Forbes Features 50 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2023
Forbes Middle East reveals the list of the most creative and impactful 50 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands and 20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands.
Fashion, beauty, jewelry, accessories, footwear, and perfumes are among the six brand categories that are included. With 30 entries, fashion brands take the lead, followed by eight beauty brands and five jewelry firms. The female founders are from 21 different nationalities.
Egyptian and Lebanese founders come in first and second on the list, with 14 and four entries, respectively. With 20 entries, the United Arab Emirates has the most brands, followed by ten brands from Lebanon and seven from Egypt.
Listed below are the women behind Middle Eastern brands 2023:
-
Huda Kattan
Brand: Huda Beauty
Category: Beauty
Nationality: Iraqi-American
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Rayan Al Sulaimani
Brand: Atelier Zuhra
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Omani
Headquarters: U.A.E. and Oman
-
Selma Benomar
Brand: SELMA BENOMAR
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Moroccan-French
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Hind Sebti
Brand: whind
Category: Beauty
Nationality: Moroccan
Headquarters: U.K.
-
Mouna Abbassy
Brand: Izil Beauty
Category: Beauty
Nationality: Moroccan
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Mona Kattan
Brand: Kayali; Huda Beauty
Category: Perfumes; Beauty
Nationality: Iraqi-American
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Azza Fahmy, Amina, and Fatma Ghali
Brand: Azza Fahmy Jewellery
Category: Jewelry
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Egypt
-
Reem Acra
Brand: Reem Acra
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese-American
Headquarters: U.S.
-
Denise Soda
Brand: BASIL SODA
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Yasmine Yeya
Brand: Maison Yeya
Category: Fashion
Nationality: French - Egyptian
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Salama Mohamed
Brand: Peacefull
Category: Beauty
Nationality: Emirati
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Andrea Wazen
Brand: Andrea Wazen
Category: Footwear
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Sara Onsi
Brand: Sara Onsi
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Egypt
-
Hadia Ghaleb
Brand: Hadia Ghaleb Label
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Zeena Zaki
Brand: Zeena Zaki
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Iraqi
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Nadine Merabi
Brand: NADINE MERABI
Category: Fashion
Nationality: British-Lebanese
Headquarters: U.K.
-
Aya & Mounaz Abdelraouf
Brand: OKHTEIN
Category: Accessories
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Egypt
-
Doaa Gawish
Brand: The Hair Addict
Category: Beauty
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Egypt
Zeynab El-Helw
Brand: Яeboяn
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Turkish-Egyptian
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Maram Borhan
Brand: Maram Borhan, Maram The Label
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Egypt
-
Reema Dahbour
Brand: REEMA DAHBOUR
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Jordanian
Headquarters: Jordan
-
Marmar Halim
Brand: Marmar Halim
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Farida Temraz
Brand: Temraza
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Egypt
-
Gemy Maalouf
Brand: Gemy Maalouf
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Sabrina Mouhieddine
Brand: Lili Blanc
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Dima Ayad
Brand: Dima Ayad
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Alice Abdel Aziz
Brand: Take Me To Wonder
Category: Beauty
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Dima & Tania Nawbar
Brand: L’atelier Nawbar
Category: Jewelry
Nationality: British-Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Lama Jouni
Brand: LAMA JOUNI
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Joelle Moughalian
Brand: J by Joëlle Fine Jewelry
Category: Jewelry
Nationality: Lebanese-Armenian
Headquarters: Lebanon and Qatar
-
Sarah Beydoun
Brand: Sarah's Bag
Category: Accessories
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Mariam Yeya
Brand: Mrs. Keepa
Category: Fashion
Nationality: French-Egyptian
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Honayda Serafi
Brand: HONAYDA
Category: Fashion
Establishment: 2016
Nationality: Saudi
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Mariane Bechara
Brand: MARIANE BECHARA
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Mashael Al Faris
Brand: MASHAEL AL FARIS
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Saudi
Headquarters: Saudi Arabia
-
Nour Azazy
Brand: Nazazy
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Egypt
-
Sandy Nour
Brand: SANDY NOUR
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: U.A.E. and Lebanon
-
Maha Morley-Kirk
Brand: Fifteen Makeup & Beauty (Sub-brands: Pinky Goat & Eyecha)
Category: Beauty
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
May Orfy
Brand: MAYKA
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: U.A.E.
-
Arwa Alammari
Brand: ArAm
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Saudi
Headquarters: Saudi Arabia
-
Carolina Chammas
Brand: Aura Headpieces
Category: Jewelry
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Karine Tawil
Brand: MAISON KAROLINE LANG
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: Lebanon
-
Kawthar Alhoraish
Brand: KAF BY KAF
Category: Fashion
Nationality: Saudi
Headquarters: Saudi Arabia
-
Jennifer Chamandi
Brand: JENNIFER CHAMANDI
Category: Footwear
Nationality: Lebanese
Headquarters: U.K.
-
Yasmin Mansour
Brand: YASMIN MANSOUR
Category: Accessories & Fashion
Nationality: Egyptian
Headquarters: Qatar