Who’s Who: Dr. Abdullah Ayed Algarni, director general for research at KSA's Institute of Public Administration

Dr. Abdullah Ayed Algarni. (Supplied)

Dr. Abdullah Ayed Algarni has been the director general of the research and studies center at the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) since April, where he is also, among numerous other roles, the head of the research committee and the head of the studies committee.
Algarni has a long track record of achievements in various leadership positions, training, consultation and research. Prior to his current roles, he held a number of other positions at IPA, including that of director of innovation and business development, director of applied studies, director of IT consulting and director of the IT training division.
He has also participated in some initiatives of the National Transformation Program 2020 as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plan.
He was a member of a policy briefing for the T20 Group, which emanated from the G20 in 2020, and provided several consultations for public and private organizations.
Algarni received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from King Abdul Aziz University in 2005. Four years later, he gained a master’s degree in the same field of study from Western Michigan University in the US.
In 2016, he obtained his Ph.D. in information technology from Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
Algarni received the HDR High Achiever Award from Queensland in 2015, and 2016, he was awarded the university’s Outstanding Thesis Award for his Ph.D.
He also won the Faculty Excellence Award for scientific publication in 2018 and 2020 from IPA.
Algarni is a member of a number of international societies and has published more than 30 peer-reviewed research articles in top information systems journals and conferences. His current research interests are mainly in the area of information security and information systems.