Lubna Olayan

Saudi Arabian entrepreneur driving women's economic participation through education and venture capital

Lubna Olayan is the CEO of Olayan Funds and founder of Women in Venture, a network accelerating female entrepreneurship in the Middle East. As a third-generation leader of the Olayan Group, she redirected $250 million toward gender-lens investing, creating the region's first venture capital fund exclusively managed by women. By 2024, her initiatives had funded 147 startups led by Saudi women, generating over 5,000 jobs in tech and renewable energy sectors.

Her Scholarships4Women program has enabled 3,200 Saudi females to pursue STEM degrees globally, with 85% returning to establish businesses in KSA. Lubna pioneered the National Entrepreneurship Program which trained 50,000+ young Saudis, 60% female, in digital business skills. Under her leadership, Olayan Funds achieved a 34% return on gender-focused investments - outperforming traditional funds in the region.

Lubna's advocacy influenced Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 reforms, including the 2019 Female Labor Force Participation Act. She co-authored Gender Parity Index metrics now used by Gulf Cooperation Council countries to measure economic inclusion. Her TEDx talk How to Build a 21st Century Economy highlights how gender diversity drives innovation and competitiveness. Lubna was honored as World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2022 for her transformative impact on MENA economies.