Discover a lineup of local and international speakers leading dynamic discussions and delivering captivating keynote addresses. Whether you’re a seasoned industry professional or an enthusiast, at World Quantum Day there will be a topic to inspire new ideas.
For over 25 years, Dr. Basma Albuhairan has created, led, and advised innovative and ambitious initiatives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, across domains, including clinical operations, health technology adoption, business transformation, education, investment, and innovation. She is an accomplished leader with a distinguished record of achievements spanning strategy, development, and transformation across industries, with a specialization in establishing, leading, and managing public-private partnerships. She is currently the Managing Director of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Affiliate Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Centre in Saudi Arabia, which supports the Kingdom’s “Vision 2030” as a platform for multi-stakeholder collaboration to maximize the benefits of 4IR in the Kingdom and to minimize their associated risks. A healthcare professional and academic by background, Dr. AlBuhairan has deep expertise in setting up greenfield healthcare facilities and operations, healthcare transformation, education, investment development, and innovation. Furthermore, she was a key Senior Advisor and a member of the Founding Team of the Research Development Innovation Authority (RDI Authority). She has helped King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh (Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs) commission, set up, and manage clinical departments, and lead cross-collaborative initiatives in areas such as patient safety. She then became a healthcare and university relations leader at IBM, leading key strategic relationships in the healthcare and education portfolio. Subsequently, Dr. AlBuhairan co-led the commissioning and setup of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital and served as its Deputy CEO. In conjunction to this role, she also led the establishment of the Princess Nourah University Health Sciences and Research Center. Dr. AlBuhairan also served as Chief Events Management and Business Development Officer at the National Center of Events and as an advisor to the Minister of Investment. Before that, she was an Advisor to the Governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and led the Healthcare and Life Sciences Sector where she was instrumental in attracting multinational life sciences organizations to the Kingdom. A hallmark of Dr. AlBuhairan’s career has been her agility, strong ability to lead, and skills in cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary communications and collaborations. Being passionate about lifelong learning and imparting her knowledge and experience to others, Dr. Albuhairan has mentored many individuals across diverse cultural backgrounds. She was an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, University of Utah, USA. She holds a PhD in Public Health & Health Services Research (Sheffield University, UK); and two Master’s, in Molecular Biology (Brown University, USA) and in Public Health (Sheffield University, UK). Dr. AlBuhairan sits on several boards/councils, such as the WEF Global Future Councils on the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains. She is also a fellow of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowships Organization and was awarded the Ward Wheelock Fellow Award in 2013.
Dr. Talal bin Ahmed Alsedairy is a distinguished figure in Saudi Arabia's scientific and technological landscape, known for his dedication to advancing innovation and progress. He currently serves as the Senior Vice President for Research and Development at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), where he oversees the National Lab function. With a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Dr. Alsedairy was among Saudi Arabia's pioneering engineers in the field of 5th-generation mobile communications and research. Dr. Alsedairy's expertise extends beyond his role at KACST. He is the president of the Scientific Committee at the King Salman Center for Disability Research. He is also a member of several prestigious boards, including the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center, King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Talent and Creativity, Communications and Space Technology Authority, and the board of trustees of the King Salman Center for Disability Research. Throughout his career, Dr. Alsedairy has been instrumental in establishing key national entities. He contributed to the formation of RDIA, the Saudi Space Commission, the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), and Joint Centers with the California Institute of Technology. His strategic vision has also been crucial in developing nationwide strategies for Vision 2030, and he has participated in various national committees. In the realm of space exploration, Dr. Alsedairy previously supervised the Institute of Space and Aviation Research and directed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Lunar Mission Collaboration. In this capacity, he led Saudi delegations to international space agencies, including China Space Agency and NASA. His leadership extended to critical national initiatives, such as directing aeronautic applications in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sebastian Buckup has 15+ years’ experience of leading high performing interdisciplinary teams across offices in Geneva, New York, Beijing, and San Francisco. He currently co-heads the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, leading amongst other’s the Centre’s Deep Tech Team and the Global Fourth Industrial Revolution Network. Sebastian is a certified facilitator and regular commentator on issues at the intersection of technology, society, and the economy.
