Category: Business & Economy

KUWAITI businesswomen shine in Forbes Middle East’s 2025 Power List

Kuwaiti businesswomen have once again earned recognition on Forbes Middle East’s prestigious list of the 100 most powerful female business leaders in the Middle East for 2025.

Forbes Middle East emphasized the significant and ongoing impact these women have across diverse sectors. Their leadership within prominent local and international companies demonstrates their influence in the region’s business landscape.

Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar

  • Company: National Bank of Kuwait Group (NBK Group)
  • Title: Deputy Group CEO
  • Sector: Banking & Financial Services

Ranking 2nd on the list is Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar who assumed her current role in 2014, where she leads the NBK Group in 13 countries. In the first nine months of 2024, the group reported profits of $1.6 billion and had $128.5 billion in assets. In November 2024, it launched the second edition of NBK RISE, to help empower women in leadership. Al Bahar’s board memberships include the board of trustees of the Al-Ojeiri Scientific Center and the Egyptian Kuwaiti Cooperation Council. She is also the vice chairperson of the Turkish Bank in Türkiye.

Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb

  • Company: Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)
  • Title: CEO
  • Sector: Oil & Gas

Ranking 4th on the list is Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb who joined KNPC in 1994 and assumed her role as CEO in 2022. KNPC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, owns subsidiaries like the Kuwait Aviation Fueling Company and the Kuwait Aromatics Company. It recorded $41.2 billion in revenues for the fiscal year 2023/24 ending March 2024. Wadha Al-Khateeb is also the acting CEO of the Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company, and vice chairperson of the Gulf Downstream Association. Before her current position, she was the deputy CEO of Mina Abdullah Refinery.

Dana Nasser Al Sabah

  • Company: Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) – KIPCO
  • Title: Group CEO
  • Sector: Diversified

Ranking 5th on the list is Dana Nasser Al Sabah who joined KIPCO in 2004 and has been a board member since 2020. She was appointed group CEO in January 2022. The company generated profits of $205.7 million in the first nine months of 2024 and had $41.6 billion in assets. In April 2024, KIPCO’s subsidiary, the OSN Group, closed a deal to combine OSN+, OSN’s content streaming platform, with Anghami, after acquiring 55.45% of Anghami. Dana Al Sabah is also the founder and chair of the board of trustees of the American University of Kuwait, and the chairperson of the United Education Company, Jordan Kuwait Bank, and the OSN Group.

Nadia Bader Al-Hajji

  • Company: Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC)
  • Title: CEO
  • Sector: Petrochemicals

Ranking 17th on the list is Nadia Bader Al-Hajji who joined PIC, a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, in 2019 and assumed her current role in 2022. PIC recorded a net profit of $127 million in the financial year ending March 2024. Al-Hajji is also the chairman of the EQUATE Group and the Kuwait Olefins Company. She is a board member at the Canada Kuwait Petrochemicals Company, and a board member and treasurer at the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association. She is also head of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at the Kuwait Petroleum Company and its subsidiaries, among other roles.

Henadi Al-Saleh

  • Company: Agility
  • Title: Chairperson
  • Sector: Logistics

Ranking 22nd on the list is Henadi Al-Saleh who joined Agility in 2007 to lead investor relations, financial planning, and analysis. She was appointed to her current role in 2014. Agility employs over 65,000 people, with a footprint across six continents. In the first nine months of 2024, it generated $3.7 billion in revenues and had $13.3 billion in assets. In January 2024, its subsidiary Menzies Aviation acquired a 50% stake in Jardine Aviation Services Group in Hong Kong. In May 2024, Agility Global was listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. Al-Saleh is also a board member at GWC and part of the Global Board of Advisors of the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations.

Elham Mahfouz

  • Company: Commercial Bank of Kuwait (Al-Tijari)
  • Designation: CEO
  • Nationality: Egyptian
  • Sector: Banking & Financial Services

Ranking 54th on the list is Elham Mahfouz who assumed her current role in 2014. In February 2024, Al-Tijari announced a partnership with Network International to aid its ongoing digital transformation, including fraud detection and prevention, tokenization, and cardholder self-serve application. In the first nine months of 2024, the bank had $15.2 billion in assets and recorded net profits of $290.6 million. Mahfouz has held multiple senior executive positions at Al-Tijari since joining the bank in 2000, including general manager in its New York branch.

