





In spring 2025, London will once again host the Arab Women of the Year Awards and Arab Women’s Summit. This year, the event will be larger than ever before and include a multi-day schedule of activities and events designed to engage our guests and sponsors.
The event will bring together prominent individuals, organisations, brands and institutions from the UK and Arab world, strengthening ties between them and building relationships.
The Summit will take place at the iconic royal palace, Lancaster House, where women’s voices and experiences will take centre stage, discussing the most topical and important issues of today. The Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner will then be held at one of London’s top hotels, recognising a group of outstanding Arab women for their achievements.
Unlike other women’s summits, we shine a spotlight on the women achieving remarkable things and innovating their fields. We believe this dispels stereotypes and misconceptions, changing the narrative of women as victims and instead spreading a message of the power they can hold. Therefore, every year our sessions are on the most important topics concerning international relations, cultural exchange, innovation and the next generation.
Held annually in the iconic Lancaster House, the Arab Women’s Summit amplifies women’s voices and brings Arab culture into the heart of London.
2025 Speakers


Cherie is an advocate and ambassador for women entrepreneurs globally, working tirelessly to encourage the private sector, governments and civil society to do more to support women business owners. She generously gives her time, expertise and resources to advance women's economic empowerment through the Foundation, travelling to visit our projects and partners, building collaborations, inspiring change and mobilising what's needed to close the gender gap in business ownership.
Cherie was awarded a CBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours List for services to women’s issues and to charities in both the UK and overseas.


Prior to his appointment as Ambassador in London, H.E. Shaikh Fawaz held several senior positions in Bahrain, including Minister of State for Communication (2012-2014), President of the Information Affairs Authority (2010-2012), and President of the General Organization for Youth and Sports (2000-2010).
His Excellency Shaikh Fawaz holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from the American University in Washington, DC, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He also graduated from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
The Ambassador has received several notable awards for his outstanding contributions to Bahrain, including the Order of Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, 1st class, the Order of Bahrain, 1st class, and the Order of Achievement, 1st class, as well as the Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit in recognition of his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Prior to her appointment as the CEO of Sidra Medicine, Dr. Tinubu-Karch was actively involved with the management team of the healthcare organization, in her previous capacity as a non-executive board member since 2019 as well as in an advisory role with the management committee.
Dr. Tinubu-Karch has extensive clinical experience in general internal medicine, hospital and geriatric medicine. She is certified in health information technology and has led several international based programs about the application of technology in clinical medicine. She also holds numerous high-profile board appointments and memberships in leading healthcare colleges and societies in the United States of America.
Prior to joining Sidra Medicine, Dr. Tinubu-Karch was the clinical instructor at the University of Washington, School of Public Health. Her previous experience as a practicing physician in the USA includes - Swedish Medical Center; University of Washington; the Department of Veterans Affairs in Seattle and VA Health Care Systems.
Dr. Iyabo is also the founder and CEO of 6M Geriatrics and Hospital Medicine. Her international roles include serving as a consultant physician in health systems improvement at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria.
Dr. Tinubu-Karch received her medical degree from St. Georges University Medical School. She has a master’s degree in health administration and conducted her fellowship training in critical care from the University of Washington. She also has a fellowship in geriatric medicine from the Swedish Medical Center and completed her residency in internal medicine from Lennox Hill Hospital. She is a past recipient of the Washington State health information technology grant and previously served on the Washington State Medical Association Health Informatics Advisory and Accreditation Committees.


She was previously Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 27 October 2022 to 7 February 2023, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport from January 2018 to February 2020.
Nusrat was a Government Whip between July 2019 and December 2019, and an Assistant Government Whip from January 2018 to July 2019.
Education
Nusrat was the first woman in her family to be formally educated. She attended state comprehensive school before studying at Birmingham City University (BA Government and Politics) and Leeds University (MA International Relations).


