PREV BLOG
10 Inspiring Women To Follow in 2026
Publish: January 03, 2026
Author: Darlene Roy
In an era defined by rapid transformation, evolving markets, and heightened responsibility, business leadership is being reshaped by women who combine strategy with substance, ambition with ethics, and growth with purpose. 10 Business Women to Watch in 2026 brings together a remarkable group of leaders whose work spans governance, healthcare, education, energy, finance, sustainability, technology, mobility, and social impact. Each of these women represents a new standard of business leadership, one rooted not only in performance, but in long-term value creation, resilience, and conscious decision-making.
Across continents and industries, the women featured in this edition are building enterprises, institutions, and ecosystems that respond to real-world complexity. From advancing ethical governance and responsible AI, to redefining healthcare delivery, reshaping education through technology, strengthening financial systems, driving sustainable energy transitions, and creating inclusive business models, their journeys reflect depth, discipline, and a clear understanding of the responsibilities that come with leadership. These are women who do not follow trends, they build foundations that endure.
What unites these leaders is not a single industry or geography, but a shared commitment to impact. Whether operating in boardrooms, classrooms, hospitals, financial institutions, or community-driven organizations, they lead with clarity, courage, and conviction. Their stories reveal how thoughtful leadership, grounded expertise, and principled action can influence industries while uplifting people and communities along the way.
In this feature, readers are invited to explore the individual journeys of Natasha Camhee, Sofica Bistriceanu, Cecilia Vallorani, Carolina Coto Recio, Beatrice Duret Gentil, Ana Laura Ludlow, Jessica Van Loggerenberg, Uma Muthu, Lea Jabre Fayad, and Myrna M. Rivera Cardona. Each profile offers insight into the choices, challenges, and values that continue to shape their paths. Together, their stories form a powerful narrative of what modern business leadership looks like, and why these women are names to watch as 2026 approaches.
Natasha Camhee is the Founder and CEO of Arenkwe Holdings, a purpose-driven governance advisory firm established to redefine how organisations approach governance, risk, and compliance. From its inception, Arenkwe was built on the belief that governance, particularly in the areas of AI governance and ethical, responsible technology use, should serve as a strategic enabler of sustainable performance rather than a reactive regulatory function. For more than 15 years, the firm has operated at the intersection of governance advisory, company secretariat services, and professional training, supporting boards, executives, and institutions navigating complex and highly regulated environments. Its longevity reflects disciplined decision-making, deep regulatory expertise, and a principled approach to governance execution, reinforced by a resilient team capable of adapting through economic cycles, regulatory reform, and increasing organisational complexity.
As a leader, Natasha’s vision for Arenkwe is firmly anchored in the evolving relationship between governance, technology, and accountability. She recognises that the future of governance will be defined by how organisations oversee artificial intelligence, manage cyber and data risk, and embed ethical judgment into strategic decision-making. Under her leadership, Arenkwe has been intentionally positioned at this convergence, equipping leaders with practical frameworks, decision-centred insights, and real-time tools to govern complexity with confidence. Her approach ensures governance remains relevant, commercially grounded, and aligned with the realities faced by modern boards and executive teams operating in uncertain and fast-changing environments.
Beyond performance and compliance, Natasha believes today’s business leaders are stewards of trust and long-term value creation. This philosophy is reflected across the Arenkwe team, whose intellectual rigour, resilience, and shared sense of purpose underpin the firm’s ability to deliver consistently under pressure. Her recognition among the “10 Business Women to Watch in 2026” highlights the growing importance of principled, future-focused leadership and the critical role women play in shaping the next era of governance, risk, and accountability. Looking ahead, Natasha remains committed to building institutions that endure, developing leaders who act with courage, and advancing governance frameworks that enable responsible, resilient, and ethical growth.
Dr. Sofica Bistriceanu stands as one of the most forward-thinking medical professionals of her generation, a physician, researcher, editor, author, and global contributor whose work continues to reshape how communities understand care, communication, and long-term well-being. With a remarkable academic foundation, she completed her medical studies at Iasi University in Romania and furthered her expertise in family medicine research at Maastricht University. Her professional footprint spans continents: more than 135 international presentations, around 60 research articles in global journals, and multiple recognitions for her contributions to healthcare innovation.
A respected member of the Academy for Professionalism in Health Care, she serves on the Editorial Review Board for The Journal of Patient Experience and is also an associate editor for PriMera Scientific Publications. She holds additional editorial roles in other scientific journals, representing the Academic Medical Unit – CMI in NT, Romania. Beyond her scientific and medical work, Dr. Bistriceanu is also an accomplished literary voice, having authored seven poetry volumes published in Iasi.
Her journey into family medicine was shaped by a deep belief that true healthcare extends beyond clinical symptoms, it is rooted in human interactions, family dynamics, environment, behavior, and culture. This philosophy inspired her to implement the medical home model in her private practice more than a decade ago, a system that enables long-term, detailed insight into a patient’s life. Through relaxed, uninterrupted conversations during home visits, she gathers information that is often impossible to capture in short clinic appointments. As a result, she achieves more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatments, and improved outcomes, particularly for individuals with advanced heart conditions, mobility challenges, and children with acute illnesses.
Her model eliminates waiting times, reduces unnecessary travel, and allows patients to receive quality care in the comfort of their homes. The payment structure also supports fairness, services are paid for by the patient, with generosity considered in special situations. For physicians, this approach helps prevent burnout, promotes reputation-building, and creates a healthier work-life balance. Alongside her private practice, she continues to serve medical centers operated by the national health system during weekends to ensure continuity of care for families in her community.
Through years of hands-on practice, Dr. Bistriceanu has identified key insights and strategies that are now central to her medical philosophy. She has observed that poor communication between generations can significantly worsen heart conditions, especially in vulnerable individuals. Indoor air quality, particularly for seniors, plays a major role in accelerating or slowing disease progression, making supportive environments crucial. She highlights the sensitivity of older adults to variations in air energy and emphasizes the importance of stability for heart health. Her clinical work also explores innovative methods such as using gravitational waves to improve altered body fluid circulation, which she has seen enhance patient outcomes.
Her experience reinforces that a person’s voice is a powerful diagnostic tool, reflecting emotional, moral, and physiological states. She recognizes that communication, both verbal and nonverbal, provides insight into personal efficiency and well-being. At the same time, she warns that “cold-hearted work” compromises professional effectiveness and that burnout remains one of the greatest threats to healthcare providers. Dr. Bistriceanu strongly believes in generosity as a path to inner clarity, self-esteem as protection against negative influences, and the value of technology for preventing interactions with dishonest individuals and supporting education, productivity, and recreation.
Dr. Sofica Bistriceanu’s work blends science, compassion, innovation, and continuous learning, a combination that positions her as a transformative figure in modern healthcare. Her dedication to serving patients, educating families, and advancing medical thought makes her a powerful and inspiring woman to watch in 2026.
Dr. Cecilia Vallorani – Educator, Researcher and EdTech Founder
Dr. Cecilia Vallorani is a linguist, educator, and EdTech entrepreneur whose career has been guided by a single conviction: learning becomes transformative when it engages the senses, awakens curiosity, and connects emotionally with the learner. With more than twenty years of international teaching and leadership experience across Italy, Spain, Oman, Denmark, and the United Arab Emirates, she has devoted her work to designing learning environments that are inclusive, innovative, and deeply human.
Cecilia’s academic journey reflects her interdisciplinary vision. After earning multiple honors degrees in modern languages, linguistics, and literary studies, she completed a PhD in humanistic studies at Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain, graduating cum laude. Her doctoral research explored technological digital orality and the impact of educational podcasts on vocabulary development and listening comprehension among adolescents. This work anticipated a growing global interest in immersive audio learning and laid the conceptual foundation for the EdTech venture she would later build.
Educational leadership has also defined her professional path. As Head of Modern Foreign Languages, Cecilia led ambitious curriculum innovation projects. She introduced gamification strategies and redesigned formative assessments into fully gamified, story-driven learning experiences that reduced student stress and allowed learners to focus more authentically on the cognitive process behind each task. She also integrated digital storytelling and experiential methodologies into the language curriculum, convinced that narrative remains one of the most powerful tools for meaning-making, empathy, and long-term retention.
This belief in the transformative role of storytelling inspired the creation of EchoEd, Cecilia’s Dubai-based EdTech company dedicated to producing EchoTales, immersive audio-cinematic experiences that blend narrative, music, and sound design into a multisensory learning format. The EchoTale concept was designed to make literature accessible and engaging for all learners, particularly multilingual students, individuals with visual impairments, and those who struggle with traditional text-based reading. Cecilia sees sound as a universal medium, one that precedes writing, crosses cultural boundaries, and creates a deeply emotional gateway into stories and knowledge.
