Mohamed Leannode – Human Capability Initiative

Human Capability Initiative (HCI) 2024 Insight Report

KNOWLEDGE HUB Human Capability Initiative (HCI) 2024 Insight Report Published July 15, 2024 Download

Women Participation in Development Index (WPD)

KNOWLEDGE HUB Women Participation in Development Index (WPD) Published March 05, 2024 Download

Towards A FutureReady Workforce: The Rise of Bionic Skills

KNOWLEDGE HUB Towards A FutureReady Workforce: The Rise of Bionic Skills Published February 29, 2024 Download

Teaching Durable Skills

KNOWLEDGE HUB Teaching Durable Skills Published February 29, 2024 Download

Quantifying and Growing Individual Comfort with Uncertainty to Nurture and Support the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Culture

KNOWLEDGE HUB Quantifying and Growing Individual Comfort with Uncertainty to Nurture and Support the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Culture Published February 29, 2024 Download

Unlocking Productivity: The Business Leader’s Playbook to Generative AI Skills Training

KNOWLEDGE HUB Unlocking Productivity: The Business Leader’s Playbook to Generative AI Skills Training Published February 29, 2024 Download

Human Capability Initiative Convenes Powerhouse Line-up Of Speakers For Expert-led Platform In Riyadh

KNOWLEDGE HUB Human Capability Initiative Convenes Powerhouse Line-up Of Speakers For Expert-led Platform In Riyadh Published January 31, 2024 Download 31 January 2024, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – The Human Capability Initiative (HCI) is thrilled to announce key speakers for its forthcoming event taking place from the 28th – 29th February, 2024. Bringing together […]

Putting People First: Human Capability Development should be top-of-mind for world leaders.

By: Anas Al Mudaifer, CEO, Human Capability Development Program

Human Capability Initiative Announces Leading Insight Partners For Upcoming Event

KNOWLEDGE HUB Human Capability Initiative Announces Leading Insight Partners For Upcoming Event Published January 17, 2024 Download The Human Capability Initiative (HCI) is proud to announce its insight partners, reinforcing its commitment to a collaborative approach to human capability development. HCI is a global conference organized by the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP), bringing together […]

The Next Frontier in Human Capital: Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap

By: Anas Al Mudaifer, CEO, Human Capability Development Program

H.E. Dr. Khaled AlSabti

Advisor / Chairman of the Board of Directors

General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers / Education & Training Evaluation Commission

Saudi Arabia

H.E. Dr. Khaled AlSabti was appointed Advisor of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers (minister rank) and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission. He has held several governmental leadership positions, including the Minister of Higher Education, Governor of the National Cybersecurity Authority, and President of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission. Prior to that, he was the Vice Minister of Education, a member at the Shura Council, Secretary General of King Abdulaziz & his Companions foundation for Giftedness and Creativity “Mawhiba”, and Director General of the E-Government Program.

At the outset of his professional career, he worked as a faculty member at King Saud University in the Department of Computer Science. H.E. Dr. AlSabti is highly experienced in multiple fields, most prominently in education, innovation, creativity, scientific research, IT, and cybersecurity. He played a significant role in establishing number of sectors in Saudia Arabia including the cybersecurity sector, the giftedness and creativity sector, the eGovernment sector, the information technology sector, as well as reforming the education sector.

Currently, he is a member of the Universities Affairs Council, Vision 2030 Human Capability Development Program Committee, the Board of Directors of NEOM T, the Board Of Trustees Of King Abdullah University Of Science And Technology (KAUST), the Board Of Directors of Misk Schools, Board Of Trustees At Naif Arab University For Security Sciences, and King Faisal International Prize Commission. Additionally, he was a chairman and member of several councils and committees in the public sector, private companies, and non-profit sector.

He holds the King Abdulaziz Sash of Second Class in 2021 and the King Abdulaziz Order of First Class in 2004 for his contributions in scientific research. He co-invented two patents in Information Technology (Artificial Intelligence) granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 1999. He gained robust experiences in scientific research while working at international companies such as IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York, US, in 1996; and Hitachi at the Silicon Valley, US, in 1997.

H.E. Dr. AlSabti earned his Ph.D. and MSc. degrees in computer science from Syracuse university in US in 1994 and 1998, respectively. He received his bachelor’s degree in computer science from King Saud University with First Class Honors in 1991. He was also awarded a Medal of Excellence from King Saud University in 1428 AH. He has attended many training courses at leading business colleges including London business college, INSEAD university, and IMD university.

