Women Of Influence 2025: Women In Aviation's Suaad Alshamsi
The Founding Member of Women in Aviation has been named one of Inc. Arabia’s Women of Influence 2025, which showcases 30 women rewriting the rules of business in the MENA region.
Suaad Alshamsi is the UAE’s first female aircraft engineer—an achievement many would call the pinnacle of success. But for Alshamsi, a Founding Member of the Middle East chapter of the non-profit association, Women in Aviation, it’s far from the end point.
A leading voice in aviation innovation, Alshamsi currently serves in a senior engineering and advisory role focused on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable technologies into aircraft maintenance and operations. Her responsibilities span strategic planning, technical project leadership, and mentoring future engineers—especially young women entering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
According to Alshamsi, the increasingly visible role women play in such domains has introduced a much-needed paradigm shift—one that brings emotional intelligence, inclusive thinking, and human-centered innovation to industries traditionally driven by rigidity and hierarchy.
“Women are transforming leadership models by emphasizing collaboration over competition, sustainability over short-term gain, and mentorship as a pillar of growth,” she says. “In my field, the presence of women in leadership roles has redefined the narrative: we are no longer the exception—we are the catalysts. Our visibility has reshaped boardroom conversations and encouraged a younger generation of women to see aerospace and STEM not just as possibilities, but as natural paths. The business ecosystem is also increasingly recognizing the value of diverse leadership—where empathy meets execution. Companies that once hesitated are now seeking out women leaders for their ability to balance risk with resilience, innovation with intuition. And as more women rise, we collectively open doors wider—for each other.”
Lessons Learned: Q&A with Suaad Alshamsi
Looking back on your journey, if there is one piece of advice you’d give yourself before you embarked on your career, what would that be? Additionally, if you could go back in time and tell yourself something that you should avoid or simply not do, what would that be?
If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be: “Don’t wait for permission to lead.” You don’t need to fit into a mold. In fact, breaking it might be the very reason you were meant to be in the room.
I would also remind myself that it’s okay to take the unconventional path—to speak up when others remain silent, to pursue engineering when it wasn’t expected, and to carry both compassion and strength with pride. Don’t underestimate your voice. It’s your compass.
If there’s one thing I’d advise myself to avoid, it would be doubting my worth when faced with doubt from others. Every time I hesitated because I didn’t see someone like me in the room, I delayed the progress I was meant to create.
Pictured in the lead image is Suaad Alshamsi, Founding Member, Women in Aviation Middle East. Image courtesy Women in Aviation Middle East.
Suaad Alshamsi was one of Inc. Arabia's Women of Influence 2025, a showcase of 30 women rewriting the rules of business in the MENA region. For the full list, please click here.
