In a story that highlights early entrepreneurial grit, prominent Saudi tech figure Faisal Al-Khamisi recently shared how he earned his first million Saudi Riyals (approximately $267,000) as a university student, a milestone that set the stage for a decades-long career in technology. Al-Khamisi is the Chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), a key organization driving the Kingdom’s digital transformation.
Speaking at an investment forum, Al-Khamisi recounted his journey, which began with a deep fascination for a technology that was, at the time, largely inaccessible.
From Dial-Up Curiosity To Equity
The story began in 1988 when Al-Khamisi was a first-year computer science student with an obsession for the internet. Due to its high cost in the Kingdom, he found a creative but expensive workaround.
“I heard a lot about it but I couldn’t try it because of its high cost,” Al-Khamisi explained. “To be able to use it, I used to connect via Bahrain through the dial-up system… a single minute cost three riyals (just under a dollar) through Batelco.”
His persistence led him to a small local company that offered a basic email-only service. He became a regular at their office, driven by curiosity to learn more. This enthusiasm quickly led to a part-time job offer. “I later understood the reason; I had a car, so I became the technician who goes to customers’ homes to install the dial-up connection,” he said. “I worked for free, but they gave me shares that were worthless at the time.”
The Million-Riyal Acquisition
Two years later, the landscape shifted dramatically when the internet was officially introduced in Saudi Arabia, with the government licensing over 30 companies to provide the service. These new, larger players sought experienced partners to accelerate their entry into the market.
The small company Al-Khamisi had been working for was perfectly positioned. It was acquired by one of the newly licensed providers, and the “worthless” shares he had earned for his work suddenly became highly valuable.
“Thanks to that, I made the first million riyals of my life,” Al-Khamisi concluded. “This may be unfortunate or lucky at the same time, as I left the university afterwards and started my own project.”
A Leading Figure in Saudi Tech
Today, Faisal Al-Khamisi is a major figure in the region’s technology sector with nearly 25 years of experience in IT, mobile applications, and artificial intelligence.
In addition to his role at SAFCSP, he is the Chairman of Mozat Pte Ltd, one of East Asia’s largest mobile application companies, and has served as the Chairman of the Saudi Cloud Computing Company since June 2022. He is considered one of the earliest Saudi and Arab users of X, formerly known as Twitter, and is dedicated to building professional national capabilities to contribute to the realization of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
About The Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP)
The Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP) is a national institution established to empower the local workforce and enhance their capabilities in the fields of Cybersecurity, Software Development, Drones, and Advanced Technologies, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Source: Arabian Business
