Cisco has appointed Bader Almadi as Vice President for Saudi Arabia, effective from Riyadh. Almadi brings more than 20 years of technology and sales leadership experience, most recently as Managing Director of Google Cloud Saudi Arabia, where he led the cloud platform’s 2023 market launch and the rollout of Google Pay in 2025. Earlier roles included senior positions at Dell Technologies, Oracle, and EMC.
In his new capacity, Almadi will oversee Cisco’s commercial strategy and operations in the Kingdom, with a specific focus on AI infrastructure deployment across financial services, energy, sports, entertainment, and hospitality — sectors central to Vision 2030’s diversification agenda. He has previously advised the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on international partnerships and represented the Kingdom at the G20 Digital Economy Taskforce and the World Economic Forum.
The appointment follows Cisco’s separate naming of a new VP and General Manager for the broader MEA region last month, signalling a reinforcement of the company’s Saudi-specific leadership structure as demand for AI-ready networking infrastructure accelerates across the Gulf.
Editor’s Note: Cisco’s decision to install dedicated country-level leadership in Saudi Arabia, separate from its MEA regional structure, reflects the Kingdom’s growing weight as a standalone technology market. Watch whether Almadi’s government advisory background accelerates Cisco’s positioning on national AI infrastructure programmes such as SDAIA-linked initiatives.
