< Previous10 Vol. 22/03S, March 2021 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Dr Charles Elachi Professor Emeritus, Caltech SCIENCE AND EDUCATION Elie Saab Founder, Elie Saab Fashion FASHION DESIGN Bandar Bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources INDUSTRY Bayan Mahmoud Al Zahran Attorney LAW Elham Yousry Mahfouz CEO, Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) BANKING ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT women in Kuwait, Elham Mahfouz is the chief executive of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK). She also manages three departments: corporate credit, retail banking and treasury. CBK is the second-oldest bank in Kuwait and was founded in 1960. Today it has more than 40 branches across the region. With her expertise in the region, CBK is looking forward to a year of growth amid the challenges in the sector. T WO YEARS AG O, SAUDI Arabia split up the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources. Alkhorayef, a businessman from the eponymous industrial conglomerate, was nominated to run the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. With 27 years of experi- ence in leadership positions in the industrial, commer- cial and investment fields in the Alkhorayef Groip, he also chairs the Royal Commis- sion for Jubail and Yanbu, the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Programme. AL Z AHRAN COMMANDS serious respect in Saudi Arabia’s legal field. In 2013, she became the first Saudi female lawyer to appear in court in the conservative kingdom. In 2014, she set up the first all-female law firm with the objective to fight for the rights of Saudi women, as well as provide them with greater legal access in a highly conservative society that has traditionally prohib- ited women from associating with men. Al Zahran has previously told local media she believes female lawyers can signifi- cantly contribute to devel- oping the kingdom’s legal system, providing alternative representation. ONE OF THE THE RICHEST men in the world, Carlos Slim is worth an estimated $62.2bn from his extensive business operations and investments, including America Movil, Latin America’s biggest mobile telco. Born to Lebanese parents, he has lived his entire life in Mexico, where his businesses account for more than one- third of the country’s stock market. Carlos Slim Helu Investor, America Movil INVESTMENT IN 2012, WHEN NASA’S CURIOSITY rover touched down on Mars, it did so with the help of technology developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, headed by Dr Charles Elachi between 2012 and 2016. The rover had to decelerate from a speed of 20,000kmh to zero in just 15 minutes to effect a safe touchdown onto the planet’s surface. Originally from the Zahle, Lebanon, he is now professor (emeritus) of electrical engineering and planetary science at Caltech. ELIE SAAB IS SYNONYMOUS with the best dressed stars of Hollywood cinema, music, theatre and television. Born in Beirut to a wood merchant and housewife, his interest in dress making started when he was just nine years old. In 1982, aged 18, he opened his first couture atelier in Beirut with 15 staff. Today, more than 200 employees are part of Elie Saab Group. His empire includes boutiques in Beirut, Paris, London, Dubai, Hong Kong and Mexico. His collections are sold in 50 countries. 405,995 The number of people who follow Lebanese fashion icon Elie Saab on Twitter as of February 28arabianbusiness.com 11 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Dr Abdullatif M. Alshamsi President & CEO, Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) EDUCATION DR ABDULLATIF M. ALSHAMSI is an influential Emirati intel- lectual and academic. Dr Alshamsi is widely known thought leader and public speaker famous for his profound work as an expert q INNOVATION FOSTERS AGILITY; THE DIGITALLY NATIVE YOUTH DESERVES AN AGILE LEADERSHIP PREPARED TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE” 23,000 The number of students who attend in HTC’s 16 campuses academic, management leader and published author. Dr Alshamsi spearheads the UAE’s largest higher educa- tion institution, The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), providing him a unique posi- tion of influence over the Emirati and Arab youth. A seasoned man of letters, he writes and speaks with flair, specialising in a range of topics spanning fields such as pedagogical approaches in education, mechanical engi- neering, change and crisis management with special focus on technology integra- tion in educational practices. Dr Alshamsi has penned a series of books and more than 35 research publications in world-class scientific journals and international conferences. His work rose to promi- nence especially during the second half of the 2010s when he wrote about disrup- tion and the fourth industrial revolution. His future foresight and work with innovation in education prompted him to be regarded highly amongst his peers and industry veterans while draw- ing close comparisons with famous international academic Clayton Christensen. He is regarded as a visionary education leader who played an important role in foresee- ing the need to restructure education to suit Generation Z characteristics.12 Vol. 22/03S, March 2021 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Dr Cherif Sleiman Senior Vice President and General Manager of International Markets, Infoblox TECHNOLOGY DR CHERIF SLEIMAN IS A Charismatic business leader, inspirational public speaker, visionary technologist and ‘turnaround specialist’ who has built a reputation as the ‘Midas of the tech indus- try’ by turning around the fortunes of companies he works for and customers he works with. He has a deep commitment and passion for mentorship, talent develop- ment, leadership and diver- sity in the workplace. Of Lebanese descent, he spent 20 years in the US, where he amassed an impres- sive portfolio of patents in Silicon Valley while working for reputed high-tech compa- nies, before returning to the Middle East. Over an illustrious career spanning more than 26 years, he has held leader- ship positions at giants of the tech industry includ- ing Cisco, Nortel, Brocade and Infoblox. In his current role as SVP at Infoblox, he is helping drive the compa- ny’s overall sales and go-to- market transformation to deliver greater business outcomes for customers. He has turbocharged the company’s growth, using his deep technology experi- ence and business acumen to transform large-scale and highly complex businesses in mission-critical sectors such as finance, telecoms, government and intelligence in diverse regions across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Prior to joining Infoblox, Cherif worked at Cisco Systems as Senior Direc- tor, leading the Enterprise and Advanced Technolo- gies lines of business for the Middle East and Africa region. He also worked at Nortel Networks for eight years in various progressive roles, the last of which was serving as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Enter- prise Business Unit, where he was responsible for R&D strategy for a variety of tech- nology areas including Rout- ing, Switching, Optical, Wire- less LAN, IP Telephony and Security, and worked with several portfolios, business units and strategic customers to define the strategic vision and technology roadmaps. As an industry thought leader, he frequently shares his observations, predictions and insights about market shifts and technology trends in the networking, cloud and security space at interna- tional conferences, forums and media channels. He is a trusted advisor for many local and international executives and organisations. Providing some nuggets of wisdom, Dr Cherif offers organisations advice, saying, “For companies to thrive in the new normal, the focus can’t be on digital transfor- mation only, which is about embracing new technologies. It has to encompass workforce transformation as well, which calls for significant changes in leadership style and a focus on developing a strong, caring corporate culture.” He believes the formula for success in the new age = change in mindset of manag- ing people + change in the approach of building secure, reliable corporate networks. Dr Cherif advocates that organisations should obsess about developing five agilities in their lead- ers and people overall: Self awareness (knowing one’s strength, weaknesses and natural bias); mental agil- ity (the ability to handle complex and vague concepts and transitions); people agil- ity (be able to deal with diver- sity and inclusion); change agility (the ability to embrace new things that challenge everything you know); and results agility (delivering results based on new Key Performance Indicators). q FOR COMPANIES TO THRIVE IN THE NEW NORMAL, THE FOCUS CAN’T BE ON DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ONLY. IT HAS TO ENCOMPASS WORKFORCE TRANSFORMATION AS WELL”www.amaala.com AMAALA, located along Saudi Arabia’s northwest coast, is an ultra-luxury destination that focuses on curating transformative personal journeys inspired by arts, wellness and the purity of the Red Sea. AMAALA will allow travellers to immerse themselves in the finest wellness, art, culture, sports and fitness offerings, redefining the tourism experience. Hidden A Gem14 Vol. 22/03S, March 2021 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Fatima Al Jaber Chief Operating Offi cer, Al Jaber Group CONSTRUCTION Georges Richani Group CEO, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait BANKING AN ENGINEER BY TRAINING, Fatima Al Jaber is a board member and head of the projects committee at Al Jaber Group, founded by her father Obaid Al Jaber. She oversees 55,000 staff and operations behind scores of Gulf construction projects. She is also a board member of PJSC and Dana Gas. Al Jaber became the first Emirati woman to be elected to the board of directors at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce in 2009. DR HABIB AL MULLA HAS OVER 33 years’ experience in UAE law and has drafted many of Dubai’s modern legislative structures. He is chairman of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre’s (DIAC) Board of Trustees, and chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ UAE committee. He created the concept of financial free zones in the UAE and was the architect of the legal framework establishing the DIFC. He also served as legislative committee chairman of the Dubai Financial Services Authority. He is also a frequent commentator on UAE legislation and economy and is often consulted to draft and advise on Federal and Emirate RICHANI WAS NAMED GROUP CEO for Kuwait’s Al Ahli Bank in November last year. Prior to that he was the CEO, International Banking Group, of the National Bank of Kuwait, a role he assumed for almost eight years. He has extensive experience in treasury and capital market investment management as well as international credit. Richani holds a Bachelor in Arts degree from the American University of Beirut and an MBA from the UK’s Cass Business School. 3.8% The growth in the UAE construction sector this year according to GlobalData Dr Habib Al Mulla Executive Chairman, Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla LAW GHAITH AL GHAITH WA S appointed CEO of flydubai in 2008. He has enjoyed a career of more than 30 years in the aviation industry. He joined Emirates Airline as a management trainee in 1986. During his career at Emirates he held a number of positions including Executive Vice-President Commercial Operations Worldwide and Area Manager UK and Ireland. Under Al Ghaith’s strategic direction, over the past 11 years, the airline has grown its network to more than 70 destinations in 45 countries. Ghaith Al Ghaith CEO, fl ydubai AVIATION level laws. He has been lead counsel on numerous UAE and international arbitrations across a variety of sectors including construction, finance, commerce and maritime, as both counselor or expert witness. 4.4% The growth in the total number of companies operating in UAE free trade zones by end of mid-February 2021 arabianbusiness.com 15 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Faisal Al Bannai CEO of EDGE DEFENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Dr Farida Al Hosni UAE coronavirus response head GOVERNMENT Elissa Freiha Founder, WOMENA ENTREPRENEURSHIP Fadi Ghandour Executive Chairman, Wamda Capital ENTREPRENEURSHIP Fadi Jawad CEO and founder, Eurotech Oil and Gas Training ENERGY Faisal Faqeeh Founder and CEO, Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company REAL ESTATE AL BANNAI TRACK RECORD IN setting up companies and high-performance teams speaks for itself. He founded mobile phone retailer Axiom in 1997, and grew it from a team of just four employees into the region’s largest phone retailer and distributor. He then parlayed his technology savvy into founding Dark Matter in 2014, a cyber security company that he sold to private equity firms in 2019, when before confirming his new role as CEO of EDGE. WHEN THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic struck the UAE in March 2020, Dr Al Hosani assumed her role as the official spokesperson for healthcare sector in the UAE. She became a familiar face, updating the Emirates’ population on the pandemic’s developments and safety measures. Her specialties include public health, communicable and infectious diseases, and epidemiology. FADI JAWAD HAS ACHIEVED milestones in the energy training industry in the Arab world through his role in helping institutions develop their human resources and increase their budgets and financial provisions through his insights on training and human resources investment. He founded Eurotech Company in 1998 and over the years had become one of the largest training institutions in the region, and trained more than 225,000 employees. FAISAL FAQEEH IS BAHRAIN’S real estate visionary and the man behind building the Bin Faqeeh brand into a household name in less than a decade. Leading from the front, Faqeeh has been able to bring to life developments of small and large scale to the kingdom and reshape Bahrain’s landscape each year. He has also established a strong presence in Saudi Arabia. BY THE END OF 2017, WOMENA had invested more than AED3m in seven start-ups in the UAE, with funds sourced from more than 40 angel investors located in MENA and New York City. Freiha is a Dubai- based Lebanese-American who is driven by a passion for female empowerment, education and deal- making in the UAE’s SME space. Womena empowers female-led start-ups and increase the pipeline of women entrepreneurs in the regional ecosystem. It aims to build, connect and inspire a growing network of purpose-driven entrepreneurs, investors, leaders and creatives both through social network and via regional events. KNOWN AS THE FOUNDER OF Aramex , which became the first Arab-based company to be listed on the NASDAQ in 1997, Ghandour is now executive chairman at Wamda Capital where he advocates for regional start-up concerns ranging from mentoring to funding. He was also a founding partner of Maktoob. com, before it was acquired by Yahoo! for $165m in 2010. Through Mena Venture Investments, he manages investments in early stage start- ups. He also set up Ruwwad, a non-profit organisation that works with communities through education and youth volunteerism across Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Palestine.16 Vol. 22/03S, March 2021 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Hadi Ghanem CEO, 7 Production MEDIA FEW UAE-BASED ENTRE- preneurs can match Hadi Ghanem for sheer breadth of experience. After study- ing in Lebanon and the US, Ghanem’s first business venture in Dubai was all the way back in 1975 – when he established businesses that provide pesticide, fertilizer and landscaping services to both corporate and individ- ual clients. Later on he added firefight- ing equipment sales to his portfolio, before incorpo- rating a number of security service companies that served the emirate’s fast-growing hospitality sector. During this period, he also established Rolachema, an importer of top perfumes and skincare brands, before opening a chain of beauty salons. However, he is perhaps proudest of 7 Production. Following its establishment in Dubai in 2007, he company has grown to become the Middle East and North Afri- ca’s largest live broadcasting production company, with offices and people working across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Finland and the UK. Through market-leading innovations and unmatched technological prowess in the region – including the 4K tech- nology truck – it’s little surprise that 7 Production is the go-to broadcast provider for events such as Formula One, Expo 2020 Dubai, various endur- ance races and much more. Having launched 7 Produc- tion as an equipment rental business, Ghanem found that understanding clients’ needs helped grow their base into a stream of local and interna- tional operators. Once 7 Production began working with international networks such as CNN, MBC and the BBC, the produc- tion house grew into a full- service, end-to-end provider of complex broadcasting solutions. While the cutting-edge 4K/HD-ready facilities avail- able across 7 Production’s studios and OB vehicle fleet are important, the company’s highly skilled technical teams operating across the region are the ones who make the magic happen. An example of this was on September 23, 2018, when Saudi Arabia celebrated its 88th national day with a range of events, the center- piece of which was Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever Saudi Arabia performance in q TO BUILD SUCH A REPUTATION IS NOT EASY” 5,000 The area in square metres of 7 Production’s studio facilities — among the largest in the region Riyadh. In what was one of the theatrical performance company’s largest shows ever, the event organised by MBC Group was attended by 27,000 guests of the General Authority for Entertainment. Broadcast live on MBC1 to an audience of more than 200 million viewers, the event put a global spot- light on Saudi National Day celebrations, and therefore also on the broadcaster. It was the first time a perfor- mance by the world-famous entertainment troupe was to be broadcast on live TV. So the challenge included not just capturing the dazzling colours and spectacular artistry of the Cirque du Soleil show for a live TV audi- ence, but to also broadcast and present National day celebrations taking place at ten different locations. “To build such a reputation is not easy,” Ghanem told ITP Media Group title Digital Studio ME at the time. “You are dealing with the government and when they are having such an important event such as Saudi national day or the opening of the Dubai Water Canal which is broadcast everywhere, you cannot afford to make a mistake especially when they know you have the qualifica- tion to do such big jobs.” With such wealth of knowl- edge, Ghanem continues to shape different segments of the industry by investing in and mentoring promising entrepreneurs.AT YOUR SERVICE ACROSS THE REGION Enjoy ABK’s Simpler Banking services in Kuwait, Egypt, and the UAE. Simpler Banking EGYPT KUWAIT UAE18 Vol. 22/03S, March 2021 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Khaled Al Huraimel Group CEO, Bee’ah SUSTAINABILITY Lubna Olayan Chairwoman, SABB, Alawwal Bank BANKING Issam Kazim CEO, Dubai Tourism HOSPITALITY Jassim Alseddiqi Group CEO, SHUAA Capital INVESTMENT Joumana Haddad Journalist and activist MEDIA Khaled Al Shehhi Executive Director, Marketing & Communications, UAE Government Media Offi ce – Ministry of Cabinet Affairs GOVERNMENT KHALED AL HURAIMEL IS THE Group CEO of Bee’ah, and has served in this capacity since August 2009. Bee’ah has transformed from a waste management company to a sustainability pioneer which is setting new benchmarks for quality of life across the MENA region. Al Huraimel has been the force behind Bee’ah’s vision for the future, facilitating the achievement of remarkable milestones, such as building the first waste-to-energy plant in the Middle East. LUBNA OLAYAN FIRST MADE history in 2005 as the first woman to make a public address at a conference in Saudi Arabia. Olayan has become the first chairwoman of a Saudi bank after Saudi British Bank (SABB) and Alawwal Bank confirmed a merger. Integration of Alawwal Bank and SABB is targeted to complete on 14th March 2021. Managing a smooth migration for customers to its combined banking proposition remains a number one priority. OFTEN CALLED ONE OF THE most “ hated women in Lebanon”, Haddad is known for her