SRMG CEO Jomana Al-Rashid among Forbes Middle East’s most powerful businesswomen

LONDON: Jomana Al-Rashid, CEO of the Saudi Research and Media Group, has topped the media listees in Forbes Middle East’s 2023 list of the 100 most powerful businesswomen in the region, ranking 25th overall.

Al-Rashid assumed her current role in October 2020, a year before the group rebranded from the Saudi Research and Marketing Group to the Saudi Research and Media Group.  

Group revenues hit $719 million during the first nine months of 2022, growing by 27.6 percent compared to $563.6 million during the same period in 2021.

The Tadawul-listed group operates in 11 countries and owns 25 websites and 30 brands. It is also the publisher of the Arabic Manga Magazine.

Forbes ME published on Thursday this year’s list of the most powerful women in the region, who are driving success across 27 sectors.

The flagship annual list was dominated by Emirati and Egyptian women, with 15 and 12 entries, respectively. Saudi Arabia took 11 places and Kuwait eight, while Lebanon, Oman and Qatar occupied six each, according to a Forbes ME press statement.

Banking and financial services made up 23 of the 100 listees. Diversified conglomerates followed with 11 women leaders, while eight businesswomen are from the investments industry.

Emirati businesswoman Hana Al Rostamani, group CEO of the First Abu Dhabi Bank, moved two places up to top the 2023 list, followed directly by Raja Easa Al Gurg, chairperson and managing director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group.

The highest-ranked Saudi on the flagship annual list is Lubna S. Olayan, chair of the Saudi British Bank and chair of the executive committee and deputy chair of Olayan Financing Company, who came in third.

Some of the women on Forbes ME’s 2023 list of most powerful women in the region have had global influence as well as regional. Al Rostamani and Al Gurg also made it to the Forbes list of the world’s 100 most powerful women in 2022.