Abbas Hashmi, a capital strategy advisor working primarily with family offices, founders, and investment funds, has released his selection of the top chief investment officers in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the leading investors shaping Saudi Arabia’s economic future.

These executives control vast pools of capital and play a decisive role in determining which companies get funded, which industries take off, and where global partnerships are forged. They represent organizations like Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Aramco Digital, and Saudi Investment Group, managing capital pools tied to national strategic goals, and directing investments that drive diversification beyond oil and into sectors like technology, real estate, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Together, these CIOs are shaping Saudi Arabia’s future growth engines, steering new industries and innovation.

Yasir Al Rumayyan, Governor, PIF; Chairman, Saudi Aramco, Ma’aden and Sanabil Investments

Yasir Al Rumayyan is the Governor of Saudi Arabia’s PIF, the sovereign wealth fund of the country, and Chairman of the state-owned petroleum company Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s largest mining company Ma’aden, and Sanabil Investments, an investment firm.

Yasir’s experience encompasses over 25 years working in some of Saudi Arabia’s prominent financial institutions. He began his career at Saudi Hollandi Bank, becoming head of international brokerage before joining the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), where he was head of securities listings. Between 2011 and 2015, he was CEO of Saudi Fransi Capital (SFC), the investment banking arm of Banque Saudi Fransi, and from 2014 to 2015, he was on the board of directors of the Saudi Stock Exchange.

Yasir holds a degree in Accounting from King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s General Management Program.

Abdullah AlKhaldi, Chief Strategy and Investment Officer, Aramco Digital

Abdullah AlKhaldi is the Chief Strategy and Investment Officer at Aramco Digital, a specialized division of Saudi Aramco. He has over 18 years of experience as an entrepreneur, angel investor, and consultant in technology and business strategy, and has worked at the likes of PwC, and the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF). He is known for his expertise in technology innovation and mentorship in the startup ecosystem.

Ahmed Waza Al Qahtani

Ahmed Waza Al Qahtani has over 15 years of experience in managing public and private investments, specializing in mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring. He is currently on the boards of several companies including National Medical Care Company and Savola.

Previously, Ahmed served as Chief Investment Officer for Regional Markets at Hassana Investment Company, the investment management arm of Saudi Arabia’s General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI). At Hassana Investment Company, he managed a team of experienced portfolio managers and investment specialist covering public equity, fixed income, private equity, infrastructure, and real estate investments in local and regional markets.

He also held leadership roles at HSBC Asset Management and NCB Capital. He also was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jawda Integrated Real Estate Company, and a member of the Board of Directors of Jabal Omar Development Company and the Arab National Bank.

Joseph Kirikian, Chief Investment Officer, TASARU Mobility Investments

Joseph Kirikian is the Chief Investment Officer at TASARU Mobility Investments, a Saudi automotive investment firm. He is a senior private equity and alternative asset management professional with about 25 years of experience spanning across a number of industries and geographies.

Throughout his career, Joseph has held numerous board and committee roles in both Europe and the Middle East, serving multinationals as well as family-run businesses. He is highly skilled in cross-border direct investments and joint ventures, overseeing the full transaction lifecycle, from sourcing and structuring to negotiation and closing, as a general partner (GP).

Saad Adada, Chief Investment Officer and Board Member, Nitaq Capital

Saad Adada is the Chief Investment Officer and Board Member at Nitaq Capital, bringing over 17 years of expertise in financial advisory, asset management, and investment banking. Throughout his career, Saad has worked closely with major investors and institutions, identifying discipline and access as critical drivers of superior investment performance.

Before joining Nitaq Capital, Saad served as CIO and Investment Committee member at MASIC Investment Company. He also led the private equity business and investment banking division at Alinma Investment Company and held the position of Vice President, Investment Banking at Audi Capital, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Early in his career, Saad gained valuable experience at EY and Deloitte.

Sidhesh Kaul, Chief Investment Officer, Strategic Assets, Abdul Latif Jameel

Sidhesh Kaul is Chief Investment Officer, Strategic Assets at Abdul Latif Jameel, an international, family-owned and diversified business, founded in 1945 by the late Abdul Latif Jameel, overseeing all investment functions.

