Honoring an elite group of inspiring women leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and artists from various fields. More than 5,000 attendees participated, including prominent women leaders from the government and private sectors in the region, as well as entrepreneurs and innovators from the region and beyond.
Forbes Middle East concluded its third edition of the Women’s Summit, honoring an elite group of inspiring women leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators from various fields, celebrating their contributions to building a more inclusive and empowering future. The summit was held at the Fairmont Hotel Riyadh on November 2 and 3, 2025, headed by Her Highness Princess Noura bint Mohammed Al Saud, wife of His Highness the Emir of the Riyadh Region and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Committee for Community Development in the Regional Council, under the slogan “Inspiration Without Borders.” During the closing ceremony, Forbes Middle East honored Her Highness Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural and Educational Institutions, in appreciation of her pioneering role in empowering knowledge and consolidating culture and education in society. In addition to honoring a group of female entrepreneurs and innovators who are leading the process of change and inspiration in their fields. Over two days of inspiring discussions and interactive sessions, the summit brought together more than 5,000 participants from women leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators from various fields, in a comprehensive celebration of influential women’s voices and their journey in leadership, entrepreneurship and financial empowerment, while highlighting the growing presence of women in the fields of science, technology, health, media and creative industries that shape the future of the global economy. The closing day of the summit was marked by the participation of influential figures from the government and private sectors, along with a number of prominent female diplomats, including: Her Excellency Maria Belulvaas, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar; Areej Mohsen Haider Darwish, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Automotive, Construction Equipment and Renewable Energy Group at Mohsen Haider Darwish Company, Stephanie Foltz, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Egypt, Hanan Al-Meer, Oracle’s Vice President of Technology in the Middle East and Africa, and Joanna Jamil, Director of Strategic Global Partnerships at Meta. The day also witnessed the participation of Rashad Embabi, General Manager of Porsche Saudi Arabia. Commenting on the remarkable success of the summit, Kholoud Al-Omyan, CEO and editor-in-chief of Forbes Middle East, said: “The Women’s Summit reflects our commitment to celebrating women who do not wait for opportunities, but rather create them, and the leaders who build bridges between ambition and achievement. We believe that the new generation of women is writing the chapters of the future with determination, creativity and work, and that the increasing presence of women in the fields of business, science and culture is no longer an exception, but rather has become the new rule.” for transformation in the region and the world.”
The closing day witnessed a distinctive artistic touch with the participation of a group of female artists and influencers, including: Elham Ali, a Saudi actress, TV presenter, and writer, and media personality Nayla Tueni, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Nahar newspaper; Narin Amara, YouTuber, social media influencer, and founder and CEO of Narin’s Beauty, Dina Dash, founder and CEO of DASH Management, and Noor Stars, founder and CEO of Nafas, presented inspiring visions and experiences that combine creativity and empowerment, and reflect the growing role of women in enriching the cultural and media scenes in the region.
Today’s sessions focused on empowering women and enhancing their leadership role, highlighting the forward-looking vision of reforms in the Kingdom and their impact on empowering women to lead economic and social transformation. The sessions hosted a group of prominent female leaders from various sectors, where they discussed how women are reshaping global businesses and brands through leadership based on purpose, innovation and inclusion. The sessions also covered inspiring models in the fields of science, advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, in addition to discussions on transforming ideas into successful projects and leading companies towards sustainable growth. The summit also witnessed dialogues on medical innovations in women’s health, the development of luxury tourism from a female perspective, as well as highlighting the cultural and creative impact that women are making in the fields of art, fashion and entrepreneurship across the region.
The summit also witnessed the organization of a series of interactive workshops within the “She Leads Studio” platform, which provided inspiring experiences for self-development, leadership, and entrepreneurship. It included a transformative workshop led by Sarah Onsi, founder and creative designer of the brand (SARA ONSI), to discover inner identity and enhance creative and leadership presence, and another focused on reframing beliefs and developing positive thinking to achieve clarity, confidence and balance. One of the workshops also addressed the psychological and emotional aspects of the recovery journey, highlighting the importance of psychological support and support networks, while other sessions reviewed inspiring success stories about transforming passion into an entrepreneurial project, and provided a practical guide to building a successful brand and empowering women to transform their ideas into influential projects.
Forbes Middle East is working with a number of distinguished partners to launch the summit, including Aster DM Healthcare, AJEX, Porsche Saudi Arabia, EFG Holding, Cenomi, The University of Manchester – Dubai, Tawuniya, Keto Kartel, FSIM Facilities Management Company, Viatris, DAZE Furniture, Youmi Beauty, and Merck Sharp & Dohme. (MSD), (The DermaKlinic), (Lazulite), (Treat), (Moonglaze), (Matcha Union), (Biolite Clinic), (Humanity Code), (Aliona Comsetics), (Kayali), (Valrhona), (Eucerin), (Tru & Beyond).
