Advisory Board
Former Cheif of National Directorate of Security (NDS)
He graduated from Amani High School in Kabul and later earned a master’s-level qualification in strategic management and leadership from the Chartered Management Institute in the United Kingdom. He also holds a master of defence studies from King’s College London (KCL).
Mr. Ahmad Zia Saraj is the former Chief of Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS), serving as its Director General from September 2019 until the collapse of the Islamic Republic in August 2021. Prior to that, he held senior roles including Deputy Director General for Operations, Chief of Counter-Terrorism, and other key intelligence positions over two decades. He is currently a visiting professor in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London (KCL), where he contributes to research and commentary on counterterrorism and regional security issues.