Sidhesh has finance and legal experience across multiple markets around the world and was previously the Vice President of Finance and Legal for Abdul Latif Jameel for more than 17 years. He started his career at a leading global banking group, and over the last three decades has held several senior positions with multinational, highly diversified conglomerates. Prior to joining Abdul Latif Jameel, he spent more than a decade with another family-owned, diversified company.

Majed AlHudaib, Chief Investment Officer, Real Estate, Derayah Financial

Majed AlHudaib is the Chief Investment Officer, Real Estate at Derayah Financial. He has a strong track record in driving alternative investments strategy, with expertise in market analysis, acquisition negotiations, and portfolio management ensures compliance and financial performance.

Majed has accumulated over 21 years of practical experience through his work at SIDF, Bank AlJazira, and Value Capital Company. Over the past years, he has contributed to the establishment, management, and liquidation of several real estate funds, including residential, hotel, commercial projects, and the development of raw land. Additionally, he is a board member of several investment and real estate funds.

Majed has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from King Saud University, along with several specialized professional courses and certifications.

Wan Hafikah Wan Chik, Chief Investment Officer, Saudi Investment Group

Wan Hafikah Wan Chik is the Chief Investment Officer of Saudi Investment Group. She is a seasoned corporate development strategist with over 15 years of experience spanning investment consultancy, corporate restructuring, recovery, fundraising, and project management across emerging and developed markets.

Wan Hafikah has built reputable relationships with major investors in various ventures and corporations across the globe. Owing to her extensive acumen, she has been responsible for approving and overseeing the execution of multimillion-dollar budgets by the investors.

Wan Hafikah has served on several Board of Directors of oil and gas companies in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. She has also led multiple ventures in Saudi Arabia’s food and beverage sector, overseeing strategic projects in the hospitality and food and beverage (F&B) industries. Her broad industry experience includes the IT, F&B, and petroleum sectors.

Wan Hafikah holds a First Class Honors Degree in Communication and Information Technology from Edith Cowan University in Australia.

Islam Mohamed, Chief Investment Officer, Arweqah Alreyadah

Islam Mohamed is the Chief Investment Officer of Arweqah Alreyadah. At Arweqah Alreyadah, Islam is responsible for designing and implementing a range of incubator and accelerator programs crafted to nurture early-stage social startups, focusing on identifying and investing in promising social startups that align with the firm’s mission to generate sustainable, long-term impact.

Islam has over a decade of experience at the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, academia, and development. He is a passionate ecosystem builder and social impact strategist, and has founded ventures including Growthlabs, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform powering incubators, accelerators, and entrepreneurship programs across the Middle East and Africa.

Islam’s academic journey includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from The British University in Egypt and an MBA in Finance from London South Bank University.

Farhan Adil Jafri, Chief Investment Officer, Hamad Ali Alsagri Holding

Farhan Adil Jafri is the Chief Investment Officer at Hamad Ali Alsagri. Farhan is an experienced investment professional with over 15 years in the finance sector, specializing in investment strategies, equity valuation, and financial analysis across regional and international markets.

Prior to Hamad Ali Alsagri, Farhan held key roles including Deputy Head of Investments at El-Ajou Group Trading Co. and Investment Analyst positions at Rana Investment Company and Alfalah Securities.

He holds an MSc in Financial Management from Middlesex University and an MBA in Finance from Hamdard University.

Ziad Nawfal, Chief Investment Officer, Alkhabeer Capital

Ziad Nawfal is the Chief Investment Officer at Alkhabeer Capital, where he leads the firm’s private equity and real estate investment strategies with assets under management exceeding SAR 7 billion. In this role, Ziad is responsible for driving acquisitions and divestments, overseeing deal origination, due diligence, structuring, negotiations, value creation, and exit strategies, including initial public offerings (IPOs) for portfolio companies.

Ziad oversees diverse investments across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, education, and retail pharmaceuticals, managing operations across multiple cities. He actively serves on Executive Committees within portfolio companies, driving growth and restructuring plans, building high-performing management teams, institutionalizing governance practices, and establishing robust reporting frameworks.

Ziad is a seasoned investment professional with over two decades of experience at regional and international firms. He joined Alkhabeer Capital in 2008. Prior to Alkhabeer, Ziad was a senior manager at PwC, working within its Corporate Finance and Transaction Services from offices in the UK, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. He also served as a director in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Investment Banking unit of Unifund Capital.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Middle East, based on image by leoaltman via Freepik