50 Visionary Women: Nora AlMatrooshi, Astronaut

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

Nora Almatrooshi made history in 2021 as the first Emirati and Arab woman to be selected as an astronaut. A mechanical engineer by training and a dedicated advocate for youth empowerment, AlMatrooshi embodies the UAE’s forward-looking vision. In 2024, she graduated from NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Class, becoming a fully qualified astronaut ready for future space missions. AlMatrooshi holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United Arab Emirates University.

Her education included a semester at Vaasa University of Applied Sciences in Finland, where she honed her technical expertise and broadened her global perspective. Before embarking on her astronaut career, AlMatrooshi worked as a piping engineer at the National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), contributing to high-profile projects for ADNOC and Saudi Aramco. Her leadership abilities were evident in her three consecutive terms as Vice President of the Youth Council at NPCC, where she implemented initiatives to foster talent and innovation among young professionals. She later served as a Technical Specialist at ADNOC, focusing on engineering and project management.

AlMatrooshi’s selection in 2021 as part of the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme marked a pivotal moment in the nation’s space exploration history, becoming the first female Arab and Emirati astronaut chosen from over 4,000 applicants. Her rigorous training began at MBRSC and continued at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she joined the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class. Over the course of her training, AlMatrooshi mastered critical skills, including spacewalking at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, ISS systems, and piloting the T-38 jet.

She also completed survival training at Fort Novosel, Alabama, and received Earth geology training, preparing her for future planetary exploration missions. In 2024, AlMatrooshi graduated from NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Class, earning her astronaut pin and qualifying for future space missions. Her achievements underscore her role as a pioneer in the space sector and a beacon of inspiration for women across the Arab world.

50 Visionary Women: Elda Choucair, CEO, Omnicom Media Group

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

Elda Choucair is CEO of Omnicom Media Group MENA, spearheading the group’s growth and transformation since 2021. With a 19-year tenure at Omnicom, she has a proven track record of delivering exceptional results, and driving the group’s digital and technological advancements. The agency brands under her leadership have consistently been recognised as top-performing companies in the region, earning accolades at Effies MENA, Dubai Lynx, and MENA Digital Awards and being recognised by COMvergence.

A champion of positive change, Choucair is committed to creating a more equitable and sustainable industry. She actively contributes to industry organisations and is widely acknowledged as a leading figure in the region. Her exceptional leadership has been recognised by Forbes (100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen/Global Meets Local), Arabian Business (Dubai 100) and Campaign Middle East (Power List). She was also announced as a Cannes Lions Awarding Jury member in 2024.

50 Visionary Women: Prarthana Nandwani, Entrepreneur

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Prarthana Nandwani is one of the first female digital entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates. A graduate of the American School of Dubai, Nandwani received her B.S. in Marketing from Bentley University in Boston, which has consistently been ranked one of the top Business universities in the globe. Nandwani has spoken on international stages at forums across Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East.

Passionate about developing the talents for People of Determination, Nandwani conducted a year-long project raising funds for Fatima Mubarak – a young girl diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. She and a schoolmate succeeded in gifting Mubarak with a #DynaVox, a sophisticated machine which helps People of Determination to speak. Nandwani is a long-standing member of the esteemed Dubai Business Women’s Council: an arm of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. Recently, she was a Miss Influencer UAE Top 5 Finalist.

Nandwani serves as Partner for Nandwani Ventures – an independent, privately-owned boutique family office, which has built and operated its diversified manufacturing arm for the last 40 years. Nandwani Venture’s portfolio spans direct investments in real estate, listed securities, private equities, and venture. The conglomerate has a distribution of watches, electronics, & food products, and other verticals. Having been in the United Arab Emirates since 1989, Nandwani Ventures is considered a value add investor because of its unparalleled access to the Middle Eastern and Indian markets.

Nandwani has lived in Boston, Hong Kong, and Dubai, where she was born. She has a background in marketing, franchise management, and real estate investment. In early 2015, less than four years out of college, Nandwani started her digital advisory firm, Evogue, which she currently operates. With offices in Dubai and Hong Kong, Evogue has worked with world-renowned local and international individuals and entities spearheading Thought Leadership transformative projects across several industries. Nandwani is multilingual, and has a keen interest in supporting causes. She recently launched a sustainable fashion brand, Maison Bedouina, that uses only ethically sourced fabrics. Additionally, proceeds from Evogue are allocated to causes towards aiding afflicted women and children globally.

