FaceOf: Abdullah Al-Saadan, chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu

Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Saadan
Updated 12 June 2018
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FaceOf: Abdullah Al-Saadan, chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu

Saudi Arabia is undergoing significant changes to diversify its oil-dependent economy and to meet the socioeconomic goals set in Saudi Vision 2030. 

In a bid to achieve these goals, the government is taking all necessary measures to further improve the performance of all sectors of the economy. 

Maaden (Saudi Arabian Mining Co.) is one of the key players in the Kingdom’s economy. On June 1, Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Saadan was appointed the chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. Al-Saadan has been a board member of Maaden since April 2016.

He has also served as senior vice president of finance, strategy and development at Saudi Aramco and held various other key positions such as vice president of planning between 2011 and 2014, vice president of engineering services between 2010 and 2011, vice president of information technology, and executive director of information technology, and director of business analysis between 2005 and 2007. Al-Saadan also worked at the Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Co. Ltd. (SAMREF) and served as its president and chief executive officer between 2002 and 2005. 

The newly appointed chairman of Maaden has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran. He received a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, US, in 1991, and a master’s degree in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, in 2007. 

He has been a member of several councils and committees at Saudi Aramco. Al-Saadan spent the first 10 years of his career working with Saudi Aramco as an operational engineer in many departments, including manufacturing and control methods management, and the management of Abqaiq laboratories. 


Foreign ministers chair Saudi-Omani coordination council meeting in Muscat

Updated 23 December 2025
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Foreign ministers chair Saudi-Omani coordination council meeting in Muscat

MUSCAT: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi on Monday.

They reviewed bilateral relations between their nations and ways to enhance and develop them across various fields. Additionally, they discussed regional and international developments.

The ministers co-chaired the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council in the Omani capital, Muscat, with the participation of the heads of the Council’s subsidiary committees and the two heads of the Council’s General Secretariat teams.

The meeting comes as an affirmation of the keenness of Saudi and Omani leaders to strengthen ties and advance them toward greater prosperity for both nations.

In his remarks during the meeting, Prince Faisal affirmed that gathering builds on the previous council meeting, held last year in AlUla, and on its positive and fruitful outcomes within the framework of the approved recommendations and initiatives. 

He stressed the importance of continuing the work of the council’s subsidiary committees to complete the necessary procedures to implement the remaining initiatives, and of the General Secretariat’s role in follow-up and in addressing any challenges that may hinder implementation.

He also underscored the importance of developing and enhancing trade relations, stimulating investment, and strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors.

He also praised the ongoing work to establish and launch the Coordination Council’s electronic platform, which aims to connect all committee work and initiatives to facilitate follow-up on the Council’s progress. 

Al-Busaidi affirmed in his remarks the qualitative progress in relations between the two countries and the notable development witnessed across numerous sectors toward achieving economic integration and enhancing intra-trade and joint investments. 

The Omani foreign minister also highlighted deeper cooperation in the security and judicial fields, as well as the cultural and tourism sectors, noting the advanced and continuous political cooperation, consultation, and coordination on regional and international issues.