Ahlan wa Sahlan

Welcome to Arabian Businesswomen 2008 - Celebrating Excellence. This special report is a unique compilation of some of the Arabian Gulf's successful businesswomen, recognising their contribution to commerce in the region and internationally.

To the first question - how was this special report compiled? ArabianBusiness.com publishes many lists honouring the great and good in the Gulf, Middle East and Arab world. This includes the Rich List, a compilation of the World’s Richest Arabs, The Gulf’s Top 100 Executives, detailing the region's top executives as well as the Power 100, detailing the World's Most Powerful Arabs. We have featured many of the famous Arabian Businesswomen who have appeared in previous report, but at the same time, there are many whose achievements we recognise here for the very first time.

Our definition of an Arabian Businesswomen: "A woman from the Arabian Peninsula (or Gulf) who is employed in a for-profit enterprise and/or engaged in the management of a company."

And to the first big question – which Arabian Businesswomen are profiled in our inaugural special report? Here they are in alphabetical order:

Afnan al-Zayani, Bahrain - President, Al Zayani Commercial Services
Amna Bin Hendi, UAE - CEO, Bin Hendi Enterprises
Fatima Al-Jaber, UAE - COO, Al-Jaber Group
Lama Al-Sulaiman, Saudi Arabia - President, Khadijah bint Khuwailid Centre
Lubna Olayan, Saudi Arabia - CEO, Olayan Financing Company
Maha al-Ghunaim, Kuwait - Chairman, Global Investment House
Nahed Taher, Saudi Arabia - CEO, Gulf One Investment Bank
Nashwa Taher, Saudi Arabia - Director, Aal Taher Group
Salma Hareb - CEO of Economic Zones World, JAFZA
Shamsa Ali Noor Rashid - CEO, Forsa

These are some of the many Arabian Businesswomen who are succeeding in the world of commerce and business on the twenty-first century Arabian Peninsula. In the future, we would like to honour many more, from the present ten to the future 100 or even 1,000. We ask you to contribute your views on the future of Arabian Businesswomen. But, whilst looking forward, we must also look back and ask this question - is the phenomenon of the Arabian Businesswomen a recent and innovative breakthrough or something which is part of a long-standing tradition within this region?

To answer this question, we must recognise that, without doubt, these contemporary Arabian Businesswomen follow in the footsteps of one woman, undoubtedly history's most famous Arabian Businesswoman - Syeda Khadijah bint Khuwailid.

Not only was she considered the most successful businesswoman in her era of seventh-century Arabia, but her greatest legacy is whom she headhunted to be her manager. A young Arabian man in his twenties, who had a reputation for both integrity and success in his commercial transactions.

She headhunted him to manage her sales. Following the headhunt, he didn't disappoint her. Upon his first business trip on her behalf to Syria, the young man sold a record amount of merchandise, twice as much as anyone she had previously employed. Soon after, she proposed marriage to him and he accepted. That man was Muhammad ibn Abdullah, or more famously as he is known, Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace).

To this day, Syeda Khadijah's legacy lives on. At an individual level, it can be seen in the achievements of the ladies we are honouring in this special report. At an institutional level, ArabianBusiness.com also recognises the achievements of the Khadijah bint Khuwailid Businesswomen Centre, part of the Jeddah Chamber Commerce and Industry. We recognise two members of the center, Dr Lama al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher - the first Saudi women to be elected to office - the institution itself, and thank the staff who have assisted in this special report. We also exclusively interview the centre's chief executive, Dr. Basmah Omair, who brilliantly describes why we should recognise Arabian Businesswomen:

“I admire the passion in each one that has innovated a new way for ladies behind her,” Dr Basma told ArabianBusiness.com.

“I admire that each one opened a new sector, each one took the initiative, each one pushed the limits – I admire that character – and you see them all over the Gulf. Anybody who has done something new, who went into a new field, who has done what is not expected – to me, I admire that characteristic in them.”

We recognise the achievements of Arabian Businesswomen not only by the success they have had, but by the adversity they have gone through to achieve that success. In a recent report, it was found that only 1.5% of the 4254 board seats of companies across the Gulf are held by women – compared to 13.6% in the USA and 22% in Norway. Saudi Arabia, with a population of 27 million, only has one board female board member, Lubna Olayan, on a publicly listed company. Dr. Basmah Omair discusses this and many of the other challenges that her institution are trying to lobby for and change.

We also exclusively interview one of the most influential Arabian women in the world just before she embarks on a new business venture. Muna Abu Sulayman, who simultaneously holds senior official roles at the Kingdom Foundation, MBC and the United Nations Development Programme, offers us her vision of The Future Arabian Businesswoman.

Please use the comments section to 'Have your say' on the special report, to tell us some of the following:

* What business achievements do you most admire about the Arabian Businesswomen?
* Why do you believe they have succeeded?
* Which Arab countries seem to be the best for Arabian Businesswomen to succeed in?
* Which businesswomen, individuals and institutions do you think we should honour in the future?
* Do you know of any young Arabian Businesswomen who will be the high-flyers of tomorrow?
* How do you envisage the Arabian Businesswoman of the Future?
* What sectors are Arabian Businesswomen most likely to succeed in?
* What new types of industries should Arabian Businesswomen aim to enter?
* And much more!

This list aims to honour and celebrate the achievements of Arabian Businesswomen from Syeda Khadijah bint Khuwailid in the seventh century to our Arabian Businesswomen in the twenty-first century.

The special report Arabian Businesswomen 2008 - Celebrating Excellence aims to celebrate the achievements of women in commerce and trade in the region and globally. Click here to view more.

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