Saud Al-Qahtani built a long career inside the Saudi Royal Court, rising from a media officer to an adviser with the rank of minister. Born in 1978, he became one of the most visible administrators behind the Kingdom’s digital and media transformation projects during the reigns of King Abdullah and King Salman.
Early life and education
Saud Al-Qahtani was born in Riyadh on June 7, 1978. He attended Riyadh Schools and finished among the top ten students in Riyadh Province at Al-Asimah Model Institute. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in law from King Saud University before joining an officers’ qualification course with the Royal Saudi Air Force, graduating with honors.
He went on to serve at King Faisal Air Academy, where he managed personnel and officers’ affairs and taught law, before transferring to the Crown Prince’s Court. Al-Qahtani later completed a master’s degree in criminal justice at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences.
Rise through the Royal Court
Al-Qahtani’s Royal Court career began in the Media Department of the Crown Prince’s Office, which he led from 2003 to 2005. He then moved through the Media Monitoring Centre, becoming its Director General in 2008 and later led the Centre for Studies and Media Affairs.
He was appointed Adviser at the Excellent Rank in 2012 under King Abdullah, then Adviser with the rank of minister under King Salman from December 2015 to October 2018. During this period, he oversaw national initiatives connected to Saudi Arabia’s administrative and media systems.
Boards and technology initiatives
Beyond the Royal Court, Al-Qahtani sat on the boards of the Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation “Misk,” the Royal Commission for AlUla, and the King Abdulaziz Foundation (Darah). He chaired the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, which he also founded, along with the Information Security Centre of Excellence.
He contributed to establishing the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and served as the first chairman of its executive committee, helping guide its early technological direction.
Writing and public life
Alongside his official roles, Al-Qahtani wrote as a political and social columnist for Asharq Al-Awsat and Al-Riyadh newspaper, and became known as one of the most active Saudi voices on social media. He also published several poetic works, including patriotic poems.
Key takeaways
- Saud Al-Qahtani, born in 1978, served as a Royal Court adviser under King Abdullah and King Salman, holding the rank of minister from 2015 to 2018.
- He founded the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones and helped establish SDAIA.
- He held board positions at Misk Foundation, the Royal Commission for AlUla, and King Abdulaziz Foundation (Darah).
His time in the Royal Court paralleled the careers of other senior Saudi officials, such as Ali Al-Ahiedb, who rose through the Kingdom’s administrative judiciary, and Prince Rakan bin Salman, who began his own governance career in a later generation of Saudi leadership.
Official records of Saudi Royal Court appointments are published by the Saudi Press Agency.
