Fouad al-Farsi

Fouad Bin Abdulsalam al-Farsi is one of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's notable figures in media, politics, and administration, with contributions in various fields of public service. In addition to being a writer and academic, he has served as the Minister of Culture and Media, and the Minister of Hajj.

Born in Makkah al-Mukarramah in 1946, he obtained a bachelor's degree in law from Beirut Arab University in 1968, and a master's degree in international relations from Portland State University, Oregon, in 1971. He then earned both a master's and a PhD in economics, political development, and administration, focusing on the American government, from Duke University in North Carolina, USA, in 1975.

He combined his specializations in economics, politics, administration, media, and international relations. He progressed through senior government positions, starting as an assistant professor in the Faculty of Commerce, Department of Political Science, at Riyadh University (now King Saud University). He then served as Assistant Undersecretary and later Undersecretary of the Ministry of Media for Media Affairs, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Electricity, and eventually became the Minister of Culture and Media (now the Ministry of Media), followed by the Minister of Hajj (now the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah). He participated in the boards of directors of numerous governmental bodies and institutions. Dr. al-Farsi contributed significantly to the development of the Ministry of Media, particularly in the fields of television, radio, transmission stations, internal and external media, and the news agency. He also played a vital role in developing and organizing the services and projects of the Ministry of Hajj.

He was selected as a member of numerous international committees and boards of directors of major companies and institutions, including the US-Saudi Joint Committee, the Saudi representative to the Gulf Industrial Consultation Council, the Saudi-Sudanese Committee for Exploring the Treasures of the Red Sea, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, the Saudi Standards and Specifications Agency, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), the High Council for Information, and the National Industrial Gases Company (GHAZ). He also chaired the Executive Council of the Islamic Broadcasting Organization for twenty years.

He has authored around eight books in English and Arabic, including "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Comparative Studies in Development," "Current Political Disputes," "Information and International Conflict," "Information, Politics, and Other Disputes," "Authenticity and Modernity: The Saudi Parity," "King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz," "Information and Modern Challenges," and "The Crime of Time and Political Explanation."