Through EchoEd, she aims to build an inclusive ecosystem where learners of all ages and abilities can experience literature, curiosity, and culture through sound. Her work intersects technology, pedagogy, creativity, and accessibility, bridging academic research with real-world educational innovation.
Cecilia is also an active researcher and an internationally recognized voice in the fields of digital orality, language learning, and technology-enhanced education. She regularly presents her studies at global conferences, contributes to peer-reviewed journals, and collaborates with universities through guest lectures and workshop facilitation. Her publications explore themes such as lexical availability, podcast-based learning, gamification, and the evolving nature of digital communication. In 2025, her entrepreneurial vision was acknowledged with the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award at the Founders 2.0 Conference in Dubai, honoring her leadership, creativity, and impact on the educational landscape.
Her achievements are a testament to her resilience, reinvention, and courage. Cecilia has navigated the complexities of balancing motherhood, full-time teaching, doctoral research, and the creation of a startup, often simultaneously. Each challenge strengthened her commitment to designing learning experiences that value emotional engagement, creativity, and student voice. Her international journey has also drawn attention to the value of cultural diversity in the classroom and the power of education to build bridges between languages, perspectives, and communities.
Her message to women in education, technology, and creative industries is clear and empowering:
“Trust the intuition that pushes you toward something new. Innovation often begins with ideas that feel unconventional. Allow yourself to take risks, to experiment, and to grow beyond what seems immediately possible. Your voice, your perspective, and your story have the power to reshape the world around you.”
Today, through research, teaching, and entrepreneurship, Dr. Cecilia Vallorani continues to champion a vision of learning that is immersive, inclusive, and profoundly human, one sound, one EchoTale, and one learner at a time.
Carolina Coto Recio represents a new generation of business women in Latin America who understand that sustainable progress begins with conscious communication and responsible leadership. Positioned at the intersection of corporate strategy, sustainability, and public affairs, she has built a career defined by purpose, resilience, and the belief that authentic storytelling can drive meaningful transformation. From her early roles in corporate affairs to leading regional communication strategies, Carolina’s journey reflects a consistent commitment to transparency, impact, and human-centered leadership.
With an academic foundation in Sustainability Management from INCAE Business School, Carolina has developed a leadership philosophy that integrates responsible management with long-term business resilience. Her professional experience spans high-profile organizations, where she has consistently aligned corporate reputation with environmental and social responsibility. Rather than viewing sustainability as a supporting function, she has positioned it as a strategic pillar, ensuring that communication serves not only business objectives but also broader societal goals.
Beyond her corporate roles, Carolina’s entrepreneurial path highlights her ability to translate vision into execution. She played a key role in the administrative and strategic development of a family-owned retail and importing business, overseeing operations, corporate affairs, and government relations across the region. This experience strengthened her operational insight and reinforced her understanding of how policy, business, and community interests intersect. More recently, she co-founded PETOPIA Veterinary Hospital and Diagnostic Center, a high-complexity veterinary hospital, where she led business modeling, team formation, brand development, and go-to-market strategy, demonstrating her capacity to build and scale purpose-driven ventures from the ground up.
Throughout her career, Carolina has consistently shown that communication can act as a catalyst for systemic change. As Director of Communication and Public Relations at the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction, and through strategic roles at organizations such as Walmart, Unilever, and currently Uber, she has led initiatives that connect sustainability, corporate reputation, and community engagement. Her work has helped strengthen trust, enhance transparency, and position both regional and multinational organizations as credible contributors to Latin America’s social and environmental future.
Carolina Coto Recio’s leadership stands out for its balance of strategic clarity and ethical responsibility. By aligning business growth with sustainability and authentic communication, she continues to shape organizations that are not only competitive, but also conscious of their role in building a more resilient and inclusive future, making her a business woman to watch in 2026.
From Port-au-Prince to the executive corridors of Haiti’s financial sector, Beatrice Duret Gentil has become a powerful force shaping economic growth and women’s empowerment across the nation. With more than 15 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant, she has earned recognition for her expertise in auditing, taxation, financial strategy, and advisory services championing stronger financial systems and expanding opportunities for women-led businesses. Guided by her conviction that “financial empowerment is the foundation of lasting change especially for women,” Beatrice’s career reflects discipline, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to impact. She firmly believes that ecosystem building and entrepreneurship are essential drivers of sustainable economic transformation particularly now, as the Caribbean faces the accelerating realities of climate change.
