Cisco announced a key leadership appointment for its operation in Saudi Arabia. Bader Almadi will join as Vice President, Cisco Saudi Arabia.
Based in Riyadh, Bader will lead Cisco’s strategy and commercial operations to help customers unlock the full potential of technology to support Vision 2030. He will build key partnerships to drive critical AI infrastructure across the Kingdom’s priority industries – including financial services, sports, entertainment, hospitality and energy – drawing on Cisco’s extensive partner ecosystem to ensure organisations have the technology and capabilities to compete and thrive.
Bader has over 20 years of experience in technology and sales leadership. As Managing Director for Google Cloud Saudi Arabia, he spearheaded digital transformation plans for the Saudi market across sectors including finance, healthcare, entertainment, and telecom. He delivered major achievements, including the launch of Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia (2023) and Google Pay (GPay, 2025). Previously, he held senior leadership positions at Dell Technologies, Oracle, and EMC.
“The Middle East is a vibrant hub of innovation and digital progress, and its momentum has been further accelerated by Saudi Arabia’s strategic focus on digitisation. Bader brings a wealth of leadership experience, a deep connection to the Saudi technology ecosystem, and a strong record of driving impactful digital initiatives that will be vital to steer our next phase of growth in the country,” said Gordon Thomson, President, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Cisco.
“I am honoured to join Cisco at such a pivotal moment for Saudi Arabia. Cisco has been fundamental in building the digital infrastructure that helps power Saudi Arabia’s progress. As the Kingdom advances towards Vision 2030, our technological leadership, talent and partner ecosystem position us well to empower Saudi Arabia’s digital economy and AI leadership,” said Bader Almadi, who began his career with Cisco in 2006.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Bader has helped in shaping the Kingdom’s technology landscape, serving as an advisor to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) on international partnerships. He also represented Saudi Arabia at the G20 Summit’s Digital Economy Taskforce and spearheaded initiatives at the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Cisco’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
For nearly three decades, Cisco has been a key player in Saudi Arabia’s digital evolution, aligned with the transformative goals of Vision 2030.
Cisco’s multi-layered strategy for KSA includes investing in critical infrastructure for AI, highlighted by the landmark 1 GW joint venture with AMD and HUMAIN, and fostering local manufacturing capabilities. The company is also deeply committed to developing the next generation of Saudi talent through the Cisco Networking Academy, which has already trained half a million learners across Saudi Arabia. From powering national-scale projects across critical industries via Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme to establishing local data centres that provide secure cloud services, Cisco is focused on connecting and securing Saudi Arabia’s AI future.
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