Fortune's First Most Powerful Women International Summit to Be Held in Riyadh in May 2025

Fortune's Inaugural Most Powerful Women International Summit

Fortune is set to host its first-ever Most Powerful Women International Summit on May 20-21, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This landmark event marks a significant step for female leadership gatherings within the region, bringing together influential women from various sectors worldwide. The central theme of the summit is "A New Era for Business Partnering for Global Prosperity," an apt reflection of the contemporary challenges and opportunities in today’s business landscape.

The Most Powerful Women initiative is an exclusive community composed of leading figures from various industries and governments globally. Known for its impactful discussions, this summit aims to delve into the driving forces shaping the global business environment. Importantly, it will focus on how the public and private sectors can collaborate to foster innovation and economic growth.

Key topics slated for discussion include evaluating global leadership during crises, navigating economic shifts and their corporate implications, leveraging emerging technologies at scale, and exploring new investment and healthcare avenues. Furthermore, the summit will highlight developments across sports, entertainment, and design industries, showcasing women who are spearheading change and progress.

Hosting the summit in Saudi Arabia aligns with the nation's Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to cultivate growth, innovation, and women's empowerment within the economic and societal spectrum. Since the introduction of these reforms, the female labor force participation rate has surged from 17% in 2017 to an impressive 36%. Currently, women own approximately 45% of small and medium-sized enterprises in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant contribution to the nation’s entrepreneurial landscape.

The gathering of similar leaders will allow global executives access to this evolving market, create partnership opportunities, and expand the global network of business leaders. Anastasia Nyrkovskaya, CEO of Fortune, noted, “Fortune aims to be at the forefront of new frontiers in global business, and Saudi Arabia is definitely one of those places. It is a pivotal moment to bring some of the world’s most influential and innovative women to Riyadh to inspire, connect, and drive meaningful progress in global business and governance.”

In addition to the summit, Fortune will unveil its iconic list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Business on May 20. This annual list, now in its 28th year, celebrates trailblazing women who drive innovation across diverse sectors including finance, technology, healthcare, telecommunications, retail, and energy. The latest edition includes leaders from 19 nations and territories and accounts for over half of the women listed being CEOs, predominantly from Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies.

The event is set to be held in collaboration with the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA), reinforcing Saudi Arabia's position as a burgeoning hub for international business and women's leadership.

Fortune is a globally recognized media entity dedicated to providing insightful, award-winning reporting for those aspiring to improve the business world. With a commitment to driving accountability among the world's major companies, Fortune consistently measures performance against rigorous benchmarks. Well-known rankings include the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women, and World’s Most Admired Companies. Furthermore, Fortune brings together industry thought leaders at exclusive summits and conferences such as the Fortune Global Forum, Brainstorm Tech, and the Most Powerful Women gatherings.

For more details, visit fortune.com.