Her journey began at KPMG, where she spent seven years developing rigorous technical skills and leadership qualities as a Senior Auditor. Managing a portfolio of more than 15 clients including NGOs, financial institutions, and major private corporations she gained invaluable insight into Haiti’s evolving economic landscape. This foundation propelled her into the banking sector as the Vice President of Treasury at Banque de l’Union Haïtienne (BUH), the country’s first private commercial bank. There, she shaped long-term financial strategies, oversaw annual budgets, and supported the institution in navigating complex fiscal environments with precision and foresight.
In 2017, Beatrice joined GECA as a Partner, bringing her financial expertise to a consulting firm founded by dynamic Haitian women. Serving as Project Lead and Transaction Advisor, she became instrumental in USAID’s DAI INVEST initiative, playing a central role in mobilizing more than 25 million USD for Haitian SMEs. Under her guidance, GECA emerged as the top-performing Technical Assistance partner in the program and achievement that underscores her ability to drive measurable growth and strengthen business ecosystems. Her philosophy remains rooted in a simple but powerful belief: “When Haitian businesses grow, entire communities rise with them.” This commitment to fostering a resilient and inclusive entrepreneurial landscape continues to fuel her mission to empower communities and support economic renewal throughout the Caribbean.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Beatrice is equally committed to fostering social impact. In 2020, she co-founded KOREVWAZEN, a social entrepreneurship initiative supporting 500 women entrepreneurs across the Southern Department of Haiti. The program equips women in both the formal and informal sectors with financial guidance, fundraising tools, and business development support helping them transform their ideas into sustainable ventures. She further extended this mission through Bracing Neighbors, a foundation dedicated to strengthening the economic resilience of vulnerable women entrepreneurs by providing training, technical assistance, and improved access to capital. These initiatives reflect her deep belief that women are the backbone of Haiti’s economic stability and its path toward recovery.
Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Beatrice carries her roots with pride. As a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Haiti since 2016 and a mother of three, she embodies a leadership style that blends strength, compassion, and purpose. Her ability to balance professional excellence with personal dedication makes her a role model for women across the region. Beatrice’s story is still evolving, but her impact is undeniable, uplifting small businesses, elevating women entrepreneurs, and contributing to a stronger, more resilient Haiti. Her vision extends far beyond financial strategy; it is anchored in building ecosystems that nurture innovation, entrepreneurship, and long-term prosperity for the Caribbean. As she continues building her legacy, one thing is certain: Haiti’s financial future shines brighter with leaders like her guiding the way.
Ana Laura Ludlow stands out as a business leader whose career reflects depth, resilience, and strategic clarity within one of the world’s most complex and essential industries. With more than two decades of experience in the energy sector across Latin America and the United States, she has built a professional journey rooted in technical expertise, executive leadership, and a strong understanding of the institutional and regulatory environments shaping the future of energy. Her work consistently aligns economic development with the principles of sustainability and long-term impact.
Throughout her career, Ana has held senior leadership roles across the natural gas value chain, including distribution, transportation, and commercialization, as well as in the power sector through energy generation and supply. This comprehensive exposure has given her a rare, end-to-end perspective of the energy ecosystem, enabling her to make informed strategic decisions that balance operational excellence with broader societal and environmental priorities. Her ability to operate across multiple segments of the industry has been a defining strength in navigating periods of transition and transformation.
One of the most pivotal chapters of her career was serving as CEO of ENGIE’s Los Ramones Sur gas pipeline, a cornerstone project for Mexico’s energy infrastructure. In this role, Ana managed highly complex technical and regulatory challenges while coordinating with multiple stakeholders in an environment where energy security and reliability were non-negotiable. Earlier in her international career, she was also responsible for the asset management of 22 power plants in the New England region of the United States between 2015 and 2017, further reinforcing her operational focus and global outlook.
Between 2022 and 2025, Ana served as Vice President of Government Affairs and Sustainability at ENGIE Mexico, where she played a critical role in fostering constructive dialogue between the public and private sectors. Her work emphasized evidence-based policymaking, regulatory certainty, and frameworks that support both competitiveness and sustainability. During this period, she strengthened her reputation as a leader capable of aligning diverse interests and guiding organizations through regulatory and institutional complexity.
