Mona Kattanis one of the most influential entrepreneurs in Dubai’s beauty industry — a co-founder of Huda Beauty and the founder of the fragrance brand Kayali. Iraqi-American and Dubai-based, she has helped turn a family beauty venture into a global powerhouse, and she is also part of the cast of Netflix’sDubai Bling.
From finance to beauty
Born in the United States, Mona moved to the UAE as a young woman and studied finance at the American University of Sharjah, beginning her career in investment banking. She went on to co-found Huda Beauty alongside her sisters Huda and Alya Kattan — a venture that grew into one of the most recognised names in global cosmetics. Her standing in the region has been repeatedly acknowledged, including a ranking on Forbes’ list of women behind Middle Eastern brands.
Building Kayali
Mona is the founder and creative force behind Kayali, a fragrance brand rooted in Arab heritage, known for its oud scents and jewel-like packaging. Often described as a “perfume princess,” she has positioned Kayali as a destination brand for fragrance lovers in the region and beyond, leaning into the layered, long-lasting scents the Gulf market is known for.
A new chapter
Kayali and Huda Beauty officially separated into independent entities, with Mona continuing to lead Kayali into its next phase and US-based investment firm General Atlantic backing the brand’s growth. Between her business profile and her reality-TV presence onDubai Bling, Mona Kattan remains one of the most visible faces of Dubai’s beauty boom — and a case study in turning regional heritage into global reach.