Driving digital transformation at the Saudi Accreditation Center: A conversation with Dr. Fahad Almoqhim, CIO

The Saudi Accreditation Center (SAAC) is crucial in advancing the Kingdom’s quality infrastructure, ensuring that businesses and organizations comply with rigorous standards. At the helm of the Center’s technological evolution is Dr. Fahad Almoqhim, Chief Information Officer (CIO), who has been instrumental in leading the center’s digital transformation. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Almoqhim sheds light on how technology is reshaping SAAC’s operations and its mission to enhance accreditation services across Saudi Arabia.

Enhancing accreditation through technology

According to Dr. Almoqhim, technology is integral to SAAC’s mission. “The journey towards accreditation can be rigorous,” he explains, “but technology contributes fundamentally to managing this journey effectively, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in accreditation processes and services.” A key development in this effort is the Accreditation Management System (AMS), which enables staff, assessors, and clients to access and manage documents and tasks securely from anywhere.

Moreover, the system automates workflows, assigns the right assessors to applications, and verifies compliance with standards—saving both time and cost by minimizing manual work and human errors. “With the integration of IoT and AI, the system can automatically gather testing and assessment data remotely, further improving accuracy and reducing costs,” he adds.

Dr. Almoqhim has spearheaded several transformative initiatives during his tenure. “We established the IT, Cybersecurity, and Digital Transformation departments, built the center’s IT infrastructure and data centers, and developed several critical systems like ERP, CRM, and Business Intelligence (BI),” he notes. These advancements have not only improved SAAC’s operational efficiency but have also enhanced the user experience for employees and clients.

Additionally, Dr. Almoqhim has built a robust data management and BI platform. “This platform collects and analyzes data, allowing us to monitor performance, make informed decisions, and identify new business opportunities,” he says.

Aligning with standards

Given SAAC’s focus on accreditation and quality, maintaining compliance with national and international standards is paramount. Dr. Almoqhim points out that the center has not faced significant challenges in this area. “Our human and technical capabilities have enabled us to obtain international recognitions, such as from ILAC and IAF, and we’ve raised our digital maturity levels according to national and international standards.”

To ensure continuous alignment with regulatory frameworks, SAAC established an Enterprise Architecture Office and a GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) department. This ensures that all digital initiatives are in line with both the center’s strategic objectives and relevant standards.

One of the most significant innovations at SAAC is a flexible and smart accreditation engine that allows business departments to launch digital services without requiring IT support. This system helps reduce administrative, technical, and financial burdens while improving the user experience and ensuring the quality of digital services.

Cloud technology has also played a crucial role in SAAC’s IT infrastructure. “Cloud computing gives us the agility to innovate, scale, and customize services,” Dr. Almoqhim states. The cloud has also reduced costs and eliminated the need for hardware and data transfer, especially as the center transitions to a new building. “We can now access services and share information securely from anywhere, with no interruption.”

As SAAC continues to expand its digital capabilities, Dr. Almoqhim’s key priority is institutional innovation. “We have achieved a high level of digital maturity, and now we are focusing on improving the center’s business and services through innovation,” he shares. Emerging technologies will be critical in supporting this goal and maintaining SAAC’s leadership in accreditation and quality infrastructure.