He served in Parliament from 2001 - 2015, doubling his majority at both the 2005 and 2010 elections. He was a Minister for Sport and the Olympics during London 2012, an event widely described as the finest Olympic and Paralympic Games of modern times. He was subsequently Minister for the Middle East, North Africa and Counter Terrorism at The Foreign Office taking part in the Kerry Middle East Peace Process and the Geneva Peace talks as well as many other major international negotiations.
Prior to entering Parliament, he worked at Schroder Investment Management and served in the army, seeing active service in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the first Gulf War and Bosnia. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 2012 and, subsequently, knighted for his work on London 2012 and in the Middle East.


Al Moneef is a proactive and performance-driven professional with 20 years of operational expertise. Over the course of her career, she has built a track record of delivering growth as well as operational and financial improvements in complex situations and organizations.
Prior to joining NEOM, Al Moneef held various commercial and operational leadership roles globally and regionally. At GE, she served in various roles over the course of 10 years, most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer at GE Renewable Energy in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region. There she led the company’s onshore wind business and renewables portfolio and was responsible for driving growth and operations as well as bringing together technology, services and digital solutions across the entire spectrum of renewable energy development.
Before her time at GE, Al Moneef was the Director General for Health Care and Life Science at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). In her last role there, she was leading knowledge-based investments in Saudi Arabia and positioning the Kingdom globally as a premier investment destination.
Al Moneef, who has an executive Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, also holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Oncology and Genetics from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.


Dr Mokhtar holds a PhD in Nutrition and Endocrinology from Laval University in Canada and has a doctorate in food sciences from the University of Dijon in France. She completed her postdoctoral training as a Fulbright fellow at Johns Hopkins University in the United States of America.
Throughout her professional career, she has contributed to the publication of several books and peer-reviewed publications, and she has worked as a consultant for various organizations and national and international institutions (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, WFP, USAID, WHO, UNICEF, FAO). She was mandated by the Moroccan government as national coordinator to develop the "National Nutrition Strategy in Morocco 2011-2019," including training, education, and research. In March 2011, she was elected President of the Moroccan Society of Nutrition.
Dr Mokhtar currently also serves as the Chair of UN-Nutrition, where she facilitates dialogue among Member Agencies to develop joint approaches for addressing global nutrition challenges. Her scientific and technical expertise, associated to her strong leadership allow her to steer the collective and foster enhanced coordination and cohesive action.


Prior to these appointments, Ms. Haidar served in various capacities in the United Nations System, both at Headquarters and in the field, covering the areas of social development, humanitarian action, peace building and human rights. Ms. Haidar acted as the Rapporteur for the elaboration and adoption of CEDAW General Recommendation 37 on the Gender -related dimensions of disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change. CEDAW/C/GC/37.
Nahla Haidar El Addal holds an LLM in Law from Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France, and a Law degree in International Law from Saint-Josef University (USJ) in Beirut, Lebanon as well as a “licence” in Sociology. Arabic is her mother tongue and she is fluent in French and English, with a working knowledge of Spanish.


H. E. Dr. Al-Muftah has had a wide-ranging career since 2004, including different academic, research and professional positions. From May 2015 to January 2021, she was Vice President for Administration and Finance and Associate Professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. She taught at Qatar University from 1990 to 2016, starting as a teaching assistant, and finishing as an associate professor of management (2010 to 2016). She was Executive Director of the Childhood Cultural Centre of the Qatar Foundation from April 2012 to September 2014. She also served as Director of Human Resources at Qatar University from 2004 to 2008.
In 2017, H.E. Dr. Al-Muftah was appointed as a member of the Shura Council of Qatar, one of four ladies joining the Council for the first time for a four-year term. She has been a member of, or consultant to various national and regional bodies and has many publications.
H. E. Ms. Al-Muftah has a Ph.D. in human capital formation-human resources management from Exeter University, United Kingdom (2004). She also has a master’s degree in management science from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, United Kingdom (1999), and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Qatar University, Qatar (1990). Her main research interest includes women’s employment and empowerment, human capital formation/Human Development, crisis management, nationalisation of Qatar’s labour market.


