Manal Al-Bawardi

Chief Information Officer

Manal Al-Bawardi is chief information officer of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, where she leads the university's digital strategy, enterprise technology and innovation agenda in support of education, research excellence and national priorities. She holds a master of science in software engineering from DePaul University in Chicago and an MBA from IE Business School, and has completed advanced executive education programmes at Harvard University, London Business School and the Wharton School with a focus on leadership, strategy, innovation and digital transformation. She is a first-cohort graduate of the Misk 2030 Leaders Programme, an initiative designed to prepare national leaders to advance Saudi Vision 2030. With expertise at the intersection of technology, governance and artificial intelligence, she brings a pragmatic perspective on AI adoption, data-driven decision-making and digital resilience in complex organisations, emphasising the alignment of emerging technologies with institutional strategy, ethical governance and long-term sustainability. She is an active voice on the evolving role of the CIO in the age of AI, particularly within higher education and research-driven environments.