On Saturday, February the 23rd, 2019, Saudi Arabia announced that Princess Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan has been appointed by royal decree as the new ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States.
This makes Princess Reema THE FIRST WOMAN Ambassador for the Kingdom in Washington, DC.
Seeing how Saudi Arabia is one of the most strict countries in the world where women rarely ever get appointed to any major roles, this groundbreaking turn of events has really left a lot of people both shocked and filled with hope for a brighter future!
So rest assured women everywhere; entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist Princess Reema has just broken one of the hardest rules there ever was. So you can too!
But before becoming the first Saudi woman to represent her country in Washington, who was she?
Let us introduce Princess Reema…
1. Like Father Like Daughter
Princess Reema’s father was also an ambassador to the US. She spent several years growing up in Washington, DC. She even graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies from George Washington University.
So one can only imagine that she will fit right in in the scene and know her way around.
2. Starting Strong
In 2005, Princess Reema returned to Saudi Arabia and started her promising career, always keeping women in mind.
She co-founded Yibreen, a women’s gym and spa, before becoming the CEO of a leading retail company called Al Hama LLC.
She also worked for several years as the CEO of Alfa International, another leading retail company.
In 2013, she launched her own handbag brand, Baraboux. And she also owns the private equity fund Reemiyah.
That’s not all…
Before she was appointed as an ambassador, in 2016 specifically, she was vice president of women’s affairs at the General Sports Authority (GSA).
In 2017, she became the first female president of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports.
And in August 2018, she was appointed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Once A Pioneer, Always A Pioneer
Princess Reema has been conquering boundaries and rules all over the place like the true girl boss that she is.
In 2014, she was chosen as one of the most creative people of the year by Fast Company magazine for inviting women into the workforce.
That very same year, Forbes Magazine also chose her as one of the 200 Most Powerful Arab Women and Most Powerful Arab Women in Saudi Arabia.
She Always Stood Up For Her Sisters
Princess Reema has always worked for bringing awareness and making drastic changed in favor of women in her country and everywhere.
Ever since she started her career, Princess Reema has tried to open more doors for women than anyone else has. She has been speaking publicly and raising awareness about the inclusion of women in the Saudi workforce.
She is also a member of The World Bank’s Advisory Council for the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative.
She Is Making Sure To Raise Awareness
Princess Reema is one of the founding members of the Zahraa Breast Cancer Awareness Association based in Riyadh. The goal of the association is increasing cancer awareness in the kingdom about the importance of early detection, prevention, and treatment.
That’s not all, she also founded Alf Khair organization which helps build a community of like-minded creatives and talents and sharing that internationally.
