The American “Forbes” magazine chose Jumana Al-Rashed, CEO of the Saudi Research and Media Group “SRMG”, among the 100 most powerful businesswomen in the Middle East, to be the third Saudi woman on the list, next to Lubna Olayan and Sarah Al-Suhaimi.
The magazine relies on several criteria to choose from the list of the most powerful business women, including the size of the business in terms of revenues, assets, market value, number of employees, achievements, position, number of years of experience, amount of achievements within a year, and others.
Jumana Al-Rashed
Jumana Al-Rashed – who ranked 25th in the list of the 100 most powerful business women in the Middle East – assumed her current position in October 2020, and worked as a senior media advisor and was appointed to the Saudi Embassy in London as Director of Communications, and headed the media department at the embassy.
She also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Arqaam Investment Company, and is the Chairman of the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eighth Publishing and Distribution Company.
During her time, the group listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange “Tadawul” announced the change of its name from the Saudi Research and Marketing Group to the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG). .
The group acquired 51% of the Arabic podcast company, Eighth Publishing and Distribution, and expanded its publishing operations by launching a publishing house, while the group’s revenues grew by 27.6% during the first 9 months of 2022, to reach $719 million, compared to $563. 6 million dollars during the same period in 2021.
Lubna Olayan
Olayan, who holds the position of Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi British Bank “SABB” and CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Olayan Financial Company, ranked third in the list of the 100 most powerful businesswomen in the Middle East.
She also assumed responsibility for the commercial activities and investments of the “Olayan Group” in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Olayan Saudi Holding Company, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Healthy Water Bottling Company.
In 2004, Olayan became the first woman to join the board of directors of a listed Saudi company when she was selected as a member of the board of directors of the Saudi Hollandi Bank.
Sarah Al Suhaimi
Al-Suhaimi, who ranked seventh on the list with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services sector, is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Tadawul Group.
In September 2022, she was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Financial Advisors for the “Lazard” company in the Middle East and North Africa region, and before that she held the position of CEO of Al-Ahly Financial Company, the investment arm of the National Bank of Saudi Arabia.
