Dr. Fahad bin Mushayt is the Chief Executive Officer at ASFAR, the Saudi tourism investment company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund established to drive the growth of tourism investment in partnership with the private sector to create captivating destinations in Saudi Arabia for visitors from all over the world in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

Boasting more than two decades of experience, Dr. Mushayt's illustrious career spans across multifaceted domains including city management, mega investments in real estate, mergers and acquisitions, strategic business development, and operations management. He has also taken on challenging roles in myriad sectors including information technology and telecommunications, as well as infrastructure development.

Before his tenure at ASFAR, Dr. Mushayt held pivotal positions in both government and semi-government entities. In 2021, he was Deputy Governor for Investment and Business Development at the State Property General Authority, after being Chief Executive Officer of the Diplomatic Quarter General Authority (DQGA) in Riyadh for three years. Prior to that, Dr. Mushayt was part of the executive team at Saudi Telecom Group, where he spent nearly twenty years holding many other key positions including Chief Executive Officer of Mega Strategic Projects, Vice President for Business Development, and Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Performance.

He has also served on the boards of various organizations worldwide including Maxis Communication Berhad Holding Company in Malaysia, Aircel Company in India, and Axis Company in Indonesia, to name a few.

Dr. Fahad bin Mushayt holds a PhD in Economics, Political Economy and Public Policies from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in economics from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research from King Saud University, Riyadh.

Mohamed serves as the President of the Diriyah Development Company (DevCo) and leads the development activities for the 14 square kilometer, USD 63Bn mixed-use development, anchored on the birthplace of the Kingdom, the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif.

Mohamed has more than 20 years’ experience leading major retail-focused, residential, and commercial offices projects across the Middle East. Over the course of his two-decade career, he has been responsible for some of the region’s most innovative retail, residential and interiors companies.

Prior to his joining Diriyah, Mohamed held positions as Development Director of the Mall of Oman and Development Director of the City Center Almaza, Egypt, for Majid Al Futtaim Properties. Prior to that he was General Manager for Living in Interiors, based in Cairo, where he led the transformation of a family-owned business into a corporate enterprise developing premium residential and offices buildings.

Mohamed also has professional experience working as a structural design engineer and head of business development for a portfolio of Dubai and Egypt based companies. Mohamed holds a BSc in Civil & Structural Engineering from Cairo University and a PMP certification.

Josep Forroll is the Chief Development Strategy Officer and acting Chief of Development for Diriyah Phase 3 at Diriyah Company. In his current role, Josep is responsible for defining and overseeing strategies across the Diriyah Development Company. With over 20 years of global experience, Josep brings expertise to the forefront of Diriyah's transformation.

Before his role at Diriyah Company, Josep contributed to defining the vision, concept, organizational setup, and overall strategy for several Real Estate gig and mega projects in Saudi Arabia. His portfolio includes projects such as Red Sea, NEOM, Al Ula, and Jeddah Central, where he worked with senior country leadership to shape the future of these developments.

Josep has extensive experience defining and driving company strategies, transformations, governance, organization models. He has experience across various industries and geographies. Before joining Diriyah Company, his career includes senior positions at strategy consulting firms such as Boston Consulting Group and Oliver Wyman.

His educational journey includes a Master of Science in Telecommunications Engineering, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, and an MBA from INSEAD. Presently, he serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the INSEAD alumni association in Saudi Arabia.

Husam Gawish is HKA’s Partner & Head of Operations for Saudi Arabia. Husam is responsible for driving HKA’s strategic growth in the Kingdom and takes the lead in developing business opportunities and securing new appointments. He is also responsible for ensuring the technical, strategic, and quality standards and targets of all deliverables are consistently met. Husam is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the UK.

Husam has 26 years of diverse engineering, claims, project management and business development & marketing experience gained through working on a wide range of global and regional projects across several industry sectors, including infrastructure, power generation, buildings and oil and gas. Husam has a strong technical background and extensive commercial and contractual experience.

General Manager for the Projects Department of Jeddah Historical District. Sean is a degree qualified Civil Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a Chartered Member of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. He has over 35 years’ experience in the construction industry and has a proven track record on project delivery worldwide. He has delivered large complex projects in Ireland, UK, USA, South Africa, Libya and most recently KSA. Sean has over 13years experience in KSA including Atturaif UNESCO World Heritage Site in Diriyah, NEOM, Diriyah Gate and most recently Jeddah Historical District UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dale Chadwick is the Chief Development Officer (CDO) of the King Salman Park Foundation (KSPF). Building on his extensive expertise in urban planning and project management, he is responsible for managing the masterplan and overseeing the project design and delivery of one of the largest urban parks in the world, King Salman Park.

