Refine Your Search
...
Media Room
NewsNews
Our shared values keep us connected and guide us as one team.
...
30 July, 2026
The Financial Academy celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of the Saudi Elite Graduate Program in Asset Management, delivered in partnership with State Street, with the aim of developing highly qualified Saudi talent in asset management by combining local market knowledge with global expertise and hands-on training. The ceremony honored eight graduates, selected from more than 500 applicants. The graduates are: Abdullah Fareed Mohammed Sulaih, Mubarak Mohammed Adi Al-Dosari, Talal Abdullah Hussain Al-Qahtani, Abdullah Mohammed Abdullah Al-Bunyan, Meshari Mohammed Mufreh Al-Surai, Hala Ayman Taher, Alanoud Waleed Al-Halwan, and Badr Mohammed Shabab Al-Buqami. Over the course of an intensive three-month journey, participants progressed from professional and regulatory training in Saudi Arabia to practical training at State Street’s offices in London. The program was designed to transform theoretical knowledge into practical expertise and prepare participants for careers in asset management within leading global institutions. The program consisted of three integrated phases. It began with the “Elite Development” phase, focusing on professional conduct, executive presence, and leadership skills. The second phase, “Regulatory Readiness and Institutional Sustainability,” deepened participants’ understanding of regulations, governance, compliance, and risk management. The final phase, “Professional Asset Management,” provided immersive practical training and real-world application. During the international training phase in London, participants gained hands-on experience across several of State Street’s business areas, including trading and markets, global operations, custody services, transition management, fixed income, quantitative modeling, systematic strategies, capital markets, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Working within multidisciplinary teams, participants experienced institutional workflows, learned global best practices, and applied technical knowledge related to portfolio management, asset allocation, and investment analysis in a real-world environment. The program is one of the outcomes of the Financial Academy Forum 2025, during which six strategic initiatives and ten partnership agreements with leading local and international institutions were launched to advance human capital development in the financial sector. The program focuses on developing a comprehensive set of technical and behavioral competencies, including career readiness, professional and leadership presence, high-performance teamwork, the practical application of technical concepts, and the ability to operate with a global institutional mindset while understanding the principles of governance, compliance, and risk management in investment practices. The graduation of the first cohort marks the program’s transition from launch to tangible impact, contributing to the development of a highly qualified pool of Saudi asset management professionals. It strengthens graduates’ readiness to support the growth of the financial sector and meet its future workforce needs, in line with the Financial Academy’s mission to develop and empower human capital in Saudi Arabia’s financial sector.
29 July, 2026
The Financial Academy has been awarded the ISO 10001:2018 certification for guidelines on codes of conduct for customer satisfaction, marking a significant achievement that reflects its commitment to applying global best practices in enhancing the customer experience and establishing an integrated framework that strengthens the quality of its services. This makes the Academy one of the first entities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to receive this international certification. The certificate was received by Mr. Ali Alhaydan, Chief Strategy Officer at the Financial Academy, during a ceremony held at the Academy’s headquarters in Riyadh. The event was attended by representatives of FAHSS, along with a number of Academy employees and professionals interested in quality and institutional excellence. On this occasion, Mr. Ahmed Almuhandis stated that obtaining the ISO 10001:2018 certification reflects the Academy’s ongoing commitment to improving the quality of services provided to its customers. He noted that this recognition is the result of adopting the highest standards of quality and institutional excellence across the Academy’s operations, training initiatives, and professional programs. The Academy received the certification after fulfilling all requirements of the international standard ISO 10001:2018, which provides a framework for developing and implementing codes of conduct related to customer satisfaction. The standard contributes to improving the customer experience and enhancing trust in the services provided. The scope of the certification covers the Academy’s training programs, professional certifications, events, and seminars, confirming the application of customer satisfaction standards across its various services. This certification further supports the Financial Academy’s efforts to strengthen its quality and continuous improvement framework, enhance service efficiency, and advance its role in developing the capabilities of professionals in the financial sector in line with global best practices and international standards.