She currently serves as Managing Director, Generation International at ENGIE Peru, where she continues to lead energy generation initiatives with a strong regional vision. In parallel, Ana contributes as a board advisor to several energy-sector companies in Peru and Puerto Rico, offering strategic guidance shaped by her international experience and long-term perspective on energy transition and governance.
Beyond her executive roles, Ana is an active contributor to thought leadership within the energy ecosystem. She has written as a columnist for specialized media outlets including México Business, Energía Hoy, and Greentology, and is a frequent speaker and panelist at national and international forums. Her areas of focus include energy transition, natural gas, renewable energy, biomethane, green hydrogen, and women’s leadership. She also participated in the collegiate working group that contributed to the development of Mexico’s Sustainable Taxonomy, underscoring her engagement at the intersection of policy, sustainability, and industry practice.
Her leadership and influence have been widely recognized. Since 2022, Ana has been named among the Top 100 Leaders in the Energy Sector and was recognized as the Most Admired Professional in Institutional and Government Relations by ORIGEM Latam in 2023, 2024, and 2025. She holds both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), an academic foundation that continues to support her strategic and analytical approach to leadership.
Ana’s advice reflects the clarity and conviction that define her journey. She encourages women to actively seek opportunities, even when the timing feels imperfect, and to advocate for themselves without hesitation. She emphasizes the importance of professional networks, mentorship, continuous learning, and patience, noting that clarity, discipline, and perseverance are essential in building a meaningful and lasting career. Through her example and guidance, Ana Laura Ludlow represents the kind of leadership shaping the future of the global energy industry and earning her place among the 10 Business Women to Watch in 2026.
Jessica Van Loggerenberg is redefining what mobility means for women in South Africa. As the Founder & CEO of DriveDiva, she has built a purpose-driven brand rooted in access, dignity, and empowerment. Her work challenges the limitations imposed by traditional finance systems, barriers that have historically excluded thousands of women from safe and reliable transportation. Instead of accepting these limitations, Jessica created a model that meets women where they are, with mobility solutions designed around their realities, ambitions, and aspirations.
DriveDiva is more than a rent-to-buy or vehicle subscription platform; it is a movement giving women ownership over their journeys. Under Jessica’s leadership, mobility is treated not simply as transportation but as a catalyst for opportunity, independence, and confidence. By blending technology, affordability, and transparent processes with genuine community support, DriveDiva offers a women-first experience that equips every client with both a vehicle and the knowledge to navigate life with greater security and self-assurance. Financial literacy, practical guidance, and ongoing mentorship are woven into the business model, empowering women to make informed decisions and feel protected every step of the way.
Jessica’s vision for 2026 reflects her bold and unapologetic commitment to social impact. She aims to scale DriveDiva into Africa’s leading women-centered mobility brand, expanding access to thousands more women while strengthening the empowerment programs that sit at the heart of the company. Her long-term roadmap includes the introduction of tiered mobility options, wider geographic reach, and deeper collaborations with partners championing gender equality and economic inclusion. For Jessica, DriveDiva is not a conventional business, it is a platform designed to unlock freedom, amplify potential, and transform the lives of women across the continent.
Her work stands as a testament to what happens when innovation meets purpose. By reshaping mobility for women, Jessica is not only building a successful enterprise but also creating a more inclusive, equitable future, one where every woman has the confidence and capability to navigate the world on her own terms.
Uma Muthu is a purpose-driven technology leader who views innovation not as an end goal, but as a responsibility. As the Founder and CEO of SysCodeLabs, she has built her leadership philosophy around intentional design, believing that when technology is created with clarity and ethics, it can elevate businesses, empower communities, and shape cities that are smarter, more inclusive, and resilient.
Her journey into entrepreneurship has been shaped by curiosity, continuous learning, and a deep respect for the real-world impact of technology. With experience spanning startups and large enterprises, Uma brings a rare, holistic approach to leadership, seamlessly connecting strategy, engineering, and human needs. This perspective became the foundation of SysCodeLabs, a company focused on delivering innovation that prioritizes efficiency, adaptability, and long-term value over short-term scale.
