In an atmosphere where technology is advancing at a tremendous speed, it is essential for companies to integrate cybersecurity measures with IT solutions. At the forefront of these endeavors is a distinguished executive with a proven track record of steering digital transformation initiatives and strengthening cybersecurity frameworks.

As the Chief Information Officer, Dr. Fahad Almoqhim brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to his role, focusing on enhancing IT capabilities and spearheading strategic cybersecurity initiatives. His contributions have been instrumental in driving innovation and operational efficiency within the organization he works for. With over two decades of experience in the IT industry, he has cultivated a deep understanding of technological trends and their strategic applications, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and industry standards.

The Saudi Accreditation Centre (SAAC) plays a crucial role in ensuring conformity assessment bodies adhere to rigorous standards, thereby boosting the nation’s quality infrastructure and economic landscape. SAAC has not only strengthened its technological infrastructure but also pioneered initiatives aimed at optimizing service delivery and accreditation processes.

With this transformation, Dr. Fahad’s leadership has been marked by a commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI and IoT to streamline operations, enhance accuracy, and reduce resource consumption. Dr. Fahad exemplifies the blend of technical expertise, strategic foresight, and leadership acumen necessary to navigate today’s dynamic IT and cybersecurity sectors. His tenure at SAAC underscores a commitment to excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth, positioning both the organization and the industry it serves for continued success in an increasingly digital world.

Let’s delve into the transformative journey of Dr. Fahad Almoqhim:

Driving IT, Digital Transformation, and Cybersecurity Excellence

Dr. Fahad’s focus is building SAAC capabilities in IT, digital transformation, and cybersecurity to achieve its ambitious mission and strategic goals.

Main achievements:

• Established and built the main capabilities of IT, CS, and DX departments.
• Prepared and implemented digital transformation and Cyber Security strategies.
• Recruited, trained, and built a powerfully successful IT team.
• Constructed the IT infrastructure and Data Centers.
• Managed many IT initiatives and projects, e.g., ERP, Accreditation System, and BI.
• Built the Enterprise Business Architecture.
• Improving the center’s business and the beneficiary experience.
• Oversees all technology operations and evaluates them according to the goals.

From Software Engineer to IT Leadership

One of the pivotal moments in Dr. Fahad’s career dates to his initial employment. Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree, he promptly received a job offer as a software engineer from the National Center for Assessment (Qiyas) in Riyadh, a newly established entity at that time. Within two years, he was promoted to the position of IT Manager.

This promotion presented him with substantial responsibilities and challenges. Leading a digital transformation journey for an entity of significant national and international impact with only two years of experience was a daunting task.

In subsequent years, under his leadership, Qiyas expanded its services to cater to hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries and managed millions of digital operations annually, contributing to revenues amounting to tens of millions of dollars.

This early career experience played a crucial role in refining Dr. Fahad’s talents and honing his leadership skills.

Transforming Educational Testing Through Digital Innovation

With over 20 years of diverse experience in IT and digital transformation, Dr. Fahad has a proven track record of successful initiatives. One notable achievement includes digitizing educational tests and professional assessments for the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC).

This initiative significantly enhanced service delivery, accommodating hundreds of thousands of test takers annually from various national and international entities such as schools, universities, ministries, and public and private sector employers. The transformation resulted in efficient services at a reasonable cost without compromising quality.

Leading Through Example and Open Communication

Dr. Fahad adopts a transformational leadership approach characterized by leading, through example, open communication, and effective delegation. He emphasizes the importance of setting a positive, proactive, and inspiring example to motivate his team.

He actively promotes teamwork by assigning tasks to suitable team members and ensuring they receive necessary support. He fosters an environment of open communication, encouraging team members to express and discuss their opinions, innovative ideas, and concerns with complete transparency and honesty.

Enhancing Accreditation Services through Digital Innovation

The Saudi Accreditation Center (SAAC) is the official national entity authorized to provide accreditation services for conformity assessment bodies (CABs) in Saudi Arabia, as well as improving their efficiency, which leads to enhancing the quality infrastructure of the kingdom and supporting its economic growth.

One of the biggest challenges in the accreditation industry is reaching all CABs, motivating them to obtain accreditation, and ensuring their continued commitment to implementing relevant national and international standards.

To address this challenge, there is a plan to develop a unified digital platform in collaboration with entities that grant business licenses to CABs across sectors and entities that benefit from CABs’ services. This platform aims to facilitate seamless communication with all CABs, ensuring their accreditation while encouraging beneficiary entities to participate in evaluating their services.

Enhancing Accreditation with AI and IoT

AI and big data analytics offer potential improvements in the accreditation journey by automating CAB’s document review processes. This technology can significantly reduce the time spent on human verification tasks.

Also, IoT techniques enable remote inspection, calibration, and testing operations, providing accurate results without physical presence. This remote capability contributes to efficiency gains by cutting down on time and costs associated with accreditation activities.

Promoting Sustainable Digital Initiatives

In today’s world, digital transformation profoundly influences human life, yet certain technologies can inadvertently impact environmental and social sustainability, such as heightened energy consumption, carbon footprint, and e-waste. Therefore, it is imperative that digital initiatives consistently align with sustainable development goals and adhere to their standards.

For instance, supporting a paperless work environment involves digitizing documents, processes, and operations while integrating digital trust technologies. To mitigate energy consumption, Dr. Fahad employs an efficient cloud data center and optimizes digital assets. Furthermore, promoting remote work where feasible reduces the reliance on transportation, further contributing to sustainability efforts.

Navigating the Digital Leadership Landscape

Successful digital leaders blend technical expertise with strategic vision and creativity. They must understand emerging technologies thoroughly, from their capabilities and costs to their potential impact on business enhancement. Effective digital leaders are strategic visionaries who leverage data-driven insights and communicate effectively. They drive creativity and act as catalysts for change in navigating the dynamic digital landscape.

Exploring the IT Industry’s Evolution

Dr. Fahad recognizes the evolution of the global IT industry and stays abreast of these changes through various activities. These include reading articles, listening to podcasts, participating in online communities, attending tech events, networking with fellow tech enthusiasts, and learning from others’s experiments and insights.

Navigating Digital Transformation Essentials

During the digital transformation journey, remember these key points:

• Continue in developing your leadership skills, staying up to date on emerging technologies, and learning from your own and others’ experiences.
• Maintain alignment between the digital transformation plan and the organization’s strategic goals and directions.
• Exercise prudent use of technology.
• Foster a culture of creativity and change within the work environment.
• Develop exceptional capabilities and competencies within the team to achieve goals and ensure continuity beyond one’s tenure.

Awards & Recognition

Throughout his career, Dr. Fahad has received several awards and honors, including:

• Named in the “Top 50 Digital Transformation Leaders’ in Saudi Arabia by Exito.
• GCC featured IT experts and leaders by Titans Magazine.
• Named in the “Top 100 IT Leaders” worldwide by Global CIO and ranked #1 in the “IT strategy development and its implementation” category.