06 July, 2026
Medgulf and the Financial Academy have celebrated the graduation of the second cohort of the Graduate Development Program, implemented within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two organizations. The program aims to qualify and empower national talent to join the insurance sector through a comprehensive training journey that combines professional preparation and practical application, in alignment with the sector's needs and in support of national workforce readiness. The program embodied a successful model of integration between the Financial Academy and Medgulf in investing in human capital. It received more than 7,000 applicants, who underwent multiple stages of screening and assessment, ultimately resulting in the selection of 16 graduates , both male and female , who successfully completed the program and joined Medgulf as full-time employees. The program comprised 43 training courses delivered by 24 trainers and subject-matter experts, spanning seven months across 165 training days — including 59 days of on-the-job training — for a total of 1,320 training hours, of which 472 were hands-on practical hours. This contributed to developing participants' technical, insurance-related, and interpersonal skills, and raising their professional readiness to enter the workforce. Umar Al-Mahmoud, Chief Executive Officer of Medgulf, stated that investing in national talent is a fundamental pillar for the sustainable growth of the insurance sector, affirming that the program reflects the success of the partnership with the Financial Academy in preparing nationally qualified professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to integrate into the work environment and contribute to the sector's development. For his part, Mohammed Alhamazany, Chief of Capability Development at the Financial Academy, affirmed that the program embodies the Academy's commitment to building strategic partnerships with leading institutions in the financial sector to develop national competencies. He noted that the outcomes of the second cohort reflect the program's quality and its success in producing graduates with the professional readiness that meets the insurance sector's needs. The program achieved notable results: participant satisfaction reached 95%, and a 100% employment and retention rate was recorded among graduates following program completion , underscoring the success of the partnership between the Financial Academy and Medgulf in delivering an effective model for human capital development, in support of Saudi Vision 2030 targets. The program is an extension of the strategic partnership between the Financial Academy and Medgulf, which aims to develop national competencies, enhance professional knowledge, and equip graduates to join the insurance sector with the highest levels of readiness , contributing to the sustained growth of the financial sector in the Kingdom.
23 June, 2026
The Financial Academy, in collaboration with S&P Global Ratings, is hosting a series of free specialized workshops throughout 2026, targeting professionals working in capital market institutions, as well as students, graduates, and investors with an interest in finance and economics. The first workshop, held recently, covered the fundamentals of credit ratings and provided a comprehensive practical overview of the rating process and its key concepts, equipping participants with the knowledge needed to interpret credit market developments and make informed financial decisions. The workshop was presented by Mr. Ahmed Al-Sadah, Managing Director and Country Head of S&P Global Ratings in Saudi Arabia, who affirmed that this collaboration reflects both parties’ firm commitment to advancing financial culture and knowledge within the Kingdom’s financial sector. The second workshop will be delivered by Mr. Alan Fitzpatrick, Head of Investment Management Sector Leadership at S&P Global Sustainable1. It will offer participants a comprehensive understanding of sustainability and climate in support of financial decision-making, linking sustainability concepts to financial risk, credit, and capital allocation. The workshop will also highlight alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and introduce the tools, frameworks, and methodologies — non-commercial — used across the financ ial sector. Timucin Engin, Managing Director and Head of National Scale Ratings for Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, stated that collaborating with the Financial Academy on this initiative represents an important step, reaffirming the commitment to supporting the development of the Kingdom’s rapidly growing capital markets through the sharing of global expertise and knowledge. The Financial Academy is an entity with an independent legal and administrative identity, organizationally affiliated with the Chairman of the Capital Market Authority Board. Its mission is to qualify, develop, and advance human capital in the financial sector by building the knowledge, capabilities, skills, and financial literacy of its professionals — including executive leadership and board members of sector institutions — and to contribute to developing best practices in the field. The Academy serves all entities across the financial sector, including banking, finance, insurance, and the capital market.
