Top 100 Arabs 2024

19. Lubna Suliman Olayan 

Chairperson, Saudi Awwal Bank (formerly Saudi British Bank)

Origin: Saudi Arabia

Residence: Saudi Arabia

Sector: Finance

2023 Rank: 19

Olayan was reappointed as chairperson of Saudi Awwal Bank for a three-year term in January 2023.

Under her stewardship, the bank has achieved major milestones, recording a net profit of SAR7bn ($1.86bn) for 2023, marking a 45 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lubna Olayan is a staunch advocate for women’s empowerment, evidenced by her commitment to fostering gender diversity within the bank’s senior management, where a third of positions are held by females.

Moreover, Olayan’s appointment to the World Economic Forum’s board of trustees in 2022 further underscores her status as a global leader shaping the future of finance and business. Her family also owns one of the region’s most powerful conglomerates.

Salem Humaid Al Marri

Essa Kazim