Samba Financial Group CEO Among 100 Most Powerful Women in the World

Samba Financial Group CEO Rania Nashar. Asharq Al-Awsat
Samba Financial Group CEO Rania Nashar. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Samba Financial Group CEO Among 100 Most Powerful Women in the World

Samba Financial Group CEO Rania Nashar. Asharq Al-Awsat
Samba Financial Group CEO Rania Nashar. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia’s Rania Nashar, Samba Financial Group CEO, has been named in Forbes 100 most powerful women in the world for the second time.

Nashar was ranked 97th in the list.

Samba Financial Group is Saudi Arabia's third-largest bank by assets, Forbes said.

Nashar previously served as a board member for Samba's global markets subsidiary and has over 20 years of experience in the commercial banking sector, it added.

The top-ranked woman for the ninth year in a row is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Christine Lagarde, who was newly appointed president of the European Central Bank, comes second, while US Speaker Nancy Pelosi returns to the list in the number three spot.



Italy, Albania, UAE Sign Deal for Energy Subsea Interconnection

People visit the World Future Energy Summit 2025 (WFES) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 14 January 2025.  EPA/ALI HAIDER
People visit the World Future Energy Summit 2025 (WFES) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 14 January 2025. EPA/ALI HAIDER
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Italy, Albania, UAE Sign Deal for Energy Subsea Interconnection

People visit the World Future Energy Summit 2025 (WFES) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 14 January 2025.  EPA/ALI HAIDER
People visit the World Future Energy Summit 2025 (WFES) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 14 January 2025. EPA/ALI HAIDER

Italy, Albania and the United Arab Emirates signed on Wednesday a deal worth at least 1 billion euros ($1 billion) to build a subsea interconnection for renewable energy across the Adriatic Sea.

"We strongly believe in this project involving our three governments, as well as our private sector and grid operators," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said as she announced the deal at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

The three-way partnership, which aims to produce green power in Albania and export it to Italy through underwater cables, will involve Italian grid operator Terna and UAE's National Energy Company (Taqa), Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said.

The Albanian premier added that the infrastructure would connect the Albanian port of Vlore to the southern Italian region of Puglia, the narrowest point between the two countries, and was expected to be operational within a maximum of three years.