Princess Reema pledges dedication in serving Saudi Arabia

Manama: Princess Reema Bint Bandar has pledged shortly after she was appointed the first Saudi woman ambassador to the US not to spare any effort in serving her country, leaders and fellow citizens.

“I extend the sincerest thanks and deepest gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince — may God protect them — for the generous and precious trust by appointing me as ambassador to the United States of America,” she posted on her Twitter account.

“I will, God willing, serve my country, its leaders and all its people, and I will spare no effort to do so,” she posted in Arabic to her 78,000 followers on the microblog.

Princess Reema who was appointed ambassador in Washington late on Saturday evening has already built a strong reputation through her efforts as a global ambassador for positive social change and as one of the most visionary voices for a more conjoined world.

History

Born in 1975 in Riyadh, she made history in August 2016 when she was appointed Deputy for Planning and Development at the General Sports Authority where she led diversity and inclusion, the development of the Kingdom’s sports economy and strategic partnerships.

In 2017, she was appointed president of the Mass Participation Federation, becoming the first woman to lead a multi-sports federation in Saudi Arabia, driving communities towards a more active lifestyle.

In 2013, she founded Alf Khair, a social enterprise to boost the professional capital of Saudi women.”

In 2011, she founded and became the Creative Director of Baraboux

She served for seven years as the CEO of Alfa International, Harvey Nichols Riyadh, focusing on multi-brand luxury retail in Saudi Arabia. She led the way towards gender integration in the workplace, bolstering the active involvement of Saudi women in retail operations.

In 2014, Forbes Middle East magazine selected Princess Reema as one of the most powerful 200 Arab women.

Through her “10KSA” health awareness-raising initiative, she brought together more than 10,000 women in December 2015 at a football stadium in Riyadh and achieved a Guinness Book of World Record for organizing the World’s Largest Human Awareness Ribbon.

She joined the THNK Amsterdam School for Creative Leadership in 2014 and 2015.

Princess Reema attended George Washington University (1994 – 1999) and Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies.

Princess Reema, who comes from a family deeply involved in diplomatic and political work, is the 11th Saudi ambassador to Washington, a position held by her father, Bandar Bin Sultan, who served for 22 years, and her uncle, Turki Al Faisal.

Her other uncle Saud Al Faisal was the most prominent and longest-serving Saudi minister of foreign affairs (1975-2015).

List of Saudi ambassadors to the US: