Strategic Policy & Innovation Expert and Institutional Transformation Leader.

Laila specializes in Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Management, linking policy with advanced technology to drive sustainability, promote the green economy, and achieve Vision 2030 objectives.

She has served as Director of Technology Adaptations & Incentivized Demand at the Deputyship for Research and Innovation, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) since 2023.

Laila possesses specialized experience in Biotechnology, Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, and Design Thinking methodologies, along with international exposure gained from innovation and sustainability programs in Sweden and Denmark.

She joined MEWA in 2021, where she has held roles as a Research and Innovation Consultant and Environmental Protection Specialist. During this period, Laila played a pivotal role in establishing the Ministry’s Research and Innovation Agency and led, as Project Manager, the RDI Strategic Plan. She also contributed to the establishment of the Innovation Deployment Program (IDP), which enables technical solutions in sustainability, as well as the Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance, and managed the Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) strategy portfolio for the environment, water, and agriculture sectors.

Additionally, she actively organized and participated in multiple seminars and workshops to promote innovation awareness, including the Sustainability Innovation Challenge and the MEWA Innovating Training Program.

Academically, Laila served as a Genomic Research Scientist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, a Research Assistant in the biotechnology laboratory at the University of West Alabama in the United States, and a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the same university, where she taught courses in human anatomy, physiology, introductory biology, and genetics.

She has international scientific publications in molecular cancer research.

Laila holds a Master's in Public Policy and Management (KDI, Korea), a Master of Science from an American university, and a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Jazan University, She also obtained professional certifications, including a Nano Degree in AI for Business  from MISK and Certified Chief Innovation Officer (CCInO) from the American Institute for Innovation.