Women are playing a bigger role in business, industry, and communities around the world in 2026. From starting new companies to leading established organizations, businesswomen are turning ideas into real businesses, creating jobs, and opening new opportunities for others. Their journeys often involve hard work, confidence, smart decisions, and the ability to handle challenges in changing markets.
These women are doing more than growing successful businesses. They are helping shape workplace culture, encouraging new ideas, supporting other women, and taking on important leadership roles across industries such as technology, finance, retail, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. Their work shows how women are becoming an increasingly important part of business leadership and decision-making.
In this article, we highlight some of the top empowering business women shaping the future in 2026 and look at the work, leadership, and impact that make their journeys worth following.
Top Empowering Business Women Shaping the Future in 2026
Raj Bhogal: Leading Global Innovation with Purpose and Resilience
Raj Bhogal’s story is proof of resilience, lifelong learning, and impactful leadership. In 1998, she started her career in the pharmaceutical industry as an intern in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Her unexpected site closing was a pivot point as opposed to a setback in her career. She changed her mind and went for other career options and became a Research and Development (R&D) and Quality professional, learning to be a good technical and leadership person. Learning continued to be a key factor in her development. She went on to receive an MSc and an MBA after giving birth to a child, showing the viability of a family life alongside career aspirations. She also holds a European Master’s degree from six universities, 100% in the Batalas Lead Auditor exam, and a Level 3 Chief of Staff Certification from the Chief of Staff Association at Harvard Business School, as well as an MBA degree in 2024.
Raj currently leads Business Strategy & Operations in R&D as Chief of Staff to the Head of Global Regulatory Affairs and Drug Safety and Chief Regulatory & Safety Officer. She brings the science of regulation, business strategy, operations, and people leadership together to help build future-ready organisations. Her career experience includes the development and leadership of high-performing global research and development audit and inspection teams, supporting a variety of GxP environments with effective management of complex regulatory inspections globally. She is also a member of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, an organization dedicated to leadership, collaboration, and professional development in the life sciences industry.
Raj’s view of leadership is based on the opportunities created for others. She is an active mentor for women and early career professionals and volunteers with the nonprofit “Thrive with Mentoring” as a regional lead. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion, and STEM education, as well as employee resource groups and affinity groups for Asians. Throughout her career, Raj Bhogal has demonstrated that success is achieved through perseverance, lifelong learning, and a dedication to fostering the growth of others.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 .
Inaas Abdalla: Creating Inclusive Brands That Empower Women and Entrepreneurs
Inaas Abdalla has always been able to see the potential in a business problem that a lot of people missed. Instead of trying to fill in the saturated market with products, she tried to fill real gaps where people need better support. The idea that began her entrepreneurial journey was quite simple: The beauty industry was overlooking many women with sensitive skin and sensitive eyes. Many women continue to experience irritation, discomfort, and few options despite claims of products that are effective for all. To do this, Inaas established Inês Cosmetics, a beauty brand created especially for women with sensitive eyes. The company’s extensions for cluster lashes are meticulously designed to offer comfort, security, and durability while remaining fashionable and self-assured. She believed that women should never have to choose between beauty and comfort, and this is reflected in all of her products.
Inspired by that one mission, Inaas went ahead and created InêSKN, a skincare platform based on evidence-based virtual consultation. She felt that the skincare information and products had to be of a high standard, and that it should not be dependent on the location of the owner, or even whether they have access to a specialist clinic. With tailored advice, InêSKN empowers women to truly comprehend their skin and make decisions about skincare. Throughout her career, her work has been based on genuine care, which guarantees women receive practical solutions according to their needs and not to trends. She has built brands to place people before product, and has the confidence that lasts with the knowledge that is accessible.
Recognising another important gap, Inaas expanded her work beyond beauty by founding YIP, Your Intellectual Partner. She noticed that a lot of people were entrepreneurs with good ideas who didn’t have the experienced and expert guidance, strategic direction, or solid professional networks. YIP was designed to equip the founders with knowledge, mentoring, and community for building successful businesses and addressing some of the challenges they are likely to encounter. Whether it’s women seeking more sustainable beauty options or entrepreneurs seeking guidance, Inaas has been dedicated to supporting those who are frequently left behind in every endeavor. She leads with the principle that innovation should make a difference to people’s lives and to those who need it most. Inaas Abdalla has continued to cultivate purposeful businesses that are accessible and have impact through Inês Cosmetics, InêsKN, and YIP, and continues to inspire others to develop a solution that truly makes a difference.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 | 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦.
