In my experience, it's best to keep it simple. Nothing too complicated to care for (i.e. stick to stainless steels) or too expensive (he might not use it). SAKs and small multitools are nice because you get a few extra tools that come in handy everyday, so he's more likely to find them useful and they are allowed almost anywhere.
Alox SAKs in particular make nice gifts, since they have a little engraving plaque where you can have his initials or a date engraved (Cadet if you want to keep it slim, otherwise a Soldier, Farmer, etc). A Leatherman Juice or Skeletool would be another option if pliers are something he might use often (they are still small enough to be pocket friendly). If you think he'd enjoy something with natural handle materials, get him a Case knife (there are several handle options). Finally, if you think a modern folder would be more his style, something like a RAT 1 (or 2), Tenacious, 3" Voyager or something like that would fill the bill nicely.
I've given knives as gifts to several people that never carried one before, and SAKs have been the most successful choice so far (they get carried everyday). There are so many models that you can tailor your choice to the individual you're shopping for. For instance, my mom is a lawyer and collects Cross pens, so I got her a matching set from Victorinox that included a Signture Lite and a Cross pen. She carries that little knife everywhere (loves the scissors, tweezers and actually uses the LED light). My best friend is a climber and I gave him a OH-Trekker, he loves it and has beat the crap out of that poor knife around three continents.
