Hisham bin Mohammed Al-Haidari

Dr., Chief Executive Officer of the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities (APD); Moderator of the First Panel Discussion

Hisham bin Mohammed Al-Haidari has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities (APD) since its establishment in 2018, appointed by the Authority's board of directors under the chairmanship of the Minister of Labor and Social Development. He leads the Authority as the Kingdom's regulatory and legislative body responsible for safeguarding the rights of persons with disabilities and enhancing the services provided to them in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Under his leadership the APD has recorded a series of milestones, including the Royal Decree approving the Law of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the update of the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities, the creation of the National Electronic Registry of Persons with Disabilities, and the launch of initiatives such as Purple Saturday. He brings more than 20 years of experience in specialised rehabilitation and care institutions, having begun his career as a physical therapist at King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard before founding and chairing the physical therapy departments at King Fahad Medical City, where he later served as Deputy Medical Director of the Rehabilitation Hospital. He went on to establish the Prince Sultan Center for Special Education Support Services under the Ministry of Education and served as its Chief Executive Officer, and subsequently as adviser and Assistant Secretary General for Rehabilitation Affairs at the Disabled Children's Association, alongside memberships in the Autism Center of Excellence and the Shamaa Autism Association. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physical Therapy from King Saud University, a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Manchester, and a PhD in Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy from Loma Linda University in California. He has co-authored books and academic papers in physical therapy and rehabilitation, has represented the Kingdom at international conferences, and was named Best Arab Government CEO in 2022.