Danielle Bennett: Building Leaders, Businesses, and Lasting Legacy
Danielle Joleigh Bennett has been dedicated, disciplined, and courageous in her career. She is the Founder, President, and CEO of Radiant Legacy Collective, Inc., where she has developed a strategic platform that supports the growth of entrepreneurs, executives, franchise professionals, and government clients with stronger businesses and systems of leadership. A service member, Danielle received numerous awards including Joint Service Commendation Medals, Navy Achievement Medals, Top Department Head, Pacific Fleet (2015), Top Company Grade Officer (2018), and Pacific Fleet Sailor of the Year (2006). Her military career has provided her with a strong foundation in remaining calm under pressure, organizing complex operations, and making things happen in challenging environments. She later built on this base with the M.S. in Acquisition and Supply Chain Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus, the Harvard Business Analytics Program, graduate studies at the U.S. Naval War College, University of Wisconsin Platteville, American Military University, and the Defense Acquisition University.
Following her military career, Danielle successfully translated her leadership into business, aerospace, defense, and entrepreneurship. She oversaw defense contracts for over $1.2 billion; transformed a weak $24 million program into a multi-billion dollar defense program; revitalized a failing $26 million program; and played a major role in the Columbia class submarine project, which is one of the largest defense projects in the nation’s history. She also launched MosquitoNix Madison & Waukesha County in only six weeks, proving the practical value of disciplined execution. Drawing from these experiences, she developed the Leadership Voltage™ framework, along with Soft Power for Hard Systems™, VoltageSystem™, and other leadership models that help organizations improve performance, communication, and resilience.
Danielle is also a Project Management Professional (PMP), John Maxwell Certified Coach, Everything DiSC Certified Facilitator, Profit Acceleration Coach, and Franchise Broker.
Danielle’s impact grows as an executive educator, coach, writer, and speaker. In 2025, her book Leadership Voltage: Capturing Lightning with Triadic Balance, published by Beverly Hills Publishing, introduced a realistic leadership model that was centered on sustainable performance. She also hosts executive round tables, conducts Soft Power for Hard Systems training, and is continuing to build her leadership platforms. She is widely recognized for her accomplishments and has been honored with the 2026 Global Recognition Award, Marquis Who’s Who of America Top Professional and Top Executive 2025-26, Global Leaders & Business Awards 2026, BBB Accreditation from 2025, and as a feature in national media outlets such as Business Insider, Apple News, and Close Up Radio. As part of the collective, Danielle Bennett is dedicated to helping leaders and organizations to strengthen their organizations, develop people with integrity, and establish a legacy that transcends business success.
Pia Rudolfsson Goyer: Advancing Human Rights Through Responsible Business
Pia Rudolfsson Goyer has focused her career around one clear mission: to enable businesses and investors to make decisions that are based on respect for human rights and with long-term value. She brings to the field of business and human rights a solid legal, policy, research, and responsible investment expertise. Upon completion of her law studies at the University of Stockholm, she joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Sweden, gaining extensive knowledge and experience in international policy and legal issues. Subsequently, she was a researcher at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights for nine years, specialising in business and human rights research. During this time, she authored various studies on the extractive industry, helping to build the knowledge of Human Rights in industries with a high social and environmental footprint.
For over 10 years, she had the opportunity to expand her expertise as Senior Advisor of the Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. There, Pia dealt with complex cases in relation to corporate responsibility for human rights violations and corruption. In addition, she has spoken at international conferences, master courses and panels, sharing her knowledge on responsible investment and ethical business practices. She has also been Head of Secretariat at NORSIF (The Norwegian Forum for Sustainable Investment) to support the improvement of collaboration in the Norwegian sustainable investment community. She is also a member at the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHB), a UK-based think-and-do-tank involved in worldwide initiatives to increase corporate responsibility and corporate governance.
Pia is currently an independent consultant, facilitating organizations in making the principles of human rights work in business practice. She helps businesses create human rights due diligence processes, responsible investment frameworks, and sustainability methodologies. Her work includes developing human rights due diligence content for Celsia’s software solutions and contributing to taxonomy alignment methodology at CICERO Shades of Green. Pia Rudolfsson Goyer has been dedicated to the realisation of human rights in all aspects of her career to date, focusing on them being made real, measurable and effective. Her approach to combining legal knowledge, policy expertise and practical business acumen remains instrumental in strengthening governance mechanisms and facilitating responsible and sustainable decision-making within different sectors.
Dr. Chinenye (Ulunma) Ogbonna-Martins: Inspiring Change Through Ethical Leadership
Dr. Chinenye (Ulunma) Ogbonna-Martins’ work has been dedicated to assisting individuals and entities in achieving growth through education, trust, and good values. An educational psychologist, Educator, Researcher, Author, Speaker, and Advocate, she creates safe spaces for innovative ideas and learning. Her career has encompassed research and practical pathways to building leadership and learning and growing people. The questions related to psychological safety, ethical leadership, trauma-informed practice, and resilience, and the transformation of institutional and organizational systems and structures resonate with her. In her practice, she invites communities and people to make safe spaces.
