RIYADH: Zain KSA CEO Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Daghithar, who is known to be a turnaround factor in the company, has died, the mobile operator announced.
Serving as CEO for six years, Al-Dhaighir led the company through a turnaround, eliminating more than SR 2 billion ($532.6 million) in accumulated losses and tripling its market value.
The company mourned the company's senior official on his X account, writing: “With deep sadness and grief, the Saudi Zain family mourns the loss of their CEO, Eng. Sultan bin Abdulaziz al-Daghithar”.
Al-Daghithar first joined the company in 2009 as a network planning manager and became CEO on July 1, 2018. Under his leadership, Zain KSA was ranked the 13th most powerful brand in Saudi Arabia, according to the company's website.
Al-Daghithar also served as the CEO of Tama Finance Ltd., where his expertise helped create a success story in the fintech space.
The Board of Directors of the Saudi Arabian Group Holding Company, on behalf of all its employees, expressed its deep regret at the loss of Al-Daghithar, who also served as an independent member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Group's Nomination and Remuneration Committee.
Tadawul Group said it would announce any updates on the appointment of a new board member and committee chair at a later date.
Saudi Arabia's Huawei also expressed its regret on the death of al-Daghithar by publishing a post on its X user account and expressed its sincere condolences to his family.
In his latest post on his X account, al-Daghithar, who was also a member of the board of directors of Al-Nasr Club, congratulated Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, the Minister of Sports. Saudi Arabia tried to host the 2034 World Cup.
In his post, he said: “This achievement represents our big dreams and ambitious vision to share with the world.
With 19 years of experience, Al-Daghaith had a good track record in executive, operational and technical management. He spearheaded several pioneering projects that put Zain KSA at the forefront of the telecommunications industry in the Kingdom.
He created a strategic vision for Zain KSA's business unit and invested significantly in innovative technologies and digital solutions, including cloud computing and future 5G applications, including IoT, artificial intelligence, blockchain and Created drones.
He managed the transformation of Zain KSA from a telco into an integrated digital ecosystem and acted as a key pillar for the emergence and growth of new technology sectors in the Kingdom.
In 2022, he led the strategic partnership between Zain KSA and the gaming and esports hub PLAYHERA, which led to the establishment of PLAYHERA MENA.
Al-Daghithar promoted the fintech sector of the country by launching Tamam as the first consumer microfinance institution in the Kingdom and the Middle East. He supervised its development and operational plan and achieved unprecedented profits in a short period of time.
She championed the advancement of women into leadership positions at her company. Under his guidance, this company saw the increase in the ability of Saudi women at the leadership level and strengthening their presence in the telecommunications sector.
Ranked among the top 300 CEOs in the communications sector by MENA TRNDS, Al-Dhaighsar holds a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering from King Saud University and an Advanced Management Degree from IESE Business School in Spain.
