Waleed Al-Saadi, acting CEO of National Grid SA

Waleed Al-Saadi
Updated 25 August 2019
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Waleed Al-Saadi, acting CEO of National Grid SA

Waleed Al-Saadi is the acting CEO of National Grid SA, which is owned by the Saudi Electricity Co. (SEC).

National Grid SA is responsible for operating and maintaining the electrical grid, continuing its stability to ensure the transmission of electric power to load centers across the Kingdom.

Al-Saadi was previously the vice president of the technical services business unit at National Grid SA from 2012. Before that, he was the department manager of a substation in Riyadh from 2005 to 2011.

He worked at the SEC for more than 24 years. Between 1995 and 2004, he worked in a transmission substation covering general maintenance. His responsibilities included fault investigation, maintenance planning and managing lab protection activities. 

He is a member of several technical organizations, such as the Saudi Council of Engineering, the Arab Institute of Operations and Maintenance and the International Council on Large Electric Systems (Cigre). 

Al-Saadi holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from King Saud University, Riyadh.

He has participated in several international conferences, covering power system protection development in the UK and Cigre meetings throughout the Middle East. 

Al-Saadi said that the company’s vision is to assist with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform plan and the strategic transformation program of the SEC, which seeks to make the Kingdom a regional electricity interconnection hub between Asia and Africa.


France, Saudi collaborate on space for artists in Riyadh

Updated 16 January 2026
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France, Saudi collaborate on space for artists in Riyadh

  • L’Institut francais, Riyadh Art will open La Fabrique on Feb. 22
  • ‘New cultural chapter’ between the nations, says France envoy

RIYADH: L’Institut francais in Saudi Arabia and Riyadh Art, an initiative of the city’s royal commission, have announced the opening of La Fabrique, a space for artists, on Jan. 22.

The project is based in the Riyadh Art Hub in JAX District and will enable Saudi and French artists to create, experiment, and bring their visions to life, according to a press release from the organizers.

La Fabrique also offers the public a rare opportunity to witness creative production including movement performances, digital and immersive arts, photography, music, cinema, cuisine and poetry.

At its core, La Fabrique fosters artistic exchange between French and Saudi artists, fostering new encounters, shared practices, and co-creation.

The initiative is aligned with the vision shared by French President Emmanuel Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who have placed cultural cooperation at the heart of the renewed Saudi-French strategic partnership.

Anchored in the ambitions of Vision 2030, La Fabrique is a part of Riyadh’s transformation into a major international cultural hub.

Developed in cooperation with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the project strengthens the long-standing cultural dialogue between the two nations, the press release stated.

Patrick Maisonnave, ambassador of France to Saudi Arabia, said: “La Fabrique embodies the spirit of a new cultural chapter between France and Saudi Arabia.

“By bringing our artists together, we are not only sharing techniques and traditions, we are opening a space where imaginations meet, new forms emerge, and creativity becomes a bridge between our two societies.

“This initiative reflects our belief that artistic dialogue is one of the most powerful ways to build understanding, trust, and a shared future. It stands as a concrete example of France’s contribution to the ambitions of Vision 2030.”