Dr. Ogbonna-Martins has also served in the areas of research, teaching, writing, leadership, and public engagement. She is a published author, Rotarian, and keynote speaker. As a coach, she has an online suite with tools to assist people in overcoming barriers to resilience and enabling people to find and embrace their strengths. She feels that lasting change starts with self-awareness, knowledge, courage, and compassion. She brings research out of the classroom and into the everyday world, the workplace, the school, and the community in the form of tools that can be used in everyday life.
Dr. Ogbonna-Martins has a vision of creating a better world based on an ethical and dignified approach to caring for humanity. She encourages all people of all ages to practice ethically motivated leadership, particularly students, community workers, and executives. She believes that a safe, valued, empowered space is a necessary condition for any workplace. She believes in a psychologically safe environment at all workplaces. She advocates for psychological safety in every workplace. It’s the foundation for innovation, collaboration, healing, and longevity for her. With Dr. Chinenye (Ulunma) Ogbonna-Martins’ commitment to education, leadership, and social impact, it is evident that she is continuing to shape, inform, and empower individuals and organizations to lead with trust, service, and compassion to make a positive impact on society.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 | 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 | 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭| Facebook| Orchid
Dr. Fredina Usher-Weems: Empowering Women Through Health, Wellness, and Self-Confidence
Dr. Fredina J. Usher Weems loves health and wellness, and she strives to teach women to be empowered with self-confidence, inner strength, and personal wellness. On all her travels, she has been passionate about inspiring and motivating women to see themselves and empower their confidence for life’s challenges. She believes in women’s health and wellbeing through meditation, active listening, and self-awareness practice. Her love for wellness is grounded in the principle of wellness beginning in the inside and moving outward, with knowledge and awareness of self, mental and emotional health care, and positive choices made throughout the day.
Having a clear purpose, Dr. Usher-Weems built her work around the vision of being an agent of change to all women regardless of their walks of life. She is committed to building women’s self-confidence and inner balance to face personal and professional issues. With her products, services, and educational programs, she offers real-life advice that promotes personal development and emotional strength. Emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical well-being is an important aspect of her work, using the philosophy of “Wholistic Call to Care. This holistic balance is in keeping with her belief that growth is a lifelong process more concerned with caring for the whole person than caring for any single aspect of health.
Dr. Fredina Usher-Weems’ work in health and wellness is ongoing in humility and compassion, encouraging girls and women of all ages to be the best of themselves. She is dedicated to helping empower positive change to be permanent and sustainable by encouraging, educating, and developing people. She doesn’t just provide wellness tools. She instead encourages women to discover their own strength and build lives from confidence, balance, and purpose. Information is limited as to any awards or recognitions received, or nominal years of service, but her dedication to assisting others has been the focus of her career. Dr. Usher-Weems’ dedication to women’s health and empowerment continues to lead her toward a greater influence in the communities she serves and empowers women to create stronger, healthier, and more confident lives.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 | 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 | 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞
Jessica (The Frequent Artist) Patterson: Turning Creativity Into a Global Artistic Journey
Jessica Patterson, also known as The Frequent Artist, is a Louisiana illustrator and graphic designer. She started to draw in her childhood and began painting at sixteen. This passion drove her to experiment with new techniques and ideas using colour and storytelling. Being self-trained, she has built up her skills gradually, letting her creativity develop naturally. Rather than taking the ‘easy’ route, Jessica acquired her experience by practicing, being curious, and being committed. Her self-assurance increased, and she started to enter into professions. Her artwork slowly started to be noticed internationally. Since then, her work has been included in exhibitions, published in journals and other quality art spaces, and has taken a significant stride in her expanding career.
The simple concept of movement is the inspiration for Jessica’s style of art. With her paintbrush and palette brimming with colour, she paints scenes from memory and in the imagination. As her creative ideas broadened, she naturally turned to graphic design, using her artistic vision to create art prints and illustrated pages. In August 2023, she published her first book entitled The Artistic Letters, which features 20 years of her artwork. The book has been released on Amazon, which is a testament to the evolution of her creative path. She is also developing an ongoing digital magazine titled P.M. (Painter’s Mark), published exclusively on her website. These projects continue to bring The Frequent Artist to the people, in various mediums of visual art and design.
