His father was Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Sowayel, an imam at a Unaizah mosque.

Al Sowayel began his career teaching at a mission school in Mecca, before joining the diplomatic corps of the ministry of foreign affairs.

[1] He later served as a political advisor to King Saud, and a diplomat at the Saudi embassy in Cairo, Egypt.

[3][4] Al Suwaiyel held the office of foreign minister briefly, for less than two years, before returning it back to Faisal, whom he had asked to succeed him.

[5] Following the reign of King Khalid Al Suwaiyel left his ambassadorship and returned to Riyadh to help aide the new monarch.