Arunima is Head of Frontier technologies leading the Forum’s communities and initiatives and shaping global, regional, and industry conversations around the responsible adoption of frontier technologies like autonomous mobility and robotics, biotech and quantum. She has led the Co design of governance protocol and technology policy frameworks for several initiatives in artificial intelligence and quantum computing with multi stakeholder communities for maximum benefit to society and mitigating any unwanted outcomes, biases and risks. Arunima has 25+ years of experience in corporate growth and strategy initiatives and technology policy with special focus on data, analytics and artificial intelligence, quantum . She is an expert in Global Partnership on AI working group on Responsible AI. She has led the Global Applied intelligence Research of Accenture and also worked in technology consulting and research roles in organizations like Gartner.
He is an electrical engineer from KFUPM, holding a Master's in Engineering in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from McMaster University, Canada. With a focus on Microelectronics and Photonics, he has conducted extensive applied research. For over four years, he has led transformative projects in research, development, and innovation in emerging technologies within the technology deputyship at MCIT in KSA. Currently, he serves as the Director of Technology Development.
Ilyas founded Cambridge Quantum in 2014 and was the founding CEO of Quantinuum, the company created as a result of the merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum. As well as being Vice-Chairman of the board of directors, he is also the Chief Product Officer of Quantinuum and part of the executive leadership team of the company.
Rebecca is the co-founder and CEO of QuSecure, a global product leader in quantum-safe cybersecurity. Previously, Rebecca was the CEO of quantum computing venture studio Quantum Thought and co-founded QuForce which provides microgrants and mentorship to those seeking to enter the quantum computing workforce. She served from 2020-2024 on the World Economic Forum's Global Futures Council on Quantum and is an editor for the AI Ethics Journal. She has been recognized in Forbes' 2020 "30 Under 30" list in Science and in Inc.’s 2025 Female Founders 500 list. Rebecca graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Symbolic Systems.
An accomplished IT leader with 24+ years of achievements with diversified knowledge in IT business solutions, Digital Transformation, Business Continuity Management and Disaster Recovery. Leading the Quantum Computing team at Saudi Aramco and holding the Chairman of Board of Directors of Saudi Quantum Computing Association. Holds a Master’s degree in Quantum Computing and has published technical papers in Quantum Algorithms and industrial implementations.
Dr. Mariam Nouh is a distinguished leader in cyber security and digital technology with over 14 years of experience. As Vice President of the Economies of the Future sector at KACST, she drives R&D in space tech, smart cities, mobility, and emerging technologies, including AI, robotics, and quantum. Previously, she held key leadership roles as Director of KACST’s Communication and IT Research Institute, Director of the Joint Centers of Excellence Program, and Managing Director of C4IR Saudi Arabia. A member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Connected World, Dr. Nouh contributes to global cyber research and governance. She is a recognized expert in cyber security, AI, and data privacy and a published author with 30+ peer-reviewed papers. A sought-after speaker and advisor, she is dedicated to advancing innovation, collaboration, and technology-driven impact on a global scale.
Ibrahim Neyaz is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Technology Development Program (NTDP) in Saudi Arabia, a position he has held since June 2022. In this role, he leads initiatives to advance the nation's technological landscape, fostering innovation and supporting the growth of tech startups. Before joining NTDP, Mr. Neyaz co-founded and served on the board of directors for Brixel, a cloud-based point-of-sale program, since 2020. He also co-founded Tech Ark Company in Saudi Arabia, where he was a board member from January 2013 to December 2022. His extensive experience includes several key positions such as Acting CEO and Head of Portfolio Management at the Saudi Tourism Investment Company from 2021 to 2022. Additionally, he served at the National Center for Performance Measurement of Public Agencies (Adaa), as Director General in 2019, Executive Director of Performance Measurement from June 2017 to January 2019, and Executive Director of Capacity Development between 2016 and 2017. Ibrahim holds a Master's degree in Management Information Systems from Central Michigan University, obtained in 2013, and a Bachelor's degree in Information Systems from King Saud University, earned in 2004.
Dr. Muhamad Felemban is the Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Intelligent Secure System at KFUPM. He is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Engineering department and the Information and Computer Science department at KFUPM. He serves as the coordinator of the Quantum Computing programs at KFUPM. He taught several graduate and undergraduate courses in quantum computing and technology. Dr. Muhamad is spareheading the quantum computing initiatives at KFUPM. Dr. Muhamad earned his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University, his MSc in Computer Science from KAUST, and his BSc in Computer Engineering from KFUPM. His research interests include data security and privacy, and quantum computing. Dr. Muhamad is a founding member of the Saudi Quantum Computing Association.