Jessica Patterson’s 2026 was a pivotal year for her career. She was among the Investable Artists of 2026, per Art Market Experts. Her achievements also included recognition from Influential Women and receiving Contemporary Art Curator Magazine’s Collector’s Art Prize. Earlier in the year, she had a group show in Galerie Le Chien d’Or, Quebec, Canada, and in Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France in 2026. All these accomplishments have enabled her to continue to grow from a young self-taught artist into an international artist of merit.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 | 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 | 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭
Dr. Diana Richardson: From Beauty Entrepreneur to Global Business Mentor
Dr. Diana Richardson’s career has been inspiring in so many ways that involve vision, hard work, and making others succeed as well. A university-educated entrepreneur and successful business owner with over 25 years’ experience in the beauty, wellbeing, and skin care industry. During this time, she has begun, built, and scaled 10 businesses and has developed business skills which she now uses in her coaching, mentoring, and speaking. Her business skills, customer service, leadership, and team management abilities have made her popular worldwide. She has also received three PHAB Service Stars (the equivalent of the Michelin stars in the beauty industry). A component of her business is sharing her knowledge via The Glowgetter Mentor podcast, global speaking events, bestselling books, and coaching and mentoring programs, to inspire entrepreneurs globally.
Dr. Richardson’s education has been a major part of her life. She is a graduate of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, with a 1st in the Strategic Innovation Program. She is also a graduate of the Lifestyle Medicine & Wellness Coaching Program at Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School Executive Education, Greenwich University (teaching qualification), and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Communications). Her solid educational foundation enables entrepreneurs to build their successful and sustainable business ventures. She has been interviewed for Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo News, Entrepreneurs Herald, New York Weekly, Billboard Magazine, The Enterprise World, Insights Success Magazine, and many others internationally.
Dr. Richardson’s accomplishments have continued to expand with national and international recognition. In 2025 and 2026, she received a Global Impact Excellence Award in Business Strategy, the Best Business Mentor award, and the Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the World Women Leadership Congress, respectively. Her achievements, education, and mentorship continue to inspire entrepreneurs, encouraging them to take risks, innovate, and act with purpose.
Lizbeth Hamlin: Five Decades of Healing Through Compassion and Resilience
For over 50 years, Lizbeth Hamlin, MA, LMFT, has been a practicing psychotherapist helping people heal and grow in Santa Rosa and San Francisco, California. She has always been tested with her professional skills and her compassion for emotional and relational needs. Her therapeutic orientation is Jungian, attachment, integration of EMDR, mindfulness, creative process, and somatic. She has tools she can use to take into consideration relational and developmental trauma, as well as to respond thoughtfully and personally to that trauma. Lizbeth has been a trusted source for a safe and supportive space where individuals can learn about themselves and find healing for many years.
A defining experience in Lizbeth’s personal life occurred in her early thirties, when she experienced some extreme losses in her personal life that impacted both her personal and professional life. She refused to let those experiences shape her and instead learned about resilience and human growth. She knew that there is a great deal to be learned from loss, and that it is a very painful experience. This is the reason she works with clients as a facilitator of self-discovery and transformation, and sees healing as a process. She feels that each person is naturally capable of healing when treated with empathy, trust, and skill.
Lizbeth’s passion for the Mental Health field has gone beyond the private practice setting. She is a trained and certified EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist and Approved Consultant and offers consultation and supervision to clinicians who are working towards certification in EMDR. She is also a faculty member with the Parnell Institute (founded by Laurel Parnell, PhD) for training and mentoring upcoming therapists. When she finds herself with time to spare, Lizbeth enjoys touring the beauty of California’s wine country where she lives. She is an active Argentinean tango dancer, a member of the Board of Directors at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, and has been actively involved for many years as a facilitator for Authentic Movement.
Jelena Vuletic, PCC: Building Conscious Leadership Through Experience and Human Connection
Jelena Vuletic, PCC, is an experienced leadership coach and personal development professional dedicated to meaningful human connection. She began her career in banking, where she spent more than 30 years working in a challenging and fast-paced environment. Throughout her journey in the industry, she developed extensive leadership and communication skills while gaining a deep understanding of the challenges professionals face in today’s business world.
Her passion for helping others grow beyond business results led her to pursue a career in coaching, mentoring, and leadership development. For more than 10 years, she has worked with leaders, managers, professionals, and organisations to strengthen their emotional intelligence, emotional regulation, communication skills, and leadership presence.
At the heart of Jelena’s work is the belief that we cannot lead others well until we first learn how to lead ourselves. For her, effective leadership begins with self-awareness, personal responsibility, emotional balance, and the ability to understand and manage our own responses before guiding others.
As Jelena’s work evolved, so did her vision of creating healthier and more supportive workplaces. She believes that organisational success is strengthened when people think clearly, communicate their ideas effectively, and take responsibility for their actions. Her approach goes beyond strategy and performance, placing equal emphasis on trust, presence, and genuine human connection.
