. Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar of NBK Group from Kuwait and Shaista Asif, cofounder and Group CEO of PureHealth Holding follow in second and third place, completing the top three.
Including Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar, six women from Kuwait find their place in this list. Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb, CEO of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) in on 4th rank and Dana Nasser Al Sabah, Group CEO, Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) – KIPCO is on fifth rank.
Other Kuwaiti women in the list are Nadia Bader Al-Hajji, CEO of Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), Henadi Al-Saleh, Chairperson - Agility and Donna Sultan, President & CEO of KEO International Consultants
Egyptian national Elham Mahfouz, who is residing in Kuwait and is the CEO of Commercial Bank of Kuwait (Al-Tijari) is also in the list.
Indian national Sima Ganwani Ved - Founder & Chairwoman of Founder & Chairwoman, Kami Viswanathan - FedEx and Poonam Bhojani - CEO of Innoventures Education are the Indian nationals in the list of most powerful business women in the Middle East.