Noor Sweid is a leading figure in the Middle East and North Africa’s investment landscape, recognized for breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field. As the founder and managing partner of Global Ventures, a growth-stage venture capital firm based in Dubai, she is the only woman in the region to manage such a fund. Noor made history as the first woman in the Middle East to lead an initial public offering (IPO), listing the interior contracting company “Depa” on both the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Dubai.

Noor’s career is distinguished by several prominent roles, including Head of Investments at the Dubai Future Foundation and co-founding partner at Leap Ventures. In addition to her work in venture capital, she founded a successful chain of yoga and Pilates studios in the Middle East, which she sold in 2014.

Currently, Noor serves as Chairwoman of the Venture Capital Association in the Middle East and holds a directorship at MIT Sloan. She was also a founding member of the Board of Directors of Endeavor UAE, an organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs in the region.

Widely regarded as a role model for women in business, Noor has been featured on Forbes’ list of the World’s Top 50 Women in Tech and included in the Arabian Business 100 Most Powerful Arab Women list. She has also been honored with the Arab Woman Award for Finance, recognizing her contributions to the financial sector.

Noor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management and Economics from Boston College and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from MIT Sloan. Her visionary leadership continues to inspire future generations of women across the Middle East.