Jomana R. Alrashid is one of the most influential figures shaping the modern media landscape in the Middle East. Since her historic appointment in 2020 as the first woman to lead the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), Alrashid has reimagined what a regional media powerhouse can look like — globally connected, digitally driven, and socially conscious.
Under her leadership, SRMG has expanded its footprint to more than 30 media outlets, reaching an audience of over 210 million people worldwide. Alrashid has championed a bold transformation strategy, embracing innovation and inclusion while reinforcing SRMG’s role as a bridge between the Arab world and international media markets.
Her visionary leadership has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, Alrashid was named to the prestigious TIME100 Next list — a recognition that celebrates emerging global leaders shaping the future across industries. Her inclusion underscores her impact not only as a media executive but as a cultural changemaker representing the new face of Saudi Arabia.
Among her most celebrated initiatives is “By Women, for All,” an empowering project where all-female editorial teams took over SRMG outlets for International Women’s Day. The initiative symbolized her commitment to amplifying women’s voices and redefining gender dynamics in the region’s media industry.
Beyond her work at SRMG, Alrashid serves as Chair of the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation, a platform that champions filmmakers from the Arab world, Asia, and Africa. Through the Red Sea Fund, the foundation has supported a new generation of cinematic talent — with four films premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025 alone.
Alrashid’s vision for the festival reflects her broader mission to nurture Saudi creativity and global storytelling. She has spoken openly about her hope to see the Red Sea Film Festival open one day with a film directed by a Saudi female filmmaker — a milestone she believes could arrive “within the next two or three years,” in a nation that only lifted its cinema ban in 2018.
With her blend of strategic leadership, cultural insight, and fearless innovation, Jomana Alrashid is not only transforming SRMG — she is helping define a new era of media and creativity for Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.
