- The Middle East chapter of Women in Aviation (WIA) will host its General Assembly at the World Airports Forum in Riyadh on December 16, 2025, amid a significant rise in women’s participation in Saudi aviation. The event, sponsored by Red Sea International and supported by major airlines and partners, will bring together more than 500 delegates, including students, aviation professionals and leaders from across the region.
- The General Assembly will include keynote addresses, panel discussions, awards and scholarship announcements, with a focus on advancing the role of women in aviation and supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Topics will include smart aviation, diversity in the workplace, sustainable aviation, and alternative career paths outside of driving.
- Women now occupy more than 17% of leadership roles in Saudi airports and airlines, reflecting the rapid progress the Kingdom is witnessing. Industry leaders such as Riyadh and Saudia Airlines are working to promote gender integration through training and innovation programmes.
The Middle East Chapter of the Women in Aviation Association (WIA), the world’s largest aviation and aerospace non-profit organization, will hold its General Assembly during the fourth session of the conference.y The Global Airports Forum (GAF) in Riyadh on December 16.
This anticipated gathering comes at a time when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is witnessing significant growth in women’s participation in the field of aviation. The conference will be held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC), and its gold sponsor is Red Sea International and marketing partner Gulf Air. Flight partners are Riyadh Air, Turkish Airlines, and Flyadeal. Supporting partners are Boeing, Always Engineering Solutions, Nth Consulting Group, and Elevate (it).
More than 500 delegates will attend the WIA General Assembly. The main entities that will be sending large groups of delegates include Prince Sultan University (PSU), Oxford Aviation Academy, National Aviation Academy, Princess Nourah University, King Saud University, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, DAA International, and the Saudi Group.
Daksha Patel“There is a need to find practical ways to enhance the presence of qualified and talented women across airports and other aviation fields,” said Niche Ideas, Events Manager at GAF organizer Niche Ideas. “In the Middle East, the representation of female pilots, air traffic controllers and maintenance technicians remains disproportionately low, and regional authorities and stakeholders are developing broad initiatives to improve this.”
The largest country on the Arabian Peninsula has, for a decade, been recording a broader societal shift in attitudes towards women entering public-facing roles, especially at airports. In 2018 alone, five Saudi female pilots were selected to work for Saudi Airlines, the national carrier, and females were encouraged to enroll in flight training schools.
Women now hold more than 17% of leadership roles at airports, airlines and ground services, highlighting the exceptional progress being made. A notable example of this is Riyadh Airlines’ first all-female engineering program to enhance women’s roles, in line with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Mervat SultanFounding President of WIA Middle East Chapter and Co-Founder of Ramjet Co and FltCtrl Ltd said: “We remain focused on strengthening the presence of professional women in the aviation industry. As Saudi Arabia aims for aviation to be a key driver of its rapid economic growth, aviation stakeholders must collaborate to promote meaningful diversity and inclusion. Many organizations are working tirelessly to advance women’s participation in aviation and we applaud these efforts.”
After the official opening ceremony, Andrew Smith, CEO of Red Sea International Airport, and Eng. Wahaj Hamid Mutawa, President of the Saudi Academy of Civil Aviation. This will be followed by the presentation of WIA Awards across ten categories, including Sustainable Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Global Women’s Empowerment, Women’s Aviation Leader, Women’s Empowerment Pioneer, Women’s Empowerment Leadership Award, Women’s Empowerment Outstanding, Best Training Center Support and the Women’s Empowerment in Aviation Champion Award. A number of scholarships will also be announced at the event.
Sarah Al-Fayez, Director of Strategic Planning and Intelligence at Airports Holding Company, charged with overseeing 27 civil airports in the Kingdom, will deliver a keynote speech on how women are shaping the future of Saudi aviation and “The impact of female leadership in aviation under Vision 2030.”
This will be followed by a panel discussion on “Intelligent Flying: Women Pioneering the Digital Takeoff.” Participants will explore how digital advances are reshaping the aviation industry and how women are driving this transformation through innovation, driving the future of smart airports, AI-driven operations, and next-generation aviation technologies.
It is managed by Dr. Eng. Suad Al Shamsi, Member of the Board of Directors of the WIA Middle East Branch. The speakers will be Amal Hajles, Director of Digital Strategy at Airports Holding, Buthaina Al-Ghunaim, Airworthiness Engineer at Gulf Air, and Eng. Rana Al-Quwaiz, Executive Director at Saudi Airlines Cargo, Rawan Al-Jahani, Head of Digital, Data and Business Intelligence at Flyadeal, Swati Unnikrishnan, Consulting Director – Middle East, Africa and Turkey, SITA and Malik Al-Zahrani, Head of Business Applications at JEDCO.
