Forbes Middle East has revealed its third annual ranking of the leading 40 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2021, featuring the female entrepreneurs behind some of the region’s most well-known brands across beauty, fashion, jewelry, accessories, handbags, and footwear categories. The list was constructed based on the brand’s celebrity endorsements, social media following, geographic presence, years of experience, and media coverage. This year, U.A.E.-headquartered brands dominate the list with 15 entries, followed by Egypt with eight and Lebanon with seven. The labels in this ranking count international and local royals and A-listers as their clients, from Queen Rania of Jordan to Beyonce.
Iraqi-American sisters Huda and Mona Kattan lead the pack with their Dubai-based multi-million-dollar empire Huda Beauty, which began as a blog in 2010. Huda was also ranked #47 on Forbes’ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women 2020, with an estimated net worth of $510 million as of October 13, 2020. The label generates an estimated $250 million in annual sales. Some of the oldest established brands on the list, fashion label Reem Acra and Azza Fahmy Jewellery, rank second and third, respectively.
To recognize the female founders and co-founders of the region’s most successful online platforms and apps, Forbes Middle East has also unveiled a ranking of 10 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands. These startups were additionally evaluated on the amount of external funding received as well as revenues.
Thanks to its attractive business landscape and ease-of-doing-business, the U.A.E. once again reigns the list with eight entries headquartered in the emirates, followed by two brands in Saudi. Together, the 10 companies startups have secured over $120 million in funding. Well-established e-commerce player Mumzworld—founded by Palestinians Mona Ataya and Leena Khalil—landed the top spot. The Middle East’s biggest online baby shop has raised $50 million through five rounds of funding. In June 2021, Mumzworld agreed to be acquired by Tamer Group in what will be the largest exit for an all-woman-founded startup in the region.
Of the 10, three tech brands operate in the U.A.E. Fintech space, indicating the Arab nation’s leading position in the rapidly growing and profitable sector. Co-founded by Sarah Toukan last year, the U.A.E.-headquartered peer-to-peer payment app Ziina is the youngest tech company to feature on the list. Nonetheless, Ziina has secured $7.5 million in its latest funding round, taking its total funding to more than $8.6 million to date.
Click here for the complete rankings of the Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2021.
Top 5 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2021
1 | Huda & Mona Kattan
Brand: Huda Beauty (Sub-brands: KAYAlI, WISHFUL)
Category: Beauty
Established: 2013
Nationality: Iraqi-American
HQ: U.A.E.
2 | Reem Acra
Brand: Reem Acra
Category: Fashion
Established: 1997
Nationality: Lebanese-American
HQ: U.S.
3 | Azza Fahmy, Amina & Fatma Ghali
Brand: Azza Fahmy Jewellery
Category: Jewelry
Established: 1969
Nationality: Egyptians
HQ: Egypt
4 | Dima Rashid
Brand: Dima Jewellery
Category: Jewelry
Established: 2002
Nationality: Palestinian Canadian
HQ: Egypt
5 | Gemy Maalouf
Brand: Gemy Maalouf
Category: Fashion
Established: 1996
Nationality: Lebanese
HQ: Lebanon
Top 5 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2021
1 | Mona Ataya & Leena Khalil
Brand: Mumzworld
Category: E-Commerce
Established: 2011
Nationality: Palestinians
HQ: U.A.E.
2 | Ambareen Musa
Brand: Souqalmal.com
Category: Financial Products Comparison Site
Established: 2012
Nationality: Mauritian
HQ: U.A.E.
3 | Dana Baki
Brand: Munch: On
Category: Food Delivery
Established: 2015
Nationality: Lebanese-American
HQ: U.A.E.
4 | Ola Younia Doudin
Brand: BitOasis
Category: Crypto Trading
Established: 2015
Nationality: Jordanian
HQ: U.A.E.
5 | Nadine Mezher
Brand: Sarwa
Category: Fintech
Established: 2017
Nationality: Lebanese
HQ: U.A.E.
