When you hear the name Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, your mind probably jumps straight to "first female Saudi Ambassador to the United States." It’s a massive title. It’s historic. But honestly, if you only see her as a diplomat in a sharp suit, you’re missing the most interesting parts of her story.
She didn't just wake up one day and get handed a diplomatic briefcase.
In fact, her journey back to Saudi Arabia in 2005 was sparked by a series of "no's." Even with her royal background, she faced the same brick walls many women in the Kingdom faced at the time. She wanted to work in museum studies—her actual degree from George Washington University—but the infrastructure just wasn't there yet. So, she pivoted. She went into luxury retail, then sports, and eventually diplomacy, essentially building the ladders she now helps others climb.
The Retail Revolution Nobody Saw Coming
Before she was a face of the government, Princess Reema was running Harvey Nichols in Riyadh. This wasn't just about selling high-end handbags. Back then, women working in retail was a massive social taboo. Most shops were staffed entirely by men, which made for some pretty awkward shopping experiences for women.
She didn't just hire women; she changed the actual architecture of the workplace.
Think about this: she commissioned a landmark study on workplace barriers and then did something almost unheard of at the time—she opened the first workplace nursery in a Saudi retail store. She realized that you can't tell women to "go to work" if they have nowhere to put their kids. It was a practical, boots-on-the-ground solution that proved she wasn't just interested in the idea of empowerment, but the logistics of it.
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Why Reema bint Bandar Al Saud is Obsessed with Sports
You might wonder why a diplomat spent years as the Vice President of Women’s Affairs at the General Sports Authority. It seems like a weird detour, right?
It wasn't. For her, sports were the "connective tissue" for social change.
If you can get girls into physical education—which she successfully pushed for in Saudi schools—you change their relationship with their own bodies and their confidence. Under her watch, the participation of women in sports in the Kingdom surged by over 150%. We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of registered female athletes now.
She’s often said that "sports are not a privilege; they are a right." It’s about more than just health; it’s about teaching "fair play" in a way that ripples back into the home. When a brother and sister play a game and the girl wins because of strategy, the family dynamic shifts. It’s subtle, but it’s real.
A Legacy of "Firsts"
- 2019: Appointed as the first female Saudi Ambassador to the U.S.
- 2018: Became the first woman to lead a multi-sports federation (Mass Participation Federation).
- 2020: Elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
- 2021: Founded the Catmosphere Foundation to protect big cats.
The 10KSA Initiative and the Guinness World Record
One of her most personal projects is health advocacy. In 2013, she founded Alf Khair, a social enterprise aimed at helping women become financially self-sufficient. But it’s her work with breast cancer awareness that usually grabs the headlines.
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Have you seen the photos of the giant pink ribbon?
In 2015, she organized the 10KSA campaign, where 8,264 women gathered to form the world’s largest human awareness ribbon. They bagged a Guinness World Record for it. But more importantly, it forced a conversation about women’s health in a society that was often too shy to discuss it openly. Just recently, in late 2025, she launched a new edition of 10KSA with the Ministry of Health, proving this isn't just a "one-off" PR stunt. She’s stayed in the game for over a decade.
Diplomacy is More Than Just Handshakes
When she arrived in D.C. to present her credentials to then-President Donald Trump in 2019, she was walking into a hornets' nest. Relations were tense.
She’s described her leadership style as "fluid" rather than combative. She knows she has privilege, but she’s also very vocal about having a "conscience." As an ambassador, she’s shifted the focus toward Vision 2030, trying to explain to a skeptical Western audience that the changes in Saudi Arabia are systemic, not just cosmetic.
She often talks about "opening doors" so the next generation can walk through them. It’s a heavy mantle to carry, especially when you’re essentially the "test case" for women in high-level Saudi diplomacy. If she fails, it’s not just her failure; it’s a setback for every woman watching her.
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What You Can Actually Learn From Her
If you look past the titles, Reema bint Bandar Al Saud provides a masterclass in using leverage. 1. Read the Room: She’s admitted she takes "steps, not leaps" because she wants to take people with her. Radical change often fails if people feel left behind.
2. Solve the Small Stuff: You want women in the workforce? Build a nursery. The big vision only works if the small details are handled.
3. Turn "No" into a Pivot: She couldn't get her dream job in a museum, so she reshaped the retail and sports sectors instead.
Her influence isn't just about her current office in Washington. It’s found in the girls' PE classes in Riyadh and the women-led startups appearing across the Kingdom. She’s basically living proof that you can be a royal and a reformer at the same time, provided you're willing to get your hands dirty with the logistics of change.
To really understand her impact, look at the WAVE initiative she recently founded through the FII Institute. It’s focused on ocean regeneration. She’s moving from "women’s rights" to "human survival," showing that her platform is only getting bigger.
Next Steps for Research:
Check out her "Masters of Scale" podcast interview for a deep dive into her leadership philosophy, or follow the official Saudi Embassy updates to see her latest bilateral economic initiatives between Riyadh and Washington.