Princess Ameerah Al Taweel, Vice Chair, Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation The wife of HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, Princess Ameerah is now one of the world’s most recognised philanthropists through her work at her husband’s foundation. She supports a wide range of humanitarian interests both in Saudi Arabia and across the world. Princess Ameerah has opened an orphanage in Burkina Faso, and spearheaded humanitarian trips to Pakistan and Somalia. In a speech to the Clinton Global Initiative last year, Princess Ameerah said: “People take their voices to the streets when they are not heard by their governments. If we want stability in the region, we must build institutions of civil society so people can channel their demands through these institutions. If we want prosperity in the region we must invest in young people through encouraging enterprise.” She is a member of the board of trustees at the Doha-based Silatech organisation, and formally opened the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre for Islamic Studies at Cambridge University in the UK, alongside Prince Philip. Princess Ameerah received the Humantarian Award on behalf of the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation at the Arabian Business Achievement Awards in 2010.
Hayat Sindi, Medical Researcher Hayat Sindi’s astonishing medical career started with a lie; worried that her family would not let her study abroad, she told her father that she had already been accepted into a prestigious university in the UK. When she landed in London as a teenager in 1991, she had no university place, no money, and didn’t speak English. Hard work and determination got her a place at King’s College, Cambridge. In 2001, she won a PhD in biotechnology from the top university and has been credited with the invention of MARS (Magnetic Acoustic Resonance Sensor), which combines the effects of light and sound for use in biotechnology. After a stint as a visiting scholar at Harvard, she co-founded Diagnostics for All, an organisation developing a disease-diagnosing paper that changes colours when dabbed with the bodily fluids of someone who is ill. Sindi is also a fellow at PopTech, a US-based non-profit organisation that offers fellowships to scientists promoting innovation. Last year, she launched the Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, a Middle East focused foundation that will help scientists create business plans and find investors for their ideas.
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Lama Al Sulaiman, Deputy Chairwoman, Jeddah Chamber for Commerce & Industry Lama Sulaiman was elected deputy chairwoman of the Jeddah Chamber for Commerce & Industry in December 2009, becoming the first female to hold such a post in Saudi history. Her appointment was even more remarkable given that just a week before standing for election, the businesswoman was told she had beaten breast cancer. The mother of four is well aware of the delicacies of being a Saudi woman in her position, telling Bloomberg: “You have to proceed carefully. You have to respect others,” adding that few clerics object to her working with men due to her husband’s authorisation. That said, she is a keen supporter of more women holding prominent positions in the kingdom. “With King Abdullah, we are changing so that women can have far more opportunities,” she told the newswire. Al Sulaiman studied biochemistry at King Abdulaziz University before embarking on her doctorate in nutrition from King’s College London. She is also a board member of the Jeddah-based Rolaco Trading & Contracting and a member of the Young Arab Leaders.
Muna AbuSulayman, Secretary General, Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation Not only is Muna AbuSulayman at the helm of the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation, but she is also one of HRH Prince Alwaleed’s most trusted advisors, and the co-host of one of MBC TV’s most popular social programmes. Charged with spending up to $100m a year on good causes, she has also spoken and written about issues related to society, such as women rights and community development. In 2004, she was named a Young Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Hiba Jamal, TV Presenter, MBC One of the highlights of Hiba Jamal’s career so far is likely to be her interview with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in January last year. Jamal, along with her co-presenters, recorded a special episode of the Arabic ladies talk show Kalam Nawaem, which is broadcast on the MBC-1 satellite channel. The special edition of the show focused on women in politics, the world before and after 9/11, the Middle East peace process and cross-cultural dialogue. Jamal holds a BA in English literature from King Abdulaziz University.
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