THE MIDDLE EAST’S

17. Najla Al Shirawi

Designation: Group CEO
Company: SICO BSC
Nationality: Bahraini
Headquarters: Bahrain

Al Shirawi was appointed to her current role in 2014. SICO is a regional asset manager, broker, and investment bank, with a presence in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E. Its assets under management grew by 23% to $7.4 billion in 2024, compared to $6 billion in 2023. In October 2024, SICO was appointed as the co-lead bank for Lulu Retail’s IPO which raised over $1.72 billion and was listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in November 2024. In June 2024, SICO acted as the joint lead manager for the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait’s $500 million senior unsecured five-year international bonds issuance. Al Shirawi also serves as a board member at Bahrain’s Future Generation Reserve Council, the Bahrain Economic Development Board, and Eskan Bank in Bahrain.