Saudi Women Take the Spotlight at Fortune Summit in Riyadh

The rising influence of Saudi women in shaping global culture, innovation, investment, and policy was a central theme on the final day of the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit, held in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Among the highlights was an exclusive interview with Princess Noura bint Faisal, who shared her personal journey into cultural leadership. Reflecting on her unexpected shift into the creative sector following the launch of Vision 2030, she described her involvement in founding Saudi Fashion Week in 2018 and establishing the Fashion Commission at the Ministry of Culture.

“I never thought I would be in the creative world,” she said. “But when I moved back to Saudi after Vision 2030 launched, I saw an opportunity to build something meaningful.”

Princess Noura emphasized the economic value of culture, calling for its integration across sectors like retail, sports, and corporate strategy. “Culture isn’t a fixed definition,” she noted. “It’s how you express your identity — and it can absolutely be monetized if it’s supported by the right business model.”

The summit also spotlighted entrepreneurship and economic diversification, with speakers highlighting sectoral transformation. Noor Sweid, founder and managing partner of Global Ventures, spoke about her firm’s investment strategy, targeting underdeveloped sectors such as fintech, healthcare, and manufacturing. She cited one example: a startup using 3D printing to digitize spare-part inventories in the oil and gas industry, addressing supply chain and sustainability issues.

Aidan Madigan-Curtis of Eclipse Ventures echoed this shift in focus, stating that venture capital is being reshaped by geopolitical instability and climate pressures. “VCs like to say they’re long-term, but they’re also deeply cyclical,” she said, adding that the future lies in reimagining how goods are produced and transported through innovations in industrial technology.

Sport as a driver of social change was also a major focus. Assistant Minister for Sports Affairs Adwa Al-Arifi revealed that Saudi physical activity rates have quadrupled since 2016, rising from 13% to over 50%. She attributed this progress to the Kingdom’s National Sports Strategy, which prioritizes mass participation, youth development, and elite performance.

Milestones in women’s sports were celebrated during a panel moderated by Arab News’s Lama Alhamawi. These included Olympic qualification for taekwondo athlete Dunya Abutaleb and rapid growth in school football programs, now involving over 70,000 girls.

Participants from across disciplines — from mixed martial arts to motorsports — shared personal stories of perseverance and family support, illustrating the cultural transformation underway.

Princess Noura concluded that formal recognition of creative professions marks a significant shift. “Before Vision 2030, there was no such thing as a fashion business,” she said. “Now, designers can register their businesses, work legally, and access support networks.”

The summit underscored Saudi Arabia’s commitment to turning culture, investment, sport, and technology into engines of economic and social development, with Saudi women increasingly at the forefront.