Chadwick brings with him 25+ years of experience and an outstanding delivery track record in the construction and consulting industries. His successful career in managing large-scale construction projects across Asia includes some of the most iconic integrated resorts in the region. From conception through procurement to final handover and operation, he has delivered in excess of $17 billion of mixed-use resort and developments throughout his career.

Before joining KSPF, Chadwick was the Executive Project Officer at Macetpm where he successfully led teams in winning, managing, and delivering several high-profile projects in the Philippines. These include the largest and most advanced data center in the country, the PLDT Campus Headquarters Development in Makati, the SM-ASH Cebu arena and convention centre development, and the construction of the largest IKEA store at SM's Mall of Asia property. Chadwick also played a key role in The Estate residential and BDO’s banking headquarters towers, both being unique structures.

Prior to that, Chadwick served as Vice President Asia for Venetian Cotai Limited, managing the design and construction of several major integrated resorts in Macau and Singapore, including the Marina Bay Sands, Venetian Macau, Sands Cotai Central, The Parisian and the Four Seasons developments. Chadwick's expertise was also called upon for the design and construction documentation of two further Cotai Development parcels.

Previously, Chadwick oversaw the construction of two Disney-themed hotels in Hong Kong and was a Senior Project Manager for CMInternational overseeing the development of TVB’s Broadcasting Ltd television studio complex.

Chadwick began his career with Ove Arup and Partners HK, where he worked on major projects such as the KCRC West Rail and the Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminal Limited. Chadwick holds a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Exeter.

A well-known and respected thought leader in MENA affairs, Edward James has been with MEED for more than 19 years, working as a researcher, consultant and content director. Until September 2008 he was MEED’s Gulf Bureau Chief, after which he moved over to head up the consulting arm of the business. From 2015-2021 he was responsible for content and research at MEED Projects, the region’s leading projects tracking service.

Today he heads up all content and research produced by the MEED group. His specific areas of expertise are construction, hydrocarbons, power and water, and the petrochemical market, and is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on the MENA projects market.

He is a regular guest commentator on Middle East issues for news channels such as the BBC, CNN and ABC News and is a regular speaker at events in the region. He has an honours degree in Arabic and Middle East Politics.

Colin Foreman is Editor and a Specialist Construction Journalist for news and analysis on MEED.com and the MEED magazine. He has been reporting on the region since 2003, specialising in the construction sector and its impact on the broader economy. He has reported exclusively on a wide range of projects across the region including schemes such as Dubai Metro, the Burj Khalifa, Jeddah Airport, Doha Metro, Hamad International Airport, and Yas Island. Before joining MEED, Colin reported on the construction sector in the Middle East and Hong Kong. He has a bachelor’s degree from Newcastle University and a master’s degree from the University of Reading.

Philip is a chartered surveyor by profession with more that 35 years of real estate development experience. A highly experienced and well regarded, senior property professional with a very significant track record in all types of property development, successful project delivery and placemaking for a wide range of owner occupiers, developers and other client organizations.

Before joining NEOM, Philip was Managing Director of Development at Canary Wharf Group PLC in London where he led the development team working across the Canary Wharf Group overall development portfolio.

Previously Philip spent eight years working on the Battersea Power Station development, as Chief Operating Officer (COO) either leading or assisting with the obtaining town planning consent, team assembly, development management, procurement, construction, infrastructure, rail and tube interface, programme and cost control aspects of the 8.25M sqft mixed use development in Central London.

Specialties: Major real estate development management, project management and successful project delivery.

Francis is a seasoned Vice President, Program Director and C-suite level professional with over 28 years in construction delivery and leadership. He has led teams over 300 professionals on complex billion-dollar Private Investment Fund (PIF) projects and is experienced at reporting to Board and Ministerial levels. Over his career, he has developed an outstanding record in program delivery with full lifecycle appreciation from master planning to handover on complex major programs and also in business, strategy, complex problem solving, negotiations, client relationship management and leading teams.

