For 2023, the Forbes Middle East list featured the region's "100 Most Powerful Businesswomen," with 100 entries from 27 different sectors and 27 nationalities.
According to the business magazine, the banking and financial services sector dominated the list with 23 entries, followed by 11 leading diversified businesses, eight from the investments sector, six from retail, and five from healthcare.
Additionally, Forbes stated that the UAE and Egypt scored the most entries, with 15 and 12, respectively, followed by 11 from Saudi Arabia, eight from Kuwait, and six each from Qatar, Oman, and Lebanon.
Here are the nine Lebanese showcased on Forbes Middle East's "100 Most Powerful Businesswomen:"
#18. Samia Bouazza
In 2003, Lebanese Samia Bouazza founded Multiply Group as Multiply Marketing Consultancy (MMC). In 2020, the International Holding Company acquired MMC and turned its focus to media and communications, energy and utilities, the digital economy, among others.
Multiply Group debuted on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in 2021. In Q3 2022, the group obtained a 7.3 percent stake in the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) for $2.7 billion, and acquired 80 percent of International Energy Holding, Forbes reported.
#32. Mona Ataya
Palestinian-Lebanese Mona Ataya cofounded Mumzworld in 2011. In 2021, the Saudi-based Tamer Group acquired it, and Ataya became Group CEO for the digital assets of the Tamer Group.
Mumzworld grew across the Levant, especially in Jordan and Lebanon, and launched a healthcare e-commerce vertical in Saudi Arabia, with plans to expand in the UAE. According to Forbes, the platform currently serves more than 2 million customers across the Middle East.
In June 2022, Ataya was also re-elected as an "eTrade for Women" advocate for Arab states.
#40. Leila Serhan
Serhan, along with Emirati Saeeda Jaffar, joined Visa in 2021. Among other projects and initiatives, Visa signed an MoU with the Arab Monetary Fund to support the growth and efficiency of cross-border payments between the region and global markets.
Leila Serhan also founded and served as president of the Women in IT Association in Lebanon.
#50. Olfat Sami Berro
In 2003, Berro joined Roche and assumed her current position in 2019. In 2021, Roche signed an MoU with Microsoft; in 2022, the company signed a partnership with the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. Berro also helped in the launch of RISE, a talent development program.
According to Forbes, Olfat Sami Berro is also a member of the Executive Committee of the PhRMA Middle East & Africa, the regional arm of The Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and a member of Roche's Diversity and Inclusion Council.
#59. Rima Assi
With more than a decade of experience, Assi has been working with McKinsey & Company for more than 16 years and has co-authored several papers.
The Lebanese-French Rima Assi is also a member of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders. Before joining the company, she served as a risk analyst at Société Générale.
#68. Farah Foustok
Foustok started working in investment in 1994, and in 2014 she joined Lazard Gulf Limited. In 2020, she launched the speed mentoring initiative TARA and was appointed as co-chair of the Women in Business Action Council for the B20.
"She has previously worked at NBD Investment Bank, EFG-Hermes Holding, Deutsche Bank in London, and Morgan Stanley," stated the business magazine.
#70. Leila Hoteit
Leila Hoteit specialized in human capital. She is the global leader of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG)'s Education, Employment, and Welfare (EEW) practice.
Hoteit has experience in social development and culture, and works alongside policymakers, regulatory authorities, and public sector entities on policy development.
She led EEW practice at BCG ME during the COVID-19 pandemic and managed to grow the practice globally. She is also a member of the jury for the Global Teacher Price.
#74. Elda Choucair
In 2021, Elda Choucair became CEO of Omnicom Media Group (OMG) MENA, a company that provides strategic communication and media consultancy to brands. Before taking her role, she was COO at OMG MENA from June 2019. She also serves as vice chair at the Advertising Business Group, a founding board member at Unstereotype Alliance, and a board member at Endeavor and IAB GCC.
Additionally, Elda is an Advisory Council Member at the Middle East Action for Diversity Council.
#98. May Nasrallah
Emirati-Lebanese May Nasrallah founded deNovo in 2010. Previously, she spent more than 15 years with Morgan Stanley and was one of the youngest, and one of the first Arab women to be named managing director at the company.
She established and led Morgan Stanley's first Middle East headquarters in Dubai. Nasrallah also serves as chairwoman of the Lebanese International Finance Executive, and in 2020, BlackRock appointed her as non-executive chairman and senior advisor for its Middle East Business, stated the magazine.