The Financial Times, the UK’s leading daily, has selected Sheikha Hanadi Nasser Bin Khaled Al Thani, founder and chairperson of Amwal, among 20 global Arab banking and finance sterling ladies role models.

Well-recognized for her stellar track record in the international financial scene, Sheikha Hanadi is considered as a pioneer and a thought-leader, an inspiration to the upcoming female generations across the Arab world.

On nurturing youth’s talent and on Qatar’s financial status, Sheikha Hanadi says: “With its high GDP and sophisticated infrastructure, Qatar can play a prominent role in global finance.'

'For this, increased participation of women is vital. We must not only tap our financial reserves, but our vast reserves of human capital – and that means all our people, not just a fraction,' Sheikha Hanadi added.

Alongside her key role in Amwal, Sheikha Hanadi is the CEO of Al Wa’ab City, one of Qatar’s largest privately-held real estate projects and deputy CEO of Nasser Bin Khaled Al Thani & Sons Group, the country’s leading business conglomerate.

She started her career as a lecturing assistant in the Economics Department of Qatar University.

In 1998, she founded Qatar Ladies Investment Company (the now re-branded Amwal), the first investment company to receive a licence from Qatar Central Bank to conduct investment banking, asset management and wealth management in Qatar. 

In 2005, she founded Al Wa’ab City, a fully integrated community that offers residential retail and commercial space surrounding a spacious urban Piazza, Barahat Al Wa’ab, offering Restaurants, Retail outlet and Entertainment facilities.

She is a fervent supporter of community activities and serves as trustee on the board of the Arab Women’s International Forum and the College of Business and Economics at Qatar University.

She is a member of the advisory board of The Arab Business Angels Network (ABAN) and also a founding member of Qatar National competitiveness  council.

she was appointed recently as the chairperson of “Injaz Al Arab - Qatar” the regional arm of “Junior Achievement Worldwide” which addresses the skills gap of Qatari youth and prepares them to work in the private sector.

She was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2005 and voted as personality of the year by Arraya, Qatar’s leading newspaper, for her vision and contribution to the economy.

She was named Woman CEO of the Year by the Middle East CEO Awards Institute in 2006, for her significant contribution in developing Qatar’s economic and social presence in the Arab world.

she was selected by Arabian business magazine to be one of the 100 world’s most influential Arabs for the year 2007, she was also named the economic personality of the year 2007 by Qatar chamber of commerce and business council.

 Leveraging on her experience she conducted and published several research papers on macro-economic issues in the GCC.

Sheikha Hanadi holds a Masters degree in Economics from the University of London, and a Bachelor degree in Economics from Qatar University.-TradeArabia News Service