Dr. Faleh bin Abdullah Al-Sulaiman was recently appointed governor of the General Authority for Defense Development at the rank of minister by royal decree.
Last September, the Saudi Cabinet approved the establishment of the General Authority for Defense Development, with legal, financial and administrative independence. The body will focus on research and development in defense-related fields. It is tasked with the formation of policies and strategies governing the defense technology sector in the Kingdom.
Al-Sulaiman received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Dhahran-based King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, where he later earned a master’s degree in the same field of study. He continued his focus on the same scientific field and obtained a Ph.D. degree from the University of California, US, in 1985.
At King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, where he was also director of the university’s Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Science and Technology Center, Al-Sulaiman served as vice rector for technology development and industrial relations.
Al-Sulaiman, who has also been a board member of the Dhahran Techno Valley Co., has had several of his papers published in international journals.
The Jeddah-based King Abdulaziz University funded one of his projects, which investigated the cost-effectiveness and engineering efficiency of domestic and greenhouse evaporative cooling using local fiber pads. The study evaluated the performance of pads made of local plant fibers compared to commercial options in terms of cooling efficiency, durability and economy. The university also funded a project he conducted on drill string vibration diagnostics for improving drilling performance. The project examined vibration as one of the foremost causes for reduced drilling performance.