Ibrahim Al-Omar has been the governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) since April 2017. On Friday, SAGIA and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage announced a number of memoranda of understanding and agreements with regional and international investors totaling around $27 billion. Al-Omar said: “In Saudi Arabia, the market fundamentals are in place for a vibrant tourism industry, and we believe that the private sector will play a crucial role in unlocking this potential. At SAGIA, our role is to empower and enable domestic and international investors by identifying and developing new opportunities, fostering partnerships and shaping regulatory reforms.” He brings more than 15 years’ experience to SAGIA, with a strong background in the information communications technology and logistics sectors. Al-Omar holds a bachelor’s degree in electric engineering from the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. He also attended the program for leadership development at Harvard Business School. He has more than 18 years’ experience in various sectors. He served in leading positions at major international telecom projects, including appointments at Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), until he became vice president of STC’s business unit, chief executive officer of VIVA Bahrain and chief alliance and partnership officer and chief development officer at Mobily. Al-Omar is also chairman of Mideast Ship Management and serves on the boards of the Saudi Railways, National Chemical Carriers and the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation.