Saudi Arabia's first female racing driver, Reema Juffali, has been announced as the Race Ambassador by the organisers of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Saudi Arabia is gearing up to host its inaugural grand prix this weekend to mark the start of an ambitious 20-year plan to create the kingdom's own team, future world champion, and car manufacturer.
"It's an honour and privilege to be in this position," Juffali told The National.
Juffali was born in Jeddah and will be representing her hometown and country during the upcoming race. She is the first Saudi female to race competitively under a Saudi race license and to compete in an international racing series at home.
In October 2018, Juffali made history when she competed in the TRD 86 Cup UAE, becoming the first Saudi woman to race competitively with no prior experience. She has also participated in international races including Formula 4 and this year at the British F3 Championship.
"For someone who just started three years ago, it's fantastic to be recognised and supported by your country, for your achievements," the 29-year-old Saudi racer said.
As an ambassador, Juffali will be present at the events over race weekend, in the paddock area and grid interacting with people before the race. She will also be doing demo laps in different cars and sharing her journey in motorsport.
"Learning something from scratch is difficult, racing with drivers that have a lot more experience and are younger than you. But I found a route to pursue my passion and to keep going," Juffali said.
"We're on the road a lot so I am away from friends and family. You have to find a balance, because this is what drives me and where I'm happiest.
"So it's challenging but it's been a fantastic journey on and off track. I am lucky to be where I am today and to be a racing driver really."
Jeddah Street Circuit takes shape ahead of Saudi Arabian GP
Juffali was initially drawn to motorsport as a spectator. While watching 24 Hours of Le Mans as a college student, she was inspired to join the sport.
"It was 24 Hours of Le Mans that inspired me to get behind the wheel," she said. "It was so interesting. I saw people of different ages, categories of cars and that's when I started. I told myself I can dream but I don't necessarily have to be an F1 driver and I can still be winning. 24 Hours of Le Mans is still my dream. And endurance racing."
Prince Khalid bin Al Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), said the kingdom wants the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix to inspire young Saudis to pursue careers in motorsport.
“One day we want to have a Saudi race driver, a man or a woman, racing in Formula One and winning the world championship,” he said.
Juffali hopes to inspire the next generation to pursue a career in motorsports and says the country's first F1 will further encourage Saudi's love for the sport. "I hope I inspire others to pursue their itching passions," she said.
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
MO
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
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