Top 100 World Most Influential Arabs for 2012

The known “Gulf Business” Magazine recently declared the list of Top 100 World’s Most Influential Arabs for 2012, these figures cover various sectors: finance, real estate, science and technology, culture and society, and trade. “Gulf Business”, in spite of the radical changes caused by the revolutions of Arab spring in the region, the magazine chose the young Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi, who burned himself, and seen as a symbol of the revolution of Tunisia, and the beginning of a spark revolutions of the spring Arab countries to occupy the first place.

Followed; prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Chairman of Emirates Airline,sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani chairman of Qatar Investment Authority, the Yemeni Tawakul Karman Nobel peace prize winner, Mohamed Ali Alabbar chairman of Emaar, Khalid Al Falih CEO of Aramco, Mohammed El Erian CEO of PIMCO, Hassan Abduall Al Thawadi secretary general of Qatar 2022 supreme committee, Carlos Ghosn CEO of Renault Nissan. They occupied the top 10 places.

“Gulf Business” expressed, this year, a keen interest in science and technology sector, having been neglected compared to other sectors of finance, real estate, trade and investment, especially as the field of science and technology is one of the strategic bases of any development in Arab societies, especially those that suffer from high rates of unemployment, and the urgent need to pay the rates of economic growth and create jobs and increase wages, within the changes of the Arab Spring in the region.

A list of top Arab personalities most influential in the field of science and technology, Dr. Charles Al-Achi (Lebanese origin U.S. nationality) is a specialist in the field of space technology the first category in the order of science and technology, No. 17 in the list of top 100, and Dr. Abdalla Alnajjar (Emirati) president of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF), second most influential Arab figures in science and technology, and No. 43 in the list of top 100. He work supports exceptional research activities conducted by scientists from the Arab region by attracting investments from around the world. 

Followed by Dr. Farouk El-Baz (an American of Egyptian origin) Director of Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University ranked 55, and came after him, Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi (Saudi Arabia) active in the field of cancer and was ranked 79. The fifth character is Sir Magdi Yacoub (British of Egyptian origin) known heart surgeon who held the position 97 in the list of top 100, and notes the absence of Dr. Ahmed Zewail of the list.

The media sector received the attention in this list, which was neglected in the past, and became plays a pivotal role in the general Arab issues, especially the Arab revolutions. The influential persons in this sector are: Sheikh Waleed Bin Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim (Saudi) chairman of MBC Group ranked 66 and sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Al-Thani (Qatari) director general of Al-Jazeera ranked 40, the Egyptian journalist Ayman Mohyeddin ranked 48, the Emirati Sultan Sooud Al Qassimi current affairs commentator occupied the 86 and the editor in chief of the daily Newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi Abdel Bari Atwan ranked 100 (Palestinian resident in the UK).

An analysis of existing data for Arab nationals, that is most influential in terms of sectors and geographical distribution in the Arab Region. We find that the sectors were arranged: Finance in the first place the number (26) characters, in the second place industry (16) personalities, culture and society (14), energy (9), real estate (8), transport (7), Science and Technology (5), Media (5), telecommunications (5), trade (3), politics and law (2), and varied (1). For the nationalities of the most influential figures, came in first place Saudi Arabia with (26) figures, Unite Arab of Emirates (25) Persons, Kuwait (11), Qatar (11) Personal, Egypt (8) including two in America and one in Britain, Bahrain (5) including one in the UK and two in the UAE, United Kingdom (5), Jordan (3) including one in the UAE and another in Bahrain, the United States (3), Lebanon (2), and one person each from Libya, France, Austria, Australia, Oman and Greece.

Form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), we can mentions: prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (2), Khalid Al-Falih CEO of Aramco (7), Ali Bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi minister of petroleum and mineral resources (11), Dr. Fahad Al-Mubarak governor of SAMA (14), Bakr Bin Laden chairman of Bin Laden Group (18), Mohamed Bin Issa Al-Jabr chariman of MBI International (19), Lubna Olayan CEO of Olayan Financing Company (20), sheikh Sulaiman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rajhi chairman of Al-Rajhi Bank (25), Abdullah Bahamdan CEO of NCB (28), Sheikh Waleed Bin Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim chairman of MBC Group (36), sheikh Saleh Kamel chairman of Dallah Al-Baraka (37), Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel president of ALJ (38), Mohammad Al-Amoudi chairman of Midroc (47), Khalid Al-Mudaifer CEO of Maaden (52), Amr Al-Dabbagh SAGIA governor and chairman (54), Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil chairman of Al-Zamil Holding company (57), Jawad Ahemd Bukhamseen founder and chairman of Bukhamseen Group (60), Saud Bin Majed Al-Daweesh CEO STC Group (63), Princess Ameerah A-Taweel Bin Saud (65), Abdul Rahman Fadley CEO of Almarai (67), and Tariqu Abdulla Al-Qahtani chairman of Aldel Hadi Abdullah Al Qahtani Group (71).

