Nawaf Essam Ahmad Obaid

Nawaf Obaid is a prominent political scientist and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King's College London's Department of War Studies. He concurrently serves as CEO of the Essam & Dalal Obaid Foundation and Commissioner at the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA). His career spans diplomatic roles in the Saudi Royal Court, advisory positions to senior Saudi officials, and academic appointments at Harvard University's Belfer Center and King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.

Obaid holds a PhD in War Studies from King's College London (2013), MA in War Studies (2011), plus degrees from Georgetown, Harvard, and MIT. His research focuses on intelligence studies, nuclear doctrine, Middle Eastern geopolitics, and Saudi foreign policy evolution. Notable contributions include analyzing Iranian nuclear ambitions, Saudi defense modernization, and the Arab Spring's impact on regional stability.

His work highlights themes like Saudi-Iranian rivalry, energy weaponization, and countering terrorism through strategic partnerships. Current research emphasizes Saudi Arabia's role in shaping regional security frameworks and ethical intelligence practices. He has advised on cybersecurity, counterterrorism financing, and military doctrine reforms across Gulf Cooperation Council states.