Deemah AlYahya
 | A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (February 2024) |
Deemah AlYahya | |
|---|---|
ديمة اليحيى | |
 | |
| Born | 1980 (age 43–44) |
| Citizenship | Saudi Arabian |
| Alma mater | King Saud University INSEAD |
| Organization | Digital Cooperation Organization |
| Title | Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization |
| Term | 2021-present |
Deemah AlYahya (born in 1980) is a Saudi digital economy expert and a tech diplomat. As of 2021, she holds the position of Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization, an international intergovernmental organization founded in 2020 by Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia as a multilateral organization focusing on international cooperation towards achieving inclusive and sustainable global digital economy.[1] She is the founding Secretary-General of the organization,[2] and the first Saudi woman to hold the secretariat of an international organization.[3]
Early life and education[edit]
Deemah AlYahya obtained a bachelor’s degree in computer science and information systems from King Saud University in Riyadh, and a master’s degree in business development and financial intelligence in 2017 from INSEAD.
Career[edit]
In the course of her career, AlYahya has held several positions, including Chief Innovation Officer at the Misk Foundation,[4] CEO of the National Digitization Unit by Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia,[5] Chief Evangelist Developer Experience and Digital Innovation at Microsoft Arabia,[6] and e-services director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia. She also worked as a consultant, program designer, and leader of strategic digital initiatives.[7]
AlYahya serves on several boards, including Riyad Capital, Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligency (SCAI), and Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFSCP).[8]
AlYahya's writings have been published in the World Economic Forum, Arabian Business and Entrepreneur Middle East magazine.[9]
Digital Cooperation Organization[edit]
On November 26, 2020, Deemah AlYahya was nominated as the Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization and on April 11, 2021 and subsequently elected as the Secretary-General. With this nomination AlYahya became the first Secretary-General of the organization, and the first Saudi woman to become a Secretary-General of an international organization.[10]
Awards and recognition[edit]
In 2018, AlYahya was recognized with the "Digital CEO of the Year" award by Entrepreneur Middle East magazine.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ Awal, Mohammed (2023-02-03). "Digital Cooperation Organization to host 2nd General Assembly in Riyadh". The Business & Financial Times. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Deemah Al-Yahya appointed as secretary general of DCO". Saudigazette. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Saudi female elected first president of Digital Cooperation Organization". Arab News. 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "The heart of innovation". The Buzz Business. 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Saudi NDU CEO: 'We want to inject innovation into citizens'". Telecom Review. 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Who's Who: Deemah Al-Yahya, secretary-general of the Digital Cooperation Organization". Arab News. 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ Vizcarra, Arantza Renteria (2021-11-18). "Deemah AlYahya: DCO Secretary-General arrives in Pakistan". The Diplomatic Insight. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "King Salman appoints new board to help SAIP become regional IP hub". Arab News. 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ AlYahya, Deemah (2022-02-01). "Safeguarding Digital Identities: Why Data Privacy Should Matter To You (And Your Business)". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Deemah Al-Yahya appointed as secretary general of DCO". Saudigazette. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "The Recap: Enterprise Agility Awards 2018". Entrepreneur. 2018-12-13. Retrieved 2024-01-07.