Donna Sultan

  • Company: KEO International Consultants
  • Designation: President & CEO
  • Sector: Architecture

Ranking 58th on the list is Donna Sultan who has been at KEO since 1985, becoming CEO in 1991, then eventually president and CEO in 2016. The company launched OPTIMA, a facility management consultancy, in October 2024, and inaugurated its Jordan office in September 2024. In June 2024, the Kuwait Center for Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, which KEO International Consultants designed, became operational.

source/content: arabtimes.com (headline edited)

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KUWAIT

OMAN Wins “Excellence, Innovation Award” at 26th Gulf Engineering Forum, Bahrain

The Sultanate of Oman won the 26th Gulf Engineering Forum’s “Excellence and Innovation Award” through a project titled “Combined Combustion Truck for Carbon Reduction”.

The forum is being held in the Kingdom of Bahrain until 13 February 2025, under the theme “Challenges of Energy Conversion”. Oman is represented at the forum by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

The project that won the award aims to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable mobility. Through this project, Blue Ice Oman is developing a combined combustion engine for trucks, using a blend of hydrogen and diesel. This contributes to 50 percent reduction of emissions. The initiative is in line with Oman’s Zero Neutrality Strategy 2050 to achieve zero emissions.

The 26th Gulf Engineering Forum brings together an elite group of experts specialized in the fields of environment conservation, energy and industry. The forum elaborates on engineering issues related to energy transformation and the challenges posed to this specialty. It seeks to reach the best innovative solutions, technologies and modern designs to address these challenges.

A number of dialogue sessions and workshops will be held during the three days of the forum. The activities will see the participation of a group of engineers, researchers and academics, who will exchange visions on energy transformation, renewable energy, decarbonization, technologies and innovations for devising a clean energy policy.

source/content: omannews.gov.om (headline edited)

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OMAN

U.A.E: Saif bin Zayed honours winners of 3rd Global Government Excellence Award 2025

In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, Lieutenant General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, honoured winners of the Global Government Excellence Award in its third edition, during the World Governments Summit 2025.

The awards ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah.

The Global Government Excellence Award recognises pioneering government initiatives and practices worldwide that improve quality of life and address societal challenges. As the first of its kind in the global government sector, it encompasses all countries and cultures, emphasising originality and sustainable, impactful outcomes.

The ‘Ubongo’ digital learning programme from Tanzania won the Technological Innovation for Social Inclusion award. The programme bridges educational gaps by offering digital content in subjects like maths, science, and languages, while providing interactive tools for teachers. It aims to reduce disparities between urban and rural areas, ensuring equal learning opportunities for all children.

The municipality of Cascais in Portugal won the award for Innovation in Environmental Sustainability and Community Engagement award for its ‘iRec’ recycling project. The initiative uses smart devices to encourage recycling, rewarding participants with points for services. In its first year, it collected one million packages (70 tonnes), demonstrating its success in promoting sustainability.

The award’s research and nomination process is based on scientific and international criteria to identify global best practices that improve quality of life, demonstrate innovation, and achieve sustainable outcomes. The third edition was marked by substantially higher quality in terms of initiatives nominated, broader global participation, more winners, and an expanded scope to include all continents. The award aims to highlight governments focused on enhancing quality of life, inspiring worldwide efforts in governance and development.

Launched during the World Governments Summit 2023, the World Government Excellence Award is a prestigious international accolade that celebrates outstanding government initiatives and best practices across the globe.

The World Governments Summit serves as an international platform for anticipating and shaping the future of governance and a hub for global awards that promote innovation and excellence in government work. This year, the WGS Awards include the Best Minister in the World Award, Creative Government Innovation Award, Government Technology Award, Global Government Excellence Award, and the Best Teacher in the World Award.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN : Freeze-frame: U of A researchers led by Physicist Prof. Mohammed Hassan develop World’s Fastest Microscope that can see electrons in motion

Imagine owning a camera so powerful it can take freeze-frame photographs of a moving electron – an object traveling so fast it could circle the Earth many times in a matter of a second. Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed the world’s fastest electron microscope that can do just that.

They believe their work will lead to groundbreaking advancements in physics, chemistry, bioengineering, materials sciences and more.

“When you get the latest version of a smartphone, it comes with a better camera,” said Mohammed Hassan, associate professor of physics and optical sciences. “This transmission electron microscope is like a very powerful camera in the latest version of smart phones; it allows us to take pictures of things we were not able to see before – like electrons. With this microscope, we hope the scientific community can understand the quantum physics behind how an electron behaves and how an electron moves.”

