Olayan joins more than 40 distinguished speakers from 35 countries, including senior executives from FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, Marriott International, and other global firms.<\/p>\n
The Summit marks one of the most significant gatherings of senior Saudi female leaders from the government at an international women\u2019s gathering.<\/p>\n
Lubna Olayan, one of Saudi Arabia\u2019s most prominent business leaders, who has appeared 12 times on Fortune\u2019s Most Powerful Women in Business list, will open the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh on May 20, 2025. Olayan will set the tone for the two-day gathering, which marks Fortune\u2019s first international Most Powerful Women summit in the Middle East \u2014 a milestone moment that reflects the Kingdom\u2019s focus on advancing women\u2019s leadership in business.<\/p>\n
The summit will also feature an unprecedented presence of senior Saudi female officials, representing leadership across multiple sectors of government, including:
\nH.H. Princess Haifa Mohammed Al Saud \u2013 Vice Minister of Tourism
\nH.E. Dr. Hala Al-Tuwaijri \u2013 President, Saudi Human Rights Commission
\nH.E. Dr. Einas bint Suleiman Al-Eisa \u2013 Deputy Minister of Education
\nAdwa Al-Arifi \u2013 Assistant Minister for Sport Affairs, Ministry of Sport
\nFarah Ismail \u2013 Deputy Minister, Sectoral and Regional Development, Ministry of Economy and Planning<\/p>\n
These leaders will speak on how women in government are driving progress in key sectors\u2014from economic diversification and education to wellness and tourism demonstrating the depth of Saudi Arabia\u2019s women leaders as the country continues to implement its Vision 2030 reform agenda.<\/p>\n
Taking place at The St. Regis Riyadh on May 20-21, the summit will convene around the theme \u201cA New Era for Business: Partnering for Global Prosperity.\u201d It will bring together more than 150 of the world\u2019s most influential women\u2014including CEOs, policymakers, and entrepreneurs\u2014from 35 countries to explore new models of inclusive growth, innovation, and international cooperation.<\/p>\n
As part of the opening day, Fortune will also unveil its 2025 Most Powerful Women in Business list, celebrating the achievements of leading female executives and further elevating the event\u2019s global resonance.<\/p>\n
Joining the Summit\u2019s roster of global leaders is The Rt. Hon. Theresa May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2016\u20132019), who will headline the closing session on May 21. In a conversation moderated by Ellie Austin, Editorial Director of Fortune Most Powerful Women, May will offer her insights on fractured global alliances, climate leadership, and the role of bold, ethical leadership in navigating geopolitical uncertainty.<\/p>\n
The Summit\u2019s wider speaker roster includes senior executives from FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, Marriott International, Microsoft, and other Fortune 500 companies, as well as international public sector.<\/p>\n
In addition to business and policy discussions, the Summit will spotlight women driving change across culture, media, and sport.<\/p>\n
On Day 2, a special MPW Spotlight on Women in Sports will feature Adwa Al-Arifi, Assistant Minister for Sport Affairs, in conversation with Noor Nugali, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Arab News. Al-Arifi will highlight the country\u2019s growing investment in women\u2019s sports, from school leagues to elite training centers, and its broader impact on public health and societal change.<\/p>\n
This will be followed by \u201cPlaying to Win: Women, Sports, and Breaking Barriers\u201d, featuring:
\nAalia Al-Rasheed, Head of Women\u2019s Football, Saudi Arabian Football Federation
\nZam Zam Al Hammadi, Fighter, Professional Fighters League
\nRasha Alkhamis, President of the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation
\nMashael AlObaidan, Rally Driver<\/p>\n
Lebanese actress and TV presenter Daniella Rahme will also appear as a special guest speaker. In a session with Fortune\u2019s Ellie Austin, Rahme will discuss the power of representation, building authentic personal brands, and leveraging visibility to elevate regional identity on the global stage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Olayan joins more than 40 distinguished speakers from 35 countries, including senior executives from FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, Marriott International, and other global firms. The Summit marks one of the most significant gatherings of senior Saudi female leaders from the government at an international women\u2019s gathering. Lubna Olayan, one of Saudi Arabia\u2019s most prominent business […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[91,130,87,15,3714],"tags":[18888,18854,18910,18876,16252,18878,18890,18894,3414,18900,18874,18882,9134,18906,18926,6225,10810,18880,18842,18928,18850,18858,18930,18892,18940,18844,18862,18872,18868,18864,18938,4828,9200,18898,18856,18848,18922,18846,18852,16240,10528,614,11738,18840,18934,15216,18916,10802,18924,18918,18936,18932,596,220,18912,18870,18920,18904,18860,18908,18886,18896,9332,562,18866,10718,18884,4920,18902,18914],"class_list":["post-6953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arab-countries-en","category-featured-en","category-gcc-en","category-press-releases","category-saudi","tag-150-influential-women","tag-a-new-era-for-business-partnering-for-global-prosperity","tag-aalia-al-rasheed","tag-adwa-al-arifi","tag-arab-news","tag-assistant-minister-for-sport-affairs","tag-ceos","tag-climate-leadership","tag-culture","tag-daniella-rahme","tag-deputy-minister-of-education","tag-deputy-minister-sectoral-and-regional-development","tag-economic-diversification","tag-elite-training-centers","tag-ellie-austin","tag-entrepreneurs","tag-ethical-leadership","tag-farah-ismail","tag-fedex","tag-fortune-500-companies","tag-fortune-most-powerful-women-international-summit","tag-fortunes-most-powerful-women-in-business-list","tag-geopolitical-uncertainty","tag-global-alliances","tag-global-prosperity","tag-goldman-sachs","tag-government","tag-h-e-dr-einas-bint-suleiman-al-eisa","tag-h-e-dr-hala-al-tuwaijri","tag-h-h-princess-haifa-mohammed-al-saud","tag-innovation","tag-international-cooperation","tag-lebanese-actress","tag-lubna-olayan","tag-marriott-international","tag-mashael-alobaidan","tag-mastercard","tag-may-20-21-2025","tag-media","tag-microsoft","tag-ministry-of-economy-and-planning","tag-ministry-of-sport","tag-olayan","tag-personal-branding","tag-policymakers","tag-professional-fighters-league","tag-public-health","tag-rally-driver","tag-rasha-alkhamis","tag-regional-identity","tag-representation","tag-riyadh","tag-saudi-arabia","tag-saudi-arabian-football-federation","tag-saudi-human-rights-commission","tag-saudi-mixed-martial-arts-federation","tag-school-leagues","tag-senior-saudi-female-leaders","tag-societal-change","tag-st-regis-riyadh","tag-theresa-may","tag-tourism","tag-united-kingdom","tag-vice-minister-of-tourism","tag-vision-2030","tag-wellness","tag-womens-leadership","tag-womens-sports","tag-zam-zam-al-hammadi"],"yoast_head":"\n