"Iman Mutlaq manifests love, happiness and power. Combined with her business acumen and gift for human relations, she ecompasses the qualities of a true woman of today. We are happy to confer Ms. Mutlaq, the Middle-East Woman of the year, a truly deserving recognition and honor", commented by Princess Maria Amor, founder and president of We Care for Humanity.
Iman Mutlaq's Bio:
Iman Mutlaq, a dynamic leader and expert in financial markets, was born in Saudi Arabia. She is determined to rise above all circumstances, having erased the words “I Cannot” from her vocabulary at the age of 14 when she started selling arts and crafts at school. Quick to realize her skill, she moved on to found her first export-import company at 18 and by 27, entered the financial world, starting companies across the Middle East and North Africa. She currently serves as CEO of Sigma Investments and Ingot Brokers SA, multinational financial companies that operate out of 57 offices in 25 countries across six continents.
Mutlaq knows that building successful companies begins with the will to work and succeed. Challenge, she has found, has always served to open her to new possibilities and reserves of strength. Following her divorce at 24, Mutlaq realized her potential to move forward independently, raising her two sons to become successful young men while serving as the primary caretaker for her mother and growing her companies to new heights. Having delayed her undergraduate studies to manage her responsibilities, she returned and successfully completed an MBA in finance and most recently her Chief Financial Analyst level one examination. Mutlaq is also part of the Global Alliance Partners, a network of regulated financial services companies focusing on the capital midmarket.
Mutlaq finds her strengths lie in analyzing and interpreting financial market trends to build appropriate investment strategies. Her strong technical and analytical skills have helped numerous investors accumulate wealth. She is also a true leader and a team player who continuously inspires her team to find creative ways to achieve objectives and reach their full potential.
When asked how she manages to do it all, Mutlaq confesses her secret: unconditional giving and love, what she gleaned after joining the Art of Living Foundation, an educational and humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives launched by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. She became the first instructor for the foundation in Jordan and soon after the President of the International Association for Human Values, an NGO associated with the Art of Living, which was launched in 1997 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Geneva, to promote peace and development by strengthening leaders. Mutlaq focuses on women’s empowerment, knowing that it is central to accelerating the peace, stability and security of nations. She is currently implementing six programs in Iraq supporting 400 women to advance in their careers and contribute to the economic growth of the country.
Recognizing her professional accomplishments, the Obama Administration invited Mutlaq, among a few entrepreneurs from the Middle East, to attend the inaugural White House Entrepreneurship Summit in 2010 where she met former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the late Ambassador Holbrooke to discuss ways to accelerate women’s empowerment in Afghanistan and across the Middle East.
Mutlaq lives and teaches how to achieve balance. She believes that power is to have the courage to live the life you want to live and the right to choose while inspiring and helping unconditionally the people around you. Her favorite quote, is: “Love is not an emotion, it is your very existence” – Sri Sri Ravi Sh