The Arab Fashion Council has begun a new chapter. Amina Taher has officially been appointed Chairwoman of the Arab Fashion Council (AFC), becoming the latest leader to shape the future of fashion across the 22 nations of the Arab League. Effective 9 July 2026, her appointment comes at a time when the region’s fashion industry is enjoying unprecedented global attention, with Dubai Fashion Week continuing to strengthen its position on the international calendar.
Taher brings more than two decades of leadership across aviation, finance, media and sport. Best known for her work in brand strategy, communications and public affairs, she has held senior leadership roles at Etihad Airways and Wio Bank, while also serving on the boards of several leading UAE institutions. She is also a Harvard University graduate, holds an MBA from London Business School, and has consistently been recognised among Forbes Middle East’s Most Powerful Businesswomen.
Her appointment signals a strategic next step for the Arab Fashion Council, an organisation that has spent the past decade transforming the region’s fashion landscape. Since its founding in 2015, the AFC has helped establish critical industry infrastructure, co-founded Dubai Fashion Week alongside Dubai Design District, and created new opportunities for Arab designers to showcase their work on a global stage.
“Few leaders move with equal fluency across government, industry and culture,” said Jacob Abrian, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Arab Fashion Council. “Amina Taher’s appointment is not a change of direction. It is a recognition of the standing the Council now holds, and a commitment to hold it with even greater seriousness.”
Taher says she plans to build on the Council’s existing momentum by strengthening partnerships across government, industry and the creative sector while creating even greater opportunities for emerging Arab designers.”The Arab Fashion Council has played a defining role in positioning Dubai as the region’s leading fashion hub,” she said. “Together with our partners across government, industry and the creative community, we have an opportunity to further strengthen the Council’s impact and support the next generation of Arab designers on the global stage.”
Her appointment will be formally celebrated at an invitation-only gala this September, where she is expected to unveil the manifesto that will guide the Arab Fashion Council through its next chapter.