Michael is a prominent figure in the realm of luxury, holding the esteemed position of Chair-man at Walpole, the prestigious official sector body representing the UK luxury industry. His influence extends further as he joined the V&A Corporate Advisory Board in August 2020, lever-aging his expertise to contribute to the museum's strategic decisions. He also holds the posi-tion of Chairman at Knightsbridge Partnership, driving forward the Knightsbridge BID’s goal to transform Knightsbridge into the number-one luxury retail and hospitality destination in Lon-don. Most recently, in January 2024, Michael has been appointed as the President of the Euro-pean Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance (ECCIA).

As the daughter of Hussein Alfardan, Chairman of Alfardan Group of Companies, Aisha has followed in her family's footsteps, emerging as a prominent figure in the Middle Eastern business landscape. She holds a degree in English literature from Qatar University and initially started her career at the Commercial Bank of Qatar, ascending to the position of Ladies Branch Manager over nine years.
Joining Alfardan Group in 2003, Aisha dedicated herself to the family business, cherishing the challenge of continuing and expanding upon her family's legacy. She actively engages in local, regional, and international conferences, advocating for gender equality and women's empowerment by emphasizing the significance of education, healthcare, and employment opportunities for women.
In her role as Vice-Chairwoman of the Qatari Business Women Association, Aisha spearheaded initiatives that elevate the role of Qatari businesswomen, these initiatives focused on providing comprehensive support, mentorship, and opportunities for growth to women entrepreneurs and professionals across various sectors.
Aisha Hussein Alfardan is a trailblazer and role model for businesswomen in the Middle East. Her impact transcends the office walls, as she actively contributes to business expansion in Qatar and inspires aspiring women entrepreneurs through her speeches and networking engagements. Her vision remains steadfast in driving continuous progress and advancement for the future of business in Qatar.


Omar is passionate about his personal mission to encourage better relations between the two regions, an aim evident in his previous work establishing LocalArabia as the first bilingual Arabic-English Newspaper, as well as work in the Arab British Chamber of Commerce from 2007-2015. His previous experience throughout his two-decade career has given him unique insight into relations between Arab and British businesses, governments, brands, and diplomats. For this, he is widely known in London as a leader in cultural exchange and international relations.
Omar is also the author of Trust Me, I’m An Arab, a book that serves as a guide to difference between Arab and Western business, in order to bridge the gap and aid in the forging of successful business relations. This is the culmination of many years or work teaching western companies and organisations on how to improve cross-cultural communication with their Arab colleagues, clients, and counterparts. He has also moderated and spoken at different events with a focus on Arab women and cross- cultural communications.


Mr. Lock has 15 years of experience across commercial, operational and financial disciplines in the healthcare sector.
Prior to joining Sidra Medicine, Mr. Lock was the Regional Chief Operating Officer (Midlands) at HCA Healthcare UK, where he held a long-standing career. He was the Director of NHS Partnerships and Development and prior to that, the Head of Business Development in the same organization.
He is also a Board Trustee of the Dragonfly Cancer Trust and was previously with the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Mr. Lock has a Master of Arts in Leadership and Management from Buckinghamshire New University and a Bachelor of Arts in French and Italian from the University of Warwick, U.K.


In 2023, she was chosen to speak, as a success story, on behalf of women entrepreneurs from Africa and the Middle East during the panel that kicked off the IMF and World Bank General Assemblies.
In addition to Sothema
Here below are other positions currently held by Mrs. Tazi:
▪ General Manager of West Afric Pharma, a pharmaceutical company in Senegal, inaugurated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and His Excellency the President of Senegal Mr. Macky SALL on March 18, 2013, as part of the South-south cooperation.
▪ Board member of CGEM, the major economic federation of enterprises in Morocco.
▪ Vice President of the Moroccan Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry (FMIIP).
▪ Vice president of the Moroccan Association of Exporters (ASMEX).
▪ General Secretary of the Club of Moroccan Female Directors (CFA) which seeks more representation of women on the boards of Moroccan companies.
▪ Member of the Board of the National Agency for the Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Higher Education and Scientific Research (ANEAQ).
▪ Chairwoman of the Omar TAZI Foundation, an NGO active in the fields of healthcare assistance and child protection.


Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning international journalist and broadcaster. She has interviewed numerous heads of state, including Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto, King Hussain of Jordan, Yasser Arafat and Fidel Castro, to name a few. Baria was the last journalist to interview Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Over the course of her career she interviewed hundreds of Western, Arab and global politicians, diplomats, cultural figures and other luminaries.
Baria is also considered an expert on the Middle East and is frequently consulted for her insight and opinion by government and institutions, and frequently lectures at universities and education centres.
Baria is also a firm advocate for women’s rights and works tirelessly support women’s empowerment wherever she can. She is known for taking a hard stance to support human rights and the values she believes in.


Professor Christoph Lindner is President and Vice-Chancellor of the Royal College of Art, the internationally renowned art and design university, where he holds the title of Professor of Visual Culture. He is also a Trustee of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Co-Director of the Helix Centre for Health and Design at Imperial College London, and a Fellow of both the Royal Geographical Society and Royal Society of Arts. His leadership work focuses on advancing educational access and equity, intercultural understanding, and environmental sustainability.
Prof Lindner previously served as Dean of the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment at University College London. Prior to joining UCL, he was Dean of the College of Design at the University of Oregon, and Professor of Media and Culture at the University of Amsterdam where he directed the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Analysis. He is a leading international scholar of cities and visual culture and has published 15 books in the fields of art, architecture, media and urban geography.
2024 Speakers


Her premiership marked the culmination of 21 years’ continuous service on the front bench, having held a total of 14 ministerial or shadow ministerial posts, serving as the first female Chairman of the Conservative Party and the longest-serving Conservative Home Secretary for over a century.
In addition to her duties as a Member of Parliament, Theresa regularly undertakes philanthropic and campaigning work around the world.


Lord Ahmad has had a long and diverse political career beginning in 2002, including positions in the Conservative Party Leadership, Home Office, Department of Transport, and the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief. Prior to his political career, Lord Ahmad also had a 20-year career in banking and finance. His diverse background makes him an expert in a range of topics and gives him unique insight into the government and international relations.
In his position as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord Ahmad has worked to strengthen accountability, provide greater support for survivors, ensure gender equality is fully integrated in all peace and security efforts, and deliver a more effective multilateral response to crimes of sexual violence in conflict. He also chairs the cross-Whitehall ministerial committee which brings together the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Ministry of Defence, and Home Office.


Previously, Nusrat was the Minister of State for Industry and Investment Security at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Prior to that, Nusrat also previously served as a Minister for Transport, making British history in 2018 as the first Muslim woman to speak from the Dispatch Box as a Minister. Her portfolio included Maritime, HS2, Buses, Taxis, Accessibility and Year of Engineering.
She has previously served on the BEIS, Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Select Committees and was elected as rapporteur of the NATO’s Science and Technology Committee. Nusrat was a runner up to Nancy Pelosi, in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Women for Peace and Security Award 2021, for her work on the plight of the Uyghurs, China, and Afghanistan. She also secured the support of Conservative MPs to serve as Vice Chair of the 1922 Backbench Committee between 2020-2022.
Nusrat is the only female Member of Parliament to be sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Party, and she has also been sanctioned by Russia for her tough stance on the invasion of Ukraine, which makes her the only woman in Parliament to be sanctioned by two countries.


