Reema Bandar Al-Saud

Reema bint Bandar grew up in Washington while her father, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, served as Saudi ambassador. She studied museum studies at George Washington University before building a career in business and women's employment in Saudi Arabia. As chief executive of Alfa International, which operated Harvey Nichols Riyadh, she worked on recruitment and workplace barriers for women, including childcare. She founded Alf Khair to develop women's professional skills and helped establish the Zahra Breast Cancer Association. ^{1, 2}

She entered public service at the General Sports Authority in 2016 and subsequently led planning and development and the Mass Participation Federation. Her work included expanding opportunities for women to use gyms and pursue employment in sport. She joined the International Olympic Committee in 2020 and served on commissions concerned with gender equality, sustainability, and the Brisbane 2032 Games. ³

Appointed ambassador in February 2019, Reema became the first woman to represent Saudi Arabia as an ambassador and presented her credentials to President Donald Trump that July. In an early meeting with Senators Chris Murphy and Dick Durbin, she heard their concerns about Khashoggi's murder, the Yemen war, arms sales, and political prisoners. ^{2, 4}

Alongside diplomacy and sport, Reema has pursued conservation initiatives. She founded Catmosphere, focused on big cats and their habitats, and WAVE, an initiative concerned with ocean regeneration. ^{2, 3}