Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan (; born 20 November 1962) is a Saudi Arabian business executive and government official who has served as the kingdom’s Minister of Education since September 2022.
He previously spent 35 years at SABIC, becoming its first non-royal Vice-Chairman and CEO (2015–2022). During his tenure SABIC completed the US$69 billion sale of 70 % of its equity to Saudi Aramco in 2020 and cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 12 %, launching a circular-carbon-economy strategy.
Recognised by "Forbes Middle East’’ among the “Top 100 CEOs in the Middle East” for four consecutive years (2018–2021) and as “Global Chemical Industry Leader of the Year” by "ICIS" (2020), Al-Benyan is viewed as a transformational figure linking Saudi industry, education and Vision 2030’s human-capital targets.
Early life and education.
Al-Benyan was born in Riyadh on 20 November 1962. Raised in a family that emphasised education and diligence, he earned a BSc in economics from King Saud University (1984). He later completed executive-leadership programmes at IMD Business School (Switzerland) and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
Career.
Early career at SABIC (1987–2014).
After a brief period in banking, Al-Benyan joined SABIC in 1987, serving in corporate-finance and strategic-planning posts in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
He progressed to:
When CEO Mohamed Al-Mady resigned in February 2015, Reuters noted Al-Benyan’s elevation to acting chief executive. He was confirmed permanent CEO that July.
CEO and Vice-Chairman of SABIC (2015–2022).
As chief executive Al-Benyan led global expansion, including JV projects with ExxonMobil in Texas and with Sinopec in Fujian.
He also:
Industry leadership and board roles.
Al-Benyan used his GPCA chairmanship to promote innovation and regional collaboration, giving a notable interview on the subject in 2018.
Minister of Education (2022–present).
Al-Benyan’s appointment by royal decree on 27 September 2022 aligned with Vision 2030’s push to link human-capital development with economic diversification.
Strategic pillars.
Al-Benyan presented these reforms at the World Economic Forum Growth Summit 2023.
Vision 2030 contribution.
Al-Benyan consistently links education reform with economic diversification, arguing that developing human capital is “essential for Vision 2030”.
Leadership style and philosophy.
Commentators describe Al-Benyan’s approach as transformational, emphasising innovation, digitalisation and sustainability. He has called education “the catalyst for societal progress in a rapidly evolving world”.
Personal life.
Al-Benyan is married with children.
He promotes corporate social responsibility, notably through SABIC’s ‘‘Nusaned’’ initiative, which has supported more than 500 Saudi SMEs. In 2020 he underlined CSR’s importance in an interview with "Arab News".
An avid reader and traveller, he launched a national reading initiative in 2023.