ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani scientist who grew up and attended medical school in the UK has become one of the first people to receive Saudi Arabian citizenship, according to a list published by financial news portal Algaam.
As part of its Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is opening up citizenship to highly skilled professionals, aiming to attract and retain outstanding global talent to boost the Kingdom’s economic and social development.
A Royal Decree to this effect was issued in November 2021, allowing people from specialist fields such as science, medicine, culture, sports and technology to apply for citizenship.
Dr. Mehmood Khan, who earned his medical degree from the University of Liverpool Medical School in the UK, is also on the list of distinguished people who have acquired Saudi Arabian citizenship.
Khan’s distinguished career includes a number of senior corporate roles, including Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, Global Research and Development at PepsiCo and Head of Global Research and Development at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
“I grew up in the UK. I didn’t have the opportunity to grow up in Pakistan,” he said in an interview with Open Silicon Valley, an international organisation of Pakistani entrepreneurs, adding that he was “proud to be Pakistani.”
Khan is currently CEO of the Hevolution Foundation, a Riyadh-based nonprofit that funds research through grants and invests in biotechnology to stimulate health science.
He has also managed academic programs such as Mayo Clinic’s Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition Testing Unit.
Other individuals who have acquired Saudi Arabian citizenship include:
Islam Zween, CEO of Algam
Mohamed Zween is seen as a pioneer in the Arab world of a media model that prioritizes quality educational content over profitability. (File/Al-Gaam)
Zween holds a Master’s degree from Alexandria University in Egypt and has over 25 years of experience in technology, media and business management.
Over the past 18 years, Zween has been instrumental in building pioneering digital projects in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, including the ‘Argaam Financial Portal’ and Akhbaar 24.com.
Since 2013, he has implemented a new strategy at Argaam, transforming it into a leading provider of financial media and data journalism in Saudi Arabia and the GCC, and revamping the company’s business model, helping it diversify its revenue streams and achieve profitability.
Through AlGaam, Zween launched numerous initiatives and projects to enrich content on financial data and investment awareness in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He led many successful partnerships with local and Gulf companies in the fields of media and financial data, contributing greatly to the development of financial media in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Under his leadership, AlGaam won the Dubai Media Awards for Best Economic Platform 2023.
Jackie Y. Yin, Director, Department of Bioengineering and Nanomedicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre
Prof. Ying is a Singaporean-American scientist and was the founding director of the Singapore Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (2003-2018). He currently heads the NanoBio Lab and is a Senior Research Fellow at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Singapore. He is a published author on the topics of biomedical engineering and nanotechnology. Prof. Ying is a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a member of the German Academy of Sciences, and one of the “100 Engineers of Our Time”. Prof. Ying is a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a member of the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina).
Nivin Khashab, founding member of KAUST
Nivin Khashab earned his PhD from the University of Florida before joining KAUST as a professor of chemical sciences. (Courtesy)
Khashab is a Lebanese scientist with advanced expertise and contributions in the fields of bioengineering and nanomaterials. She is a founding member of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and has been an associate professor of chemical sciences and engineering at the university since 2009. She is one of the recipients of the L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award in 2017 for her contributions in the invention of innovative smart hybrid materials for drug delivery purposes and in developing new techniques to observe antioxidant activity between cells.
Noreddine Ghaffour, KAUST Centre for Water Desalination and Reuse
Mr. Gaffour is a French scientist who received his PhD in Membrane Separation Technology from the University of Montpellier (1995) and is currently a Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at KAUST. He specializes in desalination technologies and has published papers and research on environmental science, renewable energy and membrane separation.
Noon CEO Faraz Khalid
Khalid, who has an MBA from the Wharton School, played a key role in the success of Namshi, which launched in 2012. (Supplied)
Khalid is an Indian entrepreneur with an MBA in Entrepreneurial Project Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the CEO of e-commerce platform Noon and co-founder of Namshi, where he served as Managing Director and was responsible for the creation, launch and expansion of the website.
Dr. Mutasem Azbi, Head of Pediatric Neurosurgery at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital
Neurosurgeon Dr. Mutasem Azbi is known for his expertise and success in numerous conjoined twin separation surgeries. (X: @Moutasem7)
Azbi is a Syrian neurosurgeon who has performed numerous conjoined twin separation surgeries in Saudi Arabia and abroad. He was recognized for his contributions to the Saudi Conjoined Twin Program and the team of surgeons led by Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, royal advisor and KSrelief supervisor.
Rami Al-Khawasmi, CEO of Mawdoo3.com
Rami Al-Qawasni graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Sussex in the UK and began his business career in Jordan. (Courtesy)
Al-Kawasmi is known for his passion for artificial intelligence and startup development, having founded and grown over 10 companies by the age of 30. Under his leadership, Mawdoo3.com raised $23.5 million in a funding round.
Ahmed Mirgani, Partner at BIM Ventures
Ahmed Mirgani was instrumental in bringing many traditional investors into the world of venture capital. (Courtesy)
Mr. Mirgani is a Sudanese entrepreneur with an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Management and Entrepreneurship. He is the co-founder and leader of BIM Ventures and established the “Angel Investor Mine” network, which has been instrumental in bringing many traditional investors into the venture capital world and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