Dr. Raneem AlSelaimi is a distinguished leader in both the public and private sectors, currently serving as the Deputy Managing Director of C4IR Saudi Arabia. With a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Curtin University, Dr. AlSelaimi brings a wealth of expertise in international relations, economic planning, and academia. In 2019, Dr. AlSelaimi joined the Ministry of Economy and Planning, where she played a pivotal role in spearheading Saudi Arabia's engagement with the World Economic Forum. Her strategic vision and leadership were instrumental during the G20 Summit in 2020, where she served as an advisor to the L20 group on labor market policy. Prior to her tenure at the Ministry, Dr. AlSelaimi was the MBA Director at Prince Sultan University, where she was recognized for her innovative approach to business education. Her collaboration with the World Bank on various public-private policy recommendations further underscores her commitment to fostering sustainable economic development.
David Keyes is professor of applied mathematics, computer science, and mechanical engineering at KAUST, where he was founding dean in 2009 and founding director of the Extreme Computing Research Center. He earned a BSE from Princeton, a PhD from Harvard, and has taught at Yale, Old Dominion, and Columbia. He has received ACM’s Gordon Bell Prize, IEEE’s Sidney Fernbach Award, is a fellow of SIAM, AMS, and AAAS, and was named a “legend of HPC” by HPCWire in 2024. He has help bring three top20 supercomputers to Saudi Arabia and led the Kingdom to four Gordon Bell Prize finalist nominations.
As SandboxAQ’s founding member at Alphabet, Stefan led the transformation of cutting-edge theories into impactful, scalable solutions. His expertise spans the development of Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) that tackle real-world challenges across industries. Holding a Ph.D. in Physics from UC Berkeley and with research experience at Caltech, Stefan bridges academic rigor with industry innovation.
An advocate for innovation, with a proven leadership track record at Saudi Aramco and a 15 years professional experience, deeply interested in digital breakthroughs and their potential of disrupting industry. Managed many Digital and IT projects at Aramco, including the establishment of the IT Lab of Excellence, and the Saudi Accelerated Innovation Lab (SAIL), building on experience in the Corporate Data Center project and the AI for IT Operations program. Held leadership roles in the fields of Data Center Operations, Contracting and Procurement, IT Infrastructure Operations Coordination, Project Management, to presently managing the corporate digital innovation hub.
He is responsible for the strategic growth of SpeQtral globally and is focused on helping governments and enterprises around the world to secure and future-proof their communication infrastructures for the quantum era. Before co-founding SpeQtral in 2018, Lum held leadership positions in industry and business development at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Centre for Quantum Technologies and SES, a global satellite telecommunication services provider. With over 20 years of quantum, space and telecommunications experience under his belt, Lum brings a unique blend of technical and business experience across the quantum and space sectors and is playing an active role in realizing quantum safe communications in Singapore and beyond.
Prof. Mohamed Bourennane is a professor at Stockholm University. He has obtained his PhD from the Royal institute of Technology, Stockholm. He was a researcher at Munich University and Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, Germany. He has obtained the prestigious senior research fellow from the Swedish Research Council (VR). Today, he has established one of the world leading research groups in quantum communication at Stockholm University. He has initiated and led projects financed from VR, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, ABB-Hitachi, and European Union. He is an elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Sadaf is a senior executive at the World Economic Forum, serving as the Head of Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation Ecosystems at UpLink, the Forum’s impact innovation ecosystem. In this role, she drives the expansion of a global innovation network, mobilizing resources, and leading cross-functional teams to unlock corporate, public, and philanthropic funding. Her work focuses on forging strategic, value-based partnerships and implementing high-impact initiatives to accelerate early-stage, impact-driven startups that create positive change for people and the planet. Previously, Sadaf played a key role in the Forum’s business engagement across the Middle East and Africa, advising C-suite executives on corporate strategy and partnerships. A believer in lifelong learning and purpose-driven leadership, Sadaf is a Global Leadership Fellow at the Forum. She holds an MBA from the University of Nottingham and a Bachelor of Science in Physics. Inspired by the Yin and Yang philosophy, Sadaf is deeply passionate about humanity, justice, and equality, and she strongly values freedom and balance in all aspects of life.