Dr. Esam Al-Wagait has been the director of the National Information Center since October 2019.  Earlier Al-Wagait served as the CEO of the National Digitaization Unit from June 2018 to October 2019. He was also the deputy minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from October 2016 to June 2018, dean of King Saud University (KSU) from April 2012 to March 2016 and assistant professor and faculty member at the Computer Science department of the university from November 2011 to August 2015. Al-Wagait also served as the KSU’s portal and e-services department manager from 2006 to 2009. He also worked as a consultant at the Ministry of Education from August 2015 to December 2015, and was an IT consultant at the Ministry of Higher Education from January 2010 to December 2010.  Al-Wagait obtained  bachelor’s degree in computer science from King Saud University in 1998. He went abroad for further studies and did his master’s in computer science at the University of Southern California in 2006. Al-Wagait did his Ph.D. in computer science from the Polytechnic University of Valencia in 2011.  He is also a board member of the General Authority for Statistics, which is a government entity. It implements all statistical works, ensures technical supervision of the statistical sector, which includes a system of multiple statistical centers and units that were established within the administrative structures of government entities and some of the private sector institutions.