Most Influential Kuwaiti Businesswomen

Kuwait is one of the richest countries in the world and is known worldwide as one of the main oil exporters. However, not many people know that the Gulf country is home to some of the most successful and pioneering businesswomen and entrepreneurs.

Here is a list of the most influential businesswomen and entrepreneurs in Kuwait:

Her Highness Sheikha Bashayer Al Sabah

Al Sabah is a successful businesswoman and the honorary president of the Arab Fashion Council in Kuwait. She is also passionate about charities of all kinds. She has become a social media success and a lifestyle icon for several people.

Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar

Al Bahar is a Kuwaiti business leader who made it to Forbes Middle East's annual list of the region's most powerful businesswomen for 2023. She is the Deputy Group CEO of National Bank of Kuwait Group (NBK). She has been Deputy Group CEO of NBK since March 2014 and is Chairperson of NBK Egypt and NBK France. In 2022, Al Bahar was honored with an award for her Distinguished Services to Arab Banking from the Arab Bankers Association.

Wadha Ahmed Al-Khateeb

Al-Khateeb is another businesswoman who made it to Forbes' list. She is the CEO of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC). Al-Khateeb became CEO of KNPC in 2022 and has 28 years of experience in the oil sector. Among her many achievements, Al-Khateeb registered the Flare Gas Recovery Unit—the first Kuwaiti project to be listed in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Dana Nasser Al Sabah

Al Sabah is Group CEO of Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) - KIPCO. She assumed the role of Group CEO in January 2022 and since then has merged KIPCO with Qurain Petrochemical Industries, which has created one of the largest public companies in the region with a market cap of $1.8 billion in 2023. She was named as one Forbes Middle East's 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen list for 2023. 

Noor Al-Qatami

Al-Qatami is the founder and CEO of high-end hypermarket Saveco under the umbrella of her Al-Qatami Group to mimic the grocery shopping experiences that she had while living in the US. Saveco opened its first grand store in 2014, and brings convenience and savings to the Kuwait market.

Henadi Al-Saleh 

Al-Saleh is another name featured in the latest Forbes businesswomen list. She is the Chairperson of the logistics company Agility. She took on this role in 2014 and in 2021. Under Al-Saleh's management, Agility recorded revenues of $1.6 billion. In 2022, the company received the UK-based John Menzies PLC for around $930 million in enterprise value because of Al-Saleh's leadership. 

Eaman Al Roudhan

Al Roudhan is CEO of Zain Kuwait. Under her management, Zain made $1 billion in revenues in 2021 and $844 million during the first nine months of 2022 and its customers reached 2.6 million in the same year. 

Jehad Al-Humaidhi 

Al-Humaidhi is the CEO of Ahli United Bank of Kuwait. She has been CEO of the bank since September 2021 and has 38 years of experience in banking. Al-Humadhi also serves as a board member and vice chairman of K-NET, Ci Net, Al Hilal Takaful Insurance, and Al Hilal Life.

Dana AlKhobaizi

AlKhobaizi became the very first Kuwaiti businesswoman ever to launch an activewear brand, SOM Active. She is currently the Co-Founder of Kuwait Outlet Company. She holds a BA and MA in International Relations.

Nadia Bader Al-Hajji

Al-Hajji is the CEO of Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC). She became CEO of PIC in November 2022 and has around 30 years of experience in her field. In 2021, Al-Hajji was part of the PIC team that acquired a 49% stake in a key petrochemical company in South Korea with a successful launch of the new joint venture company.

Nadia Akil

Nadia Akil is the CEO and Vice Chairman of United Projects for Aviation Services Company (UPAC). She has been in this role since 2012 and under her leadership, the company gained $24 million in revenues in the first nine months of 2022.