( CNN ) -- Her curriculum vitae makes for impressive , if exhausting , reading . Dr. Nahed Taher tells CNN her views on currencies , the Saudi economy and whether women should be allowed to drive . While fulfilling a demanding role as the first female head of a Saudi investment bank -- which she founded -- Dr. Nahed Taher also sits on the board of a number of private companies and business committees . She has twice been named businesswoman of the year , and has made Forbes ' list of the world 's most powerful women . John Defterios found a spare moment to sit down with Dr Nahed Taher , the founder , CEO and Executive Director of Gulf One Investment Bank . John Defterios ( JD ) : Leading up to the GCC meeting in Doha , there was a great deal of not just speculation but even policy statements that this was the right time to de-peg from the US dollar . Why the backtrack , almost at the last minute , in your view ? Dr. Nahed Taher ( NT ) : They believe that it 's a cycle not a trend . However , I have some concerns . Having the dollar as a majority of this basket is not a problem , but it should be , it 's only wise to do this at the beginning , because they can not shift dramatically towards a flowing exchange rate or whatever , it should be a managed float . JD : Speaking of inflation , there 's a real number that 's put out by different governments in this region , and then the realities . What 's the real inflation right now because of the import cost rising with the weaker dollar ? NT : As an economist you can measure the inflationary gap , which is the difference between the growth in the money supply and the growth in the real GDP . And this is , in Saudi Arabia , 15 % . So the inflationary gap is 15 % , meaning that injection of money in the economy is not having an equal absorption capacity in the economy to create income . It 's just burning the money in consumption . JD : Let 's look out a little bit here into the future , you know , 5-10 years away . Can you create a single market for the trading of goods , a greater air of free trade association that 's real that lowers barriers so you have more inter-Arab trade ? NT : The problem is that we all import the same thing , and we all export the same thing almost . So there is not really intra-trade between us that makes sense a lot . Because for the GCC , for example , we all import everything from outside . What are we importing from each other ? Nothing . Almost , I mean a minority . But , that 's what 's needed in the future . If we go , for example , into production more like petrol-chemical and mining and whatever we should really create less barriers , and facilitate intra-trade and intra-production as well ... and go in mega-companies , not to have a petrol-chemical company in Saudi and one in Kuwait and whatever , and compete , we should work more towards collaboration . JD : Is the formula correct ? When you drive the streets of Jeddah do you say I think we 'll get it right this time , the wealth that 's coming into the country , recalibrating what we want to do with Saudi Arabia ? NT : There is a big recognition that this boom is totally different than the first boom . At the first boom we did n't have any debt . Now we have a government debt , and we have private sector debt . So we recognize that this wealth has to be wisely spent on projects for the future that can co-op with future demand . We have 60 % of our population under 24-years-old , which are baby boomers hopefully we do n't want them to be the baby losers in the future . JD : How about as a woman , do you think that it 's a bit strange that you ca n't drive on the streets but you can sign multi-million or billion dollar deals ? NT : I will leave this to my dearest King Abdullah , to decide . I know he 's supportive and he will have it very soon , in the right time . I can not go against the wind , but driving for women is definitely a necessity now , it 's becoming an economic need . E-mail to a friend .
MME speaks with Dr. Nahed Taher of Gulf One Investment Bank . First female head of a Saudi Investment Bank , respected economist . The first woman to be appointed as the CEO of an Arab sovereign wealth fund is now in charge of its investment portfolio. Says in Saudi Arabia `` driving for women is definitely a necessity now ''