controversial, Beirut- based Arabic-language culture magazine Jasad, which covers taboo subjects, including sexism, through literature, art and science. Haddad also actively rallies for the issues she writes about as a member of the board of advisors of MARCH Lebanon, a NGO that fights censorship. She has published several bestselling books. IN HIS R OLE , AL SHEHHI oversees and develops strategic plans and policies to increase the digital influence and outreach of various initiatives and projects. His efforts in digital communications of government initiatives contribute to strengthening the UAE’s reputation as an incubator for developmental, humanitarian, cultural and knowledge projects. ISSAM KAZIM IS CEO OF DUBAI Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), which was established in 2013 as an affiliate of Dubai Tourism. Having built DCTCM’s team and network of international offices from the ground up, Kazim leads all activities related to the promotion and marketing of the emirate of Dubai. Kazim’s accomplishments since taking up his post in February 2014 include developing innovative destination tools and dynamic digital platforms to enhance the visitor experience in Dubai as well as collaborations with A-list celebrities. His campaigns have featured celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Shah Rukh Khan. JASSIM ALSEDDIQI IS THE Group Chief Executive Officer of SHUAA Capital, the leading asset management and investment banking platform, with $14bn in assets under management. Alseddiqi is known for his dynamic and innovative approach, having pioneered many investment strategies in the region. He is currently the Chairman of GFH Financial Group, Islamic Arab Insurance Company (SALAMA), Eshraq Investments, Khaleeji Commercial Bank and The Entertainer. He also serves on the boards of First Abu Dhabi Bank, ADNOC Distribution and Dana Gas. He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.arabianbusiness.com 19 THE AR AB POWER LIS T / 2021 Huda Kattan Founder and CEO, Huda Beauty RETAIL Ismail Al Hammadi Founder and CEO, Al Ruwad Real Estate REAL ESTATE Hala Gorani Host, CNN MEDIA Dr Hayat Sindi Scientist and founder, Diagnostics For All SCIENCE Hatem Dowidar Acting Group CEO, Etisalat TELECOMS Hussain Sajwani Founder and chairman, Damac Holding REAL ESTATE FEW HAVE SCALED THE HEIGHTS of success that the Dubai- based, Iraqi-American has managed. The finance graduate is best known for founding the Huda Beauty cosmetics line sold in collaboration with French cosmetics giant Sephora. The beauty influencer (she has over 47.8 million followers on Instagram) began starring in her own original Facebook Watch reality series, Huda Boss. “As a brand, we are fun yet sophisticated, and we are always innovating!” she said. ISMAIL AL HAMMADI IS THE current CEO and founder of Al Ruwad Real Estate and Biznet Consulting, two renowned and well-established companies in Dubai. He is known for establishing relations with the government and semi- government bodies, such as Dubai Municipality, DCCA, DMCC, DED, DLD and Dubai Industrial Park, enabling him to provide consultancies concerning sales or purchase of properties. PREVIOUSL Y CEO International of Etisalat, Dowidar was named acting group CEO when Saleh Al Abdooli stepped down in May 2020. Dowidar has over 24 years’ experience in multinational companies, 18 of which are in telecom. Prior to joining Etisalat, he was the Group chief of staff for Vodafone Group in London, and has held roles with the Daimler Benz Group and Procter & Gamble. THE UAE NATIONAL STARTED HIS career as a Contracts Manager in GASCO, a subsidiary of ADNOC. In 1982 he started his own catering venture, which now has more than 200 projects and serves over 150,000 meals daily across the MENA and CIS. In 2002 he established Damac Properties and to date the company has delivered over 25,000 units, with a development portfolio of over 40,000 at various stages of planning and progress. HALA GORANI IS AN ANCHOR and correspondent for CNN International and is based in London. In addition to her anchoring duties, Gorani often goes into the field to report on major breaking news stories. Most recently covering the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon in 2014. Hala also covered the 2012 Egyptian Elections and has previously reported extensively from Jordan and Egypt. She was instrumental in CNN’s coverage of the Arab Spring. In 2010, Gorani covered the devastating earthquake in Haiti, for which CNN’s coverage was recognised with a Golden Nymph award – one of the highest honors in international journalism – at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. BESIDES BEING THE FIRST Saudi and female scientist to become a UNESCO ambassador for sciences, and one of the first 30 women to be appointed to Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council, Hayat Sindi was also the first woman from the Gulf to obtain a PhD in biotechnology from Cambridge. She later co-founded a non-profit organisation called Diagnostics For All, which creates affordable diagnostic devices for people. 2001 The year in which Hayat Sindi received her PhD in biotechnology Next >