Under the Patronage of the Governor of the Eastern Province:
Asharqia Chamber Launches 2026 Women’s Economic Forum on Wednesday
HRH Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Province, will patronize the 2026 Women’s Economic Forum, organized by Asharqia Chamber through its Women’s Empowerment Center under the theme “From Empowerment to Economic Impact.” The forum will take place on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at the Chamber’s headquarters, preceded by accompanying workshops on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Chairman of Asharqia Chamber’s Board of Directors, Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Farraj, affirmed that the generous patronage of the Governor of the Eastern Province reflects the attention and support extended to women and strengthens the Chamber’s efforts to foster a business environment that encourages the growth of women-led enterprises and expands their contributions to the national economy. He noted that the Kingdom’s rapid progress in empowering women reflects their growing role across intellectual, economic, and social fields, and reinforces their position as active partners in achieving national development goals.
For her part, Asharqia Chamber Board Member Agharid bint Ihsan Abduljawad affirmed that developing women’s capabilities and investing in their education and professional, health, and economic advancement are important foundations for boosting productivity and strengthening social stability, thereby supporting the achievement of development goals. She explained that the Chamber continues its efforts in this area through its Women’s Empowerment Center, which supports women business owners, identifies the challenges facing their enterprises, contributes to developing appropriate solutions, and promotes communication and coordinated efforts. The Center also organizes economic events and forums that offer women broader opportunities to develop their businesses and strengthen their presence in the Eastern Province’s economy.
In turn, Asharqia Chamber Board Member Sarah bint Essam Al-Muhaideb explained that the forum marks a step toward advancing the concept of women’s empowerment and moving it to a more developed stage focused on establishing leadership and maximizing economic impact. She noted that the forum’s themes focus on enhancing women’s contribution to GDP, preparing them to capitalize on opportunities in the digital economy and innovation, and supporting their presence in leadership and decision-making roles. This will help develop women-led enterprises that can compete, achieve financial sustainability, and deliver social impact, in line with the Kingdom’s sustainable development and quality-of-life goals.
The forum brings together leading figures, experts, and women entrepreneurs to discuss the future of women in business, showcase inspiring entrepreneurial experiences, and explore the role of agile leadership, sustainability, innovation, and artificial intelligence in strengthening economic competitiveness and empowering entrepreneurship.
The forum will open with a presentation of Nouf Al-Sudairi’s experience in an inspiring story highlighting the milestones and challenges that help shape entrepreneurial journeys. It will underscore how setbacks can serve as a springboard for new achievements, offering lessons and experience to support the ambitions of women seeking to enter the world of business and create lasting economic impact.
The first session, titled “Agile Leadership and Sustainability: Women Leading the Economy of the Future,” will feature Dr. Latifa bint Abdullah Al-Musaffer, Vice Dean for Scientific Research and Innovation at the College of Business Administration at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University; Khaleel bin Ibrahim Al-Furaih, Chairman and Co-Founder of Humetric; and Lulwa bint Mansour Al-Sudairi, Chairwoman of Mansour Al-Musaed Trading and Contracting Company. The session will be moderated by Asharqia Chamber Board Member Agharid bint Ihsan Abduljawad. It will discuss the role of agile leadership in keeping pace with economic changes and the importance of sustainability in developing the business environment. It will also present experiences and insights that strengthen women’s presence in leadership roles and support their ability to create opportunities and contribute to building a more resilient and sustainable economy.
The forum will also showcase the experience of engineer Maram bint Adel Al-Butairi, owner of Al-Shu’la Women’s Football Club, as an entrepreneurial journey that brings together challenge, growth, and impact. Her story will highlight the importance of initiative and determination in turning ambitions into practical ventures and capitalizing on opportunities in promising sectors.
The forum will continue with its second session, titled “Future Horizons: Innovation and Artificial Intelligence in Empowering Entrepreneurship.” Participants will include Dina bint Saad Al-Dubai’an, Director of Revenue Control and Regulation in the Business Development Sector at the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA); Dr. Sarah bint Omar Al-Hamoud, Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer at Wittify.AI; engineer Loay bin Saleh Labni, Founder and CEO of InnoSoft; and engineer Maram bint Abdulaziz Al-Jishi, Senior Partner Solutions Sales Manager for Cloud and AI at Microsoft Arabia. The session will be moderated by engineer Manal bint Abdulrahman Al-Bawardi, Chief Information Officer at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. It will highlight the rapid transformations in innovation and artificial intelligence and their role in developing business models, improving organizational efficiency, and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs. It will also explore future trends in emerging technologies and their implications for the business environment and entrepreneurship.
The forum will also feature two workshops on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The first, titled “From Idea to Investment,” will be led by engineer Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Zoubi, Founder and Managing Partner at Namaa Ventures Financial Company. The second, titled “Saudi Women on Boards: Steps Toward Membership,” will be led by May bint Saleh Al-Muzaini, Founder and CEO of the Arab Center for Women’s Empowerment (Nesf).
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