(Face)Ahmed Al-Khatib, Saudi minister of tourism

Ahmed Al-Khatib, Saudi minister of tourism

Arab News

February 27, 2020

Three newly appointed Saudi ministers were sworn in before King Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The ministers included Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal as minister of sport; Ahmed Al-Khatib as minister of tourism; and Khalid Al-Falih as minister of investment.

On Tuesday, many Saudi state entities governing investment, tourism and sport were promoted to full ministries as part of a major Cabinet reshuffle.

King Salman ordered that the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) be transformed into a ministry with Ahmed Al-Khatib as the minister of tourism.

In January 2019, Al-Khatib was appointed as president of the SCTH. He also served as the chairman of the board of directors of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), chairman of the board of directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), as well as chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).

He has more than 25 years experience in the financial services and investment sectors, and has particular expertise in establishing, managing and restructuring government and corporate entities.

Al-Khatib is a former adviser to the royal court, was the minister of health between 2014 and 2016, and served as the chairman for the Saudi stock company established in 2006, Jadwa Investment.

He has 23 years of experience in banking. In 1992, he joined Riyad Bank, working in various departments for 11 years and helping to establish the customer investment department.

In 2003, Al-Khatib joined Saudi British Bank (SABB) and participated in the establishment of Islamic Banking (Amanah). He then became the bank???general manager.

Al-Khatib received his BA in business administration from King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, and subsequently a diploma in wealth management from Dalhousie University in Canada.