8 Lebanese Women Just Ranked Among Forbes' Top 100 Power Businesswomen
As the occasion of Women International Day is edging close, Forbes Middle East released its annual list of powerful businesswomen in the region, titled "Middle East’s 100 Power Businesswomen 2020." Among them, eight Lebanese women took their rightful place.
The new 2020 list includes 100 exceptional businesswomen at the head of many of the most influential and transformational companies in the region, featuring women from 23 different countries.
According to Forbes, the list "highlights women in the MENA who have shattered the glass ceiling to thrive in their respective careers, despite obstacles that continue to keep women out of the labor market in the region."
The eight Lebanese women in Forbes’ 2020 list are:
#1 Elissar Farah Antonios
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Ranked #26 in the list of 100, Elissar Farah Antonios is the CEO of Citibank - U.A.E. Levant, and Iraq. She is a seasoned international banker, with over 25 years of experience in the financial industry and the region.
She has a Bachelor in Mathematics from the American University of Beirut (AUB), an MBA from Imperial College in London (UK), and completed Executive Education Programs at UC Berkeley and Stanford University.
In 2017, Elissar was ranked by Forbes Middle East as #31 among the top 100 most powerful Arab businesswomen.
#2 Caroline Fattal Fakhoury
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Ranked #39 in the Forbes' list of 100, Caroline Fattal Fakhoury is Senior Vice President and Board Member of her family business Fattal Group.
She combines more than 20 years of corporate business experience with the skills of a certified professional business coach. In 2016, she launched "Stand for Women," a social enterprise advocating for women empowerment and gender equality in the Middle East.
She was named twice by Forbes Middle East – in 2014 and 2015 – as one of the "Most Powerful Arab Women in Business."
#3 Christelle Saghbini
Christelle Saghbini / Forbes
Ranked #45 by Forbes for 2020, Christelle Saghbini is the managing director of the French multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi for Egypt.
She leads the operations in Egypt, "where the company has more than 1,200 employees and produces over 120 million annual units of medicine and $200 million in revenues," according to Forbes.
#4 Leila Hoteit
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Ranked #52 among the top 100 power businesswomen, Dr. Leila Hoteit is a Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group in the Middle East and a member of the public sector practice, where she leads the education and human capital development business.
She has 17 years of strategy and operation experience acquired through various projects in the Middle East and Europe.
She holds an MBA with distinction from INSEAD, as well as a Ph.D. in signal processing, and a B.Eng. in electrical engineering from the Imperial College of London (UK).
#5 Ingie Chalhoub
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Ranked #71 in the Forbes' list for 2020, Ingie Chalhoub is a Franco-Lebanese fashion designer. She launched her eponymous upscale ready-to-wear fashion brand in 2009 called INGIE Paris, and she also holds the demanding role of President and Managing Director of the Etoile Group.
She has several prestigious accolades on her mantelpiece, including "L'Officiel" Woman of the Year award and two Gulf Connoisseur awards. "CEO Middle East" and "Forbes" have also ranked her as "one of the top 100 most powerful women in the Arab world."
#6 Randa El-Assaad
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Ranked #76 on the Forbes 2020's List, Randa El-Assaad is the CEO of Arif & Bintoak, an architectural and engineering firm founded in 1975.