Rashed Sharif joined the Public Investment Fund (PIF) as head of the Local Holding Investments Division in 2017, and is a member of the PIF management committee and the management investments committee. He is responsible for shaping the PIF’s investment strategy for local holdings in Saudi Arabia, with the goal of targeting industries to maximize long-term returns, drive economic development, and contribute to the diversification of the Saudi economy. This strategy centers on a number of investment pools, and involves extending support to companies operating across various sectors that the PIF aims to establish as regional and global champions. The PIF invests in and builds promising new area that enable private sector participation, particularly among small and medium enterprises, with the goal of driving job creation and localization of capabilities. As a global player, the fund actively engages its vast network to bring select strategic partners to the Kingdom in these new sectors. Through such partnerships, the PIF facilitates the transfer of technology and expertise, subsequently building competitive advantages while bolstering direct foreign investments in Saudi Arabia. As a key partner to the private sector, the PIF enables companies to compete in regional and global markets. Sharif oversees the deployment of significant capital over a long-term investment horizon to enable the fund to act as a cornerstone investor. Under his leadership, the Local Holding Investments Division manages an exceptional portfolio of local and regional companies, in addition to a robust pipeline of new investments in various sectors within the Kingdom. This holistic investment strategy is underpinned by the PIF’s proprietary engagement model for its portfolio companies, “The PIF Way,” which covers five main pillars: Positive governance, full potential plan, operational enablement, network advantage, and scalable infrastructure. An active advocate for world-class corporate governance practices, Sharif’s role is vital in identifying and capturing opportunities, optimizing capital allocation, and institutionalizing portfolio companies’ governance and performance management frameworks. Before joining the PIF, Sharif served as CEO of Riyadh Capital, a closed joint-stock company fully operated by Riyad Bank. Prior to this, he served as the head of the listing department at the Capital Market Authority (CMA) between 2006 to 2013. In 2006, he held the role of consumer finance relationship manager for the newly established Al-Bilad Bank, where he played a prominent role in establishing its consumer finance policies and procedures. Earlier in his career, Sharif worked at the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, a government entity that specializes in providing loans to the manufacturing industry. Rashed holds a master’s degree in business administration from Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran. In addition, he participated in the Chase Manhattan Bank Credit Program and the Corporate Finance Modular Program at the London Business School, and is certified in the International Institute for Management Development’s prestigious High-Performance Leadership and High Performance Boards programs