Having devoted the past 14 years of his career in GCC, he has developed a deep understanding of the industry. In the past 6 years in KSA he has delivered major programs to successful completion to include the reactivation of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD).

• Extensive experience throughout the GCC
• Full lifecycle experience from concept through master planning to completion and handover
• Proven successes in planning, directing, and coordinating high-priority and complex projects and tasks.
• Proven experience in major Legacy and Brown field reactivation programs

Education

Executive MBA, University College Dublin; Postgraduate, Building Project Management, School of Architecture, University College Dublin; MA, Trinity College Dublin; Honours Degree Engineering.

Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider in the national security and global infrastructure markets, with capabilities across cyber, space and missile defense, transportation, environmental remediation, urban development, and critical infrastructure protection.

Founded in 1944, today the company has more than 18,000 employees around the globe delivering integrated solutions at the speed of relevance. The company proudly supports global customers, delivering on our corporate vision of Creating the Future of National Security and Global Infrastructure.

With a team of more than 6,000 employees in the Middle East, our professionals bring domain expertise across multiple disciplines, including smart mobility, asset management, urban planning, and landscape architecture.

Please visit parsons.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to learn how we’re making an impact.

Lucien Zeigler is a venture capitalist, strategic advisor, podcast host, and public speaker with over 15 years of experience working with and living in Saudi Arabia. Lucien is Managing Director at RedSalt Advisory Company, a boutique business development and strategic advisory firm with clients in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, principal and director for the MENA region at Pilatus Capital, a deeptech venture capital fund based in Silicon Valley, California, and Vice President of the non-profit Saudi-US Trade Group based in Washington, D.C.

Lucien is founder and co-host of The TWENTY30 Podcast, the number one bi-weekly podcast show and Youtube channel in English covering Saudi Arabia featuring interviews with changemakers leading Saudi Arabia’s transformation, topical deep dives into the news driving the day, and more.

Previously, Lucien was co-founder and CEO of the media startup Outlit, the venture-backed social publishing network and micropayments platform.

He is a frequent public speaker and event moderator. Among Lucien’s recent Saudi Arabia public speaking engagements include the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) Private Sector Forum in 2023 and 2024, the Human Capability Initiative launched by the Saudi Ministry of Education, events at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, and others.

Lucien splits his time between Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Washington, D.C., USA.

Ben Edwards is the Group Head of Cost, Commercial and Procurement of Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind The Red Sea and Amaala, two ambitious tourism projects set along the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. These destinations will play key roles in the realization of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s blueprint for economic diversification and sustainable development.

Ben was appointed in August 2022, with over 25 years of experience gained with major contractors in the UK, Europe, Caribbean, Middle East and Far East. He has a proven record of delivering complex building and civil engineering projects across the globe prior to joining RSG.

Previously he was a Main Board Director of Tilbury Douglas in London, UK. He was responsible for the development and implementation of the business’ commercial strategy to undertake a greater proportion of lower risk projects blending the strengths of a strong regional business with public sector building and infrastructure frameworks, fit out and a selective presence in the commercial development market.

Ben has a bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, UK.

He is the assistant deputy mayor for Iconic Projects at Riyadh Region Municipality. Before that, he had appointed in several executive leadership positions as Vice President for Operations at the Ministry of Health and managerial positions at Spending Efficiency and Government Projects Authority (EXPRO). Furthermore, Mohammed worked as project manager at King Abdullah Financial Distract (KAFD).In addition; he worked at Wood Group Mustang in both offices; Houston, USA and Alkhbar, Saudi Arabia. Mohammed has MBA degree from Prince Mohammed bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship. He, also, has a Master's degree in Engineering Management from the University of Akron, Ohio, USA after getting his Bachelors’ degree in civil engineering from King Saud University. Mohammed has completed several executive programs from University of Oxford and Harvard. He obtained Engineering license from State of Texas, USA as well as E-PMO license (Expert Level)

Kabbani joined ROSHN, the Kingdom’s premier integrated community developer, as Group Chief Development Officer in 2022, helping to shape at unprecedented speed the Group’s developments across the nation as it is the most trusted leading mixed-use developer. Kabbani is a driving force behind the implementation of ROSHN’s vision for a new way of life in Saudi Arabia, integrating world-class homes and amenities with open and green spaces, all the while emphasizing walkability, sociability, and sustainability.

