A Saudi Princess On How To Make A Difference Without Making Enemies
A leading advocate for Saudi women, Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al-Saud has learned a lot about how to effect change.
A leading advocate for Saudi women, Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al-Saud has learned a lot about how to effect change.
Be The First Domino
Princess Reema is heading Saudi Arabia's effort to get women involved in sports and exercise, which is both a health initiative (Saudi women have high rates of obesity and diabetes) and part of a mission to diversify the oil-focused economy. Even developing one sport can have a big impact. Right now, in Riyadh, there is just one small retail chain dedicated to serious sports bikes. "My role would be to look at bicycling—or any sport—and say, 'How do we expand this?' We will work with [government agencies] and young entrepreneurs," she said at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in November. "It's not just the store that sells the bicycle. You need the individual who is repairing [bikes]. You will [also attract] the store that sells bicycling clothing, and hopefully a bicycle magazine in Arabic. My job is to make all the dominoes fall. But first it's to set them up."