Latest news with #SaudiWomen
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Cultural Attaché Highlights Saudi Identity at Woodrow Wilson House Exhibition
The Saudi Cultural Attaché in the United States took part recently in the Fashioning Power, Fashioning Peace exhibition and gala held at Woodrow Wilson House. The event brought together diplomatic, cultural, and media figures from over 50 countries worldwide. The attaché showcased the Saudi Thobe Al-Nashal, a traditional women's dress, emphasizing support for the creativity of Saudi female designers and highlighting the growing presence of Saudi women across various domains, SPA reported. Saudi Cultural Attaché to the US and Canada Tahani Al-Baiz emphasized the exhibition's role in presenting Saudi identity through the visual arts and fostering cultural dialogue on a global scale. She emphasized the importance of culture and the arts as significant soft power tools for the Kingdom, enhancing its international presence and highlighting its unique identity.
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi women lead conversation on leadership, investment and cultural power at Fortune summit
RIYADH: The influence Saudi women increasingly are having on global culture, policies, investment and innovation was in the spotlight on Wednesday during the second and final day of the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh. In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Princess Noura bint Faisal reflected on her own unexpected path to cultural leadership, the strategic value of soft power, and the expanding economic role of the creative sector in the Kingdom. 'I never thought I would be in the creative world,' she said. 'But when I moved back to Saudi after Vision 2030 launched, I saw an opportunity to build something meaningful.' Her journey since then has included the launch of Saudi Fashion Week in 2018 and helping to establish the Fashion Commission at the Ministry of Culture. 'We created infrastructure that didn't exist: new jobs, policies and real career paths for people with creative talent,' Princess Noura said. Princess Noura emphasized the important need to integrate culture across all industries, from retail and the food and beverage sector to sports and corporate strategy: 'Culture isn't a fixed definition. It's how you express your identity and it can absolutely be monetized if it's supported by the right business model.' The concluding day of the summit featured a strong focus on entrepreneurship, economic diversification and sectoral transformation. Noor Sweid, founder and managing partner of Global Ventures, offered insights into her company's regional approach to tech investment. Rather than sticking to fixed sectors, she said it backs sectors that have long been 'underbuilt,' including financial technology in 2018, healthcare in 2020 and, more recently, manufacturing. One standout example of this approach, she said, is a company that digitizes spare-part inventories for oil and gas businesses using 3D printing, thereby resolving supply-chain gaps and sustainability challenges in real time. Her comments were complemented by insights from Aidan Madigan-Curtis, general partner at Eclipse Ventures, who discussed the ways in which geopolitical shocks and climate pressures are forcing venture capitalists to refocus on industrial technology. 'VCs like to say they're long-term but they're also deeply cyclical,' she noted, arguing that the future lies in reinventing the ways in which the world makes, moves and powers things, taking into account developments such as automation and advanced manufacturing. Cultural transformation through sport was a major theme during a panel moderated by Lama Alhamawi of Arab News, titled 'New Heights.' Adwa Al-Arifi, the Saudi assistant minister for sports affairs, said that since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, physical activity among Saudis has increased from just 13 percent to more than 50 percent. The Kingdom's National Sports Strategy focuses on mass participation, youth development and elite performance, three pillars that have already led to the achievement of some historic milestones in women's sports, such as the qualification of taekwondo athlete Dunya Abutaleb for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Several women shared their personal journeys in sports. Zamzam Al-Hammadi, who competes in the mixed martial arts Professional Fighters League, credited her mother for inspiring her career. Boxing expert Rasha Al-Khamis told how early support from her father gave her the confidence to pursue combat sports. Mashael Al-Obaidan said Saudi Arabia's desert culture sparked her love of motorsports. Aalia Al-Rasheed, head of women's football at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, spoke about the explosive growth in grassroots programs for the sport and revealed that more than 70,000 girls now play in school leagues. Other sessions explored the economic and creative value of the fashion industry. During one on-stage discussion, Princess Noura reflected on what she considered one of the most notable outcomes of recent reforms in the country, the formal recognition of creative professionals. 'Before Vision 2030, designers weren't even able to register their own commercial licenses,' she said. 'There was no such thing as a fashion business. Today, designers can register as fashion professionals, operate legally and access support structures that didn't exist before.' This shift is emblematic of Saudi Arabia's broader cultural transformation, in which creativity is no longer only a passion but also a viable and valued career path, she added. The day's sessions together highlighted the expanding leadership roles of Saudi women across diverse sectors and the determination of authorities in the Kingdom to turn strategic pillars such as culture, investment, sport and technology into economic engines.
Trade Arabia
20-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Lubna Olayan to open Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Riyadh
Lubna Olayan, one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent business leaders, who has appeared 12 times on Fortune's Most Powerful Women in Business list, will open the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh today (May 20). Olayan will set the tone for the two-day gathering, which marks Fortune's first international Most Powerful Women summit in the Middle East — a milestone moment that reflects the Kingdom's focus on advancing women's leadership in business. The summit will also feature an unprecedented presence of senior Saudi female officials, representing leadership across multiple sectors of government, including: • Princess Haifa Mohammed Al Saud – Vice Minister of Tourism • Dr Hala Al-Tuwaijri – President, Saudi Human Rights Commission • Dr Einas bint Suleiman Al-Eisa – Deputy Minister of Education • Adwa Al-Arifi – Assistant Minister for Sport Affairs, Ministry of Sport • Farah Ismail – Deputy Minister, Sectoral and Regional Development, Ministry of Economy and Planning These leaders will speak on how women in government are driving progress in key sectors—from economic diversification and education to wellness and tourism demonstrating the depth of Saudi Arabia's women leaders as the country continues to implement its Vision 2030 reform agenda. Taking place at The St. Regis Riyadh on May 20 and 21, the summit will convene around the theme 'A New Era for Business: Partnering for Global Prosperity.' It will bring together more than 150 of the world's most influential women—including CEOs, policymakers, and entrepreneurs—from 35 countries to explore new models of inclusive growth, innovation, and international cooperation. As part of the opening day, Fortune will also unveil its 2025 Most Powerful Women in Business list, celebrating the achievements of leading female executives and further elevating the event's global resonance. Joining the summit's roster of global leaders is Theresa May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2016–2019), who will headline the closing session on May 21. In a conversation moderated by Ellie Austin, Editorial Director of Fortune Most Powerful Women, May will offer her insights on fractured global alliances, climate leadership, and the role of bold, ethical leadership in navigating geopolitical uncertainty. The summit's wider speaker roster includes senior executives from FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, Marriott International, Microsoft, and other Fortune 500 companies, as well as international public sector. In addition to business and policy discussions, the Summit will spotlight women driving change across culture, media, and sport. On Day 2, a special MPW Spotlight on Women in Sports will feature Adwa Al-Arifi, Assistant Minister for Sport Affairs, in conversation with Noor Nugali, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Arab News. Al-Arifi will highlight the country's growing investment in women's sports, from school leagues to elite training centers, and its broader impact on public health and societal change. This will be followed by 'Playing to Win: Women, Sports, and Breaking Barriers', featuring: • Aalia Al-Rasheed, Head of Women's Football, Saudi Arabian Football Federation • Zam Zam Al Hammadi, Fighter, Professional Fighters League • Rasha Alkhamis, President of the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation • Mashael AlObaidan, Rally Driver