Oussama Kabbani is a seasoned leader with 33 years of development management experience in large-scale master planning and mixeduse/residential development projects across the GCC and beyond. Throughout his career, he has led and shaped significant urban design, master planning, and downtown development projects from inception to completion.

Over the course of his career, Kabbani has played a role in shaping cities, including Beirut, Boston, Amman, Muscat, Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh, as well as projects in Kazakhstan and Malaysia.

After completing a Bachelor’s in Architecture at the Beirut Arab University, Kabbani went on to complete his master's degree in architecture in urban design (MAUD), and then Kabbani complemented it with an Extended Professional Course in Real Estate Finance at Harvard University.

Muhammad A. Alqahtani is known for his remarkable achievements in project management, arbitration, and driving transformative change. With a solid academic foundation — a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from KFUPM, a master's in Engineering Management from IAU, and an MBA from Liverpool John Moores University — Muhammad has supplemented his education with a Project Management qualification from George Washington University. He is recognized as a registered Professional Civil Engineer and Technical Expert, holding certifications as an Arbitrator, TapRoot Analyst, and Six Sigma Green Belt, alongside a certificate of management excellence from Harvard Business School.

Currently serving as Executive Vice President at Sports Boulevards Foundation (SBF), Muhammad spearheads the development and execution of projects exceeding SAR 5 billion, critical to realizing KSA's Vision 2030. With extensive experience at Qiddiya Investment Company and Saudi Aramco, he has further enriched his expertise through the Executive Education Program at Harvard Business School, specializing in Managing Turbulence.

Daniel McBrearty boasts a distinguished record in orchestrating real estate and hospitality development endeavors, adeptly steering strategy formulation and execution, fostering brand growth, and pioneering creative design initiatives. His expertise spans acquisitions, pioneering development methodologies, asset expansion, and portfolio oversight.

Throughout his professional journey, Daniel has occupied pivotal leadership roles within globally renowned entities such as Vail Resorts, Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Imagineering, , and others. Additionally, while at Under Canvas he worked with KSL Capital Partners and the Investment Committee to establish a new brand in addition to bolster quality standards, health and safety protocols, and environmental stewardship, while diligently preparing official reports.

Daniel earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, and further fortified his expertise with a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.

With 26 years’ experience and a background in design, project development and management roles, Giles Pendleton is leading the development of THE LINE, NEOM’s prestigious 170-kilometer linear and net-zero master-planned vertical city. Bringing a wealth of expertise from delivering large scale sustainable projects around the world, his efforts are aimed at ensuring THE LINE becomes a global best-practice example and byword for modern cities.

As an authority in property sustainability strategy and ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting, Pendleton has experience in countries and regions that include Australia, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. He has specialized in delivering first-class solutions for large mixed-use master-planned precincts, districts and cities driven by smart, sustainable and human-centric visions.

Passionate about good architecture and new urbanism that has functionality at its core, he has been devoted to promoting sustainable and smart buildings in all of the organizations he has worked for. Throughout his career, he has developed over 1,000,000m2 of LEED and Green Star sustainably certified buildings and been an integral component of the success of projects across 25 countries, winning industry awards for developments in Australia, South Africa and Canada.

Formerly serving as the chairman and non-executive director of the Green Building Council of South Africa, Pendleton is an invited Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the world's most eminent body for property professionals. He is an accredited Project Director with the Australian Institute of Project Management and a Green Building Council Accredited Professional Assessor.

Fadi Aristo Hatoum is a highly accomplished business executive and visionary leader, currently serving as the CEO and partner of UNIMAC, a company specializing in heavy civil contracting, of infrastructure and road. Born on May 4, 1977, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Fadi grew up in the Kingdom and gained a strong academic foundation. He successfully completed a bachelor's degree in business administration from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, followed by a master's degree in finance from London. He further pursued an MS in Information Systems and an MBA from Boston University.

Fadi has built an impressive career through his unwavering dedication and expertise in the industry for over 25 years. Armed with extensive knowledge and a passion for innovation, he embarked on a path of professional growth that would ultimately lead him to the helm of a greatly successful company in Saudi Arabia.

Under Fadi's leadership, UNIMAC has experienced exceptional growth and expanded its activities into new sectors and scopes, solidifying its position as an industry front-runner. His strategic thinking, combined with a relentless pursuit of growth and excellence, has fostered a culture of innovation within the organization, resulting in tailor-made solutions that consistently exceed client expectations.

