Under Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom is not only transforming its economy. It is also reshaping how it communicates with the world. Beyond infrastructure, investment and major national projects, this transformation depends on people who can translate Saudi Arabia’s ambitions into clear stories that global audiences can understand. Lama Alhamawi is one of those voices.

A journalist, moderator, podcast founder and cross-cultural network leader, Lama works at the intersection of media, diplomacy, youth empowerment and women’s leadership. As Head of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs at Arab News, Founder and Host of Discussions, and Co-Chairwoman of the Saudi British Women’s Network, she represents a new generation of Saudi communicators: globally fluent, nationally grounded and deeply committed to building bridges.

Finding Her Voice in Media and Public Dialogue

Before becoming a leading voice in diplomatic journalism, Lama Alhamawi built her foundation in communication, public speaking and storytelling. Her early speech and debate experience helped shape the way she thinks, speaks and leads conversations. Competing at state and national level taught her how to research deeply, structure ideas clearly and respond with confidence under pressure.

Those skills became central to her career. Today, whether she is reporting on foreign affairs, moderating a high-level panel or interviewing global figures, Lama brings clarity to complex conversations. Her strength lies in making important subjects feel accessible. She understands how to ask the right questions, guide meaningful dialogue and connect policy, people and purpose in a way audiences can follow.

From the Newsroom to Diplomacy

Lama Alhamawi’s media career took shape at Arab News, where she grew from reporter to Senior Reporter for Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, and later Head of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. Her reporting has covered Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives across business, artificial intelligence, local news, sports and entertainment. She has also reported on Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian efforts in countries including Sudan, Somalia, Palestine and Ukraine, along with major forums and summits across the GCC.

As her focus shifted deeper into diplomacy and foreign affairs, her work expanded to state visits, ministerial meetings, embassy coverage and foreign-policy conversations. She built relationships with diplomats, ambassadors, government officials and international institutions, helping bring complex diplomatic developments to a wider public audience.

In her current role, Lama directs editorial coverage on international relations and foreign policy. She leads coverage that connects Saudi Arabia’s global partnerships, diplomatic priorities and humanitarian initiatives to readers inside and outside the Kingdom. This is where her work becomes more than reporting. It becomes public diplomacy through media.

Making Foreign Policy Understandable

Diplomacy can often feel distant from everyday readers. It involves official meetings, policy language, strategic agreements and closed-door conversations. Lama Alhamawi’s strength lies in making those subjects more accessible. Her role involves working closely with government entities, ministries and foreign embassies to ensure that diplomatic coverage is accurate, timely and aware of protocol. She helps translate major visits, international forums and policy discussions into stories that people can understand.

As a presenter, moderator and MC, Lama has appeared at some of Saudi Arabia’s most high-profile forums and conferences, including the Future Investment Initiative, SYNC Summit, SDAIA’s GAIN Summit and the New Global Sport Conference. She has moderated and led conversations with global figures, including Steve Wozniak and José Mourinho.

On stage, her role is not only to ask questions. It is to guide conversations between leaders, investors, technologists, athletes and policymakers in a way that feels structured, human and relevant. Through both journalism and moderation, Lama helps turn big ideas into public understanding.

'Discussions' Podcast: Making Mentorship More Accessible

At the heart of Lama Alhamawi’s work is a clear mission: access. Access to knowledge. Access to role models. Access to the kind of honest career conversations that many young people need but do not always find. This mission led her to create Discussions, a multimedia platform and podcast built around professional mentorship and public dialogue. Through the platform, Lama sits with ministers, CEOs, athletes, artists, entrepreneurs and other influential figures to explore their journeys, decisions, setbacks and lessons.

The value of Discussions is not only in the guest list. It is in the way the platform opens doors for listeners. For students and young professionals, each conversation becomes a form of free mentorship. It gives them a closer look at how people build careers, overcome challenges, make decisions and align their work with purpose. In a country where young people are central to national transformation, platforms like Discussions matter. They give the next generation access to stories that can shape confidence, ambition and direction. Lama’s podcast work also expands her identity beyond the newsroom. It positions her as a builder of bridges between established leaders and emerging talent.

Women’s Leadership and Saudi-UK Bridges

Lama Alhamawi’s commitment to access and empowerment also appears in her leadership with the Saudi British Women’s Network. As Co-Chairwoman and Saudi Chairwoman of the network, she helps support a platform focused on connecting women across Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. The network brings together leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals to share knowledge, foster mentorship and create opportunities for collaboration.

In 2025, the network hosted its first Women’s Majlis in Riyadh, attended by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. The moment reflected the growing importance of women-led spaces in diplomacy, business and cultural exchange. The network was also formally strengthened through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Lama Alhamawi and Rebecca Cousins, with founder Atifa Shah present. The agreement marked an important step in building a women-to-women bridge between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

Through SBWN, Lama’s work moves beyond media and into community building. She helps create spaces where women can exchange ideas, build partnerships and take part in the evolving relationship between both countries. It is diplomacy at a human level: not only between governments, but between people.

Culture as a Bridge Between Nations

Lama Alhamawi’s work also reflects a wider understanding of diplomacy. For her, international relations are not limited to politics and policy. They also include culture, education, heritage, food, sport, creativity and shared human experience. Her reporting and public conversations have explored how Saudi Arabia connects with countries through cultural partnerships and strategic collaboration. In her work on Saudi-Greek ties, for example, she has covered conversations around education, handicrafts, culinary arts and cultural initiatives.

These subjects may appear softer than politics, but they are powerful tools of connection. They show how nations build trust, curiosity and long-term understanding. This is one of the reasons Lama’s work matters. She helps present Saudi Arabia not only as a country of projects and policies, but as a country of people, ideas, culture and dialogue.

Recognition and Emerging Impact

As her influence has grown, Lama Alhamawi has become a visible figure in Saudi media and public communication. In 2025, she received the Excellence Award for Media and Emerging Creative Leadership during Creative Women Forum Saudi Arabia. The recognition reflected her growing role as a journalist, communicator and emerging leader in the Kingdom’s media landscape.

But her impact is not limited to awards. It is built daily through the stories she covers, the panels she leads, the podcast conversations she hosts and the young people who see in her career a possible path for themselves. Lama stands as a model for a new Saudi media figure: someone who is equally comfortable in a newsroom, on a conference stage, in diplomatic settings and inside youth-focused platforms.

Media as a Bridge for a Changing Saudi Arabia

Lama Alhamawi’s journey shows how media can shape the way a country is understood. Through Arab News, Discussions, the Saudi British Women’s Network and her work on major stages, she connects Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic, cultural and social progress with audiences inside and outside the Kingdom. Her story is a Saudi win because it reflects a new kind of national voice: one that opens access, builds dialogue and gives the next generation a stronger place in the conversation.

Discover more inspiring stories at Saudi Wins, where Vision 2030 comes to life.