Maha Al Ghunaim is the Chairperson & Group Chief Executive Officer of Global Investment House, a Kuwait-based regional investment company which she founded with four others in 1998, offering integrated investment solutions. When she headed the organization’s debut on the London Stock Exchange in 2008, it became the first Kuwaiti company to list on the exchange. With over 30 years in the financial services sector, Al Ghunaim also sits on the boards of Kuwait University, National Industries Group, the Qatar Endowment Fund at the Qatar Foundation, and Kuwait University.
Mrs Al-Ghunaim’s father was the chairman of the Kuwaiti House of Parliament. Her mother speaks several languages and both parents encouraged their children to get a good education and so she attended a boarding school in Switzerland and later received a B.Sc. in Mathematics from San Francisco State University. She then worked for 20 years in a large government-owned investment company. She founded Global Investment House in 1998. The company now has 210 employees and offices in Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and the UAE. It specializes in private equity, real estate, international and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) asset management and brokerage services. The four founding members sitting on the Executive Committee have over 100 years of experience between them. She has received notable regional and international recognitions.
She has served on the board of several regional companies and advisory boards and held several senior positions.
Al Ghunaim founded Global Investment House, one of the region’s largest investment companies, in 1998. When she took the firm public on the London Stock Exchange in 2008, it became the first Kuwaiti company to the list on the exchange. The firm was also listed on the Kuwait, Dubai and Bahrain bourses. The onset of the global financial crisis has meant the last few years have been tough for Al Ghunaim.
She is a modern, cosmopolitan woman who has achieved an extraordinary position in a conservative country. She attributes her success to her avant-garde parents and most importantly to her husband of 23 years who is her soul mate and the father of her four children.
Previously she was an Assistant General Manager of the asset management arm of Kuwait Investment Company. She serves as the Chairperson of Global Bahrain. She serves as Vice Chairman of Global Investment House K.P.S.C. She serves as a Vice-Chairman of Shurooq Investment Services Co (Oman). She has been a Director of National Industries Group Holding – KPSC since 1996. She serves as a Director of BankMuscat International (Bahrain), Barings Private Equity Asia Ltd (Hong Kong) and Kinan International Real Estate Development Company (Spin of Savola Group) (KSA). Al-Ghunaim has been an Executive Director of Global Investment House KPSC since June 1998. She serves as a Non-Executive Director of Global MENA Financial Assets Limited. She serves as a Director of Industrial Bank of Kuwait since 1999. She serves as a Member of Depa United Group P.J.S.C. in the UAE. She served as a Director of National Ranges Company K.S.C. and Depa Ltd. from March 2008 to 2010.
