Jamal Abed

I was referred to THNK by Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud.

I was born in the summer of 1970 in a small town called Taif in the West of Saudi Arabia. Back then, Taif was considered the best summer destination in Saudi Arabia; so it was pretty convenient. I come from a relatively large family with 6 siblings, myself being among the youngest. My father was a dentist, my mother a housewife, my three sisters are doctors and my brothers are engineers. Coming from such an educated and well accomplished family left me no choice but to feel the challenge from the day I was born.

I am a Leo, enjoy sports and like arts, love to travel and can't get enough of good food. I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and received my degree from King Saud University in Chemical Engineering in 1994. I worked as an engineer for three years and then decided to pursue my MIS degree in the US between 1997 and 2000. My wife was my schoolmate, and it did not take us much to know that we were soul-mates as well. We planned our lives and our careers together and got married in January 2000. For two years we lived in the beautiful Washington DC before we decided to move back to Saudi in December 2001. My wife is an amazing psychologist and she is dedicating her life to the children and people with special needs. She is also an active volunteer in multiple charities and NGOs.

I have three beautiful children, Judy (10 years old), Yousif (7 years old), and Lana (4 years old). They are my first priority in life and the source of my true joy. My purpose in life has somewhat crystallized since I started my own business in Project Management consultancy. I began looking at life differently and decided that I wanted to be part of meaningful projects that would benefit my country. I am in a continuous search for my real purpose and believe I am still being prepared for it. In the mean time, I want to take life a bit slower and spend more time doing pro bono and social activities.

I am joining the THNK program to meet interesting, productive people and to bring a different perspective to my community.  Through the program I hope to learn a lot and have the chance to help others. My ultimate goal is to help the less fortunate and benefit humanity on a global level.