Nizar Zakka has been named president and CEO of Riverside Military Academy, bringing decades of international leadership experience and a global perspective shaped by his Riverside education.

 

A 1985 graduate of Riverside Military Academy, Zakka is an internationally recognized expert in information and communications technology policy with more than 25 years of experience representing the global technology sector, particularly throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. After graduating from Riverside, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science from the University of Texas before launching several technology companies and advising governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the Middle East.

 

Throughout his career, Zakka has partnered with organizations including Microsoft, USAID, UNESCO, UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme, the U.S. State Department and the European Union to lead initiatives focused on digital inclusion, workforce development, entrepreneurship, peacebuilding and economic opportunity.

 

In January 2025, Zakka launched the Calculating Advantages of Normalization initiative with the support of Arab and Jewish-American communities. The program seeks to reframe the conversation around peace as a matter of national interest rather than ideology, exploring how normalization can improve economic opportunity, regional stability and the daily lives of citizens through research, public engagement and dialogue with community and political leaders.

 

Earlier in his career, Zakka served as CEO of Lebanon's Professional Computer Association and helped found the Arab ICT Organization, a regional alliance promoting technology-driven economic growth, entrepreneurship and digital literacy. He also served as vice president and global public policy chair of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), representing the interests of the global ICT industry.

 

In 2019, Riverside honored Zakka with its President's Distinguished Service Award following his release from nearly four years of captivity in Iran, where he had been imprisoned after traveling to Tehran in 2015 to speak at an international technology conference. During his captivity, Zakka credited the strength, discipline and brotherhood he learned at Riverside — and the unwavering support of fellow alumni — with helping him endure the ordeal. Today, he continues his advocacy as founder and president of Hostage Aid Worldwide, working to secure the release of hostages, advance internet freedom and develop emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to help prevent future hostage-taking and support victims and their families.

 

As interim president and CEO, Zakka brings together Riverside's enduring values with decades of international executive leadership, strategic vision and a deep commitment to preparing young men for lives of purpose, leadership and service.

 

Zakka has remained closely connected to Riverside as an alumnus, parent, volunteer and advocate. His sons, Nadim and Omar, graduated from Riverside in 2013 and 2016, continuing the family's connection to the Academy. He has served on Riverside's Alumni Council, hosted alumni events, mentored fellow graduates and championed the Academy's mission around the world.