H.E. Eng. Abdullah Al-Mogbel graduated from the Saudi University of Petroleum and Minerals in 1978, with a degree in civil engineering. He began his prestigious career in the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Communication. From 2012-2014 he was the Mayor of Riyadh and from 2014 to 2016 was the Minister of Transport, working on some of Saudi Arabia's largest infrastructure projects.

Keen to promote training in tunnelling and underground space throughout the world, his excellency initiated the idea to set up a foundation to help developing countries in particular to train their engineers. This idea was unanimously welcomed by the ITA and thanks to the generous donations of its founders, the "ITACET Foundation for Education and Training in Tunnelling and Underground Space Use" was officially created in 2009, naming Mr Al-Mogbel as its President.

His excellency has also chaired the Internation Road Federation since 2011, and has been considerably involved in the IRF’s Fellowship Program, which notably provides grants to young engineers to study at top universities around the world.

Curriculum Vitae:

Name: ENG. ABDULLAH A. M. AL-MOGBEL        

Date of Birth: August 20, 1954                                                                                                   

Education: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (With Honor), University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, K.S.A., 1978.

Career History:

• Minister of Transport - Saudi Arabia - from 2014‪/12‪/8 to 2016‪/5‪/8
• Mayor of Riyadh

• Deputy Minister of Transport (Communications before) – Roads.

• Assistant Deputy Minister of Communications – Technical Affairs.
• Director General of Design ad Studies Dept., Ministry of Communications.
• Supervisory Engineer, Riyadh Ring Road and Kingdom's Expressways, Ministry of Communications.
• Supervisory Engineer, Maintenance Projects, Ministry of Communications.

Affiliations:                       

In Saudi Arabia:

• Chairman of Board, Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO), from 1998.
• Chairman, the National Strategy of Transport's Committee.
• Member, High Commission for Development of Makkah.
• Member of the Advisory Council of the Supreme Commission for Tourism.
• Member, Saudi Engineers Authority.
• Member, Saudi Society of Urban Science.
• Member of Board, Saudi Ports Authority, until 16-06-1416(1996).
• Member of Board, Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), till 13-04-1426.
• Member of Board, the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, until 2-06-1432.
• National Coordinator, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with the Ministry of Transport, until 23-06-2012.
• Member, the High Commission for the Development of Riyadh(HCDR).

• Member, HCDR's Transportation Committee, until 23-06-2012.
• Member, HCDR's Supreme Committee for Environment Protection.
• Member, Supreme Commission for Traffic Safety in the Kingdom.
• Member, Supreme Commission for Traffic Safety in the City of Riyadh.

• Member of Board, Saudi Arabian Authority for Railways (SAAR), until     23-06-2012.

Regional:

• President, Arab Intelligent Transport Systems Organization(ITS-Arab) from November 2006 till now.
• Chairman, Board of Directors, Gulf Road Engineering Society, Dubai, United Arab Emirates,from 2009 till now.

International:

• Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF) Washington, from March 2011.
• President, ITA-CET Foundation for Education and Training, Switzerland, from September 2009.
• Vice Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF), till March 2011.
• Vice President, International Road Education Foundation (IREF),till March 2011.
• Vice President, Dr. Mino Award, International Road Federation(IRF),till March 2011.
• Member, Coordination Council of the ITS-America.
• Fellow, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), USA.
• Member, International Road & Research Documentation Program (IRRD), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), France.
• Member, International Tunneling and Underground Space Association (ITA-ITES), France.
• Member, Transportation Research Board's committees (TRB), Washington.
• Senior Delegate, World Road Association (PIARC), FRANCE.
• Member, Board of Directors, International Road Federation (IRF)- Geneva Branch.
• Member, World Executive Board of International Road Federation (WEB-IRF).

Awards:

• International Medal of Appreciation from the Chairman of the European Organization of Roads and Spanish Road Association, 2012.
• Award, "Best Official in Public Sector", from Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI), Naseba and the Cities Expansion Conference in Riyadh, 2009.
• Award winner of prize for the project "Management of Traffic and Intelligent Transport Systems", from IRF, 2009.
• "Man of the YEAR 2007", International Road Federation (IRF)
• Medal of Appreciation, from the Federation of Italian Industrial Chambers, 2007
• Letter of Appreciation, from HRH Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Defense Minister and General Inspector.

• Armor of Appreciation, from HRH Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior.
• Letter of Appreciation, from H.R.H. Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region.

• Letter of Thanks and Appreciation, from US Secretary of Transportation.

• Armor of Appreciation, from US Department  of Transportation.
• Armor of Appreciation, from United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
• Medal of Appreciation, from Mayor of the City of Palermo City, Italy.
• Armor of Appreciation, from Al-Ain Municipality, UAE.
• Medal of Appreciation, from Ministry of Transportation & Communications, Taiwan.
• Armor of Appreciation, from Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI).
• Armor of Appreciation, from the 5th Saudi Engineering Conference, Umm Al-Qura University.
• Armor of Appreciation, from Commander of the Command and Staff College, Saudi Arabia.
• Armor of Appreciation, from General Director of Public Security, Saudi Arabia.
• Armor of Appreciation, from Public Security Department, Saudi Arabia.
• Armor of Appreciation, from Umm Al-Qura University.
• Armor of Appreciation, from Saudi Society of Urban Science.
• Armor of Appreciation, from the Second International Conference on Geo-technical and Geo-environmental Engineering in Arid Lands, King Saud University.
• Armor of Appreciation, from Prince Sultan Airbase.
• Armor of Appreciation, from the 6th Saudi Engineering Conference, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.
• Armor of Appreciation, from the 1st Saudi Engineering Forum, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.
• ITACET Foundation Award 2014 In Brazil