Khadija Al Bastaki  

As Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), Khadija Al Bastaki has been a driving force behind the UAE’s creative economy, positioning Dubai as a global hub for design and fashion. Since taking on her leadership role in 2019, she has overseen transformative initiatives such as the rebranding of Arab Fashion Week into Dubai Fashion Week and the launch of strategic partnerships with international platforms like Milan’s Fuorisalone, all while nurturing homegrown talent through institutions like the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation and in5 Design. A vocal advocate for representation and mentorship, Al Bastaki is intent on giving Emirati women the visibility and resources to thrive, framing her work through the dual lens of heritage and innovation. Under her guidance, d3 has become a vibrant ecosystem where designers, artists, and entrepreneurs not only showcase their work but also shape the region’s evolving cultural narrative on the world stage.

Nora Al Matrooshi  

Born in Sharjah in 1993, Nora Al Matrooshi etched her name into history in 2021 as the first Emirati woman selected for astronaut training, chosen from over 4,000 applicants for the UAE’s second astronaut programme. A mechanical engineer by training, she built her early career managing engineering projects at NPCC and serving as Vice President of its Youth Council, championing innovation and youth empowerment. Since 2022, she has been immersed in NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Class training at the Johnson Space Center, mastering spacewalking, robotics, T‑38 jet piloting, ISS systems, and survival exercises, culminating in her graduation in March 2024 with a full astronaut qualification. Al Matrooshi’s journey from childhood stargazing to becoming a symbol of inspiration for Arab women is complemented by her drive to advance the UAE’s presence in space.

Shamsa Alabbar  

A celebrated jewelry designer, Shamsa Alabbar has built her eponymous label into one of the UAE’s most sought-after contemporary brands, renowned for its innovative reinterpretation of Arabic typography and geometric motifs. Her recent collaboration with Piaget on a limited-edition Ramadan timepiece showcased her signature Token motif, symbolizing power, unity, and balance, while paying tribute to her Gulf heritage through pearling and mashrabiya-inspired details. By blending cultural storytelling with modern luxury, Alabbar continues to position Emirati design on the global stage.

Amna Al Qubaisi  

A trailblazer in motorsport, Amna Al Qubaisi is the first Arab woman to compete in the prestigious Italian Formula 4 Championship in 2018, breaking significant ground for women in racing. Her journey began at age 14 with karting. She was the first Arab female to participate in the Rotax Max Challenge World Finals and went on to win the UAE Rotax Max Championship in 2017. In 2018, she made history again by becoming the first Middle Eastern woman to test a Formula E car with Envision Virgin Racing after the Diriyah ePrix. Continuing her forward momentum, Al Qubaisi joined the all-female F1 Academy in 2023 with MP Motorsport, earning two race victories and finishing sixth overall, before securing further development support from the Red Bull Academy Programme in 2024.

Marwa Al Mamari  

The UAE’s first female aerospace engineer, Marwa Al Mamari is determined to make space for other women in STEM. Today, she serves in the Air Accidents Prevention Department at the General Authority of Civil Aviation while pursuing a PhD on AI in aviation, balancing technical expertise with creative pursuits as a painter and former publisher of Salfa magazine. Her path was far from linear, after exploring medicine, banking, and media, a high-school lecture on aviation set her on course. Guided by the belief that “there is no set time for a dream,” Al Mamari now mentors the next generation through TEDx talks, university partnerships, and initiatives like Dyson’s FIRSTS campaign, reminding young women that perseverance, not perfection, is the true key to success.

Noor Al Suwaidi  

An Emirati artist and curator, Noor Al Suwaidi moves fluidly between dreams and reality in her work, exploring themes of harmony, growth, and vulnerability. Her 2023 solo exhibition The Sun is for Everyone / The Moon is for You at Jossa by Alserkal marked her first since 2014, presenting paintings and collages that weave figuration and abstraction into deeply personal narratives. After years spent mentoring and curating within the corporate art world, Al Suwaidi returned to her own practice with renewed clarity, revealing through layered textures and intuitive storytelling an evocative meditation on self-discovery and the beauty of letting go.

Suaad Al Suwaidi

A pioneering Emirati photographer, Suaad Al Suwaidi, holds the singular distinction of being the world’s first Emirati female wildlife photographer. With a master’s degree in architecture and design and early leadership roles in military and government advisory, she ultimately found her calling through her camera during her student days in the United States, where her lens became her steadfast companion. Her work, often captured under extreme conditions, demands rapid technical precision, patience, and courage as she documents intimate moments with wildlife, even from moving vehicles. Through her fearless storytelling, Al Suwaidi invites audiences into the untamed world beyond our familiar landscapes, capturing emotions, fragility, and the raw poetry of the wild.

Fatma Alhashimi  

The founder behind the contemporary women’s label Hashimi, Fatma Alhashimi launched her ready-to-wear brand in 2016, transforming minimalist elegance into her signature language with clean silhouettes, subtle embellishments, and a muted palette inspired by nature and travel. Her collections, anchored in timeless sophistication, are known for their thoughtful details and luxurious fabrics, offering effortless versatility for today’s woman. After nurturing her craft from her home studio and building a loyal clientele, she opened her flagship boutique and atelier in Dubai’s Wasl51 in 2019, creating a serene, minimalist space that bridges creator, product, and customer. With her quiet yet determined approach, she continues to shape Hashimi into a symbol of modest luxury infused with Emirati identity.

Safa Taryam  

A force of boundless energy and quiet power, Safa Taryam is Chief Executive Officer of Elite Sport UAE, the federal government body dedicated to advancing high-performance athletics, from nurturing Olympic hopefuls to coordinating world-class training and support systems. Despite her petite frame, she channels an unrelenting competitive spirit, refined from childhood athleticism and sharpened through her early career in government and marketing, to build infrastructure that empowers Emirati athletes. A proud graduate of the American University of Sharjah and a FIFA master’s alumnus, Taryam blends passion with precision, driven by a belief that success for her country requires the same dedication she demands of herself.

Aisha Bin Bishr  

An architect of the smart city era, Dr. Aisha Bin Bishr is the visionary Director General of the Smart Dubai Office, leading Dubai’s citywide digital transformation into a global benchmark of innovation and human-centric design. Since initiating the Smart Dubai task force in 2014, she has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives, such as the development of “The Smart City Index” in collaboration with the UN and ITU, while elevating Dubai’s profile on the world stage as the first city globally to embark on such a transformation. Boasting a distinguished academic background, including a PhD in Management, Science, Technology, and Innovation and an MPhil from Manchester Business School, Bin Bishr brings over two decades of expertise in ICT, policy, and change leadership. As the first woman in the world to oversee an entire city’s smart transformation, she has not only redefined public-sector innovation but also become a role model for leadership driven by empathy and excellence.