KPMG Middle East has appointed Tareq Dreiza as Chief AI Officer, effective immediately. The appointment also adds Dreiza to the firm’s Executive Committee as KPMG strengthens its focus on artificial intelligence (AI), governance and trust.
Dreiza announced his appointment on LinkedIn on 9 October 2026. He said the region’s pace of AI adoption and growing investment make governance and trust central to how organisations use the technology.
Tareq Dreiza’s leadership experience at KPMG Middle East
Before taking the new role, Dreiza served as Head of AI and Technology Enablement within KPMG’s Advisory practice. He has been a partner at the firm since July 2023.
His experience spans technology strategy, risk and assurance, operational management, and the delivery of technology solutions aligned with business requirements. These areas form part of his professional background as he takes on the regional AI leadership position.
Dreiza returned to KPMG Middle East in 2016 as Partner and Head of Technology. His career also includes consulting and industry roles across the Middle East, the United States and Africa.
Experience across consulting, technology and risk
Before returning to KPMG, Dreiza spent nearly eight years at BP. His responsibilities covered management systems, global operations and internal audit.
At BP, he worked across risk management, operational systems, information management, audit and continuous improvement. This experience added an industry perspective to his background in technology and advisory services.
Dreiza also held senior positions at EY. He worked as a Senior Manager in Technology and Security Risk Services in Houston before becoming a partner serving the Middle East and North Africa region.
Earlier, he was IT Director at Amkor Technology in Arizona. Dreiza holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Toledo. He also holds a certification in Managing Complex Projects from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
AI governance and trust on the leadership agenda
In his LinkedIn announcement, Dreiza highlighted the relationship between AI adoption, investment and governance. He said organisations need to address trust as they move forward with the technology.
“The region is moving faster on AI than almost anywhere in the world. The ambition is there, and so is the investment,” Dreiza said.
He added that governance and trust would be central to KPMG Middle East’s approach to AI. Dreiza also said he would share lessons from the firm’s AI journey, including the challenges, and invited professionals working on AI across the region to connect.
His comments identify governance and trust as key considerations in the firm’s stated approach to AI. However, the announcement did not detail specific targets, reporting arrangements or initiatives attached to the Chief AI Officer position.
KPMG Middle East’s recent leadership appointments
Dreiza’s appointment follows two other leadership changes at KPMG Middle East. Islam Al Bayaa formally assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer, while Khalil Al Sedais was appointed Country Leader for KPMG Saudi Arabia.
The appointments place the regional AI leadership change alongside wider changes in the firm’s senior leadership. KPMG Middle East has not outlined further details about how the appointments will affect its organisational structure or AI strategy.
