Three Arabs have been named to Forbes magazine’s 2012 list of the 100 most powerful women in the world, they are: Sheikha Al-Bahar, the chief executive officer of the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK); Sheikha Lubna Al-Qassimi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade; and Sheikha Mayassa Al-Thani, the chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority.

Kuwait’s Al-Bahar, the highest-ranked Arab woman at number 85 on the list, is described by Forbes as “a powerful force in the NBK Group which has total assets reaching up to $ 51.1 billion.”

Al-Qassimi, who’s placed at 92 on the biannual list dropped her 22 spots from the 2010 Forbes rankings, was described as “a pioneering woman when she became the first woman to hold a cabinet position in the UAE.” In addition to her role as Minister of Foreign Trade, Sheikha Lubna was also noted for her continued efforts “to improve the rights of women in the UAE”.

Meanwhile, as the CEO of the National Bank of Kuwait, Sheikha Al-Bahar manages a portfolio of $ 16 billion and is responsible for loans business, marketing, investment banking and treasury. She is also vice chair at NBK Capital, the bank’s investment arm, and sits on the board of the International Bank of Qatar.

Sheikha Mayassa, the final woman on the list at number 100, was said to be “arguably the most powerful woman in the art world today.” The 29-year old daughter of the Emir of Qatar, has become one of the most talked about figures in the international art world in recent years. As also the chairperson of the Doha Film Institute, she commands an annual art-buying budget of $ 250 million, according to Forbes, and has previously been recognized as one of the art world’s most influential people.

The 2012 annual list was topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the second year in a row for her lead role in the eurozone economic crisis followed by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in second position.