With his noteworthy forward-thinking approach, and unwavering commitment to excellence, Fadi Aristo Hatoum continues to inspire and shape the future of UNIMAC, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.

Engineer Sultan Batterjee is a visionary leader and serial entrepreneur in the sectors of Construction, mixed-used real estate and Sustainability Sectors and serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IHCC, President and Founder of Lifestyle Developers and Greener by IHCC, as well as the chairman of Sultan Batterjee Holding, and a board member of Saudi German Hospitals Group, Batterjee Medical Colleges, and the Batterjee Foundation. With a profound commitment to revolutionizing Healthcare Infrastructure and has achieved remarkable milestones throughout his career. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School of Design and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he completed degrees in Real Estate Development and Entrepreneurship.

Through his leadership over the past 20 years, IHCC was established as a world-renowned design and construction (turnkey solution provider) company specialized in Healthcare, Education and mixed-use development projects in the Middle East and North Africa. IHCC has been the recipient of many international awards and accolades that reflect the strength of Sultan’s guidance and successful management of the company.

Under his adept leadership, IHCC has spearheaded groundbreaking projects, pioneering state-of-the-art hospital facilities across the MENA region such as the Center of Excellence Batterjee in Medical City in Dubai and the Makkah Saudi German Hospital . Batterjee's strategic vision has propelled IHCC to the forefront of healthcare construction, earning global recognition for excellence and innovation and listed as top 5 Construction companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Batterjee's relentless pursuit of excellence has led to the successful completion of numerous prestigious healthcare projects in MENA region, transforming landscapes and enriching communities. His infinite dedication to quality, sustainability, and patient-centric design sets IHCC's projects apart, creating enduring legacies of healing and care.

Driven by a passion for enhancing healthcare accessibility and delivery, Sultan Batterjee remains a beacon of inspiration, empowering IHCC to continue its transformative journey, shaping the future of healthcare for generations to come.

Sultan’s work fundamentally focuses on driving purpose and delivering sustainable growth, while positively impacting communities and quality of life. He is an integral part of the Batterjee family who are a well-known corporate dynasty in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with business roots going back over a 100 years ago.

Sultan achievements in the engineering, construction and real estate development sectors have gained him the recognition of being among the new faces of young Saudi corporate leaders. He was named as one of Forbes 100 Most Inspiring Leaders in Saudi Arabia in 2015, and was listed as top 100 Middle East CEO's in 2023 and 2024 the by Forbes .

Executive Summary
Visionary leader and urban strategist with an extensive background spanning over 25 years in the Real Estate Development sectors. My experience was largely acquired in progressive, growth focused leadership roles with government, private sector, and international organizations, including the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Jacobs, and lately BoD member of Kanoo Holding Group.

My value proposition is centered around setting a clear vision and high impact strategies for organizations that enable successful business roll outs, superior financial returns and ultimately, greater value generation for these businesses.

Areas of Expertise
My specialism and expertise include urban economics, real estate development and management, funding, finance and governance organizational models.

Core skills

• Visionary
• Strategist
• Investments
• Real Estate Development
• Entrepreneurship
• Governance and Policy
• Mentoring
• Transformations

Career History
2022 to date Board Member of KANOO Holding Group, Independent Director
2020 to date Country Director, Saudi Arabia, Jacobs.
2018 - 2019 Acting Chief Executive Officer, Public Investment Fund (PIF), reporting a board chaired by HRH the crown Prince.
2015 – 2017 Senior Policy Advisor to the Minster of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MoMRA),
2014 – 2017 UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Program), Gulf States Regional Policy Advisor, Advisor to the Saudi Cities Future Program
2008 – 2014 Vice President of Business Development, Maskan Arabia

Board Service, Honors, Special Skills and Education
2018 – 2021 Board Member Bidaya Home Finance, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2008 – 2017 Maskan Arabia, Founding Board Member,
2008 – 2013 Member of Board of Directors International Urban Strategies
2020 to date Chairperson, Nowarni Charity Org
2018 to date Co-Founder Urban Research Lab

Education
2000 University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
Master’s Degree, Urban Management
1994 King Saud University, Saudi Arabia,
Business Administration Degree

