[5] Kamal Adham joined the Saudi government as the chief of external intelligence agency in 1964.

[6][7] Adham's tenure lasted for fourteen years until 19 January 1979 when he was dismissed[8][9] and replaced by Turki bin Faisal in the post.

[8] Adham was very crucial in improving Saudi Arabia's relations with the United Kingdom which had become tense after the Buraimi oasis affair in 1955.

[15] As a result of Adham's visit, Sadat expelled 22,000 Soviet military advisors from the country in 1972.

[16][17] Adham told his associates in 1972 that the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, would be removed.

[14] He fostered and maintained nascent ties with several Arab intelligence services, as many were slowly creating independent institutions to serve their respective governments.

[20][21] Adham signed the charter of the Safari Club, an anti-communist foreign policy initiative on behalf of Saudi Arabia that was proposed and realized by French intelligence chief Alexandre de Marenches in 1976.

[29] In addition, he had investments in Egypt, owning 4% of Delta Bank and 2% to an associate, Sayed Al Jawhary.

[32] On 23 January 1962 the ministry reported that the secret agreement between Adham and the Arabian Oil Company had been cancelled.

[35] The US prosecutors accused him of playing a key role in the secret and illegal takeover of First American bank by BCCI.

[14][36] Adham and Sayed Al Jawhary agreed to pay a staggering amount of $105 million fine in return for a reduced sentence.

[38] The Kamal Adham Center for Television and Digital Journalism was founded under the American University in Cairo in 1985.