As a leadership coach, somatic coach, and mentor, Jelena helps individuals develop practical leadership skills while building confidence, emotional balance, and stronger relationships. Her understanding of sustainable leadership extends beyond achieving results. It is also about creating a positive environment for the people around a leader and fostering conditions in which individuals and organisations can thrive.
Today, Jelena continues to pursue her mission through Balance2Business and her work as a leadership coach, somatic coach, mentor, and educator. She is committed to promoting meaningful, lasting, and people-centred approaches to leadership. Her goal is to encourage a healthier and more conscious leadership culture, creating space for professionals who want to become more confident and effective without compromising their values, both throughout the region and beyond.
While publicly available information does not provide specific figures regarding the number of leaders and organisations she has supported, Jelena’s decades of professional experience and continued work in leadership development reflect a long-standing commitment to the field. Trust, responsibility, self-awareness, and positive change remain at the heart of her approach to leadership and human development.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 | 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 | 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞
Katarzyna Jowita Góralczyk: Leading with Integrity, Strategy, and Lasting Impact
Katarzyna Jowita Góralczyk’s impressive career is built on responsible leadership, strategic thinking, and ethical business practices. She is currently a Management Board Member and senior executive of Air bp Aramco Poland, an international aviation company and a joint air venture. Her career has been defined by her ability to combine strategic thinking with financial prudence, operational accountability, and good corporate governance. Her close, multi-country relationship-building with shareholders helps her influence the direction of the business and assist the organisation to meet the needs of a fast, highly regulated market. Her long-term forward thinking and responsible decision-making have earned her respect and recognition within the international business arena.
The core of Katarzyna Jowita’s leadership philosophy is that trust, integrity and accountability are the foundation of successful organisations. Her vision of sustainable business performance is through empowering people, fostering collaboration and building an environment that respects and supports people. She does not only look at business outcomes, but stresses a culture of ethical leadership and responsible governance in all decision-making. Her approach to work reflects the understanding that a long-lasting legacy involves more than just numbers; it involves building strong relationships, fostering transparency, and promoting shared responsibility. Her ongoing work to foster organizational resiliency and help businesses overcome future challenges is guided by strategic leadership and a people-centric approach.
Katarzyna Jowita is not only an entrepreneur but also works in the corporate world. Since September 2025, she has also been an expert with the Polish Accreditation Committee, where she has contributed her expertise in business and governance to the assessment of the quality of higher education in Poland. She is passionate about Education, professionalism, and Continuous Improvement. She also actively participates in ethical leadership and empowerment of women in decision-making to ensure their representation and responsible leadership in various sectors. She has accomplished a successful career; although the information here does not make any mention of her receiving any awards or other formal recognition, the accomplishments suggest that this is the case. Katarzyna Jowita Góralczyk’s executive leadership at Air bp Aramco Poland and her participation in the Polish Accreditation Committee continue to contribute to the value of business, education and society and motivate the next generation of leaders to act responsibly, trustfully and purposefully.
Monica Janus Manczynska: Transforming Complexity into Lasting Results
For 20 years, Monica Janus Manczynska has been a leader who helps organizations navigate challenging times and significant change. She has worked in complex financial services operations in Europe and the U.S. Her areas of expertise are fund administration, middle office, financial reporting, regulatory reporting, tax, derivatives, and global shared services. During her career, she has helped organizations under pressure, with operational challenges and required meaningful transformation. She has supervised teams of up to 400 people and teams spanning multiple jurisdictions. Her projects have ranged from large-scale remediation to restructuring operations to restoring customer confidence. She has also converted underperforming functions to stable and high-performing operations. These experiences helped her put her leadership into practice. Monica learned to see beyond the problems and get to the causes of operational problems and then to think creatively about solutions that people can implement.
As she continued in her career, Monica’s thinking skills and execution ability were noticed. Her work on complex issues is based on accountability, momentum, and measurable outcomes. She wants to achieve permanent change, rather than just a temporary fix, whether it’s redesigning an operating model, spearheading a large-scale transformation, addressing a critical control issue, or building a new capability. She has additionally been involved with strife-torn foreign groups, arranging them in order and getting them working together towards a mutual objective. Monica’s leadership style is one of courage, judgment, and a can-do attitude. She is aware that when there is a lot of change, people can become uneasy and tries to get others to be part of the changes throughout. Her knowledge has proved most useful in tough situations, and she is an important resource in her career. Rather than avoiding difficult challenges, she faces them and tries to find ways to become better, build better structures, and build more confidence.
In the future, Monica envisions technology and human judgement as equal components of successful organizations. She feels that AI can also free up time for individuals to do value-added activities. She aims to make organizations faster, smarter, more resilient and more human. She also believes a team that is diverse and multi-generational must have confidence in themselves to challenge the status quo and push for results that were impractical. This vision reflects the lessons gathered throughout her international career. Monica does more than manage business operations. She transforms them, raises expectations, strengthens teams, and aims to leave every organization better prepared for its next challenge.
Jarmila Somolányiová: Building Wealth Through Strategy, Trust, and Perspective
Jarmila Somolányiová has worked in financial advising for almost 20 years and has established herself with her expertise, discipline, and long-term client relationships. Because of her background in applied economics and mathematics with an emphasis on financial markets, she has had a solid foundation in understanding complex financial decisions. She worked for 18 years at PARTNERS GROUP SK and 1 year at Zurich, and was one of the best personal producers in Slovakia. She was the number one VIP Consultant at PARTNERS GROUP SK in 2023. She is knowledgeable about financial analysis, financial planning, investments, insurance, mortgages, and cash flow. She doesn’t provide blanket solutions, but rather examines the particular situation of each client and develops specific financial plans. She has also had the privilege of working with entrepreneurs, executives, professionals, and internationally oriented families. Having lived and worked in the USA and Portugal, she developed a broader international view of financial advising and wealth management.
Her growing expertise also led Jarmila to the international MDRT community, where she became a four-time MDRT Member. She was the first Slovak-language speaker on the MDRT grounds in the year (2024) for Greece. In 2026, she made a historic achievement as the first to speak Slovak at an Annual Meeting in Anaheim. Also that year, she was inducted into the Financial Hall of Fame for Lifetime Contributions in Anaheim, USA. Her international professional development has included the MDRT Global Conference in Singapore and Macao, MDRT Annual Meetings in Vancouver and Anaheim, the Mindvalley Financial Freedom Summit in London, and BLIS Global events in Riyadh, Dubai, Lebanon, and Romania, where she has also appeared as a speaker. She is a member of Slovakia’s entrepreneurial community and the Association of Business Women and Managers. She also served as a Jury Board Member for the Capital Markets Conference 2026 of the Association of Securities Dealers in Slovakia. Alongside these achievements, she had completed her MBA studies in digital marketing with honors, to strengthen her knowledge of personal branding.
In 2025, Jarmila took another important step by starting her own company and developing Imperium ZENity, a strategic wealth architecture brand built around the philosophy of building and protecting an individual’s financial imperium. Her way of thinking combines long-term wealth management, risk management, portfolio and cash flow design, protection frameworks, behavioural understanding, and collaboration with trusted advisors. Clarity and preparation are the keys to wealth, and these issues can gradually diminish over time due to poor structures, emotional choices, procrastination, and poor strategies, she explains. She is here to assist her clients in protecting their assets and leading them to freedom, peace, and resilience. As a mother, Jarmila loves spending her free time with her family; as an outdoor person, she enjoys nature. As a former national athletics player, she appreciates the challenge, and as a Belgian Shepherd owner, she understands the value of companionship. She is passionate about white water kayaking, backcountry skiing, running, cars, motorcycles, and jets, and is interested in tactical training. Her journey isn’t only about making more money but about safeguarding it and investing it to create a satisfying life.
Dr. Inga Olari’s Journey From International Law to Academic Leadership
Dr. Inga Olari is a prominent academic, research, collaboration, and law scholar. She graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Laws with Honors degree from Free International University of Moldova, and in 2012 she received her Diploma in Korean Language from Chung Ang University. She graduated from Chung Ang University in 2016 with an Integrated Master’s and PhD in International Law. She has been Vice President of the Centre for International Cooperation of the Free International University of Moldova since 2008, and Foreign Language Tutor at Sungkyul University, South Korea, from 2009 until 2016.
Her legal and academic experience grew across institutions. In 2013, she was appointed as a Researcher of the Ministry of Justice of South Korea and authored academic publications on Moldovan and Korean civil procedure, WTO accession, and ECtHR case law. Since 2016, she has been an Associate Professor at the Free International University of Moldova, where she lectured on Land and Environmental Law and European Business Law, as well as Social Security Law. She then joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development as a Legal Associate and E2C2 Banking Assistant from 2017 to 2020. From 2017 to 2019, she was a Legal Translator with the World Bank Group.
