Dr. Ali Hassan Alzahrani
Jeddah,Saudi Arabia
Summary
A senior executive with a wide range of knowledge and experience in aviation industries, Airlines, PPP, strategic planning, performance management, project management, PMO management, transformation management, engineering, IT. Proven leadership skills involving managing, developing, and motivating teams to achieve their objectives. First-class analytical, design and problem-solving skills. Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team. Dedicated to maintaining high-quality standards.
Overview
2
2
Languages
3
3
years of post-secondary education
29
29
years of professional experience
Work history
Chief Strategy Officer
SaudiGulf Airlines
2016.01 - 2022.01
- Developing an inclusive strategic plan and strategy by collaborating with the leadership team, board, and executive
- Working closely with CEO to improve current business operations and revise them to achieve Airline’s strategic objectives
- Member of the committee responsible for identifying and appointing executives to key positions across Commercial, Operations, Standards, Safety, and other functions.
- Participating in meetings with the CEO, board members and other executives, coming up with creative business ideas and reviewing data to monitor progress across their business initiatives
- Collaborating with leadership, special committees, and consultants to execute strategies
- Analyzing market dynamics, market share changes, operation, services performance, and competitive intelligence
- Identifying strategic risks and help to reduce these risks
- Ensuring suitable metrics are in place to measure performance, progress and KPI’s
- Keeping track of industry development locally and globally
- (Subsidiary of Alqahtani Aviation Holding )
Advisor for the Chairman
Alqahtani Aviation Holding Co.
2016.01 - 2022.01
- Identifying key capital projects, joint ventures, potential M&A targets, and other strategic partnership opportunities
- Development of expansion plans for other Aviation related business (Catering, Ground Handling, General Aviation, MRO, etc..)
- Coordinate with Civil Aviation Authority for approvals
- Coordinate and negotiate with key partners
- Liaise with government ministries and authorities in investment related matters
Program Manger, Strategic Business Corporatization
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2011.01 - 2012.01
- Define corporatization program strategy.
- Prepare Strategic Business Units and Airports for corporatization.
- Implement corporatization program.
- Special assignment
Director, Strategic Planning and development
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2007.01 - 2012.01
- Establish the department of Corporate Planning
- Develop and manage the strategic and business planning process on a corporate level, and liaise with Corporate Planning Departments at airports
- Conduct strategic analysis of GACA environment
- Coordinate and liaise with planning entities within the different sectors and airports
- Work with Ministry in Transport in developing National Transport Strategy and align them with the Air Transport National Strategy
- Work with Ministry of Planning to coordinate and approve the five years development plans
- Coach and assist the different sectors in setting targets and preparing plans
- Develop and run the performance management process
- Define Key Performance Indicators
- Prepare reports on financial, commercial, operating and safety performance of GACA
- Coordinate the development of the annual budget in line with the airport annual plan
- Ensure the development of a comprehensive database for flights and passengers statistics and issue management reports accordingly
- Strategic Planning and Development
Project Director Airports Management contracts
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2007.01 - 2012.01
- Managed the tender and Evaluation process with leading management consultant to procure an International Airport Management service provider to manage the three major international Airports in Saudi Arabia.
- Head of the committee responsible for assessing airport second-level function heads and selecting new candidates.
- Select seconded experts responsible for the airport’s core functions, including the DCEO and Directors of Operations, Commercial, Safety, IT, and Corporate Communications.
- Monitor the execution of contracts obligations.
- Review performance and deliverables of the service provider.
- Board secretary of the major three airports in the Saudi Arabia.
- Transformation Program Management Office (PMO)
Owner and Chairman
IZHA Consulting
2025.01 - 2026.10
- Provided consulting services to clients on various business strategies
- Provided support and advice in merger and acquisition, business development.
Board of Directors Member
National Transportation Safety Center
2023.01 - 2026.10
- Appointed with a royal decree as a member of the board representing the private sector
- Member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee
Vice-Chairman Advisor
AlGihaz Holding
Riyadh
2022.01 - Current
- Develop new business opportunities.
- Merger & Acquisition development and support.
