Ziyad Abduljawad is the President & CEO of PLC Communities, a diversified real estate development company with headquarters in Newport Beach, California. Since the formation of PLC in 1994 and the acquisition of Chevron’s California residential portfolio, Ziyad has been the driving force of the company’s growth. This has resulted in PLC’s standing as a leading land developer, home builder, developer and operator of multi-family properties in the western United States.
Ziyad is an esteemed board member of several companies, each serving a distinct sector. He sits on the boards of Universal Motor Agencies (UMA) and Saudi Diesel Equipment Company (SDEC). With over 70 years of experience, UMA is one of the oldest and most prestigious General Motors dealerships in the Middle East. Established in 1978, SDEC is a pioneer in the diesel generators industry and provides the highest quality of machinery equipment.
With a passion for show jumping, Ziyad was at the forefront of the formation of the Saudi Equestrian Federation. As a leader, Ziyad is synonymous with two of the Kingdom’s most historic equestrian sporting achievements: winning the individual silver medal in the 2010 World Equestrian Games and securing the equestrian team bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
With a view to supporting Muslim students in the US, Ziyad established the S.A. Enlightenment Foundation at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy in 2007. The scholarship provides financial support to qualified students from predominantly Muslim countries, and to students participating in a summer fellowship in an Islamic country.
Ziyad was educated at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.