International training network welcomes Al-Dabal as new president

Nabil K. Al-Dabal, Aramco's vice president of Human Resources, is the new head of the regional section of the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

Al-Dabal succeeded Faisal A. Al-Hajji, the executive director of Community Services, as president of ATD’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Learning and Development Member Network on Dec. 21.

Al-Hajji served as the founder and president of the ATD-MENA L&D Member Network from its inception in 2018, when it was established by Aramco.

“Faisal took the burden upon himself and began the journey, and even with the challenges of COVID-19, accomplished a tremendous amount of progress,” Al-Dabal said. “He and his team deserve full credit for bringing the organization to where it is now.”

About the ATD
Established in 1943, ATD is the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to developing the knowledge and skills of employees who develop talent, improving their performance, and helping achieve results for the organizations they serve.

It is supported by a volunteer team based in Training and Development and designed to build knowledge, and share solutions, ideas, and best practices across its networks.

Taking the vision further

The network has grown through Al-Hajji’s vision to create new professional development opportunities not only in the Kingdom but also regionally. To accomplish this goal, the network introduced a variety of ATD certification programs and facilitated virtual training delivered by certified trainers.

“It has been an honor to work with such a dedicated team, both inside and outside of Saudi Arabia.  We are proud of what we have accomplished, and we are excited for the future,” said Al-Hajji.

Al-Dabal said he is looking forward to continuing Al-Hajji’s vision, and expanding the network further.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has put people at the center of every company’s operations, and has elevated both the necessity and impact of learning and development across the globe,” he said. “My vision for the ATD-MENA L&D Member Network is to drive exponential growth in the skills and capabilities of HR, talent development, and learning and development professionals in the region.”

The network board is represented by a number of prominent companies and institutions, including the Bahrain Petroleum Company, Emirates Flight Training Academy, the American University of Cairo, Saudi Telecom Company, and SABIC. 

The network collaborates with training providers Mashreq in Bahrain, and Numou, Marafiq, Saudi Petroleum Services Polytechnic, and Sadara in Saudi Arabia.   

More information can be found at https://www.td.org/mena-ld-member-network.