Dr Majed Algarni - Best CEO from Asia 2025

From applying AI models to support Hajj operations, one of the world’s largest and most complex human gatherings, to contributing to mega national initiatives like NEOM, Dr Majed Algarni’s work has unfolded at a scale where technology becomes infrastructure, not experimentation. These are environments where reliability, precision, and foresight define success, and where digital systems must perform under immense human, operational, and national pressure. Working at this level has shaped a leadership mindset grounded in accountability, resilience, and impact.

This foundation informed a career that began with hands-on web development and steadily expanded into roles as trainer, consultant, data scientist, and digital transformation leader. Across more than two decades, Dr Majed has operated at the intersection of emerging technologies and institutional reality, directing complex programmes, supervising large-scale initiatives, and ensuring innovation is matched by governance and execution discipline. That journey ultimately led him to entrepreneurship and Wakeb CEO and his current role as a Wakeb board member.

At Wakeb, Dr Majed has translated experience into measurable excellence. The company has achieved the elite CMMI Level 5 certification, earned recognition as a Best Place to Work through a people-first culture, demonstrated continuity and growth during the COVID-19 period, and developed one of the most advanced Arabic generative language models. Together, these milestones underline his focus on building AI capabilities that are localised, trusted, and built to endure, positioning Wakeb at the forefront of meaningful, scalable innovation.

Speaking with TradeFlock, he revisits his journey and explains his winning strategies.

During Wakeb’s early days, what obstacles stood out, and how did they shape your leadership?

In Wakeb’s early days, the challenges were very basic but critical. The AI market wasn’t mature, requirements were often unclear, and there was a lot of confusion about what AI could and couldn’t realistically do. Integrating emerging technologies into existing, traditional products was also difficult, especially with limited or poor-quality data.

What this phase taught us was the importance of rapid prototyping and wide exaptation. We learnt to set high expectations, ensure AI supports human decision-making rather than replaces it, and focus on aligning artificial intelligence with responsible AI. Translating complex technology into simple business value became straightforward guidelines.

How has Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation shaped your leadership?

The Kingdom’s strategic focus on building a strong digital economy has had the greatest influence on my leadership style. The shift toward developing fully local, nationally owned digital products required a deeper emphasis on ownership, internal capability-building, and long-term scalability. I adapted by investing in talent and strengthening Wakeb’s core technology foundations.

At the same time, improved digital infrastructure, higher organisational maturity, better data availability, and strong government support accelerated AI adoption across sectors. Increased competition on AI adoption and emerging technologies business cases raised expectations around quality and impact. This environment pushed me to lead with agility, accountability, and a clear focus on delivering scalable, high-impact digital solutions.

Years from now, what do you hope will define your biggest contribution?

I am passionate about orchestrating the full AI stack, from chips to applications, data to MLOps, and startups to unicorns. My focus is leading large-scale initiatives that enable kingdom-wide technology adoption and deliver regional leadership.

I am committed to accelerating deep-tech startups to maximise their impact on the national knowledge economy and regional tech markets. Leveraging years of AI development, I aim to drive significant corporate social responsibility initiatives and create nonprofit spinoffs, generating meaningful societal and technological value.

How have challenges shifted over time, and how have you adapted?

Today, the challenge is speed. Technologies now evolve daily or weekly, and solutions adopted without continuous adaptation risk becoming obsolete almost immediately. In response, we shifted from transferring technology to actively tracking, anticipating, and co-developing it.

This strategy rests on three pillars. First, technology foresight—investing in the ability to anticipate trends rather than react late. Second, architectural and development agility—rapidly updating and rebuilding solutions through continuous improvement cycles. Third, strategic collaboration with global and local technology institutions, enabling co-creation and a sustainable innovation ecosystem.

Another significant challenge is the sheer scale of generative AI, with over 1.5 million models globally. We addressed this by developing automated model evaluation frameworks and establishing an internal Centre of Competency to ensure responsible, explainable, and high-impact AI adoption, supporting Wakeb’s growth and leadership in advanced technologies.

As agentic AI emerges, what steps are you taking to prepare both personally and organisationally?

We prepare for agentic AI by transitioning from narrow to augmented intelligence, ensuring that insights lead to action while maintaining safety and performance standards. We embed human-machine teaming to create new business models and achieve levels of autonomy previously unattainable. Personally and organisationally, we practise foresight, pursue continuous learning, and enforce strong governance. This approach allows us to responsibly drive innovation, scale capabilities, and confidently advance toward the era of agentic AI while keeping both safety and performance at the forefront.