Mary Nazzal-Batayneh is a barrister and entrepreneur. She was born in Beirut and raised in London. She completed a BA in political science at Barnard College, Columbia University, and obtained law degrees from SOAS, University of London, the College of Law, London, and the Inns of Court School of Law, London. She is a barrister at the English Bar.

In 2013, Mary was chosen by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader. Global Leaders are chosen based on the commitment of their time and talent towards making the world a better place. Mary has also been chosen as one of Forbes Most Powerful Arab women for consecutive years, and her work was featured as a Forbes cover story.

Mary is the founder of Landmark Hotels, which are committed to building local capacity and prioritizing the needs of the local community in all their decisions. Mary’s most recent hotel initiatives include the establishment of an on-site day care for the children of Landmark employees. Championing the creation of family-friendly businesses as a way to support parents in their multiple roles, Mary has lectured on this topic at Harvard University. Landmark was the first local hotel brand to expand outside of Jordan by opening and managing the St George Landmark Hotel in Occupied East Jerusalem.

As a political activist, Mary has been championing Palestinian rights for over 15 years in Europe and the United States and is a founding member of the boycott, sanctions, and divestment movement (BDS) in Jordan. She was the chair of the Palestine Legal Aid Fund, which seeks to support legal action to hold Israel accountable for crimes against the Palestinian people, and serves on several boards, including Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network, and the Royal Film Commission of Jordan.

A mother of three children, Mary is also a volunteer brand ambassador for the Social Enterprise Project (SEP), which produces high-end fashion accessories by female artists who live in Gaza Refugee Camp in Jordan.