Prior to his appointment as Ambassador in London, H.E. Shaikh Fawaz held several senior positions in Bahrain, including Minister of State for Communication (2012-2014), President of the Information Affairs Authority (2010-2012), and President of the General Organization for Youth and Sports (2000-2010).
His Excellency Shaikh Fawaz holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from the American University in Washington, DC, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He also graduated from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
The Ambassador has received several notable awards for his outstanding contributions to Bahrain, including the Order of Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, 1st class, the Order of Bahrain, 1st class, and the Order of Achievement, 1st class, as well as the Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit in recognition of his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Omar is passionate about his personal mission to encourage better relations between the two regions, an aim evident in his previous work establishing LocalArabia as the first bilingual Arabic-English Newspaper, as well as work in the Arab British Chamber of Commerce from 2007-2015. His previous experience throughout his two-decade career has given him unique insight into relations between Arab and British businesses, governments, brands, and diplomats. For this, he is widely known in London as a leader in cultural exchange and international relations.
Omar is also the author of Trust Me, I’m An Arab, a book that serves as a guide to difference between Arab and Western business, in order to bridge the gap and aid in the forging of successful business relations. This is the culmination of many years or work teaching western companies and organisations on how to improve cross-cultural communication with their Arab colleagues, clients, and counterparts. He has also moderated and spoken at different events with a focus on Arab women and cross- cultural communications.


The youngest in her class at the Oxford Aviation, she was only 17 when she was admitted. She obtained her commercial pilot licence first and then later joined the Dubai Police Airwing as first lieutenant pilot, becoming the first woman in the UAE and the Gulf Region, and the first member of the Royal Family in aviation. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Air Transport Management from Coventry University, UK, and Emirates Aviation University.
Her ambitions are only matched by her determination to create a legacy of her own, opening doors and enabling other women to enter a career in aviation.
With this mission in mind, she set in motion the establishment of “Shehana”, the Women in Aviation Association, with the sole purpose to create opportunities and a framework for increasing the number of women joining the aviation sector.
Her motto is: “Reach altitude with the right attitude”.

Princess Noura’s entrepreneurial career commenced in 2009 in the United States, and in 2015 she co-founded her first business, focused on talent and lifestyle, before launching Global Fashion House, a fashion consultancy based in Riyadh. It was with this company that in April 2018 Princess Noura organized the Saudi Kingdom’s first ever Fashion Week, bringing together international and local stakeholders and designers for knowledge-sharing, shows and collaborative opportunities. These efforts led to her being recognized as an expert and pioneer in the Kingdom’s fashion industry, frequently called upon by both public and private sector for advisory consulting.
She graduated from Effat University in Jeddah with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Marketing, and a master’s degree in International Business with a Japanese Perspective from Rikkyo University in Tokyo, Japan. She was an associate member of the “Saudi Fast Growth 100” program, launched by All World Network, an entrepreneurship organization, in collaboration with the General Investment Authority (SAGIA). Princess Noura is fluent in Arabic, English, French and Japanese.
In 2023 Princess Noura was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and became Chairwoman of the Forbes Middle East Women’s Summit, a position that she continues to occupy.


Prior to joining Diriyah Company, Kiran’s career spanned multiple continents, where he played a key role in reinventing two of the world’s most powerful luxury brands in both the luxury yachting and luxury automotive spheres. He has established and branded progressive media platforms in the Middle East; authored two children’s story books; toured the world as an acclaimed musician and composer - and has been recognized as an influential and powerful public speaker with a creatively disruptive and strategic mind. The Australian, Perth-born, nomad studied Marine Biology and graduated in Engineering Technology from Deakin University before pursuing his Masters in Guitar from Berklee (Boston), and has lived, studied and worked across South and Central Asia, the Middle East, Central Europe, and the United Kingdom, with his wife, 2 children and 17-year-old cat.
Agenda -
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Get involved in the 2025 Arab Women’s Summit today and help us shape the agenda, speakers and more at the event. Contact us at info@londonarabia.com for more information.
Lancaster House
Lancaster House (originally known as York House and then Stafford House) is a royal palace on The Mall in the St James's district in the West End of London. Situated close to Buckingham Palace, this historic house offers a magnificent setting, as much of the site was once part of the palace grounds. Initially planned for Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, it was ultimately completed by the Duke of Sutherland, then Marquess of Stafford, as an aristocratic townhouse in the early 19th century, and known for its lavish interiors. Gifted to the government in the early 20th century, it houses the government's wine cellars and was home to the London Museum until World War II. Now used for diplomatic receptions and related functions by the Foreign Office, it is a historic Grade I listed building, and its interiors are sometimes used in films or television as a stand in for Buckingham Palace.

