Microsoft Middle East & Africa appoints new General Manager

Dr Al-Dhaher brings to Microsoft Arabia many years of experience in the IT industry in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, having worked for a number of IT multinationals in the region. The appointment marks his return to Microsoft - Dr Al-Dhaher was previously employed as Enterprise Customer Unit Manager for Microsoft Gulf before joining Oracle. He has also worked for AT&T and NCR in the region and has a long track record in Saudi Arabia.

"I am very pleased to be rejoining Microsoft, particularly at this exciting time in the development of the company in the region. The opportunity to introduce new initiatives with partners and with communities at a truly local level is very exciting, and I am proud to be able to lead our efforts in Saudi Arabia," said Dr Al-Dhaher.

One of Dr Al-Dhaher's focus areas will be rolling out projects and initiative to help increase IT literacy in the Kingdom. Microsoft Arabia is looking to work with the government and education sectors in Saudi Arabia to develop schemes to increase confidence with IT in communities and to help create an IT workforce.

"Along with maintaining our partnerships across all sectors, Microsoft Arabia realizes the needs of local communities in the Kingdom, and under Khaled's management, Microsoft Arabia committed to working to build the ICT sector in the Kingdom," said Emre Berkin, Vice President of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa. "We are committed to working with the government on projects that are key in realizing the potential of every man, woman and child and the general local community in Saudi Arabia."

Dr. Al-Dhaher, a Saudi national, was born in Riyadh in 1963. After his high school graduation from Riyadh, he joined KFUPM in Dhahran to finish his bachelor and masters in Computer Science and Engineering in 1986. Dr. Al-Dhaher got his PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1992.