Saudi Young Global Leaders Khaled Ahmed Sharbatly and Yazeed Almubarak have been selected by the World Economic Forum for its 2026 class, recognizing their contributions to business, innovation, and regional development. Sharbatly, CEO of Desert Technologies, and Almubarak, Head of BlackRock Middle East and CEO of BlackRock Saudi Arabia, join 116 other leaders under 40 from 54 countries in the competitive program.
Sharbatly’s selection reflects his work developing Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. As CEO of Desert Technologies and Chairman of the National Entrepreneurship Committee at the Federation of Saudi Chambers, he has supported innovation across renewable energy and smart infrastructure sectors in the Middle East and North Africa. He founded and co-founded several startups, including Six Days Maintenance and Cleaning and Shared Codes for Energy, a solar energy solutions company.
His career trajectory includes roles at Nahla Group before joining Desert Technologies in 2018 as an executive partner following the acquisition of Shared Codes for Energy. He advanced to Chief Investment Officer before becoming Group CEO in 2023. Sharbatly holds a master’s degree in international business and finance from the University of Miami and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the same institution.
Almubarak’s Financial Leadership in the Region
Almubarak’s inclusion in the Saudi Young Global Leaders cohort reflects his standing as a leading financial executive in the Middle East. He oversees BlackRock’s regional operations, growth strategies, and expansion initiatives across the region. His experience spans investment management, private equity, and capital markets transactions.
Before joining BlackRock, Almubarak served as Vice President at Jadwa Investment in the private equity team, participating in major transactions across Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He also worked at Morgan Stanley in New York, London, and Dubai, specializing in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of BlackRock Saudi Arabia and Saudi Aramco’s Gas Pipeline Company. Almubarak holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and an MBA from Stanford University.
Three-Year Leadership Development Program
Both executives will participate in the three-year Young Global Leaders program, which includes advanced leadership training, knowledge exchange, and collaboration opportunities with global leaders. The program aims to develop solutions to global challenges and drive positive impact across sectors.
Ida Jeng Christensen, Head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders, stated: “The most effective leaders today are those who combine vision with responsibility, innovation with prosperity and success with service. The Class of 2026 reflects a remarkable generation of people who are already expanding what leadership can look like across government, business, academia, civil society and culture.”
Growing Saudi Presence on Global Stage
The 2026 cohort reflects a growing global emphasis on empowering young leaders capable of driving sustainable impact amid accelerating economic and technological challenges. The selection of Sharbatly and Almubarak underscores the rising global stature of Saudi talent and their role in leading innovation and shaping key economic sectors. This growing Saudi presence strengthens the Kingdom’s influence across major international platforms and demonstrates the depth of leadership emerging from the region.
