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InPics: The 100 Most Powerful Arab Women 2016 – Arts, Entertainment & Culture
Welcome to CEO Middle East’s sixth annual list of the world’s most powerful Arab women — our yearly look at the most important female influencers across the Arab world.
nZaha Hadid
nArchitect
nUK (Iraq)
nArts and entertainment
nnDame Zaha Hadid is probably the most famous architect on the planet right now. The British-Iraqi followed up 2014’s unveiling of Qatar’s first World Cup stadium with incredible designs for Beijing’s new airport terminal (scheduled for 2018
18 (#26 in 2015)
nSamia Halaby
nArtist
nUS (Palestine)
nArts and entertainment
nnSamia Halaby is one of the Arab world’s best-known and most distinguished female artists. nFleeing with her family from nPalestine to Beirut in 1948, and later to the US in 1951, Halaby studied design at the University of Cincinnati and painting at Indiana University. She later taught at some of the world’s most prestigious art institutions, such as The Cooper Union, Bir Zeit University in the West Bank, and the University of Michigan. She was also the first female art professor to teach at the Yale School of Art.
43 (#13 in 2015)
nHaifa Al Mansour
nFilm director
nSaudi Arabia
nArts and entertainment
nnHaifaa Al Mansour made global headlines in 2012, when she became the first person to shoot a feature-length film in Saudi Arabia. The festival smash hit Wadjda was just the start for Al Mansour, whose next film, a biopic of Mary Shelley entitled A Storm in the Stars, will be released next year. She has also just completed her first novel, The Green Bicycle, based on the events that take place in Wadjda.
55 (NEW)
nHend Amry
nArtist, writer
nQatar (Libya)
nArts and culture
nnHend Amry was forced in to the limelight shortly after the Boston marathon bombings, when one of her Tweets went viral. Her message, ‘Please don’t be a Muslim’ (referring to the potential suspect of the attack) drew condemnation and applause from the Arab world. Since then, she has continue to amass a powerful social following, speaking out against the conflict in Libya.
59 (#89 in 2015)
nAhlam Mosteghanemi
nAuthor
nAlgeria
nArts and entertainment
nnOne of the most successful female writers in the Arab World, Mosteghanemi’s poetry and fiction revolves around controversial topics in the region, such as love, sexuality, women’s rights, corruption and politics.
63 (#86 in 2015)
nFairouz
nSinger
nLebanon
nArts and entertainment
nnOne of the most well-known Middle Eastern singers, Fairouz has been flying the flag for Arab music for decades. She began her musical career in the 1950s, and quickly became known as ‘jewel of Lebanon’. Her songs contained themes such as her home country’s beauty, as well as calls for peace and freedom.
68 (NEW)
nChristine Tohme
nFounding director
nAshkal Alwan
nLebanon
nArt and culture
nnTohme was the recipient of a Prince Claus Award in 2006, in recognition of her achievements in supporting local art production and criticism. The Beirut-based curator started Ashkal Alwan, the Lebanese Association for Plastic Arts, a non-profit institution that supports contemporary art. Most recently it was announced that Tohme would curate the Sharja Biennial 13, opening in March 2017.
71 (NEW)
nElissa
nSinger
nLebanon
nArts and entertainment
nnHaving commanded the attention of popular culture since she won a Lebanese music competition in 1992, Elissa has released nine studio albums to date. She was chosen to be one of the judgest on X Factor Middle East in 2012, and remains to this day. She was recently awarded a World Music Award for a best-selling artist in the Middle East.
73 (#90 in 2015)
nHayv Kahraman
nArtist
nUS (Iraq)
nArts and entertainment
nnBorn in Baghdad in 1981, Kahraman’s artwork reflects issues of gender, honour killings and the war in her home country. She began oil painting at the age of 12, after moving from Iraq to Sweden. Her style makes reference to Japanese and Arabic calligraph and art nouveau.
79 (NEW)
nAhdaf Soueif
nAuthor
nEgypt
nArts and entertainment
nnOne of the Arab world’s most acclaimed authors, it was Soueif’s reporting on the Egyptian revolution that inspired her most recent book, The Map of Love.
81 (NEW)
nMyriam Fares
nSinger
nLebanon
nArts and culture
nnHaving released her fifth studio album just last year, Fares broke streaming records on Anghami, the popular music streaming service for Arabic music.
85 (#93 in 2015)
nAhlam
nSinger
nUAE
nArts and entertainment
nnThe singer continues her judging role on Arab Idol. As well as producing 12 albums, she is backed by 5.56 million followers on Twitter.
99 (NEW)
nBoushra Almutawakel
nPhotographer
nUS (Yemen)
nArt and entertainment
nnAlmutawakel’s work focuses particularly on issues of gender, and representations of women and their clothing.
