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Three BBS alumnae among Forbes Middle East’s list of the 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2023
14 February 2023
BBS is proud of its alumnae Dana Nasser Al Sabah, Henadi Al-Saleh, and Nadia Akil who made it into the Forbes Middle East’s list of the 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2023. The list featured eight remarkable Kuwaiti businesswomen and women from 27 other countries.
Here is what Forbes Middle East wrote about them:
BBS Alumna class of ‘89 Dana Nasser Al Sabah
Company: Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) - KIPCO
Title: Group CEO
Nationality: Kuwaiti
Sector: Investments
Having first joined KIPCO in 1997 as a general manager, Dana Al Sabah assumed her current role in January 2022. In November 2022, KIPCO completed its merger with one of its portfolio companies, Qurain Petrochemical Industries, which created one of the largest public companies in the region with a market cap of $1.8 billion as of January 4, 2023. Dana Al Sabah also helped establish the American University of Kuwait and the United Education Company in 2003. She now sits on the boards of the Gulf Insurance Group, OSN, Kamco Invest, and KIPCO, as well as chairing the board of trustees for AUK and the board of directors for UEC.
BBS Alumna class of ‘91 Henadi Al-Saleh
Company: Agility
Title: Chairperson
Nationality: Kuwaiti
Sector: Logistics
Henadi Al-Saleh has been leading Agility since 2014. In 2021, the company recorded revenues of $1.6 billion. In August 2022, Agility acquired U.K.-based John Menzies PLC for around $930 million in enterprise value. It will combine the business with its National Aviation Services business. In October 2022, the company signed an agreement with the Suez Canal Economic Zone to develop and operate a customs and logistics center in the Suez Canal Economic Zone with an investment of around $60 million. Henadi Al-Saleh also sits on the board of the Gulf Warehousing Company in Qatar. Before joining Agility, she was the head of debt/equity capital markets at NBK Capital in Kuwait.
BBS Alumna class of ‘94 Nadia Akil
Company: United Projects for Aviation Services Company (UPAC)
Title: CEO & Vice Chairman
Nationality: Kuwaiti
Sector: Real Estate
Kuwait-based UPAC specializes in Build Operate Transfer initiatives. Nadia Akil has been the CEO and vice chairperson of the board of directors since July 2012. Listed on Boursa Kuwait, the company generated $24 million in revenues in the first nine months of 2022. Through its subsidiary, the Al Arfaj Real Estate Company, UPAC is part of a Kuwait-led consortium with Agility and the National Real Estate Company, developing the $1.2 billion Reem Mall on Abu Dhabi’s Reem Island.
