Who’s Who: Hasan Al-Jawad, head of partnership at MIS Pay in Riyadh
Updated 06 July 2024
Arab News
Hasan Al-Jawad is the head of partnership at MIS Pay in Riyadh, a position he has held since March.
MIS Pay is the first licensed ‘buy now, pay later’ system in Saudi Arabia. It is owned by Al-Moammer Information Systems, a publicly listed company. Al-Jawad manages its partnership and business development team.
His responsibilities include strategic planning, relationship management, setting targets and key performance indicators to drive growth, specifically focusing on trending businesses.
He previously served as sales director at Mnasati Technologies in Riyadh from February 2023 to November 2023. During his tenure there, Al-Jawad led the sales and customer success teams, set sales targets and KPIs, and secured merchant deals. He also established a strong network of food and beverage and retail decision-makers and developed a nationwide sales plan.
From March 2022 to January 2023, Al-Jawad was head of sales at COFE App — an app focusing on coffee shops and supplies. He managed the sales team and helped the company achieve a 1,300-percent increase in orders and a 900-percent growth in gross merchandise value.
Al-Jawad co-founded an app called Kaffeen — focused on online pick-up orders for coffee shops — in 2018. He worked there until March 2022, when Kaffeen was acquired by COFE. Through strategic partnerships with 130 coffee shops, he managed a dedicated sales team, negotiated favorable app margins, and enhanced features for customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Al-Jawad’s career also includes roles as affluent relationship manager at Gulf International Bank and assistant branch manager at Riyad Bank, where he also participated in the Future Leaders Program, completing training in various banking sectors and enhancing his expertise through collaboration, case studies, and specialized courses.
Al-Jawad earned a degree in business administration from the University of Portland.
Saudi interior minister arrives in Egypt on official visit
Updated 07 September 2024
Arab News
CAIRO: Saudi Arabia’s interior minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif arrived in Egypt on Saturday evening on an official visit.
His trip is being made on the directives of the Kingdom’s leadership, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Abdulaziz was received at Cairo International Airport by his Egyptian counterpart Major General Mahmoud Tawfiq and the Saudi ambassador to Egypt Saleh bin Eid Al-Hussaini.
Young Saudi paves way in tech, artificial intelligence
Abdullah Hakeem is pursuing his dream to advance AI in the Kingdom
His journey has led to his involvement in the upcoming Global AI Summit
Updated 07 September 2024
Waad Hussain
RIYADH: As the Kingdom forges ahead in the tech industry, young Saudis like Abdullah Hakeem are playing a crucial role in shaping its future while inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals graduate, 25, is tapping into the power of technology to bridge gaps, enhance communication, and empower communities.
Hakeem’s story began during his studies at KFUPM, where he quickly became a well-known figure among students for his inventive spirit. His first major project was a WhatsApp bot designed to enhance the platform’s functionality.
Abdullah Hakeem, SDAIA strategic competitiveness specialist
“It was a learning tool for me,” Hakeem told Arab News. “I applied new skills and implemented user-suggested features, evolving it based on feedback.”
The bot garnered over 1,000 users, primarily students at the university.
One notable challenge was maintaining the bot’s efficiency amid numerous simultaneous requests. “I overcame this by employing various technical solutions and continuously refining them over time,” he explained.
Understanding the value of community-building, he founded around 30 WhatsApp groups that fostered connections among students interested in development and skill enhancement.
Contributing to the success of my country is a key goal for me.
Abdullah Hakeem, SDAIA strategic competitiveness specialist
Hakeem also organized competitions to encourage peers to challenge themselves and learn. “Bringing people together to learn and grow has always been my passion,” he added.
This commitment to community engagement facilitated a collaborative environment in which students could share knowledge and support one another.
His internship at Takamul Technologies in 2022 marked a pivotal moment in his career. Tasked with resolving a critical issue on the company’s website, he reduced the load time of the 3D section from a cumbersome 70MB to a lightning-fast 100KB.
“This impressive feat earned me a part-time job offer from the CEO, a rare opportunity for an intern,” he said. “It was a confidence boost (to have) my abilities recognized in a professional setting.”
This experience fueled his desire to tackle complex challenges in the tech industry. His innovative spirit culminated in a series of competitions, notably the KFUPM Innovation Hackathon last year, in which he led his team to victory in both web and mobile development tracks.
The hackathon provided a platform for students to showcase their skills and creativity. It honed Hakeem’s leadership skills and also reinforced the importance of collaboration in achieving common goals.
“I adapted my approach to motivate each team member according to their needs,” he said. “Being closely involved in every task allowed me to guide the project effectively.”