Hassan led a team of researchers in the departments of physics and optical sciences that published the research article “Attosecond electron microscopy and diffraction” in the Science Advances journal. Hassan worked alongside Nikolay Golubev, assistant professor of physics; Dandan Hui, co-lead author and former research associate in optics and physics who now works at the Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Husain Alqattan, co-lead author, U of A alumnus and assistant professor of physics at Kuwait University; and Mohamed Sennary, a graduate student studying optics and physics.

A transmission electron microscope is a tool used by scientists and researchers to magnify objects up to millions of times their actual size in order to see details too small for a traditional light microscope to detect. Instead of using visible light, a transmission electron microscope directs beams of electrons through whatever sample is being studied. The interaction between the electrons and the sample is captured by lenses and detected by a camera sensor in order to generate detailed images of the sample.

Ultrafast electron microscopes using these principles were first developed in the 2000’s and use a laser to generate pulsed beams of electrons. This technique greatly increases a microscope’s temporal resolution – its ability to measure and observe changes in a sample over time. In these ultrafast microscopes, instead of relying on the speed of a camera’s shutter to dictate image quality, the resolution of a transmission electron microscope is determined by the duration of electron pulses.

The faster the pulse, the better the image.

Ultrafast electron microscopes previously operated by emitting a train of electron pulses at speeds of a few attoseconds. An attosecond is one quintillionth of a second. Pulses at these speeds create a series of images, like frames in a movie – but scientists were still missing the reactions and changes in an electron that takes place in between those frames as it evolves in real time. In order to see an electron frozen in place, U of A researchers, for the first time, generated a single attosecond electron pulse, which is as fast as electrons moves, thereby enhancing the microscope’s temporal resolution, like a high-speed camera capturing movements that would otherwise be invisible.

Hassan and his colleagues based their work on the Nobel Prize-winning accomplishments of Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huilliere, who won the Novel Prize in Physics in 2023 after generating the first extreme ultraviolet radiation pulse so short it could be measured in attoseconds.

Using that work as a steppingstone, U of A researchers developed a microscope in which a powerful laser is split and converted into two parts – a very fast electron pulse and two ultra-short light pulses. The first light pulse, known as the pump pulse, feeds energy into a sample and causes electrons to move or undergo other rapid changes. The second light pulse, also called the “optical gating pulse” acts like a gate by creating a brief window of time in which the gated, single attosecond electron pulse is generated. The speed of the gating pulse therefore dictates the resolution of the image. By carefully synchronizing the two pulses, researchers control when the electron pulses probe the sample to observe ultrafast processes at the atomic level.

“The improvement of the temporal resolution inside of electron microscopes has been long anticipated and the focus of many research groups – because we all want to see the electron motion,” Hassan said. “These movements happen in attoseconds. But now, for the first time, we are able to attain attosecond temporal resolution with our electron transmission microscope – and we coined it ‘attomicroscopy.’ For the first time, we can see pieces of the electron in motion.”

source/content: eurekaalert.org / University of Arizona / (headline edited)

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Mohammed Hassan, associate professor of physics and optical sciences, let a group of researchers in developing the first transmission electron microscope powerful enough to capture images of electrons in motion.

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AMERICAN / EGYPTIAN

EGYPTIAN-BRITISH : Making history again! Egyptian heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub innovates valves that grow naturally in body

Making history again! Egyptian heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub innovates valves that grow naturally in body.

This pioneering innovation envisions the development of biological heart valves that can grow and be accommodated naturally within the human body. This opens the door to a new era in heart disease treatment. 

The prospect of heart valves naturally expanding within the body, a concept once confined to science fiction, is now on the brink of realization, thanks to the remarkable discovery spearheaded by renowned heart surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub.

While the initial study documenting this breakthrough was unveiled in Nature in 2023, recent media coverage has underscored its practical implications.

Esteemed publications like The Times have pinpointed this cutting-edge innovation’s profound impact on biomedical science and medical engineering. They have recognized it as a monumental leap in the realm of healthcare.

On Monday, Dr. Yacoub discussed the latest developments in this field with Egyptian talk show host Amr Adib.

He explained how his team has engineered temporary heart valve scaffolds composed of surgically implanted fibres into the body.

