Career journey

Six roles across four sectors, each adding a layer of understanding: how machines work, then networks, then the infrastructure of a national authority, then how technology is led to serve the whole organisation.

2024Apr 2024 — Present
Strategy & transformation

General Manager of Information Technology & Digital Transformation

Government entityRiyadh · Full-time

I lead the entity's technology strategy and digital transformation, tying every IT initiative to business goals — from planning and budget to operations, governance and continuity.

  • Building and executing the IT strategy in line with the organisation's goals, with a roadmap and a forecast of future needs.
  • Driving digital-transformation initiatives that improve processes and the customer experience, and put emerging technology to work.
  • Keeping systems and infrastructure running smoothly with high availability and performance.
  • IT governance: policies, standards and procedures, IT audits and regulatory compliance.
  • Security and risk: policies that protect data and technology assets from internal and external threats.
  • Budget and cost management, vendor selection, contract negotiation and SLA oversight.
  • Business-continuity and disaster-recovery plans that bring services back quickly after any disruption.
  • Working with fellow executives, presenting IT strategy and performance to the executive team and the board, and leading the team.
  • Leadership
  • Team management
  • IT governance
  • IT strategy
2024Feb 2024 — Apr 2024 · 3 months
Architecture & operations

Director, IT Operations Support Services

Al Rajhi BankRiyadh · Full-time

Led IT architecture planning and operations support services at the bank, with a focus on scalability, security and performance.

  • A strategic architecture vision aligned with business goals and driving innovation.
  • Assessing and selecting emerging technologies, and managing vendors.
  • Leading architectural design while ensuring scalability, security and performance.
  • Governance and compliance frameworks, quality assurance and risk management.
  • Building high-performing teams, allocating resources and engaging stakeholders.
  • Budget planning and financial oversight, and leading change and training initiatives.
  • Team management
  • IT governance
  • Change management
2019Oct 2019 — Feb 2024 · 4 yrs 5 mos
Infrastructure & capacity planning

Director, IT Infrastructure & Network Planning and Monitoring

Zakat, Tax and Customs AuthorityRiyadh · Full-time

Planned the technology infrastructure of a national authority and its growth — data centres, servers, storage, networks and power — from vision and budget to RFPs and capacity tracking.

  • Working with the CIO, the GM and IT leaders to shape IT strategy in the context of the business strategy.
  • Owning the infrastructure architecture vision and roadmap, and reviewing project design scope to secure capacity growth and baseline management.
  • Capacity management for data centres, servers, storage, the virtual environment, backup, networks and power.
  • Preparing and managing the infrastructure budget, and writing every infrastructure RFP.
  • Studying new project requirements with every department so they are ready on time.
  • Governance of IT asset management.
  • High availability architecture
  • Budgeting
  • Capacity management
  • Data centre architecture
2016Feb 2016 — Oct 2019 · 3 yrs 9 mos
Systems & security

Network & Systems Engineer

Al Moammar Information Systems (MIS)At the Holy Makkah Municipality · Makkah

Ran servers, the virtual environment, directory services and security for the Holy Makkah Municipality, and wrote its security architecture documents and procedures in line with ISO 27001.

  • Installing and running Windows Server, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP and IIS.
  • Managing the VMware infrastructure and virtual machines, and backups with HP Data Protector.
  • Writing security architecture design documents and standard operating procedures aligned with ISO 27001.
  • Running email security, web security with Zscaler, and antivirus servers.
  • Daily system health checks, and fixing network and system faults by policy and procedure.
  • Windows Server
  • VMware
  • ISO 27001
  • Zscaler
2013Oct 2013 — Feb 2016 · 2 yrs 5 mos
Servers & networks

Computer Engineer

Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners)Jeddah

Supported the firm's systems and its offices in Makkah, Rabigh and Madinah: servers, networks, firewalls and project-data backup.

  • Setting up and maintaining Windows Server, Active Directory, DNS and DHCP.
  • Backing up project data across multiple locations with Symantec Backup Exec.
  • Managing Fortinet and Cisco firewalls and the antivirus server.
  • Technical support and training for users at every level, and hardware and software inventory.
  • Active Directory
  • Fortinet
  • Cisco
2012Dec 2012 — Sep 2013 · 10 months
Technical support

IT Trainee

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)Taif

Starting on the ground floor: user support, hardware and software maintenance, and daily system checks.

  • Technical support for users and hardware and software maintenance.
  • Troubleshooting network and system faults by policy and procedure.
  • Hardware and software inventory.
  • Technical support

Sectors I have worked in

  • Government
  • Banking
  • Engineering consultancy
  • Hospitality

Let's talk about your organisation's digital transformation

Advice on technology strategy, governance or infrastructure planning, or an invitation to speak at an event.

Get in touchMessage me on LinkedIn