Came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the following influential figures: Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Chairman of Emirates Airline who occupied the 3^rd place, Mohamed Ali Alabbar chairman of Emaar properties ranked 6, Hamad Al-Ka’abi UAE’s permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (16), Khaldoon Khalifa Al-Mubarak CEO of Mubadala (22), Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi CEO of ADNOC (31), Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair CEO of Mashreq Bank (32), Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi UAE minister of foreign trade (34), Dr Abdalla Alnajjar president of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) ranked 43, Khalaf Al Habtoor chairman of Al Habtoor Group (45), Fatima Al Jaber COO Al Jaber Group (49), Sultan Nasser Al Suwaidi UAE central bank governor (50), Khadem Al Qubaisi chairman of Abbar Investments (58), Ala’a Eraiqat CEO of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (64), Dr. Sultan Al Jaber CEO of Masdar City (72), Salam Hareb CEO of Economic zones world and JAFZA (80), Mohammad Omran chairman of Etisalat (84), Sultan Sooud Al Qassimi current affairs commentator (86), Majid Al Futtaim president of MAF (89), Badr Jafar executive director of Crescent Petroleum (94), Saeed Fadhel Al Mazrooei CEO of Emal (96) in addition to Abdulla Al Futtaim (98).

From Qatar, there are 9 influential personalities who are: sheik Hamad Bin Jassim Jaber Al Thani CEO of Qatar Investment Authority (4), Hassan Abdullah Al Thawadi CEO of Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee (9), Khalid Bin Khalifa Al Thani CEO of Qatargas (12), Akbar Al Baker CEO of Qatar Airways (230, Shiekha Moza Bint Nasser chairperson Qatar Foundation (26), sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Al Thani director general of Al Jazeera TV (40), sheikh Hanadi Bint Nasser Bin Khalid Al Thani businesswoman (56), Nasser Marafih CEO of Q Tel Group (62) and sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Abdullah Al Ahmed Al Thani owner of Malaga FC club in Spanish league (69), Omar Hamad Al Mana chairman of Almana group (69), Huassin Ebrahim Al Fardan chairman Alfardan Group (90).

From Kuwait, there are 9 influential figures that are: Sheikh Salem Abdul Aziz Sabah governor of Central Bank of Kuwait (21), Mohammed Alshaya chairman MH Alshaya (24), Ibrahim Dabdoub (Palestinian resident in Kuwait) CEO of NBK (30), Hussam Fawzi Al-Kharafi CEO of Kharafi Group (39), Mohammed Al-Ghanim chairman of Al-Ghanim Industries (53), Bader M. Al-Sa’ad CEO of Kuwait Investment Authority (61), Marwan Marzouk Boodai CEO of Boodai Group (69), Nabeel Bin Salamah CEO of Zain (82), Dr. Naif Al Mutawa creator of the 99 and clinical psychologist (89), Maha Khalid Al Ghunaim chairman of global investment house (92).

From Bahrain, we mentions: Talal Al Zain chairman of Mumtalakat (42), Adel Ali (Bahrian resident in the UAE) chairman of Air Arabia (70), Nemir Kirdar chariman of Investcorp (76) Bahraini resident in the UK, Mishal Kanoo Chairman of the Kanoo Group (87), and Samir Majali chairman of Gulf Air (91) (jordanian resident in Bahrain).

The influential Arabs figures that are residents in the occidental countries: architect Zaha Hadid (Iraqi origin British nationality) ranked 33, fashion designer Elis Saab (Lebanese origin resident in France) ranked 35, Abdalla Salem El-Badri OPEC secretary general (Libyan resident in Austria) ranked 51.

The list included a number of famous names from Egypt, among them: Wael Ghoneim the leader of January 25 revolution ranked 13, journalist Ayman Mohiuddin (48), the famous singer Amr Diab (59), Amr Khaled preacher (73) and Eng. Naguib Sawiris ex-chairman of Mobinil ranked 77. In addition to the other characters, including: Abdel Hamid Shoman (Jordan) president of the Arab Bank ranked 41, and Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad ranked 66, rapper Tunisian Hamada Ben Amor (27), and human rights activist lawyer Fathi Terbil Libyan nationality ranked 29.