At the end of last year (21/12/2021), Saudi King Salman issued a royal decree appointing Dr. Faleh bin Abdullah Al-Sulaiman as Governor of the General Authority for Defense Development (GADD) with the rank of minister. With an extensive engineering background and managerial experience in research & development (R&D), Dr. Al-Sulaiman has a clear vision regarding industrial partnerships and areas of focus for the young, US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-like GADD.
Our 823-word special report provides a profile of Dr. Al-Sulaiman and reveals his vision for a Saudi military R&D strategy, preference for foreign partners (i.e. defense companies), and priority programs. The profile also details Dr. Al-Sulaiman’s extensive professional background in the academic sphere and relationship with Saudi Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed Bin Salman.
