What Women's Rights Looks like Saudi Arabia | Fortune

Summary

In this insightful conversation, LNA shares the inspiring journey of the OAN Group, a successful Saudi conglomerate founded in 1947. The company has grown from its early operations in construction to a global investment powerhouse. LNA discusses the challenges and breakthroughs for women in Saudi Arabia's workforce, the group’s involvement in Vision 2030, and the evolving economic landscape of the Kingdom. She highlights opportunities in healthcare, technology, and consumer goods driven by a youthful and tech-savvy population. The discussion also touches on privatization, women empowerment, and the group’s efforts to diversify the economy.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Oan Group, a Saudi Arabian company, has grown significantly over the years and holds stakes in various industries, including Coca-Cola, real estate, and finance, but remains relatively unknown.
• 😀 The company was founded in 1947 by the speaker's father, who took a loan to start a contract with Beel to build a pipeline from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon.
• 😀 The Oan Group's growth included diversifying into industries like insurance, heavy industries, and consumer goods before expanding to the U.S. in the 1960s.
• 😀 Currently, the company operates mainly in the Arab world and has around 15,000 employees in the region, while only about 150 employees handle investments outside the Arab world.
• 😀 The speaker was the only woman in the company for 18 years and started hiring women in the group in 2001, which was a pioneering move in Saudi Arabia at the time.
• 😀 In 2009, the Saudi government encouraged the private sector to hire more women, leading to an increase in female employment across various sectors.
• 😀 As of 2025, around 25% of Oan Group's Saudi workforce consists of women, with around 500 women employed in total in the group.
• 😀 Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 aims to diversify the economy beyond oil, reduce reliance on oil revenue, and empower women and youth.
• 😀 The privatization of various sectors, including healthcare, and the development of the consumer goods market are seen as key areas for investment in line with Vision 2030.
• 😀 The speaker's company is involved in sectors like fast food, healthcare, and retail, with a particular focus on catering to the youthful and tech-savvy population in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Q & A

What is the history and origin of the OAN Group?

The OAN Group was founded in 1947 by the father of the current leadership, starting with a contract for building a pipeline from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon. It has since expanded its operations and investments, with a focus on financial investment outside the Arab world and operations within it.

How did the OAN Group expand its business into international markets?

In the early 1960s, the founder's bankers advised him to open letters of credit for facilitating trade, leading to investments in the US. This marked the beginning of the group’s international ventures and financial investments outside Saudi Arabia.

What is the current structure and leadership of the OAN Group?

The OAN Group is led by the founder’s children: the brother, Khaled, serves as the chairman, the sister, Hamsa, is the president and CEO of the group's operations in the US, while the speaker manages operations in the Arab world. The company employs around 15,000 people in the Arab world and 150 outside it.

How has gender diversity evolved within the OAN Group?

The speaker was the only woman in the company for 18 years until 2001 when she hired the first woman. By 2009, the government encouraged private companies to hire more women, and today, the group employs around 500 women, representing 25% of its Saudi workforce.

What is the Saudi government's role in promoting women's employment?

The Saudi government has actively encouraged the hiring of women, especially in the private sector. In 2009, it promoted women’s employment through private companies and later facilitated their participation in elections and local councils, although there is still room for improvement.

How has the Saudi Vision 2030 impacted women's role in the workforce?

Saudi Vision 2030 aims to reduce dependency on oil and diversify the economy, creating opportunities for women in various sectors. The government has been promoting more women’s involvement in the workforce, with changes in employment policies and more women running for public office.

What are the key areas of investment in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030?

Key areas for investment include privatization, healthcare, and consumer goods. With a youthful population, demand for tech-savvy products, retail, and consumer goods is rising. The government is also encouraging foreign investment and more women’s participation in the workforce.

What challenges does the Saudi job market face for women, and how is the OAN Group addressing them?

The OAN Group has faced challenges in promoting women to senior positions, although it has made strides in hiring women for supervisory and managerial roles. The group also runs a Women's Network Forum to provide career support and guidance for women within the organization.

What impact has the OAN Women’s Network Forum had on the organization?

The OAN Women’s Network Forum, established five years ago, brings together women from across the group to meet with senior leadership, attend training, and hear inspirational speakers. It also awards companies for excellence in hiring women and aims to increase female representation in leadership roles.

How has the IT sector been impacted by female participation in Saudi Arabia?

The IT sector has seen significant growth in Saudi Arabia with women becoming highly active in this field. An example is the women's IT center opened by GE and Aramco, which successfully employed 1,000 women. The sector is thriving with a strong focus on outsourcing and services provided by women in tech.