PHOTO
- 126 listees span 15 categories and the region’s largest companies.
- UAE-based leaders reign with 67 entries, followed by Saudi Arabia with 23.
Dubai: Forbes Middle East has released its third annual list of the region’s sustainability leaders, recognizing the executives driving sustainable initiatives and impact across the Middle East’s largest industries.
This year’s Sustainability Leaders 2025 list highlights 126 executives spearheading sustainability strategies across 15 industries: banks, energy and utilities, food and agriculture, investment and holding companies, financial services, family businesses, healthcare, manufacturing and industrials, oil and gas, real estate and construction, renewable energy, telecom, transport and logistics, travel and tourism, and waste management. The list features CEOs, chairpersons, and chief sustainability officers.
For this year’s ranking, Forbes Middle East gathered information from questionnaires, sustainability or ESG reports, official disclosures, and recent news. Each sector was assessed separately, and initiatives were horizontally compared with special weight given to sector-specific efforts. The UAE leads with 67 entries, followed by Saudi Arabia with 23 and Egypt with 12.
In the past year, the region’s major players have reported strong progress: Masdar’s portfolio grew by 62%, reaching 51 GW; Emirates Global Aluminium reached 50% completion of the UAE’s largest aluminium recycling facility; Vodafone Egypt achieved 100% renewable on-grid electricity across its operations; and Infinity Power advanced toward its 10 GW renewable capacity target with new wind and solar projects across Africa.
The Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders’ Summit 2025 will be held in Abu Dhabi from October 14-15. To find out more and secure your place, click here.
The Middle East’s Sustainability Leaders 2025
| Sector | Top-Ranking Sustainability Leader |
| Banks | Hana Al Rostamani Group CEO, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) |
| Energy & Utilities | Jasim Husain Thabet Group CEO & Managing Director, TAQA Group |
| Food & Agriculture | Abdullah Nasser Albader CEO, Almarai |
| Investment & Holding Companies | Yasir Othman Al-Rumayyan Governor, Public Investment Fund (PIF) |
| Financial Services | Rashed Sharif CEO, SNB Capital |
| Family Business | Ahmed Galal Ismail CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Holding |
| Healthcare | Azad Moopen Founder Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare |
| Manufacturing & Industrials | Yasser Zaghloul Group CEO, NMDC Group |
| Oil & Gas | Amin H. Nasser President & CEO, Saudi Aramco |
| Real Estate & Construction | Talal Al Dhiyebi Group CEO, Aldar Properties |
| Renewable Energy | Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi CEO, Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) |
| Telecom | Hatem Dowidar Group CEO, e& |
| Transport & Logistics | Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem Group Chairman & CEO, DP World |
| Travel & Tourism | H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group |
| Waste Management | Ziyad AlShiha Group CEO, Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) |
About Forbes Middle East
Forbes Middle East is a licensed edition of Forbes for the Arab world, championing inspiring business journalism and entrepreneurial capitalism. Its online and social platforms break news covering billionaires, business, investment, technology, economy, entrepreneurship, leadership, and luxury lifestyles. The monthly magazine, featuring in-depth interviews with the Middle East’s most influential and innovative leaders, is published in print in English and Arabic, with digital versions available to both regional and global audiences online. Forbes Middle East extends the Forbes brand of journalism across the Arab world, conducting its own comprehensive research to publish original lists that adhere to strict methodologies. Its content attracts business leaders, investors, active and potential entrepreneurs, and a wide audience of ambitious and influential executives.
Media contact: Basma Aly Sadek – basma@forbesmiddleeast.com




















