The Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (BGCEL) at Prince Mohammad Bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship (MBSC), located in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), has appointed Amal Dokhan as managing director. She will be responsible for the “strategic direction, tactical execution and operational oversight of the center, with an aim to instil an entrepreneurial mindset in the Kingdom and beyond.”
Dokhan was selected by Babson Global after a worldwide search for the most qualified expert for the role, among candidates from Europe, the US and Australia.
Shahid Ansari, CEO of Babson Global, said: “We are extremely pleased that we have found not only the best qualified candidate, but also one who will bring considerable local knowledge and experience to this role to achieve the nation’s goals, God willing.”
Over the past few years, Dokhan has played a leading role at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in establishing various startup accelerators, corporate innovation programs, and advanced level courses at the entrepreneurship center.
Dokhan said: “I have spent the past few years managing programs for entrepreneurs in the region and coaching organizations to have an entrepreneurial mindset. After joining the Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership with its diversified portfolio of programs, I can’t wait to bring my previous experience to realize BGCEL’s ambition to become a global center of excellence in entrepreneurial leadership. I will dedicate all my experience and expertise to make that happen.”
Dokhan has participated as a speaker and trainer in innovation and design thinking at many international and regional events, such as TEDx, the annual Islamic Development Bank conference, Startup Istanbul and the MIT Enterprise Forum.
Dokhan has designed and taught a number of organizational and corporate innovation programs in different parts of the world, including the US, Canada, South Africa, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
“The appointment of Amal Dokhan in this strategic position points us in the right direction toward achieving our visions and goals,” said Nabeel Koshak, dean of MBSC. “Her great wealth of experience with global institutions will enable her to excel in fulfilling the objectives of the center to become an international source of research and developer of entrepreneurship education that promotes a sustainable entrepreneurial leadership culture for business, government, and non-profit enterprises in our beloved Kingdom.”
Amal Dokhan named new MD of Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
Amal Dokhan named new MD of Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
SVC invests $1.2bn and contributes to Kingdom’s pole position in VC funding
Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC) released its annual “Impact Report,” which highlighted SVC’s role in the record growth rates achieved by the Saudi private capital ecosystem in 2025.
The report emphasized SVC’s impact on the Kingdom's private capital ecosystem (Venture Capital, Private Equity, Venture Debt, and Private Debt) since the company’s establishment in 2018.
The report showed that SVC's total committed investments since its inception have reached $1.2 billion, while its investments have stimulated partner commitments totaling $5.9 billion, or 4.9 times SVC’s commitment. This highlights SVC’s role as a key catalyst and market maker in the private capital ecosystem.
The report indicated that the number of funds backed by SVC increased to 65, while the number of startups and SMEs supported exceeded 1,000 across several vital sectors, including e-commerce, fintech, healthcare, education technologies, transport, and logistics.
Commenting on the report, Nora Alsarhan, Deputy CEO and Chief Investment Officer at SVC, said: “The report highlights the transformative progress happening across Saudi Arabia’s private capital ecosystem as a direct result of the initiatives and goals of the Saudi Vision 2030.”
She added: “We remain committed to developing investment programs, products, and developmental initiatives based on market needs analysis and aligned with leading global models, which enhance the competitiveness of the Saudi private capital ecosystem, support diversification of the national economy, and help achieve the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030.”
The report showed that SVC’s strategy contributed to the Kingdom’s maintaining its first rank in the MENA region for the third straight year in VC funding in 2025, reaching a historic total of $1.7 billion. This reflects the growth seen across various economic and financial sectors under Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to strengthen the national economy.
The report indicated that the number of venture capital investors has increased sixfold since SVC was founded in 2018, when the number did not exceed 34, reaching 200 in 2025. This reflects the depth of the market and the expansion of the institutional investor base in Saudi Arabia.
The report also highlighted the launch of the inaugural Private Capital Forum, a regional platform to advance dialogue on private capital. The forum brought together 1,070 participants and 59 speakers across 20 sessions, reaching 7.2 million people digitally and generating over 10.5 million media impressions.
