PROFILE: Meet Mohammed al-Sheikh, the new head of Saudi Sports Authority

According to a royal decree issued on Saturday, Mohammed bin Abdulmalek bin Abdullah al-Sheikh was assigned head of the Sports Authority to succeed Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad.

Sheikh is also a minister of state, cabinet member and member of the Council for Economic Affairs and Development.

He made a notable television appearance in December 2015 as he was skillful in addressing the public while announcing the Saudi budget.

Back then, Sheikh explained the measures that the Council for Economic Affairs and Development has taken and which contributed to reducing more than 80 billion riyals in expenses.

High credentials

Mohammed al-Sheikh was born in Taif on July 20, 1969 and received a Bachelor Degree from the Department of Judicial Studies at Umm Al-Qura University and a Masters Degree in Law from Harvard University.

He worked at the legal department of the World Bank from 1998 until 2001 and then at a legal office in New York from 2001 until 2003.

He returned to Saudi Arabia in 2003 and worked in the field of legal consultations until 2012.

In September 2012, he was assigned as a member of the executive board and as a representative of Saudi Arabia in the World Bank in Washington.

In February 2013 and according to a royal decree, he was assigned as head of the board of the Capital Market Authority.

He has worked in several boards, including in Aramco and the World Bank Group in Washington.

He was also a member in the board of directors of the international organization for commissions that supervise financial markets.

This report was first published in Arabic.