Economics
Nahed Taher's Trailblazing Career in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s Nahed Taher blazes a trail for women in banking
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“Do you mind working with men?” Nahed M. Taher recalls being asked before taking a job in 2002 as the only woman among 4,000 male employees at Saudi Arabia’s largest lender.
Today, Saudi-born Taher, 43, is the only woman in the Persian Gulf who runs a bank, Gulf One Investment Bank, which she also co-founded. The lender has financed construction of air terminals to serve pilgrims visiting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, a desalination plant in Jeddah, and energy projects in Africa. First-half profit doubled this year, to $3.2 million.