Hattan currently heads the Entrepreneurship Center at KAUST, where he works to translate the university’s entrepreneurship vision into a reality. He credits his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Leeds in broadening his horizon about innovation in business, and the role that start-ups can play in transforming the economy. His philosophy is rooted in his experiences studying in the UK, which is to inspire young people, in the same way he was, to become agents of change and create wider economic impact – in the Kingdom and beyond.
Hattan played a significant role in building startup culture and spreading the entrepreneurial knowledge among thousands of youth and innovators that graduate from the Center; and, creating more than 200 high-value, high-impact startups through our flagship accelerator program, Taqadam, in partnership with Saudi British Bank (SABB).
Hattan’s diverse background in industry, academia and start-up means he brings a personal connection to his current work and he is passionate about supporting startups to contribute to Vision 2030 and its economic goals. He has received multiple entrepreneurial awards recognising his contributions to the sector on a national and international scale, and he believes the quality education he received in the UK is unmatched and has significantly contributed to his success and professional growth.