The Most Powerful Arabs in Bahrain 2023

The Arab leaders who are making a major contribution to the growth and success of different industries, sports, entertainment, and culture and beyond are recognized on Gulf Business' "Top 100 Most Powerful Arabs" list for the year 2023.

The Arab world has experienced some really significant developments during the last 12 months. Listed below are the most powerful Arabs in Bahrain in 2023:

1. Khalid Al Rumaihi

CEO, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company

Country of Origin: Bahrain

Country of Residence: Bahrain

Ranking: 50th

With more than $18 billion in assets under management, Al Rumaihi is the head of the eleventh-largest sovereign wealth fund in the Middle East. Under his leadership, Mumtalakat set a record full-year net profit of BHD45.6m in 2021 while seeing a 34% increase in revenues to BHD2.2bn. He is in charge of Mumtalakat's portfolio of more than 50 businesses, which includes government holdings, global asset management, local impact investments, and strategic investments. Al Rumaihi works on the boards of a number of organizations, including Arcapita, the National Oil & Gas Authority, the McLaren Group, the Bahrain Economic Development Board, and the National Bank of Bahrain. He also serves as chairman of the boards of the Bahrain Development Bank and the Bahrain Real Estate Investment.

2. Adel Abdulla Ali

Group CEO, Air Arabia 

Country of Origin: Bahrain

Country of Residence: UAE

Ranking: 54th

Ali has had a more than 28-year career, during which time the airline has experienced exponential growth. From its hubs in the UAE, Morocco, Egypt, Armenia, and Pakistan, it runs a multi-air operator certificates business model. Under Ali's direction, the Air Arabia Group recorded a 70% rise in net profit to Dhs1.2 billion in 2022 and transported 12.8 million passengers, up 90% from 6.8 million the previous year. In 2022, the airline expanded its worldwide network with 24 new routes and its fleet by 10 additional aircraft. 
 

3. Mishal Kanoo

Chairman, The Kanoo Group

Country of Origin: Bahrain/UAE

Country of Residence: UAE

Ranking: 70th

The Kanoo Group's chairman, Kanoo, formerly served as the company's deputy chairman until assuming his current position in 2015. 

4. Mona Almoayyed

Managing director, Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, Chairperson, Edbaa Bank

Country of Origin: Bahrain

Country of Residence: Bahrain

Ranking: 92nd

Mona is the managing director of Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons and the chairman of Bahrain's first microfinance bank, Edbaa, which was established to assist low-income families in the nation. She comes from one of Bahrain's most prominent entrepreneurial families.  She is a member of Bahrain's Shura Council, the International Peace Institute Middle East, and the boards of the Arab International Women's Forum and the Child Care Home. Mona was the first female to be elected to the boards of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bahrain Maritime and Mercantile International.