Amal Al Sadi: Visionary Leader Leveraging Tech & Innovation To Drive Meaningful Change

Today's dynamic EdTech landscape is reshaping education by integrating advanced technologies to create more efficient, inclusive, and customized learning environments. With the acceleration of AI, big data, and digital collaboration tools, educational providers are reimagining how knowledge is delivered and consumed. The requirement of virtual education is no longer just a convenience but a vital component in preparing students for a future defined by constant change.

Amal Al Sadi, a seasoned leader applies her foundational strengths and deep industry experience to propel innovation and create purpose-led impact in the EdTech space. She currently serves as the CTO of Jo Academy, the first e-learning platform in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the region.

Having been in the tech space for 25 years, Amal specializes in building comprehensive roadmaps and releasing digital initiatives that align with business goals. She emphasizes collaboration, stakeholder engagement, cross-functional teamwork, and smooth integration with existing systems to ensure strategic goals are achieved with a focus on innovation and excellence. But what truly drives Amal is her belief that effective leadership blends resilience and purpose.

What are the most defining moments in your professional journey? How did these experiences shape your leadership approach?

An early fascination with computer science paired with strong family support led me to pursue a degree at Princess Sumaya University for Technology. Entering a male-dominated tech industry post-graduation challenged me, but also solidified my determination and adaptability. I worked with ESKADENIA for 14 years, progressing from a backend developer to department head. This journey taught me that leadership lies in trust, empowerment, and staying people-focused in a tech-driven world.

A pivotal shift for me was moving from a technology-centric focus to a people-centric one, realizing that true leadership is about enabling growth, inspiring trust, and fostering thriving teams.

Lead with authenticity, act with purpose, and build a future rooted in hope and resilience

Starting my own tech company was a defining milestone. Entrepreneurship taught me agility and the value of sustainable success. Leading my own tech company and eventually its closure, left me more focused, resilient, and committed to meaningful innovation.

From climbing Kilimanjaro to leading national digital initiatives, I have learnt that meaningful leadership blends resilience and purpose. I aim to harness technology as a tool for empowerment and systemic impact.

Take us through your professional journey and key areas of expertise as a tech leader.

Starting with backend systems and WAP during the rise of mobile internet, I transitioned into mobile development. Over time, this hands-on experience shaped my path into broader technology leadership. I then moved into enterprise architecture, leading the design of robust backend ecosystems and managing high-performance teams. My leadership spans mobile/web development, cybersecurity, and data intelligence, building secure, user-focused solutions that drive business performance and enhance decision-making.

My entrepreneurial experience expanded my experience into strategy and operations, reinforcing a customer-and outcome-driven approach. I combine strategic thinking and technical excellence to drive forward-thinking, learner-focused solutions in an ever-evolving EdTech landscape.

Tackling digital transformations across diverse sectors demanded more than technical expertise, it required cultural agility, strategic foresight, and resilient leadership. Leading development for telecoms and driving transformation across highly regulated sectors prepared me to manage complexity, orchestrate cross-sector alignment, and build digital ecosystems that drive both innovation and trust.

Introduce us to Jo Academy and your role as the company’s CTO. What is your ‘success mantra’?

Jo Academy is the first e-learning platform in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the region, with a mission centred on the learner’s experience.

As the CTO, I focus on shaping a forward-looking technology strategy rooted in our core mission. What began as a foundation in software engineering evolved into a leadership trajectory focused on enterprise-scale innovation. It gave me a comprehensive understanding of both technical systems and business impact that has been a part of my leadership approach at Jo Academy.

By embedding cybersecurity, leveraging emerging technologies, and fostering collaborations across teams, we are delivering scalable, trusted solutions that empower learners for the future.

Early on, I identify key challenges like finding the right balance between rapid innovation and dependable stability, and prioritizing cybersecurity to protect the trust that is central to education.

At Jo Academy, I am proud to lead a mission that puts knowledge and innovation at the forefront. My leadership is guided by His Majesty King Abdullah II’s philosophy of service, integrity, and building a future focused on people, "Lead with authenticity, act with purpose, and build a future grounded in hope and resilience".

My role goes beyond the technical oversight, it is about fostering a culture of empowerment, collaboration, and innovation. I focus on uniting cross-functional teams across tech, product, academics, and operations to ensure we are aligned on solving the most impactful challenges.

How do you achieve positive business outcomes and strengthen business operations at Jo Academy?

I have always been focused on driving meaningful education access across the Arab world. From my first day at Jo Academy, I recognized a deep commitment to making education accessible and impactful. My goal has been simple, which is to listen, learn, and enhance what’s already working, not to change for the sake of change.

Technology should simplify, solve real needs, and make students, educators, and teams feel more empowered and connected to what is possible. At Jo Academy, we embed security, speed, and quality into everything we do, fostering deeper collaboration across tech, product, academics, and operations. Additionally, we invest in our teams, empowering them to grow their skill and lead change from within.

Which major tech trends are you betting big on? How can modern organizations align with the evolving tech landscape?

In today’s fast-moving tech world, the focus should be on innovations that truly shape our future. Blockchain for education and cybersecurity resilience are critical to maintaining trust and security. Data-driven insights will be key to optimizing operations and delivering personalized, impactful user experiences. As technologies like AI and cloud computing evolve, the true differentiator will be how we apply them.

Modern organizations must focus on fostering cultures of agility, curiosity, and ethical innovation. By investing in people and continuous learning, organization can not only adapt to change but lead it.

Amal Al Sadi, CTO, JO Academy

Amal Al Sadi, contributes to strategic technological advancements enhancing value and accelerated outcomes. With a strong blockchain foundation, Amal Al Sadi, specializes in creating roadmaps and release plans that leverage decentralized systems to achieve measurable outcomes. Capitalizing upon her expertise and extensive experience, Amal is known to introduce transformative innovation and drive meaningful change within the system. Spearheading major transformations across diverse project has equipped her with enhanced capabilities in managing complexity and aligning teams towards shared outcomes. She ensures to prioritize collaboration, cross-functional teamwork, and smooth integration with existing systems to safeguard strategic goals and deliver operational excellence that are central to all initiatives.