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Honorary Members

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members

The honorary members of the Arab Entrepreneurs Board in London are among the most prominent and influential figures in the Arab business world and the UK. They are a source of pride and inspiration for all members of the Board. The Arab Entrepreneurs Board takes great pride in their presence, as they embody a universality of knowledge and a depth of expertise. Their extensive experience makes them a reliable source of guidance and mentorship. Through their inspiring careers and entrepreneurial achievements, they have provided vivid examples of how to attain success across diverse fields.

Our latest Honorary Mebmers

areej

Areej Mohsin Darwish

Chairperson & Entrepreneur Muscat
The Sultanate of Oman

Baroness

Baroness Joanna Shields OBE

Life Peer - Member of the House of Lords
Founder & CEO - Precognition

Hazleen

Hazleen Ahmad

Serial Entrepreneur | Global Investor | visionary Leader
Honorary Member for Asia - Singapore

Hazleen

Hazleen Ahmad

Honorary Member for Asia – Singapore

Hazleen Ahmad is a global impact investor and ecosystem builder with over three decades of leadership across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
She backs ventures that blend purpose with performance, with a strong focus on women-led innovation, inclusive entrepreneurship, and sustainable consumer brands.
Her work bridges markets and missions, driven by the belief that business can serve both economic and social outcomes, without compromise.
Hazleen’s investments and work reflect her vision for brands that empower while pushing boundaries. For example, Ready Set Jet is a next-generation beauty and wellness company that redefines skincare through science-backed, travel-smart innovation. Its recent involvement in the Axiom 4 mission, conducting the first-ever beauty science experiments aboard the International Space Station, is a milestone that aligns with Hazleen’s support for bold, barrier-breaking ideas.

Hazleen Ahmad is also the founder of the World Kindness Trust (WKT), a global initiative that supports ventures prioritising empathy, equity, and long-term value, spanning consumer brands, inclusive real estate, and community-driven innovation. She also founded Neuropower World (NPW), which designs inclusive systems—covering environment, thinking, and technology—for neurodiverse talent and future-ready workspaces.

As Global Deputy CEO of the Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), Hazleen drives cross-border policy, advocacy, and leadership development across continents. Through Hazleen Ahmad Global Impact Ventures, she is building a Women-Led Think Tank and Global Impact Action Network to bridge for-profit innovation, social enterprise impact, and non-profit purpose, transforming inclusion, climate resilience, and kindness from ideals into measurable systems for change.

She is a builder of inclusive ecosystems. She translates empathy into structure by founding and leading initiatives that create access, visibility, and voice for women and the neurodivergent community

Roles & Initiatives:

  • CEO of Asia, Aarya Ventures
  • Deputy CEO, Institute of Neurodiversity (Global) | Regional Lead APAC & MENA President & Chair, ION Singapore
  • Founder – Hazleen Ahmad Global Impact Ventures I Investors of Impact | ATC Nation I World Kindness Trust I Neuropower World
  • Senator, World Business Angels Investment Forum
  • Lead for Community Wealth Build & Adjunct Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies
  • Women Leaders Think Tank in Collaboration with Rajaratnam School of International Studies
  • Oxford Saïd Alumni Chapter Leader in Dubai –

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Her work with brands and institutions enables sustainable, inclusive growth rooted in emotional intelligence and business resilience.

Impact

  • Contributing Author, How to Strive and Thrive by Joe Foster
  • Strategic investor – PLAYBOOK, AVA Investment Academy
  • Aligned investment in women-led innovation – e.g., Ready Set Jet
  • Venture Partner – Araya Ventures for Health Tech Micro Fund
  • Speaker @ Energy Asia Petronas Roundtable 2025

Recognition

  • Golden Shield Of Honour, Arab Entrepreneurs Board® London
  • The Peak Singapore Power List, Class of 2025.
  • MENT’L: Outstanding Mental Health Initiative (2024)
  • Global Women Power Leaders Award (2024)
  • Middle East Media Woman of the Year (2006)

Her academic grounding and global leadership exposure reflect a lifelong commitment to learning, dialogue, and cross-sector collaboration.

 

Highlights

Master of Science, Applied Neuroscience King’s College London ( one year advanced – current research)

Senior Executive Leadership Programme, University of Oxford Saiid Business School

Women in Leadership Programme; INSEAD Fontainebleau, CornelL

Business Management, BSc Purdue Global

Major in History, Diploma in Educatio, Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Global speaker and leadership coach – Schneider Electric, Cisco, Microsoft, IWD, IWFCI, Davos.

Visit her website: www.hazleenahmad.com

Baroness

Baroness Joanna Shields OBE

Life Peer – Member of the House of Lords

Founder & CEO – Precognition

Baroness Joanna Shields OBE is a technology industry veteran and the founder of the WeProtect Global Alliance. She served as the UK’s first Minister for Internet Safety & Security & UK Ambassador for Digital Industries and Digital Economy Adviser to the Prime Minister. A life peer in the House of Lords, she champions policies that protect children online and advance ethical AI development. With over three decades of leadership experience in the tech industry, Shields has built companies, products, and platforms that have transformed markets and reshaped industries. She held senior executive roles at Facebook, Google, AOL, and RealNetworks. As a CEO, she led Bebo and Veon to successful acquisitions and transformed BenevolentAI into a leader in AI-driven drug discovery. Today, as the founder of Precognition, she advises governments and companies on creating AI-driven solutions that prioritise safety, human agency and empowerment. Shields serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on AI and the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity and was twice elected Co-Chair of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence.