These scaffolds gradually disintegrate over time, leaving behind a living, fully functional valve crafted from the patient’s tissues, a testament to the marvels of modern medical ingenuity.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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Sir Magdi Yacoub

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EGYPT / UNITED KINGDOM

Arab League achievements and challenges throughout history

My book Arab Agreements and Disagreements depicts the important role of Abdel Khalek Hassouna, the late secretary general of the Arab League (AL), in reaching agreements and settling significant disagreements between the organization’s members throughout its history.

The book also explores the background of Abdel Khalek Hassouna’s role as the AL secretary general and the organization’s challenges during his mandate.

Writing this book, I relied on various sources, including the archives of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Arab League, which provided me with valuable published and unpublished documents on the events related to that period.

Since my father had not published his own biography, a series of dialogues I had conducted with him over the years provided valuable material on his role and achievements in his various positions.

The book, published in Arabic by Dar El-Shorouk, describes the interesting and diverse positions my late father held during his life.

He was one of the first Egyptian diplomats to join the Foreign Ministry, which was established in 1922. After that, he served as the governor of Alexandria during the Second World War.

Later, he occupied several positions as the minister of social affairs, minister of education, and minister of foreign affairs before being unanimously elected by all the Arab States as the secretary general of the Arab League for twenty years, from 1952 to 1972.

The book addresses his role in all those positions.

Moreover, it highlights his AL role, which contributed to the independence of the Maghreb and Gulf countries. It also supported the Palestinian right to self-determination and the creation of an independent sovereign state.

A whole chapter in the book describes in detail the crises that broke out between the AL members during that period.

Therefore, it refers to the border crisis between Egypt and Sudan over the Halayeb and Shalatine regions in 1958, the Lebanese crisis’ regional and international implications in 1958, and the crisis between Egypt and Syria over the breaking up of their union in 1961.

It also discusses the 1961 Kuwait crisis, which resulted from Iraq’s threat to its independence, the 1963 border crisis between Morocco and Algeria, the 1972 crisis between northern and southern Yemen, and the 1965 crisis between the Arab states and West Germany over the latter’s substantial assistance to Israel.

In all those instances, my father deployed all efforts toward settling the crises under the league’s umbrella rather than allowing outside means of settlements to escalate them.

I sincerely hope the book will contribute to a better understanding of Egyptian diplomacy’s role and achievements as one of the Third World’s first active diplomacies after World War I and as a co-founder of various international and regional organizations.

In addition, the book highlights the history of the Arab League as the first regional organization established in the post-World War II international order.

Like other organizations, the league has suffered from various problems, including a lack of political will among its members and the diversity of their interests. However, the book reaffirms its importance in light of the Middle East’s current challenges.

Thus, the AL should continue to actively coordinate its members’ political positions, promote their economic integration, preserve their Arab identity, protect their national security, and broadly achieve their common interests.

Certainly, I am grateful that this book on my father’s long career has been well-received and praised by the media, academia, and all those interested in the history of our region. 

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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EGYPT / ARAB

OMAN Across Ages Museum wins prestigious architecture award in Paris

 Oman Across Ages Museum in Manah has been honoured with one of the world’s most prestigious architecture awards – the Prix Versailles World Titles.

The museum received the ‘Special Prize for an Exterior’, while the ‘Special Prize for an Interior’ was awarded to the Smritivan Earthquake Museum in Bhuj, India. The grand prize, the Prix Versailles, went to the Simose Art Museum in Otake, Japan.

Granted annually at Unesco headquarters in Paris since 2015, the Prix Versailles celebrates architectural excellence by showcasing the finest contemporary achievements worldwide.

In June, for the first time, Prix Versailles unveiled its World’s Most Beautiful Museums List for 2024, featuring seven newly opened or reopened museums that embody creativity, local heritage, and ecological efficiency.

Among the listed museums was Oman Across Ages Museum, recognised for its exceptional impact on its surroundings. Other shortlisted museums included the A4 Art Museum in Chengdu, China; Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt; Paleis Het Loo in Apeldoorn, Netherlands; and the Polish History Museum in Warsaw, Poland.

This year’s ceremony was held on December 2, celebrating 70 of the ‘World’s Most Beautiful’ achievements across eight categories: Museums, Hotels, Restaurants, Emporiums, Airports, Campuses, Passenger Stations, and Sports.

This year’s finalists were selected through a rigorous process that reviewed new and recently opened sites across 31 nations. The 2024 World Jury, chaired by Benjamin Millepied, awarded three World Titles in each category.

Commenting on the event, Millepied said, “Architecture has the ability to display creative and stylistic diversity with great force. That diversity is the sign that the attention given to nature, togetherness, and different forms of expertise can help an environment emerge – one that is both receptive to expression and capable of harmony. Such an assembly of actors from every background reminds us of culture’s unique talent for leading humankind into dialogue.”

