Fahad Al‑Bani is a visionary, results‑driven executive with about three decades of leadership experience in the oil and gas industry. He brings a global perspective, strong interpersonal capabilities, and a proven ability to build high‑performance, safety‑driven cultures.
He most recently served as Vice President of Unconventional Resources at Saudi Aramco, where he led one of the company’s most strategically significant portfolios.
With deep expertise in reservoir engineering, drilling, completions, and stimulation operations, Fahad has overseen large‑scale projects, his leadership has consistently emphasized performance, innovation, safety, and cost efficiency.
Among his notable achievements, Fahad led Saudi Aramco’s largest efficiency optimization campaign, through integrated planning, digitalization, and lean execution. He has repeatedly exceeded corporate KPIs across safety, environmental performance, well delivery, and operational reliability.
Fahad has been at the forefront of industry advancement, championing technologies such as tubingless completions, walking rigs, and unitized wellhead systems. He also co‑developed a rotary steerable system with U.S. experts, significantly enhancing reservoir exposure and recovery.
With his strong advocacy for national talent development, Fahad has established structured mentoring, coaching, and workforce planning programs aligned with long‑term organizational priorities.
Fahad holds a Petroleum Engineering degree from King Saud University and completed the Executive Development Program at IMD Business School in Switzerland.
Farid Mustafayev
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Farid brings over 24 years of global corporate finance experience, including 15 years in senior leadership roles focused on financial strategy and M&A execution. He most recently served as M&A Portfolio Manager at SLB in London, where he led the acquisition and integration of strategic businesses. Prior to that, he was HR Director for Global Finance, driving talent development across SLB’s finance organization.;
Throughout his career, Farid has held several key leadership roles. As Finance Director for Russia & Central Asia, he oversaw operations across six countries and led a team of over 350 professionals.
In his role as Finance Director for Global Well Services, he managed financials for SLB’s largest product line across 80 countries, driving global performance. He also served as Finance Director for Saudi Arabia & Bahrain, leading finance for SLB’s largest GeoMarket.
Farid holds both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Economics, with a specialization in Finance and Credit, from Azerbaijan State Economic University.
Sara Ali
Chief HR & Digital Transformation Officer
Mrs. Sara is the CHRO of Arabian Drilling. She has over 20 years of extensive experience in Human Resources and a comprehensive track record of implementing effective HR practices. Prior to joining Arabian Drilling, Mrs. Sara served as the Global Functions HR Head at SLB in London, where she was responsible for leading the company's strategy for talent acquisition, talent management, succession planning, policies, personnel administration, organization design, and compensation and benefits. She also served as the HR Services Manager at SLB in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where she led the HR team for the service portfolio and spearheaded the voice of the customer program and innovations to enhance the overall customer experience. Sara has also contributed within the Recruitment, Training & Development and Compensation & Benefits functions. Prior to this, she held positions in the HR & Communications departments within SLB Mena, as well as the Olayan Group. Mrs. Sara holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from King Faisal University and an MBA from Arabian Gulf University.
Zaurayze Tarique
Chief Commercial Officer
Zaurayze brings nearly three decades of leadership experience across global energy services and drilling operations, with a strong track record of driving growth, improving profitability, and building high-performing organizations through disciplined execution and close collaboration with customers and stakeholders.
Prior to joining Arabian Drilling, he served as Managing Director for SLB Pakistan & Yemen. During his career with SLB, he held multiple senior leadership roles including Vice President Supply Chain, Vice President Marketing & Technology, and Vice President Global Operations, gaining deep exposure across international markets and complex operating environments. Zaurayze began his career with SEDCO FOREX in 1998 and was part of the Arabian Drilling family from 2001 to 2005, where he managed land and offshore operations, led shipyard upgrades, and supported major rig construction programs.
He holds an MBA in Finance from Rotterdam School of Management, Netherlands, and a BSc in Electrical Engineering from UET, Pakistan.
