Who’s Who: Akram Makasher, executive director at the Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority

Akram Makasher
Short Url
Updated 24 April 2023
Follow

Who’s Who: Akram Makasher, executive director at the Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority

Akram Makasher is currently the executive director of policies and legislation at the Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority, also known as EXPRO, since June 2022.

In this position, Makasher manages newly established departments to ensure spending efficiency, policies and methodologies both internally and externally.

He has over 17 years of experience in the private and public sectors, specializing in operations management, supply chain management, organization excellence, and spending improvement programs.

He first joined EXPRO in September 2018 as sector director of enablement, where he prepared sector strategy and business plans, and deployed and exceeded targets across 28 government entities.

Prior to that, Makasher occupied the position of plant manager at Al-Sharq Plastic Co., which is a subsidiary of Takween Advanced Technologies.

He oversaw overall plant and operations management for four plastic plants, managed their direction and planning, set key performance indicators and exceeded customer expectations in all functions — production, maintenance, supply chain, quality and safety.

Makasher was also plant manager in 2015 at Zamil Alpla, a joint venture firm with more than 177 locations, supplying plastic packaging materials to major fast-moving consumer goods companies globally.

In 2013, he was the distributor’s regional manager at Videojet Danaher for coding and marking machines worldwide.

Makasher’s responsibilities included managing major distributors for Videojet in the GCC and Pakistan to achieve sales plans.

He managed forecasts and orders from distributors and aligned with internal teams to produce and ship as per customers’ needs. He also launched new products in the region, and trained channel partners on new products and sales development.

Makasher started his career as packaging development lead at Procter and Gamble in 2005 and stayed there until 2013.

He worked with other departments to develop work processes and improve productivity and quality.

He holds a Bachelor of Applied Engineering in Chemical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

 

 


Carved by time: Saudi Arabia's hidden geotourism gem of Razan

Updated 4 sec ago
Follow

Carved by time: Saudi Arabia's hidden geotourism gem of Razan

  • Long before modern engineering, the geology of Razan functioned as effective natural infrastructure, sustaining life in an arid environment
  • This utility made Razan a strategic landmark, playing a vital role in the ancient Yemeni Hajj Road

AL-LITH: Sixty kilometers north of Al-Lith governorate in the Kingdom's west, rising above the shifting sands and valleys of the Makkah region, lies a place where the earth itself tells a story. This is Razan, a geological wonder where history is not written in ink, but etched into the stone by the patient hands of wind, water, and time.

Perched atop a high rocky mass and flanked by valleys to the northwest and southeast, Razan stands in natural isolation. This geographic solitude has acted as a guardian, preserving a landscape that feels almost otherworldly — a pristine stage set by nature over millennia.

The place is defined by its striking rock formations: dense clusters of stone, stepped ridges that resemble ancient staircases, and natural ceilings sculpted by the relentless flow of seasonal torrents.

The visual impact is one of dramatic contrast — the heaviness of solid rock balanced against open, airy spaces carved by erosion. Fine channels and intricate flow patterns mark the stone, serving as fossilized evidence of the water that once rushed through these corridors, shaping the land into a rugged work of art.
 

In the quiet majesty of Razan, the past is preserved. (SPA)

Nature’s infrastructure 

But Razan is more than just a scenic marvel; for centuries, it served as a lifeline. The same forces that sculpted the cliffs also hollowed out natural rock basins. These geological depressions acted as seasonal reservoirs, catching rainwater and supplementing nearby wells. Long before modern engineering, the geology of Razan functioned as effective natural infrastructure, sustaining life in an arid environment.

This utility made Razan a strategic landmark, playing a vital role in the ancient Yemeni Hajj Road. The sturdy, elevated terrain provided a natural pathway for pilgrims, offering stability and protection on their spiritual journey toward Makkah.

Today, Razan stands at the intersection of heritage and opportunity. No longer just a passage for pilgrims, it is emerging as a valuable asset for geotourism. Its unique topography offers a visual feast for travelers and a treasure trove for scientists studying geological history.

As Saudi Arabia moves toward the goals of Vision 2030, sites like Razan are finding new purpose. By transforming this geological narrative into a tourism destination, the region aims to preserve its natural heritage while breathing new life into the local economy.