The recognition affirms Oman Across Ages Museum’s standing as a cultural and architectural beacon, reflecting the nation’s commitment to preserving heritage while embracing modernity.

source/content: muscatdaily.com (headline edited)

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OMAN

SAUDI ARABIA : Interpol to establish regional office in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom and the international police organization sign host country agreement.

 Interpol is to establish an office in Saudi Arabia that will serve the Middle East and North Africa region.

Hisham Al-Faleh, undersecretary at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior, and Jurgen Stock, secretary-general of the international police organization, signed a host country agreement on Wednesday.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, the Saudi Minister of Interior, and Maj. Gen. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, the president of Interpol, also attended the signing ceremony, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In addition, they discussed Interpol’s activities during a meeting that also included Nasser Al-Dawood, the deputy minister of interior; Brig. Gen. Abdulmalik Al-Saqeeh, the director general of Saudi Interpol; and other senior officials.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Hisham Al-Faleh, undersecretary at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior, and Jurgen Stock, secretary-general of the international police organization, signed a host country agreement. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

MOROCCO : Introducing ‘Nabatlé’, Morocco’s First Locally Crafted Plant-Based Milk

Crafted by COPAG-Jaouda, this plant-based milk skips the gluten, lactose, preservatives, and added sugars, keeping things simple and natural.

For Moroccans looking to swap traditional dairy for a local plant-based option, the wait is over! 

COPAG-Jaouda, a household name in the country’s dairy industry, has introduced “Nabatlé”, Morocco’s first entirely homegrown plant-based milk. 

More than just a substitute, “Nabatlé” is set to revolutionize the country’s approach to food innovation.

It also answers a growing demand for healthier, natural choices while proving that local expertise can keep pace with evolving consumer palates. 

Plant-based milk for everyone

As more Moroccans explore healthier alternatives, COPAG-Jaouda is making sure “Nabatlé” is not just an option but an accessible and affordable choice.

This plant-based milk skips the gluten, lactose, preservatives, and added sugars, keeping things simple and natural. 

The cooperative says it delivers healthy fats, essential vitamins, and minerals while staying low in calories. 

Whether vegan, vegetarian, or just curious, consumers can choose from three different varieties to suit their taste: 

– Almond: Naturally sugar-free with a light, smooth taste and no cholesterol.

– Oat: Rich in fiber, minerals, and plant-based proteins.

– Coconut: Creamy with a mild exotic flavor, offering a source of calcium and vitamins A and D3.

To set the record straight on plant-based milk, which is new territory for some Moroccans, COPAG-Jaouda is rolling out an awareness campaign to showcase the milk’s nutritional perks and discover how versatile and beneficial they can be.  

But “Nabatlé” is not just a dairy alternative. The company sees it as a symbol of Morocco’s ambition to create top-tier, competitive products that also care for the planet, all while staying eco-conscious.

What began in 1987 with 39 agricultural producers has grown into COPAG, Morocco’s largest cooperative. 

Now, with over 12,000 employees and support for 24,000 farmers, COPAG continues to shape the agricultural landscape, spanning citrus, fresh produce, dairy, and meat industries.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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MOROCCO

JORDANIAN Academic Omar Yaghi wins ‘2024 Arab Genius Minds Award’

 Jordanian academic Omar Yaghi, a chemistry professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has been awarded the 2024 Arab Genius Minds Award in the Natural Sciences category for his pioneering work in reticular chemistry.

Yaghi is celebrated for his transformative innovations in designing and synthesising metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

These frameworks address critical global challenges in energy storage, water harvesting, and environmental sustainability.

His research portfolio includes over 300 peer-reviewed papers, which have collectively garnered more than 250,000 citations, underscoring the “far-reaching” impact of his work.

Since 2012, Yaghi has held the James and Neeltje Tretter Chair in Chemistry at UC Berkeley. 

His contributions to reticular chemistry have “revolutionised” the ability to assemble molecular building blocks into highly porous structures with applications in gas storage, catalysis, and drug delivery, among others, yielding significant economic and environmental advancements.

The Arab Genius Minds Award, launched by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, honours achievements by Arab scientists and innovators across six key categories essential for the region’s developmental and cultural progress.

source/content: jordantimes.com (headline edited)

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pix: source: wikipedia

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JORDAN