50 Visionary Women: HRH Princess Princess Lamia Bint Majed Saud AlSaud, Secretary General, Alwaleed Philanthropies

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

Her Royal Highness Princess Lamia Bint Majed Saud Alsaud is the Secretary General and member of the Board of Trustees at Alwaleed Philanthropies. She is the daughter of Prince Majed bin Saud, the son of King Saud bin Abdulaziz AlSaud. For over 38 years, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and initiated projects in over 164 countries regardless of gender, race, or religion. The foundation collaborates with a range of philanthropic, government, and educational organizations to combat poverty, empower women and youth, develop communities, provide disaster relief and create cultural understanding through education.

Working with its partners, Alwaleed Philanthropies seeks to build bridges for a more compassionate, tolerant, and accepting world. Princess Lamia was appointed Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies in April 2016, having previously served as Executive Manager of Media & Communication at the foundation. Princess Lamia earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2001 from Misr International University, Cairo, majoring in Public Relations & Marketing Advertising with a minor in Journalism. In 2003, she started the publishing company, Sada Al Arab. The company produced three magazines and was operated from Cairo, Beirut and Dubai. She also became a partner in a number of marketing companies based in Egypt, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in 2006.

In 2010, Princess Lamia published her first novel, Children & Blood, through Dar Al Saqi, one of the most respected independent publishing companies in the Middle East. The book tackles the complex issue of honour killings, and reflects on the harsh realities with which women in the Middle East are faced with. In 2017, Her Royal Highness received an honorary medal from the Vice President of Laos, Dr. Phankham Viphavanh in recognition of her philanthropic efforts in the country. That same year, Princess Lamia was announced winner of the Achievement in Philanthropies Award at the Arab Women of the Year 2017, held in London. Princess Lamia received the first of its kind “Change Maker Award” at the Aid & Trade Conference in London in recognition of her humanitarian and philanthropic efforts worldwide.

Her Royal Highness was also presented with National Council’s first-ever Philanthropic Leadership Award to HRH in Washington, DC, “in recognition of HRH’s efforts to contribute to a more compassionate, tolerant, and accepting world.” In 2018, she was awarded the “Woman Leader in Community Development Excellence Award” which was given by the Middle East Excellence Awards Institute honoring women leaders and executives in Dubai, UAE. In March 2018, Princess Lamia was honored with the Baden Powell Fellowship pin by the World Scout Foundation in recognition of AP’s contributions to the WSF’s support of youth around the world.

50 Visionary Women: Dr. Manar AlMoneef, Chief Investment Officer, NEOM

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

Dr. Manar Almoneef brings a record of transformational leadership to her role as Chief Investment Officer for NEOM, where she is responsible for developing and implementing its investment strategy. As part of her role, AlMoneef works on creating and executing growth initiatives, including identifying and developing new business opportunities as well as building partnerships. AlMoneef is a proactive and performance-driven professional with 20 years of operational expertise. Throughout her career, she has built a track record of delivering growth as well as operational and financial improvements in complex situations and organizations.

Prior to joining NEOM, AlMoneef held various commercial and operational leadership roles globally and regionally. At GE, she served in various roles over the course of 10 years, most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer at GE Renewable Energy in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region. There she led the company’s onshore wind business and renewables portfolio and was responsible for driving growth and operations as well as bringing together technology, services and digital solutions across the entire spectrum of renewable energy development.

Before her time at GE, AlMoneef was the Director General for Health Care and Life Science at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). In her last role there, she was leading knowledge-based investments in Saudi Arabia and positioning the Kingdom globally as a premier investment destination. AlMoneef, who has an executive Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, also holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Oncology and Genetics from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.

50 Visionary Women: Rania Nashar, Head of Compliance, PIF

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

Rania Nashar, a former chief executive of Samba Financial Group, was recently appointed head of compliance and governance at the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Saudi Arabia’s $430 billion PIF is one of the world’s largest and most prominent sovereign wealth funds, and the primary driver of the Kingdom’s economic change in line with its Vision 2030 goals, and it has increased its employees from 40 in 2016 to more than 1,100 employees today.

Nashar joined the fund in January as a senior adviser to its governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan. She has more than two decades of experience in the banking sector. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and information technology from King Saud University in 1997. Nashar also attended the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business for several finance and risk management programs. She began her career with Samba Financial Group after obtaining her bachelor’s degree, working as a private bank technology and quality assurance coordinator for nearly four years, before moving to e-consumerism for another four years.

