The Unknown Leader

The world has many obvious leaders, such as CEOs and heads of state, but the world also depends on leaders who are not so obvious - the "unknown leaders." They fill crucial roles at every level of an organization and produce results that don't receive much publicity, but they deserve just as much recognition as famous leaders. The Unknown Leader is a positive examination of the importance and impact of the leaders behind the scenes in every organization.

Sheikh Hussein Al-Banawi, chairman of the Banawi Industrial Group in Saudi Arabia, places leadership in the context of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region in the early twenty-first century, a time of enormous change and challenge. He analyzes the progressive leadership needed by business and society in the Middle East and how the lessons learned can be applied to business on a global scale.

Through interviews with influential individuals in the Middle East that exemplify what it means to be a leader, Al-Banawi discusses the barriers that limit what people can do and how to remove them. This book celebrates these unknown leaders and introduces a new model of leadership - leadership that is not about chasing fame or glory but about contributing to a better society and living a satisfying life.

Hussein A. Al-Banawi is Chairman & CEO of The Banawi Industrial Group, one of the leading business groups in Saudi Arabia. B.I.G is a manufacturing concern in specialty chemicals, packaging and food flavors with activities throughout the Middle East and Africa. He is Founder of the Chair in Islamic Economics, Finance and Management at Rice University in Houston, Texas and also serves on the board of various civic organizations. He also launched the Gerhart Centre for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement.