Riyadh to Host Fortune's Inaugural Most Powerful Women International Summit
Fortune has announced its first Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit that will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 20-21 May, 2025. This marks the first international summit in the region focused on female leadership.
The Fortune Most Powerful Women community includes top leaders from various industries and governments worldwide. Renowned for its agenda-setting discussions, the Summit will address key forces shaping the global business landscape. Additionally, it will explore how public and private sectors can collaborate to enhance innovation and growth.
Attendees will discuss pressing topics, including crisis leadership, adapting to economic shifts, scaling emerging technologies, and uncovering new opportunities in investing and healthcare. They will also examine the evolving businesses in sports, entertainment, and design.
A Step Towards Vision 2030
Fortune is hosting this summit in Saudi Arabia to align with the country's Vision 2030 objectives, focusing on investing in growth, innovation, and women's progress in both business and society. As a result, the women's workforce participation rate has increased to 36%, more than doubled from 17% in 2017. Furthermore, Saudi women now own 45% of the nation's small and medium-sized businesses, significantly contributing to the economy's entrepreneurial development.
Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit will grant global leaders access to this burgeoning market. This event aims to foster partnership opportunities and expand the global community.
'Fortune strives to be at the center of new frontiers in global business, and Saudi Arabia is one of those places,' said Anastasia Nyrkovskaya, CEO of Fortune. 'It's an ideal time to gather the world's most influential women in Riyadh to inspire, connect, and drive progress.'
Alyson Shontell, Editor in Chief of Fortune, emphasized the significance of Saudi Arabia's impact on the global economy in her piece titled 'Why Fortune MPW is Going Global.' She highlighted Fortune's commitment to fostering progress through authoritative journalism. 'Given Saudi Arabia's recent acceleration, especially for women, we are excited to document the progress there too.'
Celebrating Inspirational Leadership
On 20 May, Fortune will reveal its renowned 100 Most Powerful Women in Business list. Now in its 28th year, this list honors global female leaders who drive innovation across numerous sectors, including finance, technology, healthcare, telecom, retail, and energy. The 2024 edition recognized leaders from 19 countries and territories, with over half serving as CEOs of Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies.
The Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit will partner with the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA).
Fortune is a global media company known for its trusted reporting and information that aims to improve business practices. As an independently owned entity, Fortune tells the stories of significant companies and emerging innovators alike. Its iconic rankings include the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women, and World's Most Admired Companies.
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