In 2006, Nashar was promoted to anti-money laundering compliance officer, before she became the head of compliance less than three years after that. In October 2014, she became the chief audit executive, until she rose to CEO in 2017. She was also the chair of the Women in Business Action Council at B20 Saudi Arabia, the voice of the private sector to the G20. Nashar is also a board member of the National Center for Performance Measurement (Adaa).

50 Visionary Women: Shaista Asif, Co-Founder and Group CEO, PureHealth

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

With more than 22 years of experience, 16 of which she has spent in the healthcare industry, Shaista Asif co-founded the PureHealth Group in 2006 and assumed her current role in 2010. During her time at PureHealth, Asif has overseen multiple successful acquisitions including Abu Dhabi Health Services Co (SEHA), The National Rehabilitation Center (NRC), The National Health Insurance Co. (Daman), acquiring a stake in Ardent Healthcare and led the landmark acquisition of Circle Health Group, the first-of-its-kind healthcare acquisition by a UAE- based group in the UK, a deal worth more than AED4.4 billion (US$ 1.2 billion).

In her role as Group Chief Operating Officer, Asif’s direction was been critical in leading PureHealth’s commitment to a sustainable future, becoming part of the United Nations-backed Race to Zero initiative for Climate Change, and pledging Net Zero emissions by 2040. She also spearheaded several AI-driven initiatives, in line with PureHealth’s vision, including the launch of Pura, the region’s first AI-backed healthcare companion app, which is helping people live healthier, longer lives; as well as the launch of PureNet, a dedicated healthcare cloud providing digital health as a service platform.

As a steadfast supporter of women, Asif organised and hosted over 500 attendees, female leaders, and senior government officials at the Remarkable Emirati Women summit, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, and played a key role in the launch of the Emirati Women Chapter, a mentorship initiative dedicated to empowering and inspiring Emirati women.

50 Visionary Women: Sarah Al Suhaimi, Chairperson, Tadawul

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

Sarah Al Suhaimi is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Tadawul, the largest stock market in the Middle East. She was previously the Chief Investment Officer at Jadwa Investment, a leading independent Saudi asset management boutique, which she joined in 2007 as Head of Portfolio Management. In 2019, Al Suhaimi was appointed as a Trustee of the IFRS Foundation.

In 2018, she was chosen to join the ranks of the World Economic Forum’s 100 Young Global Leaders. Al Suhaimi was also selected as one of the “50 people to watch” by Bloomberg BusinessWeek in December 2017. Al Suhaimi graduated with the highest honors from the Accounting program at King Saud University, and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.

50 Visionary Women: Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Managing Director, Hamad Medical Corporation

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Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari has been a pivotal figure at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), where she has held the position of Managing Director since 2007. Dr. Al Kuwari began her career at HMC’s Women’s Hospital in 1996 and steadily advanced through the ranks to become Managing Director. Her extensive experience also includes roles at the World Health Organisation (WHO), Reuters, and work as a freelance health reporter and writer.

Dr. Al Kuwari’s educational achievements are notable, with a PhD in Healthcare Management from Brunel University in the UK. Her academic background has significantly contributed to her leadership and strategic vision at HMC. As Managing Director, Dr. Al Kuwari is responsible for overseeing the operational and strategic management of HMC, ensuring the delivery of high-quality healthcare services. She has played a crucial role in the preparation and development of Qatar’s National Health and Public Health Strategies, monitoring their progress and implementation. Her dedication and expertise have been instrumental in shaping the healthcare landscape in Qatar.

50 Visionary Women: Mahra Al Hosani, student, Dubai Medical College

This article is a part of Entrepreneur Middle East’s Special Edition: 50 Visionary Women

Mahra Al Hosani is currently in her second year at Dubai Medical College, where she is pursuing a degree in medicine. In addition to her academic pursuits, she serves as the co-president of the DMC Scientific Research Club. Her involvement in leadership roles also includes a curriculum community alumni, Inter-professional Education council member, and a basketball vice captain at DMC.

Al Hosani has gained valuable experience through participation in various clinical seminars, conferences, research courses, health science camps, pre-med courses, psychology camps, and ongoing scientific research projects.

This diverse background has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the medical field, including medical practices, procedures, interprofessional communication, ethical standards, and legal regulations. As a result, she is well-prepared to volunteer and shadow at medical care centers, local clinics, and during bi-annual international trips.