Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch - Morocco woman who took the harder route to wealth and success

As the head of Akwa Group, a distributor of petroleum products, and the CEO of retail and luxury group Aksal, Akhannouch is one of Morocco’s wealthiest female entrepreneurs.

Despite being born into privilege, Akhannouch decided to take the harder route to wealth and success. No doubt benefitting from her grandfather’s tea empire and husband’s political standing, the high-flier has worked tirelessly to put – and keep – herself at the top of the luxury market in North Africa.

Her career started in 1993 when she launched a distribution company for floor laying materials, but things have changed a lot in the intervening years.

Among other things, she holds exclusive rights in Morocco to distribute various fashion brands such as Zara, Banana Republic and Gap, and has built an impressive real estate portfolio, including 50 percent of Morocco Mall – Africa’s largest shopping centre, which attracts 15 million visitors each year.

Amina Al Rustamani - Emirati woman who have developed innovative media initiatives

“We are very aggressive in our plan,” said Amina Al Rustamani in an interview with Arabian Business last year.

The CEO of TECOM Investments was talking about the Dubai Design District (d3), TECOM’s flagship project which could change the face of creativity in the region.

The executive has won huge praise – and awards – for her leadership of the project which will boost Dubai’s economy through fashion, design, art, and other sectors. The $1 billion masterplan has been approved and construction is well under way, meaning the coming months and years will be as busy and exciting for Al Rustamani as ever.

Starting her career in 2001 as a project engineer in Dubai Media City, she has risen to become one of the Arab world’s most powerful and respected women, looking after upwards of 4,500 companies across a number of industries at TECOM Business Parks.

She is also a board member of Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), as well as Lamtara, Tunisie Telecom, and the Dubai Holding Audit Committee.

Add to this her role in developing innovative media initiatives, such as People Meter and the Digital Video Broadcasting project, and you have a good idea of why Al Rustamani is held is such high regard.

Zainab Mohammed - Emirati woman who excels in property management and marketing

As CEO of property management and marketing at property developer wasl, Mohammed has built a reputation as a driving force behind Dubai’s real estate sector.

Mohammed plays a critical part in running the company that looks after the property portfolio owned by the government’s Dubai Real Estate Corporation (effectively the emirate’s biggest landlord). She and her team oversee several of wasl’s most important divisions.

She also overlooks the wasl call centre, and wasl owners’ association management, and if that isn’t enough for one person, Mohammed also sits on the board of Emaar Industries and Investments.

Her position at wasl is a rarity for women in the region’s real estate industry - an industry which remains male-dominated, but is changing thanks to the likes of Mohammed.

She said in recent interview: “This scenario represents a challenge for female professionals working within it. However, women have proven that they have what it takes to be leaders in all sectors… I believe that if a woman works hard and utilised every opportunity, she will get where she wants to be.”