There will be a keynote speech by Egyptian Captain Nevin Mahmoud Darwish, the first Arab female pilot to fly the Airbus A380 in July 2017, which is the largest and heaviest passenger aircraft in the world, and the only full-length double-decker jet for Emirates Airlines. Speaking about her participation, Captain Nevin said. “I am honored to deliver my keynote address at the World Airports Forum and the AIA General Assembly in Riyadh among aviation pioneers and the next generation of dreamers. By sharing my 35 years of experience in the aviation industry, I hope to highlight the vital role of women in shaping the future of aviation and inspire future generations to dream big and aim high, as no dream is too far-fetched.”
In the following session on “Building an Inclusive and Diverse Workforce,” participants will explore the evolving landscape of workplace inclusion in aviation, and discuss how companies, policymakers and leaders can lead diversity efforts. From recruitment strategies to mentoring programs and workplace policies, the discussion will highlight how organizations can create an environment in which women and underrepresented groups thrive.
It will be managed by Rachel Agili, Strategic Human Capital Advisor at daa International, a global airport and travel retail group headquartered in Ireland with operations in 15 countries.
Speakers include Heba Abu Zinada, director of talent management at Jeddah Airport Company (JEDCO), which operates King Abdulaziz International Airport, one of the top 100 airports in the world; Natalie J. Salinas, founder and CEO of Nth Consulting Group; Dr. Heba Bakr Khushim, Vice President for Student Life at Prince Sultan University in Riyadh; Dr. Moody Al-Khalaf, Director of Talent Development at Riyadh Aviation, and Abio Di Maiwak, Major Airports and Ground Aid at the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority.
The panel discussion on “Navigating the Future of Sustainable Aviation” will explore how airlines, airports and aviation professionals are leading efforts to make the skies cleaner, greener and more efficient.
The discussion will highlight the contributions of women leaders, engineers and sustainability advocates who are shaping the future of aviation through key initiatives in carbon reduction and green airport operations. The session will be moderated by Sohail Ali, Senior Vice President of Operations for Aerospace Engineering Solutions (AES Global), one of the world’s leading GSE companies, who commented: “I look forward to highlighting the amazing women who are shaping the future of sustainable aviation. This conversation is not just about representation, it’s about transformation.”
Speakers at the session include Dr. Imad Al-Harbi, Director of Transport Decarbonization at SWD Futures, a global consultancy specializing in sustainable transformation strategies, and Maryam Al-Tilmisani, Vice President of Sustainability at Saudia Group, the Kingdom’s aviation group, which includes Saudia and its subsidiary Flyadeal. Other speakers include Amani Al-Anazi, Associate Technical Fellow at Boeing, Sarah Sabt, Director of Risk Management and Sustainability at Gulf Air Group, and Lama Al-Sarihi, Environmental Field Activist at Red Sea International Airport.
A keynote address on “Transforming Travel: From Operational Excellence to Passenger-Centric Innovation” will be delivered by Somaya Khawaji, Director of Operations Efficiency and Standardization at CATRION, a leading Saudi company providing catering services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
There will be a special session entitled: From Classrooms to Cockpits: Youth Voices Manage the Future of Aviation. This session will highlight the rising generation of aviation leaders in the Middle East and Africa who have already made their mark. From academic excellence and innovative research to bold ideas about sustainability, technology and inclusion, these emerging voices will share their journeys, challenges and vision for the future of aviation in the region.
It will be moderated by Noura Al Muhaizi of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), a non-governmental organization and professional network that aims to bring the views of young space professionals to the United Nations, the space industry, space agencies and academia. It represents 15,000 members from more than 150 countries around the world, and has permanent observer status in the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
Speakers in this session include Eithar Al-Yaqoub, Safety and Quality Specialist, Aeronautical Engineer at Saudi Airlines, Our Lady Amal, Commercial Pilot, Abeer Daly, Student Pilot, Nour Al-Qahtani, Airport Operations Planning Officer, Riyadh Airports, and Lama Al-Anazi, Aeronautical Engineer at the General Authority for Military Industry.
The session on ‘Careers in Aviation: Beyond Aviation’ will explore alternative career paths in aviation, showcasing opportunities in airline management, airport operations, aerospace engineering, air traffic control, sustainability and emerging aviation technologies.
It will be moderated by Captain Al Harith Bin Sama, flight instructor at the Intercontinental Aviation Academy. Confirmed speakers include Leana Coyne, Director, Coyne Airways; Dr. Sofia Mathieu, Associate Professor of Aviation Management, Prince Sultan University; Marvi Bilal, Deputy Director Commercial, Airports Authority of Pakistan; Ohood Al-Fatta, marketing and strategic partnerships expert at the Saudi Academy; Nouf Abdul Karim, Senior Director of Succession Planning and Leadership Development at Riyadh Airports; Bassem Shawish, Head of ANS and ELP Training Department at the Saudi Civil Aviation Academy (SACA), and Hazar Hafez, Head of Marketing and Customer Experience at Flyadeal.
Women’s representation in aviation is gradually advancing in the Middle East. There is a need for further discussion and collaboration on the most effective ways to enhance the presence of qualified and talented women across all civil aviation stakeholders. Pilots, air traffic controllers and maintenance technicians remain disproportionately underrepresented, according to an IATA report on gender in aviation.
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