
Zain KSA appoints new Chairman and Vice Chairman
Mohammed Alkhudair has also been named Secretary of the Board of Directors.
Zain KSA, a telecommunications and digital services provider in Saudi Arabia, has announced the appointment of new leadership for its Board of Directors following elections held at the Ordinary General Assembly on April 24, 2025. The newly elected Board, serving a four-year term, has named Eng. Abdullah bin Fahad Al-Fares as Chairman and Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi as Vice Chairman.
Eng. Abdullah Al-Fares brings a wealth of experience in economic leadership and strategic transformation, with a strong background in both public and private sectors. Currently serving as Undersecretary for Strategy and Development at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Al-Fares has previously held senior roles, including Chief Strategy Officer at a company under the Public Investment Fund and Deputy Governor for Strategy at the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority. His academic background includes a Master's degree in Business Administration from Prince Sultan University and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from King Saud University.
Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, the newly appointed Vice Chairman, is a well-established figure in the ICT industry across the Middle East and Africa. He currently serves as Vice-Chairman and Group CEO of Zain Group and holds positions on the boards of several regional and international companies across the financial and industrial sectors. Notably, he is also the Chairman of the Board at Boursa Kuwait. Al-Kharafi earned his MBA from the London Business School and holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kuwait University.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The National
an hour ago
- The National
AirAsia considering Ras Al Khaimah or Saudi Arabia for Gulf hub, CEO says
Malaysian budget airline AirAsia is planning to set up a Gulf hub this year as it seeks to capitalise on Europe connectivity from the region and strengthen air links between South-East Asia and the Gulf. The budget airline has four airports on the shortlist, including the one in Ras Al Khaimah and a destination in Saudi Arabia, founder and chief executive Tony Fernandes said on Monday in an interview with the Dubai Eye radio channel. 'We are in discussion with four cities, to be absolutely fair and transparent … [but] I don't want to make any comment right now on who we are talking to. But I can be very open that countries that are interested in us and [those] we are interested in … includes Saudi Arabia, [and] Ras Al Khaimah as well,' he said, adding that Dubai and Sharjah were not on the cards. 'Sharjah is well served by a very good airline, Air Arabia. And Dubai wouldn't be somewhere that we looked at. That's a big airport, a complicated airport,' Mr Fernandes said. 'Dubai wouldn't really benefit from an AirAsia. It's so successful already. But other Emirates, other places in the Gulf would benefit tremendously from the traffic we could bring both ways,' he added. The airline did not return a request from The National for a comment. The move comes as AirAsia emerges from a bankruptcy-like restructuring post Covid-19. The airline faced a financial crisis that caused massive losses, with the company's performance plummeting. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has been reportedly preparing to invest approximately $100 million in the Kuala Lumpur-based airline. AirAsia parent company Capital A said in May that it is planning a significant expansion into Saudi Arabia, including new routes to Riyadh and Dammam, and increased frequency to Jeddah from Kuala Lumpur. Mr Fernandes held talks with government officials from Gulf states at the recent Paris Air Show about setting up a regional hub and is unfazed by the threat of war in the region following the recent conflict between Israel, the US and Iran, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. According to Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, the Gulf is awash with robust, established and often state-backed airlines, which might pose a challenge for AirAsia's growth. 'Stepping into the UAE would be immensely difficult. The compelling product and network advantage UAE airlines enjoy is insurmountable. Sure, AirAsia may pick off low hanging fruit from other airlines operating in the UAE that don't have as much dominance, but that hardly augurs long term success,' he told The National. 'Almost certainly, a new entrant provides incentives and low fares to attract people to fly with them – and AirAsia does have a sizeable base in Malaysia for connections to the rest of Asia. The challenge is being able to draw in people in sizeable numbers.' He added that Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain 'represent better, less risky and less costly options given that these countries have fewer domestic airlines'. As for Ras Al Khaimah, Mr Ahmad said it's more likely that the introduction of a casino in the emirate and the growth in real estate and hotels is 'seen more as a regional getaway location as opposed to a Dubai-style gateway'. 'In isolation, a casino is not a game changer and won't be for everyone – it's earmarked for the select few that relish such activities,' he said. Meanwhile, asked if the new Gulf hub could involve a partner or sovereign investment from the UAE or Saudi Arabia, Mr Fernandes said it's 'not critical'. 'But it's nice to have … we have to treat these two things as independent,' he told the radio channel. This would be the airline's second attempt to set up a hub in the Gulf, after AirAsia X pulled out of Abu Dhabi back in 2010 for operational reasons. Two years later, the airline considered setting up a low-cost carrier to serve the Gulf region. AirAsia, which saw its fleet size grow to 225 aircraft as of the end of the first quarter this year, has been working with Airbus to secure a long-range aircraft, Mr Fernandes said on Monday. 'We now have one or two, actually. One is the Airbus 321 Long Range and the second one is a 321XLR. That allows us with one stop to probably get to most of the world,' he said. 'We want to extend our successful Asian operation to the world and allow people in South-East Asia and Asean and people in Europe to go to places.'