H.H. Princess Haifa Bint Mohammed AlSaud

Vice Minister

Ministry of Tourism

Saudi Arabia

Her Highness Princess Haifa Bint Mohammed AlSaud serves as the Vice Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia, where she has been a pivotal figure in transforming the tourism ecosystem. Responsible for building the sector from the ground up, Princess Haifa’s leadership has been instrumental in steering high-impact, sustainable growth across the industry.

Princess Haifa’s dedication to Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation is longstanding, first serving as Vice President of Strategy at the Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, then moving to the newly founded Ministry of Tourism in 2020 to take on the position of Assistant Minister for Executive and Strategic Affairs, before being appointed Vice Minister in 2022. Her leadership has guided the development and execution of the National Tourism Strategy, culminating in a multi-faceted ecosystem that now includes the Ministry of Tourism, Saudi Tourism Authority, Tourism Development Fund, Tourism Development Council, Air Connectivity Program, and Saudi Red Sea Authority.

Additionally, Princess Haifa holds board positions in various organizations such as the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Qiddiya Investment Company, Riyadh Air, Tourism Development Fund, Taif Development Authority, AlAhsa Development Authority, and the Saudi Red Sea Authority. She is also a member of the Quality of Life Program Committee, the Tourism Development Council, the Duyuf Al Rahman Program and Saudi Arabia’s participation at Expo, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program, and the National Employment Program’s Oversight and Monitoring Committee.

Princess Haifa’s tenure at the Ministry has been marked by her commitment to sustainability, youth, and local community empowerment, in addition to sector recovery, investment, and innovation. She began her professional career in equity sales at HSBC and has since held several impactful roles, including the Secretary General of Formula E Diriyah ePrix, Chair of the Saudi-Emirati Youth Council, and Chair and Vice Chair of the Arab Fencing Federation Women’s Committee and the Saudi Fencing Federation respectively. Notably, during her leadership, the number of women on the official team saw an exponential rise from zero to over 200.

Princess Haifa is a proud alumnus of the University of New Haven, USA, where she obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration, and London Business School, where she pursued her Master of Business Administration.

Dr. Muhammad AlSaggaf

President

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Muhammad AlSaggaf is the 6th President of KFUPM, and the first since the University became independent. He is an alum of KFUPM, MIT, and Harvard Business School. He started his career at KFUPM then spent 30 years in the industry at Saudi Aramco, before re-joining the University in January 2020.

He holds a B.S. degree in mathematics from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) with Highest Honors, M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and an MBA from KFUPM. He is also a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Program for Management Development.

Dr. AlSaggaf received several international awards, including the J. Clarence Karcher Award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG); the Lester C. Uren Technical Excellence Award and the Distinguished Member Award from the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE); and the Eisenhower Fellowship. He is one of the very few worldwide who has achieved international recognition in both geoscience and petroleum engineering. Dr. AlSaggaf has authored several refereed technical papers and founded and edited a new technical journal.

His priorities at KFUPM are to revamp the academic and research programs such that it can lead technology development, and prepare the talent required for the future local and global economies. Under his leadership, KFUPM overhauled all its academic curricula to be based on an AI+X platform; introduced new degrees such as materials science and engineering, bioengineering, integrated design, and smart and sustainable cities; added 40 concentrations (subdisciplines) in exciting topics such as AI, cybersecurity and blockchains, hydrogen mobility, and others; introduced 35 industry-linked master’s degrees in topics such as data science, robotics, quantum computing, and others. During his tenure, the research program has been overhauled to focus on the goal of social impact and improving the human condition, and to strongly focus on inter-disciplinary work.

Under his leadership, the university introduced female students for the first time, comprising 40% of the intake in engineering disciplines. KFUPM also saw a significant rise in its global standing over this period, moving into #160 in the QS global ranking and #228 in the Times Higher Education ranking (from #578 three years ago). Moreover, KFUPM has become #6 worldwide in petroleum engineering, #16 in mining engineering, #54 in chemical engineering, #70 in electrical engineering, #59 in civil engineering, and #81 in mechanical engineering – all from a modest start.

H.E. Faisal F. Alibrahim

Minister of Economy and Planning

Saudi Arabia

H.E. Faisal F. Alibrahim is the Minister of Economy and Planning of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Alibrahim is also the Supervisor of the Secretariat of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) and a member of the council. His Excellency also chairs the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Statistics.

