Voted into the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) in 2005, Dr Al Sulaiman was one of the first women to win elected office in Saudi Arabia – just weeks after beating breast cancer – and later became one of the country’s first female politicians. As Vice-Chair of the JCCI, she has worked over decades to open up opportunities for Saudi women in the workplace. She now serves on the boards of several companies, including Kingdom Holding, the world’s foremost value investor, and continues to support the next generation of business leaders.

She shares her unexpected journey to becoming a pioneer of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, the challenges she has faced along the way, and what it takes to make change happen.

What have been some of your career highlights or most memorable moments?

‘Winning the Chamber of Commerce election is my personal highlight. There were absolutely no expectations of a win; I came from a science background, most of my life had been inside a lab. But when I started doing my PhD at King’s, I decided to push the boundaries a bit and started a women’s health club with a friend, as Saudi women didn’t have places to exercise. So I became a businesswoman and connected to that world of commerce.

‘I still remember the moment I won – it was midnight and I was at home in bed. I couldn’t sleep, of course. Everything got delayed because the count was taking forever. Women were not allowed in the vicinity to see it, so the men waiting outside had been sending me updates. Then they said that Nashwa Taher and I had won. My head was buzzing. I thought, “Oh my god, I won. What am I going to do? I’m not prepared.” It was overwhelming.’

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced and how have you overcome them?

‘The biggest challenge has been how to overcome feelings of insecurity. How do you overcome lack of confidence that you can achieve? It’s that wanting to be perfect that most of us women seem to get entangled in. Am I doing it well? Is it good enough? Any negativity from the community takes you so many steps back. But with experience and support, you build confidence and understanding of what you have to do. You have to move on quickly too: the longer it stays in your head, the more you stay put and don’t grow.

‘I loved the challenges though. The minute things calmed down, I would look for the next challenge. I tell myself it could have been to do with being a cancer survivor. When you survive a life-threatening thing, you can get addicted to wanting to feel alive. Challenges – and success after a challenge – make you feel very alive. I also believe in the importance of being in the right place at the right time. It could be that surviving cancer made it the perfect time for me to go up for election.’

What motivates you to keep leading change when you face barriers or setbacks? Have you ever felt like giving up?

‘I think it’s not about giving up as much as choosing one’s battles. It’s about deciding whether one continues pushing or whether it’s not worth it, because it’s going to hurt you or the people around you too much. It’s helpful to remember that you’re not the only person. You can start pushing but might not open the door. If you know that there are people behind you who are going to keep pushing, at some point somebody is going to be successful because you weakened the obstacles.

‘After I was elected to the Municipal Council – the first time women were allowed to run – the men on the council decided that women members would not be allowed at the meetings and could only join online. I decided to resign after three months. Many people told me they were disappointed, but I was not ready to let go of 15 years of being at the table – at the head of the table, even.

‘It was very difficult, but I looked for something new and changed my path. Then Vision 2030 (a Saudi government initiative) came out and suddenly women were enjoying a new openness. I went back to learning and did a degree with INSEAD Business School on corporate governance that equipped me for board-level work. That opened up doors for me and is today what I do best.’