Home Lists Editor’s note: This year’s 100 most powerful Arabs Vibrant debate and hotly contested discussions engulfed our newsroom as we sat down to put together the much-anticipated 2024 list of this year’s 100 most powerful Arabs by Gareth van Zyl April 4, 2024 Group editor of Gulf Business, Gareth van Zyl Putting together a list of the Top 100 Most Powerful Arabs is certainly no mean feat. Vibrant debate and hotly contested discussions engulfed our newsroom as we sat down to put together the much-anticipated 2024 list, which you can now view in full in a new layout on our website. READ MORE: TOP 100 MOST POWERFUL ARABS 2024 You can also read the e-magazine version of our Top 100 issue below: This year, there are some notable trends. For example, the number of individuals from Saudi Arabia have increased from 16 last year to 19 this year. Saudi Arabia’s growing economic influence and might is only set to accelerate amid Vision 2030, as well as the Public Investment Fund’s big ambitions to scale up development in that country. As always, individuals from the UAE also had a strong showing in this year’s list, with Emiratis making up almost half (48) of the total listings. Then there is the fact that top women leaders continue to have a strong showing in our top 100 list. For example, Hana Al Rostamani, group chief executive officer of First Abu Dhabi Bank and Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, the chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, are both in our top 20 this year again — and they have both climbed the listings. There is a saying that strength lies in diversity, and the Arab world is certainly a shining example of this, with a rapid rate of transformation happening across nations and cities in this great part of the world. The graphic below further summarises the key numbers that you need to know about this year’s list. In terms of methodology, Gulf Business looked at the events of 2023-24 and rated the individuals on the basis of four criteria: financial capital, human capital, expansion plans and level of personal fame. In general, Gulf Business has excluded politicians and royalty, unless the contenders have a strong leaning towards business activity. We have included Arabs from across the world. I hope you enjoy the read. Gareth van Zyl is the group editor of Gulf Business.