Hakeem’s graduation project won first place at the KFUPM Graduation Expo in May last year. The project involved integrating with Foodics, the largest point-of-sale system in the Middle East.
He said: “One of our major challenges was securing a partnership with a restaurant to facilitate the integration process. We designated one team member to manage communications with Foodics and the sponsorship, allowing the rest of us to focus on development.”
This strategic division of responsibilities proved crucial in overcoming obstacles and delivering the project.
Recognition followed, especially through social media. Hakeem and his team shared their journey on X, attracting almost 400,000 views. This exposure led to an invitation from the MISK Foundation to join the prestigious MISK Launchpad program in 2023, where they secured a grant to bring their product to market.
“The experience taught me to build real products, not just software solutions,” he said.
The program provided valuable insights into the product development process, shaping Hakeem’s perspective on the importance of creating meaningful solutions that address real-world problems.
His talents caught the eye of major players in the tech industry. During the Metathon competition toward the end of 2023, he impressed judges, including Rehab Alarfaj from the Saudi Data and AI Authority, who offered him a position on her team.
“Joining SDAIA (this year) was a dream come true,” he added. “It’s a sought-after opportunity in the tech community … my goal is to secure recognition for Saudi Arabia in global AI rankings.”
In his current role within the General Management of Partnership and Competitiveness, Hakeem is committed to advancing artificial intelligence in the Kingdom.
He is currently involved in organizing the Global AI Summit, which is set to take place between Sept. 10-12. This event will showcase the Kingdom’s advances in AI and foster collaboration among international experts.
“Contributing to the success of my country is a key goal for me,” Hakeem said.
As Hakeem continues to contribute and innovate, he embodies the spirit of a new generation of young Saudis supported by the nurturing ecosystem of Vision 2030, and dedicated to paving the way and leaving a mark on the tech industry and beyond.
The commission aims to attract global interest in Saudi stories and productions while fostering connections with filmmakers worldwide
Updated 07 September 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Film Commission is participating in Canada’s 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, which runs until Sept. 15.
One of the world’s top film festivals, it attracts filmmakers, critics and audiences from around the globe, serving as a key platform for the genre.
The commission is this year showcasing a pavilion which features major Saudi film projects and initiatives, offering visitors a chance to explore the Kingdom’s creative film industry.
A delegation from the commission is representing the diverse talent of the Kingdom’s film community, along with some Saudi filmmakers.
The pavilion also highlights the commission’s commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia’s film industry, showcasing recent achievements and opportunities for international collaboration.
The commission aims to attract global interest in Saudi stories and productions while fostering connections with filmmakers worldwide.
Its participation aligns with its strategy to promote Saudi cinema internationally, support local talent, and contribute to the film industry on a global level.
Sixteen awards will be presented, including Cultural Pioneer of the Year, Youth Culture Award, International Cultural Excellence Award, and awards for film, fashion, heritage, music, literature, and theater
Updated 07 September 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture will host the National Cultural Awards at Riyadh’s King Fahd Cultural Center on Monday.
The awards, which are being held for the fourth time, will honor cultural pioneers from various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The awards recognize individuals, groups, and institutions for their cultural achievements and artistic talent and “aim to promote excellence across 16 cultural sectors, offering financial and moral support, media exposure, and opportunities to represent the sectors at domestic and international events,” the SPA stated.
Sixteen awards will be presented, including Cultural Pioneer of the Year, Youth Culture Award, International Cultural Excellence Award, and awards for film, fashion, heritage, music, literature, and theater.
Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan thanked Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his patronage of the awards, which he said highlights “the leadership’s commitment to supporting creativity in the cultural sector.”
Saudi Arabia set to host International AI Olympiad
Representatives from 25 countries scheduled to take part
Updated 07 September 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: A global edition of the International AI Olympiad gets underway in Riyadh on Sunday, with teams from 25 countries expected to take part.
The event, which will run until Thursday, is being organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority in collaboration with UNESCO, the International Center for AI Research and Ethics, and the International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence, in Slovenia.
The SDAIA hopes the olympiad will serve as a platform for AI competitions, and nurture talent while fostering skills development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event will be a forum for scientists and enthusiasts from around the world to compete and also exchange ideas, enhance capabilities, and explore the latest advances in the field, the SPA added.
The SDAIA has prepared for the event over the past five weeks by holding a series of virtual lectures on AI designed to qualify international teams for the competition and empower students from various countries to expand their knowledge in the sector.
The lectures covered topics such as the social impact of AI and working with data.