H.E. Alibrahim is a member of several governmental committees such as the Finance Committee, the Strategic Management Committee, the CEDA Standing Committee, the Supreme National Investment Council, the Supreme National Council for Industry, the Supreme Transportation and Logistics Committee, the Large Companies Investment Committee, the National Incentives Committee, the Privatization Program Committee, the Financial Sector Development Program Committee, and the National Transformation Program Committee. H.E. also serves on several boards including the Public Investment Fund, National Development Fund, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, the General Organization for Social Insurance, the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, the National Center for Performance Management, and the Cultural Development Fund. His Excellency served as secretary/second secretary of the Aramco IPO Committees. He was also chairman of the Executive Committee and member of the Supervisory Committee for the Kingdom’s participation in EXPO 2020 Dubai which has received multiple awards and recognitions.

Previously, H.E. Alibrahim served as Vice Minister of Economy and Planning, and prior to that, held key positions at Saudi Aramco including head of mergers and acquisitions, project manager of King Salman International Complex for Maritime Services and Industries, project manager for the Vela-Bahri merger, the largest transaction in Saudi at that time, and Vice President of Aramco Development Company.

H.E. Alibrahim holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a bachelor’s degree in economics, a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and a Minor in Management Information Systems from the Pennsylvania State University. H.E. is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and member of the UCLA Health International Advisory Board.

H.E. Khalid bin Abdulaziz AlFalih

Minister of Investment

Saudi Arabia

His Excellency Khalid A. AlFalih has been Minister of Investment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 25 February 2020. He previously served as Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources from May 2016 to September 2019, as Minister of Health from April 2015 to May 2016, and as Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) Board of Directors from April 2015 to September 2019. Prior to his appointment as Chairman, H.E. AlFalih also held key leadership positions across the company, including President and Chief Executive Officer from January 2009 to May 2015.

H.E. AlFalih has been consistently recognized for his leadership in spearheading the strategic transformation of leading sectors and organizations across Saudi Arabia. His achievements include driving large-scale business initiatives and industrial projects, building organizational capacity for the benefit of Saudi citizens through economic and social programs, and enhancing the performance and impact of complex organizations. For many years, he has taken a particular interest in leveraging business activities to fuel social development and economic diversification; fostering strong collaboration between Saudi Arabia’s public, private and academic/research sectors; and promoting the importance of the fields of science and digital technology among young people.

H.E. AlFalih remains committed to enriching society through the nurturing of entrepreneurship and innovation; the creation of a knowledge-based society equipped to meet the challenges of the future; the creation of new business and human resource development opportunities; and the protection of the environment. His appointment as Minister of Investment is in line with H.E. AlFalih’s exceptional achievements in advancing private sector growth in the Kingdom, which is a central driver of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s ongoing economic diversification plan.

In 2009, H.E. AlFalih received the prestigious King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class), which is Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honor for service to the country. H.E. AlFalih has received many notable awards and recognitions throughout his career. In 2018, the Japanese government awarded him its national decoration, The Order of the Rising Sun. In 2016, he was recognized as Energy Intelligence Petroleum Executive of the Year.

H.E. AlFalih earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1982 and completed his MBA at KFUPM in 1991. In 2009, he received an honorary doctorate from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

H.E. Yousef Abdullah AlBenyan

Minister of Education & Chairman of the Executive Committee

Human Capability Development Program

Saudi Arabia

H.E. Yousef Abdullah AlBenyan has been the minister of education since September 2022. H.E. AlBenyan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Industrial Management. In addition, he has received several specialized courses in Executive Management. Furthermore, he chairs more than 20 boards including but not limited to: Universities Affairs, Tatweer Education Holding, Takaful Charity Foundation, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, the National Institute for Professional Educational Development, the National Center for E-Learning, the Saudi School Sports Federation, the Saudi Universities Sports Federation, the Supervisory Council for Foreign Schools, the University Higher Education Fund, King Saud University, the Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education, and the Small and Medium Enterprises Bank. He also holds the Chair position on some national committees, such as the Supervisory Committee for Privatization in the Education Sector, and the Supervisory Committee of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Foreign Scholarship Program. Additionally, H.E. AlBenyan is a member of several national committees and boards, including the Board of Directors of the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), the Supreme National Committee for Industry, the Human Capacity Development Program Committee, the Supreme Committee for Research, Development and Innovation, the Board of Directors of the National Center for Privatization, the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Statistics and the Saudi National Committee for Education, Culture and Science.

Prior to being named the Minister of Education, H.E. AlBenyan led the B20 during Saudi’s presidency of the G20 in 2020 and served as the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SABIC, Executive Vice President, Corporate Finance and CFO. Before that, in 2013, H.E. AlBenyan was elected to head SABIC’s Chemicals business, the company’s largest sector, aiming to help SABIC achieves its goal of becoming the preferred global leader in chemicals by 2025.