Fahad AlShirawi is the CEO and Managing Director of GCCIX WLL.The GCCIX cable system became operational in 2011, it is the first privately-owned terrestrial cable system that connects the Gulf countries together while also providing onward connectivity to the rest of the world. Being a fully terrestrial-based cable system, GCCIX has the added advantage of being able to supply truly diverse, redundant capacity options, in comparison to the submarine-based cable systems currently available in the Gulf region.Mr. AlShirawi also served two terms as a Board Director at the Bahrain Internet Exchange (BIX), is the Founding Chairman of the Middle East Network Operators Group (MENOG) and is the first RIPE NCC Board Member to hail from the Middle East currently serving a three-year term twice in a row. RIPE NCC one of five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) providing Internet resource allocations, registration services and co-ordination activities that support the operation of the Internet globally. Earlier this year Mr. AlShirawi was appointed as a Board Member representing the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Arab Regional ISPs & DSPs Association (ARISPA).