About the Forum
Amid the comprehensive development renaissance underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, women stand out as pivotal partners and key drivers of sustainable economic growth. Building on this historic role, Asharqia Chamber, through its Women’s Empowerment Center, remains firmly committed to shaping a future in which efforts are unified and roles are brought together.
The current edition of the Economic Women’s Forum is being held under the gracious patronage of HRH Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Province (may God protect him). It continues a series of successes achieved by the Forum in previous editions, during which the Chamber anticipated the economic future of Saudi and Gulf women. Here, we do not simply showcase achievements; we aim to redefine women’s leadership in the national economy and transform challenges into investment and technology opportunities that keep pace with the times.
Under the ninth edition’s theme, “From Empowerment to Economic Impact,” the Forum presents strategic perspectives that go beyond traditional empowerment to a stage of “distinctive leadership.” This year’s academic and organizational program focuses on ways to maximize women’s economic impact on GDP, enhance their readiness to integrate into the digital economy and innovation ecosystem, and empower them to hold leadership decision-making roles. This will ensure that women-led projects align with global standards for financial sustainability and social impact, in keeping with the Kingdom’s quality-of-life objectives.
Vision and Mission
Women as active partners in development.
Advance women’s empowerment by highlighting achievements and future opportunities, and exploring challenges, with the aim of maximizing women’s economic role and achieving sustainable economic growth.
Objectives
Themes
Scientific Program
Address by Asharqia ChamberMr. Fahad bin Abdullah Al-FarrajChairman of Asharqia Chamber’s Board of Directors
Ms. Nouf bint Fahad Al-SudairiChairwoman of the Board of Nouf Al-Sudairi GroupAgile Leadership and Sustainability: Women Leading the Economy of the Future
Amid accelerating global change, clinging to traditional management styles is no longer enough. There is a growing need for “agile leadership,” in which women are a key pillar, able to turn challenges into inspiring investment opportunities. Our vision for building a sustainable economy aims to balance rapid growth with ensuring equal opportunities. This will help empower enterprises led by national women’s talent to evolve from local entities into global growth drivers that keep pace with digital transformation and the green economy, and play a pivotal role in shaping an entrepreneurial future that supports the diversification of national income.
Accordingly, this session explores an interconnected ecosystem that begins with institutional and human-capital agility, moves through governance, diversity, and decision-making, and culminates in building more sustainable and competitive national companies—strengthening the national economy’s capacity to deliver inclusive, sustainable growth.
Session ChairMs. Agharid bint Ihsan AbduljawadBoard Member, Asharqia Chamber
SpeakerDr. Latifa bint Abdullah Al-MusaffarVice Dean for Scientific Research and Innovation, College of Business Administration, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
SpeakerDr. Maha bint Saleh Al-OtaibiChairwoman of the Board of Pharma Quality Arabia
SpeakerMr. Khalil bin Ibrahim Al-FuraihChairman of the Board and Co-Founder of Humetric
Engineer Maram bint Adel Al-ButairiOwner of Al-Shoula Women’s Football ClubFuture Horizons: Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in Empowering Entrepreneurship
With the Kingdom dedicating this year to artificial intelligence and advancing digital leadership, future horizons present a golden opportunity to reshape the landscape of women’s entrepreneurship. We view technology not merely as a set of tools, but as a strategic enabler that takes women’s projects beyond traditional boundaries and into the world of global innovation. By adopting artificial intelligence solutions, we enable women entrepreneurs to remain competitive, achieve smart growth, and contribute effectively to the knowledge economy, in line with Vision 2030. This theme discusses how women can move from being “consumers” of technology to becoming its “innovators” and drivers, with a focus on harnessing artificial intelligence to create employment and entrepreneurial opportunities that transcend geographical and traditional boundaries.
Session ChairEngineer Manal bint Abdulrahman Al-BawardiChief Information Officer at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
SpeakerMs. Dina bint Saad Al-Dubai’anDirector of the Revenue Control and Regulation Department in the Business Development Sector at the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA)
SpeakerDr. Sara bint Omar Al-HamoudCo-Founder and Chief AI Officer at Wittify.ai
SpeakerEngineer Louay bin Saleh LabniFounder and CEO of Innosoft
SpeakerEngineer Maram bint Abdulaziz Al-JishiSenior Partner Sales Solutions Manager for Cloud and AI at Microsoft ArabiaFrom Idea to Investment
In a global economic environment characterized by volatility and uncertainty, leadership is no longer simply about managing resources; it is about resilience and steering the ship through the storms. This workshop aims to move participants from “reacting” to “anticipating and leading” through realistic simulations of financial and market crises. In this lab, we will hone the mental and practical skills that enable entrepreneurs to sustain their businesses and turn pressing challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation, while building a flexible organizational culture that embraces change as part of its success strategy.
Objective: Bridge the gap between a technical or business idea and an investor’s mindset.
Engineer Mohammed bin Saleh Al-ZoubiFounder and Managing Partner at Nama Ventures Capital CompanySaudi Women on Boards: Steps Toward Board Membership
Amid rapid economic change and the growing presence of Saudi women in leadership and decision-making roles, board membership has become a career path that requires a combination of experience, knowledge of governance, the ability to assess performance and risks, and active participation in shaping strategic directions and decisions.
Recognizing the importance of preparing qualified women for this role, this interactive workshop introduces the responsibilities of board membership and how to prepare for it. It covers the fundamentals of governance, financial oversight, risk, and strategic decision-making, and combines discussion with practical application through a brief simulation of a governance table.
Objective: Introduce participants to the roles of boards and the responsibilities of their members, help them apply their experience to board work, and identify practical steps to develop their readiness for board membership.
Ms. Mai bint Saleh Al-MuzainiFounder and CEO of the Arab Women’s Empowerment Center (Nisf)
