37 WOTYA 2025 womanthismonth.com | JANUARY 2026 Lubna Suliman Al Olayan is recognised as one of the Arab world’s most influential business leaders, whose career has reshaped corporate governance, banking leadership and women’s participation in the Saudi and global economy. She was honoured with the Woman of Arabia Achievement Award at the Woman of the Year 2025 Awards, recognising her sustained contribution and lifetime impact across business and society. Born in 1955 in Al Khobar, Ms. Al Olayan completed her undergraduate studies at Cornell University before earning an MBA from Indiana University. She began her professional career in finance in New York before returning to Saudi Arabia in the early 1980s to join the Olayan Group, marking the start of a leadership journey grounded in governance and long-term value creation. Ms. Al Olayan later served as Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairperson of Olayan Financing Company, where she oversaw the group’s diversified operations and strengthened its governance framework. In 2019, she stepped back from executive responsibilities and transitioned into board-level leadership, extending her influence across financial institutions and multinational corporations. In 2004, Ms. Al Olayan became the first Saudi woman to join the board of a publicly listed company, a milestone that marked a shift in corporate participation within the Kingdom. That same year, her address at the Jeddah Economic Forum represented another turning point, as the first delivered by a Saudi woman to a mixedgender audience. Her appointment in 2019 as Chair of the Saudi British Bank followed the merger between SABB and Alawwal Bank and marked another historic first, making Ms. Al Olayan the first woman to chair a major Saudi bank. The role reflected decades of earned credibility and deep experience in financial governance. Beyond Saudi Arabia, Ms. Al Olayan has held board positions with major international companies including WPP, Rolls-Royce, Schlumberger and Citigroup, as well as academic and advisory institutions such as INSEAD and MIT. In 2005, she was named among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people, alongside continued recognition from global business publications. Ms. Al Olayan’s contribution extends to advancing women’s participation in the workforce through practical leadership and institutional change. Through her actions, she helped normalise women’s presence in senior decision-making roles well before wider reform made such representation more visible. Her international honours include Sweden’s Order of the Polar Star, recognising her broader contribution to business and global engagement. The Woman of Arabia Achievement Award acknowledges Ms. Al Olayan’s lasting influence, recognising a career that has expanded opportunity, strengthened institutions and reshaped expectations. Her legacy continues to inform the evolving role of women in leadership across the GCC as a whole.
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