Lama Al Sulaiman was elected deputy chairwoman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry in December 2009, becoming the first female to hold such a post in Saudi history. Her appointment was even more remarkable given that just a week before standing for election, the businesswoman was told she had beaten breast cancer.

The mother of four is well aware of the delicacies of being a Saudi woman in her position, telling Bloomberg: “You have to proceed carefully. You have to respect others,” adding that few clerics object to her working with men due to her husband’s authorisation. That said, she is a keen supporter of more women holding prominent positions in the kingdom. “With King Abdullah, we are changing so that women can have far more opportunities,” she told the newswire.

Al Sulaiman studied biochemistry at King Abdulaziz University before embarking on her doctorate in nutrition from King’s College London. She is also a board member of the Jeddah-based Rolaco Trading & Contracting (whose activities include building and steelmaking), the National Institute of Health Services, the National Home Health Care Foundation, and the Economic and Social Circle of the Mecca Region, and a member of the Young Arab Leaders.

Biography as per her official site

After earning her B.Sc. in Biochemistry from King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, Ms. Al-Sulaiman pursued her postgraduate degrees in Nutrition from King’s College (University of London) in London, UK, in which she first attained her M.Sc. and then her Ph.D.

• Member of the Board of Directors of Rolaco Trading and Contracting

• Member of the Board of Directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President of Al-Sayedah Khadija Bint Khouaylid Center for Business Women

• Member of the National Institute of Health Services

• Member of the National Home Health Care Foundation

• Member of the Economic and Social Circle of the Mecca Region

• Member of the Young Arab Leaders

• Member of the ICO Saudi Delegation

Dr. Lama Al-Sulaiman was one of the first Saudi women to be elected in office in Saudi Arabia as a board member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI)

Dr. Lama Sulaiman became a member of the JCCI in 2005, and during this period, she has led and supported several initiatives within the Chamber’s endeavors to support the Private Sector and the community.