RIYADH: The growing global impact of Saudi women in culture, policy, investment, and innovation was in the spotlight, during the second and final day of the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh.
The summit brought attention to how women in the Kingdom are helping drive transformation across many sectors.
Princess Noura bint Faisal shared her personal journey into the creative industry. She said she never expected to work in the cultural field, but after returning to Saudi Arabia following the launch of Vision 2030, she saw a chance to create something meaningful.
Since then, she has played a key role in launching Saudi Fashion Week in 2018 and helping to set up the Fashion Commission at the Ministry of Culture.
She explained that their work created new systems and careers that didn’t exist before opening up job opportunities, building policies, and offering real career paths for creative talent.
Princess Noura highlighted that culture should be part of every industry, whether it’s retail, food, sports, or business, and added that culture can be a source of income if it’s supported by the right business model.
The day also focused on entrepreneurship and economic growth. Noor Sweid, founder of Global Ventures, spoke about how her company invests in sectors that are often overlooked like fintech in 2018, healthcare in 2020, and now manufacturing.
She mentioned a successful example: a company that uses 3D printing to make spare parts for oil and gas firms, helping fix supply problems and boost sustainability.
Aidan Madigan-Curtis from Eclipse Ventures also spoke at the summit, explaining how global political and environmental challenges are pushing investors to focus more on industries like automation and advanced manufacturing.
She said venture capital must evolve to match the way the world is changing especially in how things are built and powered.
Sports also played a big role in the day’s discussions. A panel titled “New Heights,” moderated by Lama Alhamawi, highlighted how Vision 2030 has encouraged physical activity.
Adwa Al-Arifi, assistant minister for sports affairs, said Saudi participation in physical activities has grown from 13% in 2016 to over 50% today.
The National Sports Strategy supports community involvement, youth training, and top-level achievements, including taekwondo athlete Dunya Abutaleb’s qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Women athletes also shared personal stories. MMA fighter Zamzam Al-Hammadi thanked her mother for inspiring her. Rasha Al-Khamis, a boxing expert, credited her father’s early support.
Mashael Al-Obaidan said growing up in the desert led to her love for motorsports. Aalia Al-Rasheed from the Saudi Football Federation revealed that more than 70,000 girls now play in school football leagues, a major leap for the sport.
The value of the fashion industry was another major topic. Princess Noura explained that before Vision 2030, designers couldn’t even get a commercial license.
Today, they are officially recognized as professionals and have access to support systems to grow their businesses.
This change reflects the broader shift in Saudi Arabia, where creativity is no longer just a hobby but a respected and sustainable career.
Overall, the summit showed how Saudi women are stepping into leadership roles in culture, investment, sports, and tech.
With strong government backing and new strategies under Vision 2030, women are playing a major role in reshaping the Kingdom’s future.
