Dr. Elias Felemban

Dr. Elias Felemban, an esteemed figure in the aviation sector, brings over 42 years of extensive experience, beginning with Saudia Airlines. A pivotal milestone in his career came in 1987 when he earned the FAA Certification. Even as a junior student at Solano College, he demonstrated remarkable ingenuity by reverse-engineering and fabricating a missing elevator component, an early sign of the exceptional career to follow.

Throughout his professional journey, Dr. Felemban has served in multiple roles, including as a rated Technician and Structure Engineer on major aircraft such as Boeing, Airbus, and McDonnell Douglas. He handled complex structural repairs and significant modifications. His expertise later extended to the Airbus family and McDonnell Douglas airplanes, where he developed a comprehensive assessment data bank for multiple fleets and served as a Structure Assessor. By 1990, he was promoted to Technical Inspection, which later led him into the quality assurance domain. In a notable achievement in 2007, he spearheaded the implementation of the first CAT-5 digital IT network infrastructure for MRO hangars at Saudia Airlines, an ambitious digital transformation effort well ahead of its time.

In 2009, Dr. Felemban assumed the role of Tooling Manager, a position he held until 2012 before moving into the F-15SA manufacturing program as Deputy Program Manager. His broad expertise in structure, tooling, training, and quality was instrumental in the successful local manufacturing of the fighter aircraft in Saudi Arabia at Alsalam, Riyadh. This achievement stood as a strong contribution toward the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, emphasizing industrial localization and national capability development. He continued in this role until 2020 before transitioning to an advisory position with the Ministry of MIM, focusing on the localization sector.

Currently, Dr. Felemban is leading tooling operations at Saudi Technique and serves as an advisor for various industrial private sector entities. His commitment to societal development is also reflected in his 15-year tenure as Director of Alsharg Homes Association and his recent service as the Makkah Regional Manager of the Saudi Society for Quality, a role he held for three years before stepping down to co-found the “Institutional Excellence Innovation Association.”

Adding to his long list of accomplishments, Dr. Felemban recently completed a PhD in International Diplomatic Relationships from the London International College of Economics and Political Science. He is also a university and college lecturer, delivering insights in areas such as Quality Management, Artificial Intelligence in Quality, KPIs, and Industrial Leadership. A passionate author, he has published 12 books, with one currently under print and two in the final stages of completion. His notable titles include Theyom the Moon and Secrets of the Airplane – Manufacturing Industry vs. MRO Industry. In addition to publishing numerous newspaper articles, he is also recognized as an international expert in the world of gemstones.