She served at CECOS College London from 2020-23 and at Global Banking School College and Applied Business Academy from 2020-23. From 2023 to 2025, she was Partnership Academic Manager and Director of the London campuses of the Elizabeth School of London, which have a presence in 11 locations and a student roll in excess of 13,000. She has led programmes with St Mary’s University at Regent College London since May 2025, and is currently Programme Leader in Law. She then went on to achieve a PG Cert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education from Anglia Ruskin University, as well as Advanced HE in programme leadership and external examination in 2026. She has been awarded scholarships to present on AI, inclusive learning, lifelong learning, and digital technologies, as well as book chapters on negotiation, conflict management, and intrapreneurial leadership in December 2026.
Nathalie Illouz: Designing Experiences Where Art Meets Emotion
Nathalie Illouz is an experienced strategist, pragmatic aesthete, and pioneer in emotional engineering operating at the convergence of art, high-end client experience, and neuroscience. As the Founder and CEO of Purple Emotion, she collaborates with prestige brands, family offices, private equity funds, and high-level international institutions, public authorities, and embassies—to transform emotional resonance into measurable strategic performance. With over two decades of intercultural leadership spanning Paris and London, her work spans experiential art, luxury client experience, and high-impact strategic initiatives.
At the core of her methodology is the proprietary Lynx® framework—a versatile service-technology and art-science protocol initially deployed within prestige hospitality and collection real estate as the primary epicenters of a circular expansion model, designed to scale across multiple domains including luxury entertainment and beyond. Grounded in the conceptual inspiration of Yves Klein’s immaterial art, Michel-Eugène Chevreul’s law of simultaneous color contrast, and the profound symbolic resonance of white, this framework establishes a fundamental ontological shift: the true work of art lies in the intangible experience itself, while physical and digital assets serve merely as technical vectors. Implemented through 90 Lab and augmented by strategic technological collaborations with European AI leaders such as Mistral, Lynx® combines neurosensory measurement, sensory design, and chromatic calibration to convert emotional responses into quantifiable, value-generating business assets.
The foundational vision of this approach is being formalized through advanced doctoral research via VAE protocols, supported by scientific backing from Jean-Yves Bosseur (former CNRS research director in aesthetics and art science), Ghislain Mollet-Viéville (representing the Biennale de Paris), and high-level philosophical counsel from strategic figures rooted in the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques, ensuring Nathalie’s ecosystem bridges rigorous intellectual frameworks with elite market execution. Furthermore, through entrepreneurial structuring guided by HEC Challenge+ (under Étienne Krieger), she federates complementary cross-disciplinary centers of excellence—uniting specialized legal, financial, and strategic practitioners whose singular mastery, exceptional finesse, and rare professional virtuosity redefine 21st-century expertise—transforming diverse disciplines into a harmonious, de-risked pragmatic performance lever.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 | 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 | 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞
Dr Asma Al-Aufi: Advancing Education, Leadership, and Innovation in Oman
Dr Asma Al-Aufi has built a multidisciplinary career spanning higher education, research, entrepreneurship, and business leadership. With more than a decade of experience in education and research, she is committed to strengthening higher education and supporting meaningful institutional development. She currently serves as a Lecturer at the College of Preparatory Studies at Sultan Qaboos University and as Managing Director of Moon Group LLC. She holds an MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL from Newcastle University and a PhD in Higher Education from Lancaster University. Her research interests include educational policy, policy enactment, institutional practice, quality enhancement, and higher education development in Oman. Her research examines challenges in higher education and identifies opportunities to improve policy implementation, institutional practice, and educational outcomes. Her work also reflects a strong interest in international collaboration and in connecting academic research with institutional and professional priorities
Alongside her academic career, Dr Al-Aufi has developed extensive leadership experience in business and industry. Her roles at Sultan Qaboos University and Moon Group LLC give her a multifaceted perspective on education, strategy and organisational development. She combines a strong academic background with hands-on leadership experience and a commitment to institutional and national development. Her work is guided by the view that education, leadership, innovation and human development are central to sustainable progress. She is also an Executive Member of the Forbes Business Council, reflecting her engagement with an international community of business leaders. Across her work, Dr Asma Al-Aufi continues to connect academic knowledge with practical needs. Her experience in education, research, international engagement and organisational leadership enables her to contribute to educational development and innovation.
Dr Asma Al-Aufi’s contributions have also received national and international recognition. She received the Omani Woman Award 2024 and received Women in Leadership recognition in 2025. These recognitions acknowledge her contributions to education, leadership, and professional development. Her work reflects her belief that education and research can support wider social and economic development when knowledge is translated into effective practice. Moreover, she has been recognised among Oman’s 100 prominent leaders and named among the global 200 women power leaders in 2025. As a leader, she applies her academic understanding to practical organisational and professional challenges. Her business leadership role has also given her direct insight into organisational priorities, workforce responsibilities, and service delivery. Through Sultan Qaboos University, Moon Group LLC, her research, and her international professional engagement, Dr Asma Al-Aufi continues to build a career focused on education, innovation, collaboration, and human potential. She has also been the author of more than 11 peer-reviewed academic publications that reflect her academic work, research, business leadership, and international engagement. Dr Asma Al-Aufi continues to contribute to higher education and institutional development in Oman.
