Abdullah Al-Shehri appointed commander of multinational naval coalition

Authorities in Riyadh announced today the appointment of Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri as commander of the multinational naval defense coalition, drawing on more than 32 years of military and leadership experience.

Throughout his career, Al-Shehri has held several prominent leadership and operational roles, including heading the Planning, Budget, and Construction Authority for the Royal Saudi Navy, managing the Naval Supervision and Follow-up Office in Spain, and overseeing the Sarawat Project to build five combat ships for the navy.

He has also served as secretary of the steering committee for the executive agreement between the Ministry of Defense and its Spanish counterpart, and has participated in leading and planning numerous joint naval operations, missions, and exercises. His expertise extends to command and control, operational planning, and multinational military cooperation.

Qualifications and specialized training

Al-Shehri holds several specialized military and academic qualifications, including a master's degree in defense policy and international security from Complutense University of Madrid, and a master's in human resource systems management from the Naval Postgraduate School in the United States.

He has completed several advanced leadership programs, including senior strategic leadership in the United Kingdom, command and staff training at Spain's National Defense Advanced Studies Center, and advanced operations courses in France.

Al-Shehri has received numerous medals and decorations in recognition of his military service.