Dr Nahed Taher, chief executive officer and co-founder of Bahrain-based Gulf One Investment Bank has been ranked 23rd in the 'Top 50 women in world business' list compiled by Financial Times for 2011.

The FT top 50 women were selected by an expert jury of seven members who ranked executives managing a group’s controlling company and who have served at least 12 months in the main executive role.

A range of criteria were used to assess the candidates: the executive’s achievements; size, scope and complexity of the company; and competitive landscape.

Dr Taher, a prominent Saudi national, is the only Arab woman to receive such a recognition for the third consecutive year after ranking 25th and 24th in 2009 and 2010 respectively, said a statement from Gulf One Investment Bank.

Commenting on her ranking, Dr. Taher said, “It is an honour to be among the top female chief executives and to represent Arabian women in such rankings. Being a female CEO in our part of the world is challenging and interesting at the same time.”

“Women by providing top professionalism in their work and collaborating with their male peers could only achieve great success. I am not gender biased as I look for brains who could deliver the tasks needed and can also be creative,' she said.

'However, if women advance in knowledge and work hard among their teams from both genders, I ask and expect from policy-makers and institutional leaders to put them in their right place whether in management or top technical positions,' Dr Taher remarked.

A prominent figure in the region, Dr Taher is a leading economist and executive banker who strongly believes in creating and sustaining the development of wealth and prosperity in the Mena region and beyond.

'I hope that the future sees more women executives in our region. There are many talented young women in the region and I encourage them to shine as tomorrow’s leaders,” Dr. Taher added.-TradeArabia News Service