Visit her website: www.joannashields.com

areej 1

Areej Mohsin Darwish

Chairperson & Entrepreneur Muscat The Sultanate of Oman

Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish is a remarkable leader whose achievements have set
a benchmark for entrepreneurship and leadership in the Arab world. She is a
successful entrepreneur who has steered organizations across diverse industries.
With over two decades of progressive business leadership experience, she has
become synonymous with progressive-thinking, resourcefulness and exceptional
vision. Her journey as a leader has been driven by purpose, passion and
perseverance.
She is the Chairperson of ACERE cluster of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC. Having
joined the company 27 years ago, she has been playing a key role in MHD’s business
operations. She spearheads the Automotive, Construction Equipment, and
Renewable Energy (ACERE) division of the family business. She leads the
organization to develop better practices and aims to carry the family legacy to
greater heights. She has undertaken several developments which reflect the
company’s commitment to sustainability and diversity in the workforce and
highlights its alignment with Oman’s Vision 2040.
Being part of a family business, she has had a passion for business and being an
entrepreneur and established her own venture, Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC,
launching two successful retail businesses: “Blessing Chocolates and Gifts”, and
First “Impression Artwork”.
Beyond her business ventures, Areej also serves as Chairperson, Board member
and Committee Member of different organizations.
She is the Board member of the Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry as well
as Chairperson of Business Women Committee of the Oman Chamber of Commerce
& Industry. She is also Board member of Muscat University, Chairperson of Areej
Vegetable Oils & Derivatives SAOG & Duqm United Logistics and Member of UNICEF
Leadership Circle. She is also Committee Member of Sultan Qaboos University –
The College of Engineering Industrial Advisory & Sultan Qaboos University –
College of Science.
Her outstanding contributions have earned her many prestigious awards and
recognitions in the past decade, including honours from Forbes, Stevie Awards and
Arabian Business, naming her among the Most Powerful Businesswomen Leading
Family Firms and The Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen.
The numerous awards received over the years in recognition of her leadership by global
organizations motivates her to go above and beyond.
Her advocacy extends to many Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, and
charitable work, embodying the spirit of a true leader who gives back to her
community.
Her vision is ‘to set an outstanding example for tomorrow’s women,’. Through her
dedication to contribute to the development & wellbeing of society, her inspiring
leadership, and her unwavering commitment to excellence, she has established
herself as a role model for women not just in the Sultanate of Oman but for women
in business everywhere.

Visit her website: www.joannashields.com

The Importance of Honorary Members of the Arab Entrepreneurs Board

The Board draws inspiration from the determination and achievements of its honorary members, who have laid the foundation for countless success stories. The Board’s confidence in its honorary members is unparalleled, recognizing them as key partners in cultivating a pioneering generation of entrepreneurs in the Arab world and the UK. These members actively pass on their knowledge and experience to rising generations of entrepreneurs.

Thanks to their extensive and robust networks within the world of finance and business, honorary members serve as vital bridges, connecting Board members with other influential and active stakeholders in the global financial and business sectors.

With their credibility and track record of success, honorary members inspire budding entrepreneurs. Their personal and professional experiences, as well as the challenges they have overcome, contribute to fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship and motivation among Board members and ambitious youth from across the Arab world and the UK.

The honorary members of the Arab Entrepreneurs Board in London form a key pillar in the Board’s journey toward success. They inspire and motivate those striving to excel in all areas of business.

The Importance of Honorary Members of the Arab Entrepreneurs Council

  • The Council is inspired by the will and determination of the achievements of the honorary members, They have laid the foundation stone in success stories, The confidence of the Council in the honorary members is unparalleled, as it considers them key partners in building an effective pioneering generation in the Arab world. They work to pass on their knowledge and experience to the rising generations of entrepreneurs.
  • Thanks to their strong and extensive network of relationships in the world of finance and business, Honorary members can be a bridge between the members of the Board and other important and active parties in the world of finance and business.
  • Based on their credibility and past successes, Honorary members inspire budding entrepreneurs, Their personal and professional experiences and the challenges they faced during their journey can contribute to enhancing the spirit of entrepreneurship and motivation among the members of the Council and ambitious youth from all Arab countries.
  • The honorary members of the Council of Arab Entrepreneurs in London, A key pillar for the success of the Council in its pioneering journey in the Arab world, They inspire and motivate those seeking success in all areas of business.
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Stay tuned soon


Honorary President of the Council

“The Arab Entrepreneurs Board in London…Empowering Arabreneurs from the Ocean to the Gulf for Global Prosperity”

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