Faisal AlNughaimish: Advancing Energy Leadership Through Engineering and Operations

Executive Leaders

From Engineering to Executive Leadership

With more than 20 years of experience across the upstream value chain, Faisal AlNughaimish has built a career around complex energy operations, technical innovation, and organizational leadership. He currently serves as Senior Vice President of D&WO Operations at Aramco, following senior roles including Vice President & Chief Petroleum Engineer and Vice President & Chief Drilling Engineer.

His technical foundation includes a BSc in Chemical Engineering, with Cum Laude Honors, from Arizona State University, and an MSc in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University. He also completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School and is a certified SPE Petroleum Engineer.

Leading Drilling and Upstream Operations

Faisal’s extensive Aramco career has included leadership across drilling engineering, offshore production, reservoir management, and workover operations. As Chief Drilling Engineer, he was responsible for drilling engineering across a fleet of more than 200 rigs, while his earlier role as Head of Gas Drilling Engineering involved more than 50 rigs constructing high-pressure, high-temperature gas wells across onshore and offshore environments.

His technical experience encompasses multilateral and extended-reach wells, intelligent completions, smart completions, expandable tubulars, performance drilling, and formation-damage remediation. He has also contributed to major I-Field developments and complex offshore and onshore projects.

Before moving into senior executive roles, Faisal held positions supporting the Safaniya and Manifa fields, gaining experience in reservoir engineering, production optimization, offshore engineering, and drilling operations.

Strategic Governance and Industry Leadership

Beyond his executive role at Aramco, Faisal serves as Chairman of SANAD and holds board positions with organizations including Aramco Gulf Operations, ARO Drilling, Saudi Aramco Upstream Technology Company, Carbon Capture and Storage Solutions, and Al-Qadsiah Saudi Club.

He previously served as Vice Chairman and Board Member of TAQA (Industrialization & Energy Services Company) and as MENA Director of the Society of Petroleum Engineers International.

His involvement in professional organizations, technical committees, and industry initiatives has further supported knowledge exchange and the advancement of petroleum engineering capabilities across the region.

Engineering Excellence with Strategic Vision

Faisal AlNughaimish’s career reflects the evolution of an engineer into a multifaceted energy leader—combining deep technical expertise with operational accountability, corporate governance, and strategic decision-making.

Through his leadership across drilling, petroleum engineering, technology, and energy services, he continues to contribute to the capabilities and resilience of Saudi Arabia’s upstream sector while supporting the broader development of the Kingdom’s energy ecosystem.

Recognition by CEO Network

CEO Network recognizes Faisal AlNughaimish for his more than two decades of contribution to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector, combining advanced petroleum engineering expertise with large-scale operational leadership and strategic governance. His progression from drilling and reservoir engineering to senior executive and board responsibilities reflects a leadership journey defined by technical excellence, operational discipline, and energy-sector impact.