**Maryam: The Journey of a Saudi Woman Redefining Female Leadership in the Transport Sector**
**Maryam: The Journey of a Saudi Woman Redefining Female Leadership in the Transport Sector**
In a landmark step exemplifying social change, Maryam bint Abdulaziz Al Saud became the first Saudi woman appointed as Director General of a public transport company in March 2023. Her official designation by the Ministry of Transport—based on competence and experience criteria—was met with broad acclaim from the private sector and civil society. This milestone marks a historic achievement in Saudi women’s empowerment, which has seen significant liberation in work and leadership domains since 2018, per reports from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics.
Maryam, 38, holds a Master’s degree in Transport and Logistics Management from the University of Cambridge and brings over 12 years of transport-sector experience. She began her career as an Operations Manager at a private transport firm before rising to head the Strategic Planning Department at the General Transport Authority. The company she now leads oversees more than 3,200 public transport vehicles across six Saudi regions and employs over 4,500 staff—including 1,800 women—achieving a 40% female representation rate, the highest in the Kingdom’s transport sector.
In an exclusive interview with *Al Riyadh* newspaper, Maryam stated: “I never aspired to be the *first*—I aspired to be the *best*. Change isn’t built on slogans but on hard work and trust in competence, regardless of gender.” She emphasized that her greatest challenge stemmed not from society but from entrenched bureaucratic practices requiring intensive reform. “With support from political leadership and relevant ministries, we overcame these hurdles,” she affirmed.
According to December 2023 statistics from the Ministry of Transport, women’s participation in transport and communications surged from 8% in 2018 to 27.5% by end-2023. Female leadership roles now constitute 19% of sector managers, up from just 3% five years prior. A Public Investment Fund report estimates that milestones like appointing a woman to lead a transport company boost female workforce participation by approximately 1.2 percentage points annually.
This appointment aligns with Saudi Arabia’s accelerated reforms, including last year’s placement of six women in leadership roles across vital sectors like energy, finance, and transport (Ministry of Civil Service data). Maryam now stands as a defining symbol of societal transformation, with Saudi universities analyzing her journey as a case study in women’s leadership programs.
Concluding her story, Maryam declares: “Saudi women don’t need a *license* to lead—they need an *equal opportunity*.” Her company is currently developing the region’s first AI-powered smart fleet management system, funded by the Human Resources Development Fund—reflecting her vision of fusing technology with female leadership.
Maryam transcends the title of Director General; she embodies an icon for a new generation of Saudi women building their futures with unwavering confidence and impact measured not by rank, but by legacy.
صحيفة عكاظ اليوم ، موقع إخباري شامل يهتم بتقديم خدمة صحفية متميزة للقارئ، وهدفنا أن نصل لقرائنا الأعزاء بالخبر الأدق والأسرع والحصري بما يليق بقواعد وقيم الأسرة السعودية، لذلك نقدم لكم مجموعة كبيرة من الأخبار المتنوعة داخل الأقسام التالية، الأخبار العالمية و المحلية، الاقتصاد، تكنولوجيا ، فن، أخبار الرياضة، منوعات و سياحة.