WASHINGTON — The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C., has appointed Fahad Nazer as its new official spokesperson.

Nazer replaces Ms. Fatimah Baeshen, who served in the role since September 2017. She is now pivoting to academia and back to her field of socioeconomic development work.

Before his appointment, Nazer was an International Fellow at the National Council on US-Arab Relations, where he provided expertise on political, social, and economic developments in Saudi Arabia, and on the threat posed by extremist groups on the Arabian Peninsula.

“We are pleased to welcome Fahad as spokesperson for the Embassy in Washington, D.C. His vast knowledge of Saudi Arabia’s political and socio-economic landscapes will undoubtedly help him to tell the story of the Kingdom in the United States,” said Ambassador Prince Khalid Bin Salman.

“We are immensely grateful to Fatimah Baeshen for the tremendous service she provided on behalf of the Kingdom, and we wish her luck in her next endeavors. I am confident Fahad will continue his excellent work, and that his expertise and insights will greatly contribute to the team here in Washington and its core objective of strengthening Saudi-US relations.”

An experienced political analyst, Nazer has held positions with JTG, Inc., Array Information Technology, Inc., and the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He previously served as a political consultant to the Embassy.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the Kingdom as spokesperson for the Embassy,” Nazer said. “Through his leadership, Ambassador Prince Khalid Bin Salman has built an exceptionally talented team with a determination and vigor reflective of the Saudi people. I look forward to working within the team to build greater understanding, and deepen the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America.”

Nazer earned a BA in political science from New York University and an MA in political science from Saint John’s University in New York. He has also completed the credit and examination requirements of the PhD program in political science at the Catholic University of America in Washington. He has been a frequent columnist for the daily newspaper Arab News. His work also has been published in Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, CNN, Foreign Policy, YaleGlobal Online, The National Interest, and Newsweek.

Fahad Nazer can be reached at [email protected] The official Embassy spokesperson’s Twitter handle is (@KSAEmbassySpox). — SG