Strong Business Leaders With Distinctive Achievements in the Public and Private Sectors

Ahmad graduated first in his class with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from King Abdulaziz University, demonstrating academic excellence from the outset of his career. He further strengthened his leadership capabilities through executive education at the University of Oxford, equipping him with the strategic and managerial skills required to lead complex organizations and transformative initiatives.

During his tenure as Managing Director of the Chemicals, Oil & Gas Sector at the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA), Ahmad led efforts to attract and facilitate foreign direct investment into the Kingdom’s industrial sector. Under his leadership, MISA achieved investment attraction targets exceeding SAR 40 billion, while fostering strategic partnerships between global industry leaders and Saudi stakeholders. He also played an instrumental role in advancing localization initiatives, strengthening domestic supply chains, and enhancing the competitiveness of Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector.

As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of United Company for Industry (UCI), Ahmad established a platform dedicated to developing strategic industrial projects aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. He successfully initiated and advanced pioneering partnerships with leading international technology providers across advanced materials, battery materials, energy storage, specialty chemicals, and metals processing. His efforts contributed to the development of several first-of-their-kind industrial opportunities in Saudi Arabia, supporting the Kingdom’s ambition to become a global industrial hub.

Reference: Shell, AMG Recycling B.V. and the United Company for Industry announce an agreement with Aramco to construct a world-class metals supercenter complex in Saudi Arabia (GlobeNewswire, 5 July 2022)

Throughout his career, Ahmad has led high-level negotiations and strategic engagements with some of the world’s largest industrial companies, including Shell, BASF, Dow, Mitsui, Sinopec, and other multinational corporations. His ability to bridge government priorities with private-sector execution has enabled the successful advancement of complex industrial investments and cross-border collaborations.

Ahmad has also been a frequent speaker and panelist at international conferences and industry forums, where he shares insights on industrial development, investment strategy, manufacturing competitiveness, and economic diversification. He contributed to the development of Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Strategy and served on multiple steering committees alongside leading institutions and industrial champions, including Saudi Aramco’s IKTVA Program and SABIC’s Nusaned initiatives.

Prior to his leadership roles, Ahmad built a strong technical and commercial foundation at SABIC, where he held positions across technology licensing, manufacturing, business development, and commercial operations. His experience covered a broad range of petrochemical value chains, including acrylic acid, acrylate esters, methyl methacrylate, and natural detergent alcohols. He also worked closely with SABIC’s joint ventures, including SADAF and Yanpet, gaining valuable operational and manufacturing expertise.

Today, Ahmad continues to lead industrial development initiatives through Emerald Holding, focusing on advanced materials, mining and metals, specialty chemicals, energy transition opportunities, and industrial investment platforms. His unique combination of technical expertise, strategic vision, government experience, and entrepreneurial leadership positions him among the leading industrial developers and investment professionals in the region.