23 February 2017
Saudi Arabia is acting on its pledge to give women a larger role in the country's economy with landmark appointments of women in key financial positions, including the first female chair of the Saudi stock market and the first female CEO of a listed Saudi commercial bank.
This marks a major shift in the ultraconservative kingdom where women have largely been kept out of the workforce due to legal barriers, such as gender segregation and a ban on driving, as well as societal pressures.
So, who are the women helping to break the gender barrier in the Gulf Arab state?
Sarah Al-Suhaimi was appointed as the first female to head Tadawul, the Arab world's largest bourse, last Thursday. (Read here)
Suhaimi was chief executive of investment bank NCB Capital since 2014, and her father Jammaz headed the Capital Market Authority between 2004 and 2006. Prior to that, she was the chief investment officer at Jadwa Investment and a senior portfolio manager at Samba Financial Group. The Harvard graduate was appointed, in September 13, as a member of the stock exchange’s consultancy committee, according to Al-Arabiya. (Read here)
And on Monday, Samba Financial group named Rania Nashar as chief executive officer, making her the first female CEO of a listed Saudi commercial bank. (Read here)
Nashar is a board member of Samba's global markets subsidiary and has nearly 20 years of experience in banking after graduating from King Saudi University with a B.S. in computer science. (Read here)
The following day, Arab National Bank named Latifah Al-Sabhan as chief financial officer, Al-Arabiya TV reported.
The appointments are in line with the kingdom’s national transformation plan, Vision 2030, that aims to increase women’s participation rate in the labour market by a quarter, to 30 percent. (Read here)
© Express 2017
Saudi Arabia is acting on its pledge to give women a larger role in the country's economy with landmark appointments of women in key financial positions, including the first female chair of the Saudi stock market and the first female CEO of a listed Saudi commercial bank.
This marks a major shift in the ultraconservative kingdom where women have largely been kept out of the workforce due to legal barriers, such as gender segregation and a ban on driving, as well as societal pressures.
So, who are the women helping to break the gender barrier in the Gulf Arab state?
Sarah Al-Suhaimi was appointed as the first female to head Tadawul, the Arab world's largest bourse, last Thursday. (Read here)
Suhaimi was chief executive of investment bank NCB Capital since 2014, and her father Jammaz headed the Capital Market Authority between 2004 and 2006. Prior to that, she was the chief investment officer at Jadwa Investment and a senior portfolio manager at Samba Financial Group. The Harvard graduate was appointed, in September 13, as a member of the stock exchange’s consultancy committee, according to Al-Arabiya. (Read here)
And on Monday, Samba Financial group named Rania Nashar as chief executive officer, making her the first female CEO of a listed Saudi commercial bank. (Read here)
Nashar is a board member of Samba's global markets subsidiary and has nearly 20 years of experience in banking after graduating from King Saudi University with a B.S. in computer science. (Read here)
The following day, Arab National Bank named Latifah Al-Sabhan as chief financial officer, Al-Arabiya TV reported.
The appointments are in line with the kingdom’s national transformation plan, Vision 2030, that aims to increase women’s participation rate in the labour market by a quarter, to 30 percent. (Read here)
© Express 2017