Rather than pursuing rapid expansion, Uma has emphasized building strong foundations. Her leadership style is calm, disciplined, and purpose-driven, encouraging teams to question assumptions and design solutions that are secure, measurable, and scalable. Known for translating complex technologies into meaningful business and civic outcomes, she ensures that innovation remains grounded in practical impact.
Under her leadership, SysCodeLabs delivers AI-driven platforms, advanced data analytics, DevOps optimization, and modern mobile and web applications. A defining area of focus is the company’s work in Intelligent Cities, where it partners with public-sector organizations to leverage data and AI in ways that are citizen-centric and future-ready. From improving digital service delivery to enabling data-driven decision-making, Uma believes technology can strengthen transparency, efficiency, and trust between governments and the communities they serve.
At the core of her work is a strong commitment to Responsible AI. Uma advocates for transparency, ethics, and accountability, emphasizing that artificial intelligence should enhance human judgment rather than replace it. For her, trust is the foundation of sustainable innovation. Beyond her role as CEO, she actively mentors women and young professionals in technology and is launching educational initiatives focused on Responsible AI to prepare the next generation for both the opportunities and responsibilities of advanced technologies.
Uma’s guidance to aspiring women leaders reflects her grounded approach to leadership, lead with clarity, let purpose guide decisions, build strong foundations before scaling, and create space for others as you grow. She believes leadership is defined not by titles, but by consistency, integrity, and measurable impact.
As 2026 approaches, Uma continues to expand SysCodeLabs with a balanced and forward-looking vision, advancing Intelligent City solutions, scaling Responsible AI initiatives, and delivering technology that serves people first. Uma Muthu stands out not only as a businesswoman to watch in 2026, but as a leader redefining what responsible, purpose-led innovation can look like in the years ahead.
Lea Jabre Fayad is a global advocate, nonprofit leader, and powerful voice for resilience, human dignity, and youth empowerment. Living with multiple rare and autoimmune conditions, including Stiff Person Syndrome, Type 1 Diabetes, Autonomic Dysfunction, and Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lea has transformed personal adversity into purpose-driven leadership. Her journey is defined not by limitation, but by courage, hope, and an unwavering commitment to impact, choosing strength over fear and advocacy over silence.
With a background spanning France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, and The Gambia, Lea proudly identifies as a global citizen. These multicultural roots have shaped her worldview, enabling her to navigate diverse communities with empathy, adaptability, and cultural fluency. Fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic, she brings a uniquely global lens to advocacy and social impact work, allowing her message to resonate across borders.
Academically, Lea holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree in International Public Policy from University College London (UCL). Her early passion for Middle Eastern politics, global affairs, and human rights led her to begin her professional journey as a political consultant and journalist. She later transitioned into the nonprofit sector, where she rose to a leadership role as Director, gaining firsthand insight into the power of structured advocacy, inclusive policies, and community-driven change.
Lea’s advocacy journey took on deeper meaning following her rare disease diagnosis. What began as sharing lived experiences evolved into the creation of Bent Not Broken Autoimmune, a trusted awareness platform that amplifies rare disease visibility and patient resilience worldwide. She also co-created the YouTube series Living with Stiff Person Syndrome – Heart to Heart, co-hosted with Dr. Ilea Khan, offering an honest, compassionate space for education and connection within the rare disease community. One of her videos went viral in October 2022, prior to any public announcement, and played a pivotal role in the creation of the Bent Not Broken Autoimmune platform. When Céline Dion later shared her own SPS diagnosis publicly, the existing platform experienced accelerated growth, leading journalists to discover Lea’s work and invite her to share her story through international interviews, further amplifying conversations around visibility, empathy, and understanding.
Among her proudest achievements is building platforms that not only raise awareness but foster genuine connection and empowerment. In December, Lea reached a major milestone with the co-founding of Boukra Nour NGO in Lebanon, meaning Tomorrow’s Light. Founded alongside two close collaborators, including a respected Lebanese lawyer, the organization reflects her deep commitment to healing, dignity, and opportunity for Lebanon’s youth.
Boukra Nour is dedicated to promoting human dignity through youth empowerment, trauma healing, and sustainable social care initiatives. Its mission centers on supporting young people in overcoming social and psychological trauma using globally recognized therapeutic tools, while fostering emotional resilience across communities. The organization also focuses on training educators, social workers, and childcare professionals in trauma-informed care, child protection, and early detection of neglect and abuse. Through strategic partnerships with NGOs, ministries, and municipalities, Boukra Nour aims to create lasting, community-rooted impact.