Director DirectorAir Transport Research
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2011.01 - 2015.01
- Establish the first Air Transport Research and Advisory Centre in Saudi Arabia which oversees the entire value chain from strategy and planning through to operational delivery
- Develop a National Air Transport Strategy to set the direction and alignment of the aviation industry within the overall kingdom National Transportation Strategy
- Establish aviation policies across the entire sector to maximize growth and increase percentage contribution of aviation to national GDP
- Define new initiatives which support the strategy and policy framework, and contribute to achievement of goals
- Build capability of a local team of experts to analyze and track aviation industry activities and policy implementation in order to meet national objectives
- Continuously review industry performance against global best practice and benchmarking to guide the industry in an optimal direction promoting a positive outlook for the future
- Provide ongoing support and local industry input to support advisors in order to maximize effectiveness and value of deliverables
- Lead the implementation of air transport strategy and policy through a change management program that meets local requirements and develops capabilities
- Establish a set of disciplines and practices which lift the performance of the aviation industry and contribute to growth and efficiency
- Examine key business drivers and organizational practices to ensure overall alignment and maximum value capture from the kingdom’s aviation sector
Communications Engineer
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
1998.01 - 2004.01
- Improving Saudi Arabian Aerospace services in order to increase revenues by attracting more air traffic. And the development and improvement of procedures and operations in the Airways Engineering Department.
- Defined and negotiated the requirements of “the Civil Aviation GIS and obstacles management project”.
- Designed an Executive Information Management System EIMS.
- Development of the “Global Navigation Satellite System”, and the Future Air Navigation Systems, with responsibility of planning the kingdom's transition to the new satellite-based air navigation systems.
- Civil and Military systems integration projects with (STC, MEPA, MODA).
- Member of a number of ICAO panels.
- Airways Engineering, Systems Engineering
Education
BEng (Hons) 2.2 - Electronic, Communication and Computer Engineering
The university of Bradford
Bradford, UK 1998.01 -
MSc - Communications and Real-Time Electronic Systems
University of Bradford
Bradford, UK 1999.01 -
Ph.D. - 3D in Cybernetics, School of informatics
University of Bradford
Bradford, UK 2000.01 - 2003.01
International Executive Program - undefined
INSEAD
Paris, France 2006.01 -
Leading Innovation and Change - undefined
MIT Sloan
2007.01 -
Skills
- Aviation industry insights
- Strategic planning
- Project management
- Negotiation skills
- Fluent English speaker
- Computer applications proficiency
INTERESTS / HOBBIES
Sports (squash, tennis, physical fitness - gym)., Architectural design using Computer Aided Design tools (AutoCAD).
PUBLICATIONS
A. H. Alzahrani, S.S. Ipson, J. Haigh “Applications of a direct algorithm for the rectification of un-calibrated images”, Elsevier International Journal of Information Sciences, 160 (2004) pp 53 -71.
Languages
English
Fluent
Arabic
Native
Timeline
Owner and Chairman
IZHA Consulting
2025.01 - 2026.10
Board of Directors Member
National Transportation Safety Center
2023.01 - 2026.10
Vice-Chairman Advisor
AlGihaz Holding
2022.01 - Current
Chief Strategy Officer
SaudiGulf Airlines
2016.01 - 2022.01
Advisor for the Chairman
Alqahtani Aviation Holding Co.
2016.01 - 2022.01
Program Manger, Strategic Business Corporatization
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2011.01 - 2012.01
Director DirectorAir Transport Research
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2011.01 - 2015.01
Leading Innovation and Change - undefined
MIT Sloan
2007.01 -
Director, Strategic Planning and development
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2007.01 - 2012.01
Project Director Airports Management contracts
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
2007.01 - 2012.01
International Executive Program - undefined
INSEAD
2006.01 -
Ph.D. - 3D in Cybernetics, School of informatics
University of Bradford
2000.01 - 2003.01
MSc - Communications and Real-Time Electronic Systems
University of Bradford
1999.01 -
BEng (Hons) 2.2 - Electronic, Communication and Computer Engineering
The university of Bradford
1998.01 -
Communications Engineer
The General Authority of Civil Aviation
1998.01 - 2004.01