Forbes has unveiled their annual "Power Businesswomen" ranking for the Middle East, celebrating 50 of the top business women in the region amidst a year of uncertainty and adversity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Egypt tops the list as the country with the most entries on the list.

“The 50 leaders we highlight here have shown resilience, flexibility, and strength in the face of unprecedented adversity, both in the workplace and in their communities,” wrote Forbes.

The banking and financial services sector is the most dominant sector, scoring 16 entries on the list.

The top 10 most powerful businesses women are mostly from Saudi Arabia, however, Emirati Raja Easa Al Gurg the Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group retaining her 1st place ranking from last year.

Egypt’s top ranked businesswomen were CEO of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait Elham Mahfouz in 16th place, Founding Partner & Chair of Executive Committee of Zulficar & Partners and chairperson of EFG Hermes Mona Zulficar ranked 17th, and Pakinam Kafafi the CEO of TAQA Arabia at 18th.

The newest entries to the list are Marzena Kulis, Managing Director of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices; and Zainab Kufaishi, Head of Middle East and Africa and Senior Executive Officer at Invesco Dubai.

“Last year, three women from the Middle East also featured on Forbes’ ranking of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Raja Easa Al Gurg, Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, Renuka Jagtiani, Chairwoman and CEO of the Landmark Group, and Rania Nashar, Senior Advisor to the Governor of Saudi’s Public Investment Fund, ranked 89th, 98th, and 99th respectively,” wrote Forbes.