12 May, 2026
The Financial Academy has launched the "Professional Certificate in Skills Framework Practices," the Kingdom's first specialized certificate in financial skills frameworks, aimed at empowering HR professionals to leverage skills as a strategic driver for business execution and organizational performance. The program explores different types of skills — behavioral and technical — along with the mechanisms for assessing and developing them, and how to effectively integrate them across various HR practices, including talent acquisition, performance management, and organizational development. The program targets several key objectives, most notably: understanding competencies and their application in driving business strategy, recognizing the strategic value of competencies in enhancing performance, and differentiating between behavioral and technical competencies. It also covers how to identify, assess, and develop both competency types through their application across HR processes, align competency frameworks with the Financial Academy's Financial Skills Framework, define the roles of HR and business units in sustaining competency adoption, and develop an action plan for implementation. The Financial Academy recently launched the "Financial Skills Framework" (Rakeeza), designed to enable organizations and individuals to develop professional capabilities and align skills with the actual requirements of job roles in the financial sector. The Framework includes the "Financial Skills Dictionary," a comprehensive reference for skills linked to job roles across four key sectors: Banking, Capital Markets, Insurance, and Financing. The Framework covers 160 skills distributed across 54 job families and 275 job roles, divided into two main categories: technical competencies and behavioral competencies. Each skill encompasses five proficiency levels: Developing, Supporting, Applying, Leading, and Shaping — contributing to the development of clear career pathways, supporting HR practices, and enhancing the efficiency of national talent in the financial sector. The Financial Academy is an independent legal and administrative entity, organizationally linked to the Chairman of the Capital Market Authority Board. It is dedicated to qualifying, developing, and advancing human capital in the financial sector by enhancing the knowledge, capabilities, skills, and professional culture of those working within it — including executive leadership and board members of financial sector entities — while contributing to the development of best professional practices. The Academy serves all entities across the financial sector: banking, financing, insurance, and the capital market.
08 June, 2026
The Financial Academy has launched the "Women in Leadership" initiative, a pioneering national strategic program designed to enhance and develop female leadership across the Kingdom’s financial services ecosystem. The launch took place during a ceremony attended by several female leaders, representatives from regulatory bodies and financial institutions, alongside academic and strategic partners. The initiative supports the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 aimed at increasing women's participation in the labor market and boosting the competitiveness and diversity of the national economy. It achieves this by providing an integrated pathway that enables female talents to develop their leadership and professional capabilities, thereby strengthening their presence in executive positions and decision-making roles within the financial sector. Mr. Mana bin Mohammed Al-Khamsan, CEO of the Financial Academy, explained that the "Women in Leadership" initiative stems from the Academy's belief that building specialized leadership is a key enabler for the sustainable growth and competitiveness of the financial sector. He noted that the upcoming phase demands leaders who possess the capability to make strategic decisions, drive transformation, and create a sustainable institutional impact. Al-Khamsan added that the initiative was designed in partnership with London Business School and the Governance Center to provide an integrated leadership pathway. This pathway combines executive training, professional mentorship, and qualification for board membership, contributing to preparing qualified female leaders to shape the future across various financial services sectors and reinforcing their presence in executive and decision-making positions. He further indicated that the initiative targets more than 2,000 female leaders across various financial services sectors. This includes 400 leaders in executive and senior management roles, and 100 candidates for board memberships. This will expand the base of qualified national talents, raise the level of women's leadership representation in the Saudi financial sector, and support the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Financial Sector Development Program. For her part, Ms. Deemah bin Yahya Al-Yahya, Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization and Board Member of Saudi National Bank (SNB), emphasized that the Kingdom has moved past the question of women’s participation to a phase of expanding their influence at the highest levels of leadership, decision-making, and governance. She pointed out that women now occupy more than 44% of senior and middle management positions in the Kingdom—a surge of over 50% compared to 2017—highlighting that Saudi women are no longer merely participating in the national economic transformation, but have become its drivers. Al-Yahya stated that today's challenge is no longer about discovering female talent, but rather about ensuring the availability of leadership pathways that provide them with the necessary experience and opportunities to reach executive positions and board memberships. She noted that while mentorship builds capabilities, professional sponsorship creates opportunities, emphasizing that the financial sector needs leaders who open doors for talents rather than just offering them advice. She added that the question is no longer whether women are ready to lead, but whether our institutions are creating enough pathways to empower this leadership. It is worth noting that the Financial Academy is a legally and administratively independent entity, organizationally linked to the Chairman of the Board of the Capital Market Authority (CMA). It aims to qualify, cultivate, and develop human resources within the financial sector by enhancing the knowledge, capabilities, skills, and culture of its professionals—including executive management and board members of sector establishments. It also contributes to developing best professional practices relevant to the sector, targeting all entities within the financial ecosystem, including banking, finance, insurance, and the capital market.
