AlSwailem is the CEO of Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property in Saudi Arabia
Abdulaziz bin Mohammed AlSwailem, the CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, is behind Saudi Arabia's rapid ascent as a major IP hub while shaping international policy at the highest levels.
AlSwailem has driven unprecedented growth at SAIP in 2025.
In 2025, the SAIP celebrated several major milestones, including granting its 20,000th patent (doubling the 2022 total), significantly boosting its global IP enforcement ranking to 13th (from 27th) by mid-year, and seeing a 16% rise in Saudi patent filings in Q1.
While AlSwailem’s 2025 achievements alone warrant his inclusion in this year’s list, it is also worth highlighting that in November 2024, he chaired the historic WIPO Diplomatic Conference on Design Law Treaty in Riyadh, the first such gathering outside Geneva in over a decade.
A whopping 193 member states adopted the Riyadh Design Law Treaty, the 28th WIPO treaty, and the first major design law treaty concluded in 20 years.
This landmark agreement established unified global standards for design protection, fundamentally reshaping the international IP landscape.
AlSwailem’s strategic vision, therefore, has helped position Saudi Arabia as an indispensable bridge between emerging and established IP markets while advancing global IP harmonisation.
