H.E. Eng. Khalid Saleh Al-Mudaifer

Vice Minister for Mining Affairs, Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources

In keeping with our commitment to broaden our students’ horizons beyond the traditional curriculum, Al Yamamah University is delighted to welcome H.E. Khalid Saleh Al-Mudaifer, Vice Minister for Mining Affairs, Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, as an Adjunct Professor in our College of Business. By connecting our students with the invaluable real-world insights and expertise of Saudi Arabia’s leading industry minds, we ensure their learning experience is as dynamic, practical, and inspiring as possible.

Khalid Al-Mudaifer is a transformative Saudi leader with nearly four decades of impact across mining, industry, and economic development. He is one of the principal architects of Saudi Arabia’s mining renaissance under Vision 2030, tasked with positioning mining as the third pillar of the economy.

As CEO of Maaden (2011-2018), he scaled the company from a domestic operator into a global mining powerhouse. Under his leadership, revenues grew nearly 20 times to $4 billion, assets tripled to $26 billion, with Maaden gaining global recognition and ranking as a world leader in phosphate and aluminum through over $25 billion joint ventures with Mosaic, Sabic, and Alcoa. He laid the foundation of Ras Al Khair Industrial City and Wa’ad Al Shammal Mineral City, demonstrating his hallmark in building institutions and industries at scale.

Since 2018, as Vice-Minister of Industry & Mineral Resources, Khalid has spearheaded the execution of the Kingdom’s national mining strategy: launching the $1.3 billion National Geological Survey Program, overhauling regulations to attract global capital, and founding the Future Minerals Forum, now the largest global convening in the sector.

Al-Mudaifer has been instrumental in steering the mining sector to global recognition, as recognized by the Fraser Institute. Saudi Arabia has significantly improved its global investment attractiveness index position, leaping from 104th in 2013 to 23rd in the latest 2024 report.

Throughout his career, Khalid has held leadership roles in cement, petrochemicals, and finance, consistently turning strategy into execution, scaling organizations, and embedding sustainability and governance.

This astute leader has held a number of board memberships with Qassim Cement, Saudi Arabian Railways, Gulf International Bank, U.S.-Saudi Arabia Business Council (USSABC), International Fertilizer Association (IFA), Chairman of Saudi Public Transport Company

(SAPTCO), as well as various social and government committees, boards, and councils. He currently serves as the Vice Chairman of Maaden’s Board.

He holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Global Business from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, an MBA, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Al-Mudaifer is a transformative leader and institutional builder who bridges policy, business, and global partnerships to deliver long-term value for Saudi Arabia and the world.