Heads of Saudi Aramco, Adnoc, and Emirates Group make the top three spots in Forbes Middle East’s second annual "Top CEOs in the Middle East" ranking.
Saudi Aramco's Amin H Nasser, who led the company to become the world's most valuable by market value again, surpassing Apple, is first on the list. Adnoc's Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber is placed second for the firm taking three of its subsidiaries – Adnoc Drilling, Fertiglobe, and Borouge – public, with Borouge's $2 billion IPO becoming Abu Dhabi's largest-ever IPO. Rounding up the top three is Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Emirates Group. All three maintained their rankings for the second consecutive year.
Overall, the 100 listees managed revenues of over $1 trillion in 2021. Their firms are currently collectively worth more than $5 trillion.
26 nationalities
The 2022 cohort represent leaders from 26 nationalities. Emiratis dominated with 19 entries, followed by Egyptians with 16, and Saudis with 15. Combined, these three groups make up 50% of the ranking. With 27 CEOs, banking and financial services is the most represented sector. Eight entrants work in telecom, and seven head energy and logistics companies. Four of the top five leaders work in energy.
To construct this ranking, Forbes Middle East assessed the size of the CEO's company using various metrics, the individual's accomplishments and innovations over the past year, and their impact on their firm and the wider industry.
The other CEOs in the top ten are:
*Toufik Hakkar
Nationality: Algerian
Chairman & CEO, SONATRACH
*Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi
Nationality: Qatari
Deputy Chairman, President & CEO, QatarEnergy
*Akbar Al Baker
Nationality: Qatari
Group CEO, Qatar Airways Group
*Yousef Abdullah Al-Benyan
Nationality: Saudi
Vice-Chairman & CEO, SABIC
*Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem
Nationality: Emirati
Group Chairman & CEO, DP World
*Syed Basar Shueb
Nationality: Emirati
CEO & Managing Director, IHC
*Osama Rabie
Nationality: Egyptian
Chairman & Managing Director, Suez Canal Authority.
