Brands made by women from the Middle East..a list of the most important names

Over the past decade, the number of women entrepreneurs in the Middle East has grown, creating brands that have raised millions of dollars in funding rounds that have generated similar returns, some of which have even gone global and attracted the attention of world celebrities.

While many have faced hardships resulting from the Corona pandemic, which in turn has led to a drop in demand for the latest fashion, fashion and lifestyle products, others have been able to adapt and prosper. .

Forbes Middle East’s Women Making Middle Eastern Brands 2021 list, which includes 40 women behind brands in the Middle East, highlights women entrepreneurs primarily in the fashion industry, whose brands are or are in the process of become global.

The UAE tops the list with 15 brands headquartered in the country, followed by Egypt with 8 participations and Lebanon with 7 participations.

The two sisters, Huda and Mona Kattan, of Iraqi-American descent, are ranked first, as they created the cosmetics brand Huda Beauty, with annual sales estimated at $ 250 million. Huda Kattan was also ranked 47th on Forbes’ list of richest self-taught women in America for 2020.

The Forbes Women Behind Middle East Tech Brands 2021 list includes 10 women behind tech brands in the Middle East, which have launched some of the region’s most successful platforms and apps.

Most of the tech brands are headquartered in the United Arab Emirates with 8 positions, followed by Saudi Arabia with 2 positions.

While these 10 companies raised more than $ 120 million in fundraising, the e-commerce platform founded by Mona Ataya and Lina Khalil (Mumzworld) came in first, raising more than $ 50 million in funding. total. She is currently in the process of being acquired by the Saudi Tamer Group, in one of the biggest releases ever for a startup founded by women in the Middle East.

Here is the list of the 5 most powerful women making brands in the Middle East for 2021:

1. Huda and Mona Kattan, with their brand Huda Beauty in the beauty industry, based in the United Arab Emirates.

2. Reem Acra, owner of the Reem Acra brand in the fashion industry, based in America.

3. Azza Fahmy, Amina and Fatma Ghaly, owners of the Azza Fahmy Jewelery brand in the jewelry sector, based in Egypt.

4. Dima Rashid is the owner of the Dima Jewelery brand in the jewelry sector, based in Egypt.

5. Gemy Maalouf is the owner of the brand Gemy Maalouf in the sector: fashion and fashion based in Lebanon.