Saudi Ports Authority, Riyadh, KSA
Vice Chairman and Director General, Feb 1999 – May 2001

Saudi Ports Authority, Riyadh, KSA
Acting Chairman and President, May 1995 – Feb 1999

Designed and implemented the privatization of all eight ports in Saudi Arabia, the largest port network in the Middle East. It was the first privatization program undertaken by the Government of Saudi Arabia.The program launched to increase efficiency in port operations had the following key features:

• Ports to be run by the private sector on a commercial and competitive basis.
• Contracts to be awarded through public tendering with transparency.
• Built-in incentives for the private sector to invest in new facilities and equipment.
• Training and hiring of Saudis to increase their share in the skilled labor force from 15% to 70%, within 10 years.
• The Government to continue its role as landowner, and regulatory body.

In addition to privatization, new port services were introduced, including free trade zones, transhipment and transit of goods. Successful privatization and introduction of the new services required extensive reviews and bold decisions. Some results include:

• Productivity increased by 30% in the first year of the program.
• More than one billion US dollars of private sector investments were committed to new port facilities and equipment.
• 39% increase in total revenue, during 1995-1999.
• 65% increase in net revenues to the government, during 1995-1999.
• Freight rates at Jeddah Islamic Port, are the lowest in the Middle East with savings to the economy and adding a competitive edge to Saudi exports.

• The ports of Saudi Arabia were the first to be privatized in the Middle East.

Saudi Ports Authority, Riyadh, KSA
Vice Chairman and Director General, 1976-1995

• Appointed the first Director General of the Saudi Ports Authority.
• Congestion in the ports of Saudi Arabia had steadily increased, and by 1976 waiting time for vessels averaged six months, with a severe impact on the economy. The Government efforts to ease the problem, including the use of helicopters to offload cargo, proved futile and costly. The Saudi Ports Authority was established to solve the problem and develop the ports.
• In less than six months the congestion was eliminated. A program for port development that cost around ten billion US dollars was executed. It included the introduction of pioneering ideas in port management and cargo handling, and a successful turnaround was achieved.

Central Planning Organization (Now Ministry of Planning), Riyadh, KSA
Head of Industrial and Petroleum Division, 1972-1976

• Responsible for preparation of the guidelines in the Kingdom’s second national development plan (1975-1980) for the following sectors: Industry, trade, electricity, petroleum and mineral resources. The division was also responsible for following up the implementation of the plans of these sectors.