03 June, 2026
The Financial Academy (TFA) has announced strategic partnerships under the "Development of Securities Industry" initiative, recognizing the pivotal role of partners in supporting development solutions tailored to the capital market sector. The list of partners included Saudi Tadawul Group, Saudi Fransi Capital (BSF Capital) , Alinma Capital and Derayah Financial . The initiative is one of the Academy’s flagship undertakings in 2026. The partners involved have contributed to strengthening the ecosystem of securities products, thereby enhancing the sustainability of development industry-specific programs and advancing the national talent upskilling drive, in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. The Financial Academy (TFA) is an entity with an independent, legal and administrative status. It is organizationally located under the Chairman of the Board of the Capital Market Authority (CMA). The Academy is dedicated to qualifying the financial secto r’s human capital, including senior managers and board members, by advancing their knowledge, capabilities, skills and culture. TFA also develops and promotes best professional financial practices, targeting all components of the financial services sector including banking, finance, insurance and capital market.
11 May, 2026
The Advisory Committee for Human Capital Development in the Banking Sector held its periodic meeting, chaired by Mr. Mohammed Alhamzany and attended by all its members, at the Financial Academy's headquarters in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Riyadh. The Committee discussed a number of items on its agenda that contribute to the development of the banking sector in the Kingdom, keeping pace with the latest updates and developments related to regulations and legislation, and enhancing professional skills and knowledge in line with the requirements of the current phase — supporting the national economy and strengthening the efficiency of its financial institutions. The Committee adopted the necessary resolutions and recommendations on the matters discussed. The Financial Academy's management had previously issued a resolution establishing the Committee, within the framework of its vision to promote efficiency and excellence in the banking sector through the development and enhancement of human capital skills. The Advisory Committee aims to strengthen the quality of development programs targeting human capital in the financial sector, building the skills and knowledge of professionals within financial institutions, identifying training and development needs, and providing specific and targeted recommendations to improve training programs and advance the professional certifications and competencies required by those working in the financial sector. The Committee also serves as a direct communication platform, enabling the Financial Academy to better understand industry requirements, more precisely identify needs, and ensure they are effectively met.
13 May, 2026
His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Elkuwaiz, Chairman of the Board of the Capital Market Authority, has issued a decision to reconstitute the Board of Trustees of The Financial Academy for a three-year term, pursuant to Article Four of The Financial Academy’s Regulation issued by the Council of Ministers. The newly formed Board of Trustees includes His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Elkuwaiz as Chairman; Eng. Ali bin Saleh Alqarawi as Vice Chairman and member representing the Saudi Central Bank; Dr. Murayh bin سعد Habbash as a member representing the Capital Market Authority; and Dr. Badr bin Hazzaa Alotaibi as a member representing the Saudi Central Bank. The Board also includes Mr. Tariq bin Abdulrahman Al-Sudhan, Mr. Tariq bin Ziad Al-Sudairi, Dr. Mohammed bin Faraj Alzahrani, Ms. Mai bint Mohammed Alhoushan, Mr. Othman bin Yousif Alqusabi, and Mr. Mana bin Mohammed Al Khamsan, Chief Executive Officer of The Financial Academy, as members of the Board. The decision reflects the continued role of The Financial Academy as one of the key enablers of human capital development in the financial sector, supporting the readiness and qualification of national talent to keep pace with the rapid transformations in financial markets and services, in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Financial Sector Development Program. The Financial Academy is committed to implementing the highest standards of institutional governance while enhancing efficiency and transparency across its programs and initiatives. The Board of Trustees serves as the supervisory authority overseeing the Academy’s affairs, setting its general policies, and guiding its strategic direction, thereby supporting sustainable growth and the development of specialized professional initiatives and programs for the financial sector. Through its new formation, the Board will contribute to strengthening integration among regulatory authorities and financial institutions, supporting innovation in training and qualification, and enhancing the competitiveness of the financial sector through the development of national capabilities and specialized future-ready skills
