Islamabad, 18 November 2021 (TDI): The Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliki received today Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization. During the event, both officials discussed issues of common concern. AlYahya is the first woman elected as Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization.
Additionally, AlYahya met the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and considered the meeting as “a fruitful discussion” to demonstrate the power of international Digital Diplomacy. Hence, the Representative highlighted the importance of partnership in building an inclusive digital society.
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) was established in November 2020 as a partnership to pursue common values in the digital economy. The founding members are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Pakistan, and Jordan. The organization promotes common digital aspirations for economic diversification and increasing social prosperity. Moreover, it gives opportunities across the digital economy and public sector digital transformation.
Who is Deemah AlYahya?
Al-Yahya has an outstanding career in digital economy affairs. She is the founder and chief executive officer of ALMTD Consulting. It is a specialized company offering advisory services on digital innovation strategies. As well, she works as CEO and founder of Women Spark, the first Saudi women’s investment network. The company has trained more than 26,000 women in the technology industry since its inception in 2013.
AlYahya has worked in the private and public sectors, advising, designing, and orchestrating key strategic programs and initiatives. She was the first Saudi women leader at Microsoft Arabia. Likewise, she was in charge of E-services at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As part of her longstanding career, she has served on a number of boards. Among them, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council for digital economy and society, and the Global Entrepreneurship Network.
Furthermore, AlYahya completed two executive education programs on innovation culture and strategy at Harvard Business School. Her expertise is education programs on digital transformation, business development, and financial acumen. She gained a bachelor’s degree in computer science and information systems from King Saud University.
In an interview with Destination Riyadh, AlYahya declared “Show – don’t tell – others how valuable you are”. She also urges women, especially those interested in the tech industry, to get ahead of the curve. “Choose areas and fields where there is a shortage, build up your skills, and leave them no option but to hire you”, she added.
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