She’s Next: Celebrating Women Who Are Redefining Business in the Middle East

Women in the Middle East have come a long way from those days when cultural expectations, lack of funding, absence of role models, and inadequate networking opportunities held them back from pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams. In fact, female participation in the workforce is on the rise, and by 2025, likely to add USD 2.7 trillion to the economy of the region. The rapid growth in digital technologies has especially helped ambitious ladies to foray into male-dominated fields and succeed. So, this Women Entrepreneurship Day, let’s take a look at some of the female trailblazers who are bridging the gender disparity in the world of business with efficiency and style.

8 Women Entrepreneurs Breaking the Glass Ceiling

While the pace at which women are progressing in the business world might vary across countries, there is no denying the positive change taking place. Improved access to education, better awareness about gender equality, increasing recognition of women’s role in economic growth, and government initiatives (like Gender Balance Council in the UAE) are driving the success of female business leaders. So, with Women Entrepreneurship Day 2024 coming up shortly, get inspired by these incredible female entrepreneurs.

1. Nora Al Shaikh (KSA): Nora has been creating waves in the fashion industry since 2012, by blending the rich heritage of Arabia with global, contemporary styles. She rose to fame by launching a luxury ready-to-wear collection, and since then, her creations have been showcased in international publications as well as retail events and trunk shows in Los Angeles and New York. Celebrities like Dove Cameron, Fergie, and Julia Michaels have worn her pieces too.
2. Hind Bahwan (Oman): A graduate from the prestigious Harvard Business School, Hind is the founder and CEO of Bahawan CyberTek Group. On Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, she deserves special mention for her contribution to the fields of logistics, IT, and engineering. The Woman of Power Award was conferred to Hind by Asian Business Leadership in 2011 and she also won the Global Young Leader award in 2007 from the World Economic Forum.
3. Fida Taher (Jordan): Fida founded Atbaki, a digital platform that produces and distributes culinary videos revolving around delectable recipes. Over 2 million people use the site and the content is offered in Arabic to simplify interactions. A graduate in Communication Arts, Fida is backed by extensive work experience in the media domain and boasts more than 400,000 followers on Facebook.
4. Salma Bougarrani (Morocco): Salma is a scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of Green Watech, a company that leverages simple mechanisms to clean household wastewater and make it suitable for irrigation, thereby benefiting thousands of Moroccan villagers. Watech has managed to treat over 200 million liters of water till date. Salma also won the prestigious Cartier Women’s Initiative prize for Middle East this year. She is sure to inspire this Women Entrepreneurship Day.
5. Mona Kattan (UAE): The co-founder and global president of Huda Beauty, Mona commenced her entrepreneurial journey with fragrance manufacturing. A well-known disruptor in the retail landscape, she has an impressive presence on social media. Mona is also the co-founder of Dubai’s HB Investments, which boasts a wide investment portfolio that includes a cloud kitchen network, wellness supplements, luxury goods, and more.
6. Noor Al Qatami (Kuwait): Noor founded Saveco, a local mega-market that first opened up to customers in 2014. The idea behind the brand was fueled by Noor’s love for grocery shopping and admiration for the convenience that shopping in the USA offers. A graduate from Bentley University, she also proved her mettle while working at her father’s steel organization.
7. Mona Zulficar (Egypt): A corporate, project finance, and banking attorney, Mona is the co-founder of Zulficar & Partners. She is also a human rights activist and featured among the 100 most powerful businesswomen in the Arab region by Forbes in 2023. Besides being the president of the Egyptian Federation for Financing Medium, Small, & Micro Projects, Mona chairs multiple NGOs. She founded the Al Tadamun Microfinance Foundation and has served as the deputy chairperson of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee.
8. Shaista Asif (UAE): The list of trailblazers on Women Entrepreneurship Day 2024 is incomplete without Shaista, the co-founder and group CEO of PureHealth Group. For 16 years, she has been revolutionizing the healthcare industry and successfully managing multiple acquisitions. Shaista is committed to a sustainable future and has also led many AI-backed initiatives (like Pura, a healthcare companion app). She also facilitated the launch of a mentorship initiative, the Emirati Women Chapter.

Women Entrepreneurship Day: Realize Your True Potential

So, this Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, if you too want to emerge and thrive in Middle East’s business landscape, gear up. Tech innovations can help you research, plan, launch, and grow any business. Moreover, the surge in mentorship programs, networking events, and women-led venture capital firms can provide you the necessary knowhow, collaboration, and funding. Women-centric incubators and accelerators can help with the ideation, planning, and implementation of business plans. Also, join hands with PayTabs to set up a smart, efficient, fast, and secure payment ecosystem. It will enhance your customer’s experience, attract more traffic, and improve the conversion rate.

As MENA’s top online payments infrastructure company, PayTabs hopes to power online transactions with advanced solutions. Our aim is to drive financial inclusion and local commerce with simple, scalable, and safe solutions.