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 | 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 | 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞
Jenefer Jackson: Designing the future of premium travel through deep customer understanding and pioneering innovation
With more than 25 years of international experience across aviation and hospitality, Jenefer Jackson has built her career around a simple but powerful belief: exceptional experiences begin with a deep understanding of people.Her perspective is shaped by a uniquely diverse career that spans nearly every dimension of the aviation industry. Beginning in operational roles as an Air Traffic Controller and Weather Observer, Jackson developed an early appreciation for the complexity, precision, and discipline required to keep aviation moving safely and efficiently. From there, she progressed through leadership roles at Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, gaining extensive experience across airport operations, inflight services, customer experience, and commercial aviation. Today, at Emirates, she brings together this rare combination of operational expertise, hospitality leadership, and customer-centric innovation to help shape some of the world’s most recognised travel experiences.
Throughout her journey, Jackson has remained anchored in understanding and developing the moments that customers remember most. Not necessarily the grand gestures, but the thoughtful details that make a guest feel recognised, understood, and genuinely cared for. This perspective has shaped a leadership approach that blends customer insight with operational excellence, recognising that true luxury is rarely defined by extravagance alone. Instead, it is expressed through consistency, ease, anticipation, and the quiet confidence that every detail has been thoughtfully considered.
Today, as Senior Vice President of Inflight Product & Ground Hospitality Planning at Emirates, Jackson leads the strategic vision for some of the most influential touchpoints across the customer journey. Her remit spans product, customer experience, culinary, lounges, and hospitality, with a focus on creating seamless, elevated experiences that reflect the brand’s commitment to excellence.
At the centre of her work is a holistic view of hospitality, informed by decades spent understanding aviation from both the operational and customer perspectives. Having worked across the industry from the control tower to the cabin experience, Jackson brings a unique appreciation for the interconnected systems that shape a customer’s journey. Rather than treating individual interactions as isolated moments, she focuses on how they come together to create a cohesive and memorable experience. Whether through dining, service design, lounge environments, or onboard experiences, her objective is to ensure that every touchpoint contributes to a singular feeling: that the customer is valued and cared for.
This philosophy has become increasingly important as expectations of luxury continue to evolve. Today’s premium traveller is seeking more than comfort or exclusivity. They are looking for experiences that feel personal, relevant, and authentic. Jackson believes that successful hospitality organisations must move beyond standardisation and find ways to deliver meaningful personalisation at scale, without losing the consistency and reliability that underpin trust.
Her leadership reflects this balance. Combining a deep appreciation for the guest experience with a strong operational foundation developed across multiple airlines and aviation disciplines, she has championed innovations that enhance both the emotional and practical dimensions of travel. She is particularly passionate about the intersection of aviation and luxury hospitality, where service, product, design, and human connection come together to shape lasting impressions.
Equally important is her commitment to empowering the teams who bring these experiences to life. Jackson places people at the heart of transformation, fostering cultures of ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement. She believes that memorable hospitality is ultimately delivered by engaged individuals who understand not only what they do, but why it matters.
As customer expectations continue to evolve, Jackson remains focused on the future of hospitality: one where innovation serves a purpose, luxury feels effortless, and every decision is informed by a deeper understanding of the guest. Drawing on a career that has spanned air traffic control, airline operations, customer experience, hospitality, and global aviation leadership, she brings both breadth and depth to the challenge of reimagining travel. It is this combination of customer empathy, operational expertise, strategic vision, and pioneering leadership that has defined her career and continues to shape the next chapter of the Emirates experience.
Says Jenefer- “Luxury is not about adding more. It is about understanding what matters most to a customer and delivering it flawlessly and with genuine care- each and every time.”
Conclusion
The business world in 2026 reflects the growing contribution of women in leadership and entrepreneurship. Through their businesses, ideas, and leadership, these women are creating opportunities, supporting teams, and bringing new approaches to their industries.
Their backgrounds and businesses may be different, but their journeys show the importance of determination, leadership, creativity, and the willingness to take on challenges. They are also encouraging more women to enter business, build their own careers, and take leadership roles.
The stories of these empowering business women in 2026 can inspire the next generation to think bigger, develop their skills, and turn their ideas into meaningful businesses. As more women take part in shaping industries and communities, their contribution will continue to be an important part of the future of business.
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Top Emerging Global Leaders Shaping the Future in 2026
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