Event Coverage
Khuloud Al Omian, CEO And Editor-in-Chief Of Forbes Middle East
Event Chair: H.H. Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud
Forbes Middle East Women’s Summit 2023
The Forbes Middle East Women’s Summit 2023 in Riyadh saw over 500 delegates, speakers, and VIPs gather to network and debate the most pressing topics affecting their lives and businesses, as well as share their motivational to build confidence, inspire others, and support empowerment.
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he ground-breaking summit— chaired by H.H. Princess Noura Bint Faisal Al Saud—delivered a series of expert programming from women across all sectors and walks of life. Introducing the event on day two, Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Forbes Middle East, Khuloud Al Omian, said, “Everything in our life is a kind of story, and we are just storytellers. I believe that the story we are creating here is about sharing our knowledge, passion, love, care, ideas, solutions, and more. Remember, we are stronger together.” H.H. Princess Noura Bint Faisal Al Saud, Founder of Saudi Fashion Week, spoke about the importance of alignment and cooperation, saying, “Our common aim is to get to know each other better in order to seek alignments and maybe work together for common goals.” Day One: Setting The Scene The summit launched with Historical Diriyah providing the backdrop for a picturesque sunset reception and an exclusive guided tour at the Al-Turaif F O R B E S M I D D L E E A S T.C O M
UNESCO World Heritage Site. The evening culminated in an exclusive dinner held in front of Salwa Palace, where speakers and partners converged against the setting sun. Day Two: Embracing Empowerment On day two, Yusra Mardini began by telling her story of how she became an Olympic swimmer, having arrived in Europe as a refugee from Syria in 2015. “People are still crossing and making horrific journeys, just for a chance of a better life,” she said, crediting sport with focusing her on her future. “Sport made me who I am today, and education helped.” Founder of Bukhash Brothers Co, Anas Bukhash, spoke of his personal journey and how he began studying something he didn’t like before going into the corporate world. “There’s nothing wrong in exploring as it teaches us what we don’t like,” he said. “Focus on what you do for a living that doesn’t feel like a job. We need to wake up happy.”
Group COO at PureHealth, Shaista Asif, talked about how technology is completely changing the healthcare industry and our lifespan potential. “Technology is as important as oxygen in our survival in the future,” she explained. “AI will be the real intelligence.” When discussing how to leverage initiative and intuition to overcome challenges, SVP & Group Country Manager for the GCC at Visa, Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, the Founder of Augmento.com, Wesley Pabis, the Creator of Partnerships Lead for MEA and Turkey at Meta, Moon Baz, and CIB Board Member and Head of the Sustainability Committee, Hoda Mansour, talked through their own journeys to success. “Nothing comes by luck; you put in the hard work,” said Mansour. Jaffar explained how Visa is encouraging young leaders, saying, “We try to provide solutions to businesses to be able to accept payments, the second thing is education and awareness, and JUNE 2023
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