Women Rising to Leadership Roles in the Middle East

By: Rachita Sharma, Managing Editor | Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Women’s empowerment and growth has been undergoing a renaissance within the Middle East lately.

Historically known to be a male dominated society, the Middle East has seen women’s underrepresentation the work sphere for years. A 2022 report by Heidrick & Struggles concluded that standing at three percent of female leaders, the Middle East lags behind in gender diversity as compared to the global average of seven percent.

However, swift action is being undertaken by the region’s governments and companies to foster gender balance in the workforce and boost women’s participation as leadership figures. A recent survey revealed that 61 percent of UAE’s workforce is positive about women leaders’ impact on organizational success. 39 percent of responders in the same survey envision the future top leader of their current organization to be female.

Other than perception, positive change has been set in motion on ground too. Q1 of 2023 saw women’s participation grow manifolds in the workforce. The numbers well exceeded GCC’s vision 2030 targets with Saudi Arabia clocking 37 percent women representation, the highest in the region.

Women leaders in the Middle East need to be lauded for their pioneering work in setting the right examples as role models for inclusive growth. The current edition of Women Entrepreneurs Review takes a step in that direction by highlighting some of the prolific women leaders from the legal field in the Middle East.

In this edition, read about Aïcha Ahardane, who combines cross-cultural insights with legal acumen to deliver transformative results. As Head of Legal at Kamet Ventures, she leverages her global experience and strategic foresight to navigate complex challenges—empowering innovation and growth.

We also feature an exclusive conversation featuring Dima Abuasabeh, Head of Legal at Samsung Electronics, is a seasoned legal advisor known for her ability to balance business needs with sound risk management across complex, multi-jurisdictional landscapes. With deep expertise in Middle Eastern laws, particularly Sharia-influenced frameworks, she has become a trusted voice at the C-suite level, guiding presidents and CFOs through critical decisions.

Highlighting their thoughts on leadership, Middle East’s legal landscape and more, these stories serve as a rare opportunity to see women leaders up close and personal.

Read more about the pioneering women legal leaders from the Middle East and do let us know your thoughts.