Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi is the newly appointed head of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
The appointment was made in one of several royal decrees issued by King Salman. Amongst the other decrees, Saleh Al-Othaim was made Al-Ghamdi’s deputy.
Al-Ghamdi had previously served as head of the National Information Center since August.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in information systems from King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh in 1991.
Al-Ghamdi obtained his master’s degree in software systems technology from Sheffield University in the UK in 1993, and he holds a doctorate in software engineering from Sheffield which he received in 1997, as well as a post-doctoral degree from the University of Ottawa, Canada, in 2004.
He is the first Saudi to recieve a professorship in the field of software engineering.
Before he went into teaching, Al-Ghamdi worked as a C4I (command, control, communications, computers and intelligence) systems consultant with BAE Systems until 2010.
At KSU, he began as a teaching assistant, eventually becoming an assistant professor. He has also headed the postgraduate studies and staff training committee.
Between 2010 and 2014, he was a professor at KSU, and established the software engineering department at the university, currently acting as its chairman.
Al-Ghamdi is a certified IBM rational unified process specialist, systems architect, and quality manager. He is the general director and founder of the Knowledge Industry Eco-System (KIE).
Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, head of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority
Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, head of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority
- Al-Ghamdi obtained his master’s degree in software systems technology from Sheffield University in the UK in 1993
US Congress honors Muslim World League chief for efforts to combat hate
WASHINGTON: Members of the US Congress from both the Republican and Democratic parties have honored the secretary-general of the Muslim World League in recognition of the organization’s efforts to combat hate and promote coexistence among religious communities.
The honor was presented to Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., where members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate signed a certificate commending the MWL’s role in strengthening social cohesion and supporting initiatives aimed at reducing conflict and division in diverse societies.
The certificate highlighted the league’s international efforts to counter racist attitudes and hate-driven narratives that threaten the security and dignity of people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
Leaders from the Muslim community who attended the ceremony described the recognition as an honor for the wider Muslim community in the US, noting that it marked a first-of-its-kind event at the Capitol.
Commenting on the honor, Al-Issa said the efforts being recognized reflected Islamic values that call for global peace and harmony within societies.
He reaffirmed the MWL’s commitment to promoting constructive dialogue and cooperation to foster greater understanding and awareness.
He added that embracing diversity and engaging with differences through reasoned and civilized dialogue, rather than conflict, remained central to the league’s work in addressing global challenges related to intolerance and division.
