Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi

A pioneering UAE minister and business leader who became the first woman in the Arab world to hold a cabinet position, driving economic and social reforms.

Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid al-Qasimi (b. 1962) is a UAE national who broke barriers as the first woman to serve in the UAE cabinet. Appointed as Minister of Economy in 2004, she later became Minister of Economy and Planning (2009-2013) and Minister of State for Administrative Development (2013-2016). Her innovative policies transformed the UAE's business environment, including establishing the Dubai Business Establishment. Sheikha Lubna also championed women's economic participation, co-founding Womena, a venture capital firm focused on female-led startups. Her leadership in digitizing government services and promoting entrepreneurship earned her the World Women in Business Award in 2010. Beyond politics, she remains a vocal advocate for education and gender equality in the Middle East.