Zawya
5 hours ago
- Zawya
Zain KSA appoints Eng. Saad bin Abdulrahman AlSadhan as Chief Executive Officer
Zain KSA, the leading telecom and digital services provider, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Acting CEO, Eng. Saad bin Abdulrahman AlSadhan, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective from July 1, 2025. Eng. AlSadhan has held the position of the Acting CEO of Zain KSA since August 2024. He brings over 22 years of expertise in telecommunications and information technology. Prior to this role, he served as the Chief Business and Wholesale Officer of Zain KSA and led the B2B sector growth across the Company, positioning its portfolio of business solutions and services as a key enabler of the Kingdom's digital business transformation. He also led Zain KSA's strategic partnerships and stakeholder relations while driving the development of cutting-edge digital products and solutions. Additionally, Eng. AlSadhan played a key role in the launch of Zain Cloud, supporting the digital transformation of Saudi Arabia's public and private sectors in line with Saudi Vision 2030's goal of building a fully integrated digital economy. He was also instrumental in developing a comprehensive digital ecosystem that brings together innovative telecom services and cloud solutions, underpinned by advanced 5G technologies. Additionally, he strengthened Zain KSA's business and wholesale operations, enhancing network capabilities through strategic investments aimed at meeting the full range of market demands in these segments. Eng. AlSadhan also played a key role in advancing the enterprise sector by building Zain KSA's integrated business services and solutions ecosystem. His efforts aligned with the Company's strategic objectives to support government entities in achieving their digital goals and to empower companies across various industries to grow, enhance their competitiveness locally and regionally, and stay ahead of the evolving business landscape. Since joining Zain KSA in April 2016, Eng. Al-Sadhan has placed strategic partnerships at the heart of his approach. He contributed to developing a forward-looking strategy for long-term partnerships with government entities and leading global tech companies. This has enabled the swift introduction of cutting-edge technologies into the Kingdom, while also driving knowledge transfer and localization. Before joining Zain KSA, Eng. AlSadhan held various leadership roles at prominent local and international telecom companies. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, in addition to several professional certifications in leadership and information technology, as well as General Management Program certificate from Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires (INSEAD).


Zawya
6 hours ago
- Zawya
ROSHN Group recognized as top 25 real estate brand globally by Brand Finance
ROSHN Group was rated AA by Brand Finance and is the most valuable real estate brand in Saudi Arabia. Just five years after its founding, ROSHN Group's brand value now exceeds US$1 billion according to Brand Finance. RIYADH – ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia's leading multi-asset real estate developer and a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, has been listed among the top 25 real estate brands globally by Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy. This is the first time that a Saudi real estate company has been listed in the top real estate brands globally. The recognition follows ROSHN Group's recent ranking as the most valuable real estate brand in the Kingdom and the best-performing new brand across the region, underscoring the Group's growing influence both locally and internationally. Brand Finance rated ROSHN Group's brand, which has been valued at over US$1 billion, as one of the world's top 25 real estate brands. This recognition reflects ROSHN Group's strong financial and commercial performance, ambitious strategic direction, and the launch of a bold new corporate identity that signals its transformation into a multi-asset developer. The Group's expansion into key verticals such as hospitality and sports complements its growth in residential, commercial, and retail sectors. Brand Finance also highlighted ROSHN's commitment to innovation and sustainability, along with its pivotal contribution to national development objectives under Saudi Vision 2030. As the world's leading brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organizations make strategic decisions. Brand Finance annually conducts more than 6,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports that rank brands across all sectors and countries, including brands in the real estate sector. 'From redefining urban living through community-first design to driving sustainable innovation at scale, ROSHN GROUP's journey over the past five years reflects a brand built on purpose, progress, and national pride,' said Ghada Alrumayan, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at ROSHN Group. 'Surpassing the USD 1.0 billion brand value mark is more than a milestone; it is a testament to our enduring impact, unwavering vision, and commitment to shaping the future of Saudi Arabia's real estate landscape,' Alrumayan added.