Further strengthening its mission, Boukra Nour integrates technology-enabled systems to improve case management for organizations supporting vulnerable youth and promotes safe, inclusive remote employment opportunities to enhance economic stability and professional growth across the region.
Lea Jabre’s work stands at the intersection of advocacy, leadership, and social entrepreneurship. Her ability to turn lived experience into meaningful action, combined with her global perspective and commitment to youth empowerment, positions her as one of the 10 Business Women to Watch in 2026, a woman redefining leadership through compassion, resilience, and purpose.
Myrna M. Rivera Cardona is a distinguished investment management leader with more than four decades of experience shaping fiduciary advisory practices for institutions, families, and mission-driven organizations. As the Founder and Senior Adviser of Consultiva Wealth Management Corp., she leads an independent fiduciary advisory firm dedicated to aligning investment strategy with purpose, governance, and long-term financial integrity. A Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®), Myrna is widely recognized as a pioneer whose early work helped establish standardized investment management frameworks now used nationally by middle-market endowments and foundations, public and private pension and insurance entities, credit unions, Taft-Hartley benefit plans, and high-net-worth individuals and families.
Her professional expertise spans equities, fixed income, alternative and private investments, investment policy design, and fiduciary responsibility. At Consultiva, Myrna plays a central role in financial architecture, mission-driven investing, and impact and place-based strategies, consistently guiding clients through complex global capital market environments with clarity and discipline. She is particularly respected for her commitment to educating fiduciaries and the broader investment community on fiduciary duty, risk management, investment policy development, and evolving opportunities in sustainable and responsible investing.
Myrna’s leadership has been formally recognized through multiple industry honors, including being named among WealthManagement.com’s Top Women-Owned RIAs and receiving prestigious awards such as the Zenith Award in the Financial Sector and the John Ellis Excellence Award. Her thought leadership extends beyond advisory work, with published contributions addressing wealth preservation, post-pandemic investment realities, and economic challenges impacting Puerto Rico and broader markets.
Her career trajectory reflects a deep and sustained leadership presence across major financial institutions, including senior executive roles at Consultiva Internacional, Smith Barney, EF Hutton, and Merrill Lynch. Complementing her professional accomplishments is a strong academic foundation, with advanced education in mathematics and executive leadership from institutions such as Cornell University, Harvard Business School-affiliated programs, and the Wharton School through the Investments & Wealth Institute.
Beyond finance, Myrna is a dedicated philanthropist and cultural advocate. As Chair of Pro Arte Musical in Puerto Rico, she actively supports musical arts performance and education, reinforcing her belief that leadership extends beyond capital stewardship to cultural and community enrichment. Through her enduring influence in finance, education, and the arts, Myrna M. Rivera Cardona exemplifies principled leadership and lasting impact, making her a compelling name to watch among the 10 Business Women to Watch in 2026.
As 10 Business Women to Watch in 2026 comes to a close, it becomes clear that the future of business is being shaped by leaders who think beyond short-term success and measure impact in lasting value. The women featured in this edition demonstrate that modern leadership demands more than growth metrics, it requires ethical judgment, resilience, adaptability, and a deep commitment to people and communities. Through governance, healthcare, education, energy, finance, technology, sustainability, and social advocacy, their work reflects a thoughtful balance between responsibility and innovation.
Each journey in this feature offers a powerful reminder that influence is built through consistency, integrity, and the courage to lead with purpose. Whether advancing responsible governance frameworks, strengthening financial systems, expanding access to education and mobility, or creating inclusive models of care and empowerment, these leaders are setting benchmarks for the next generation of business leadership. As readers reflect on their stories, we hope these journeys inspire confidence, curiosity, and a renewed belief in the power of women to shape industries and societies with clarity and conviction.
More Features:-
In a world being reshaped by rapid change, innovation, and uncertainty, some women are not just keeping pace with the f…
Every era has its visionaries, women who rise not just to lead, but to lift others with them. In a world that often mea…
Real estate is often seen as the art of shaping skylines and the science of managing investments, but at its core, it i…
At the very beginning of any entrepreneurial endeavor, before the venture capital firms queue up and customers pour in,…
In a world defined by bold ambition and constant reinvention, leadership is no longer bound by old playbooks, it’…
