DUBAI, Mon, 09 Feb 2026 — The UAE has reinforced its position as the Middle East and North Africa’s leading technology hub, dominating Forbes Middle East’s inaugural Top Tech Leaders 2026 ranking, which recognises executives driving digital transformation across the region.
The ranking spans three categories: Top Tech Leaders in Government, Top Tech Leaders of Global Companies, and Top Tech CEOs. Leaders were evaluated based on their influence, experience, organisational scale, technological initiatives, achievements, and investment impact. The final list includes 50 entries representing 53 leaders from eight countries, with the UAE accounting for nearly half of the total. Saudi Arabia ranked second, followed by Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Morocco, and Qatar.
In the government category, Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, secured the top position, followed by Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, President of the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), and Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary-General of the UAE’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). The category highlights public-sector leaders responsible for shaping national technology ecosystems and digital security frameworks.
Among global technology companies, Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President for the Middle East, Africa, and Türkiye at Amazon, ranked first. Anthony Nakache, Managing Director for MENA at Google, and Abdul Rahman Al Thehaiban, Managing Director for MENA and Türkiye at Google Cloud, shared the second position, while Fares Akkad, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at Meta, placed third. Selection criteria included company scale, industry experience, and performance within globally ranked organisations.
In the Top Tech CEOs category, Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, secured first place, followed by Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, and Olayan Alwetaid, Group CEO of stc Group. The category focused on leaders heading MENA-based technology companies, assessing their regional influence, performance, innovation strategies, and investment activity.
Forbes Middle East’s ranking reflects the growing influence of AI, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital platforms as key drivers shaping the region’s next phase of economic and technological transformation.