Professional development
1997 HIS, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
ICHD Post-Graduate Diploma with Distinction, Housing Finance
1996 Institute of Public Administration, Economic Analysis Course

Saurabh Shekhar is a Principal at Kearney, a global management consulting company with ~15 years of experience across multiple sectors such as Manufacturing, Construction, Industrial and Commercial Machinery and Equipment, and Oil and Gas. He has spent 8 years in industry across Energy sector (Oil & Gas) and E-commerce and 6+ years with consulting across Energy and Process Industries, Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Industrial Services, Telecom, and Aviation across multiple topics (Strategy & Growth, Operating models, Cost Management, Organization Transformation, and Customer experience)

During his tenure, he has served several key Ministries in the region in shaping the national agenda for construction sector. His expertise in construction sector has enabled him to support national strategies for building materials and investment plans, policies, and regulations including supporting entities in setting up JVs, bringing FDI’s >$500mn, setting up large-scale manufacturing/assembly plants among others.

In last few years, he has developed and activated the National Industrial Strategy – Machinery and Equipment Sector and Building Materials and Construction, its prioritized investment opportunities, and investor attraction plan and activated investment attraction across 1500+ investors for potential JVs, partnerships across China, Germany, Czech Republic, France, India etc. He worked on the Building Material and Construction Sector and Services Strategy for a GCC country, its prioritized investment opportunities, and investor attraction plan and activated investment attraction across 200+ investors.
He also developed the operating model, transition for a $7bn EPC petrochemical mega-project for a GCC oil and gas company.

Prior to consulting, he has worked with Amazon (E-commerce Operations), Halliburton, and Baker Hughes across US, UK, Argentina, Singapore, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and India in several technical and engineering roles globally.

He holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) and engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IITR).

Bandar is the General Manager (GM) and a Researcher at the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Institute (AMTI) at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). KACST is both the Saudi Arabian national science agency and its national laboratories. Before being named GM in December 2022, Bandar was the director and a researcher at the National Center for Advanced Materials Technologies (NCAMT) and at the National Center for Building and Construction Technology (NCBCT), contributing leadership skills in the scientific and technical elements of major projects.

Bandar earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Building Technology from King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh and a Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles. His master’s thesis project “New Flexibility and the Architecture of Time” researched the possibility of designing adaptable buildings that evolve over time in response to their users’ needs and requirements. Bandar received his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in which his research focus and interest is in the area of Automation in Construction.

Christopher Seymour BSc FRICS Managing Director Middle East and Africa – Mace

Chris Seymour has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and over 15 years based in the Middle East working in most of the major cities in the region.

Currently heading up the Mace business in ME & Africa, Chris is also the former managing director of the Mott MacDonald Middle East operation. Professionally he is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Governing Council and also an independent advisor on the Investment Committee of ENBD Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).

Having spent many years in PFI and PPP procurement practising in both UK, Europe and Middle East, he also advises many clients on strategy, risk, commercial and technical advice for major programmes & investments.

A familiar face at conferences and industry events, Chris was awarded Construction Executive of the Year in 2020 by Construction Week magazine.

Prior to moving to the Middle East Chris worked for Arcadis and was a member of the strategic advisory board to the Group, advising on mergers and acquisitions, divestments, strategy changes and shareholder presentations.

A well-known and respected thought leader in MENA affairs, Edward James has been with MEED for more than 19 years, working as a researcher, consultant and content director. Until September 2008 he was MEED’s Gulf Bureau Chief, after which he moved over to head up the consulting arm of the business. From 2015-2021 he was responsible for content and research at MEED Projects, the region’s leading projects tracking service. Today he heads up all content and research produced by the MEED group. His specific areas of expertise are construction, hydrocarbons, power and water, and the petrochemical market, and is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on the MENA projects market. He is a regular guest commentator on Middle East issues for news channels such as the BBC, CNN and ABC News and is a regular speaker at events in the region. He has an honours degree in Arabic and Middle East Politics.

Colin Foreman is Editor and a Specialist Construction Journalist for news and analysis on MEED.com and the MEED magazine. He has been reporting on the region since 2003, specialising in the construction sector and its impact on the broader economy. He has reported exclusively on a wide range of projects across the region including schemes such as Dubai Metro, the Burj Khalifa, Jeddah Airport, Doha Metro, Hamad International Airport, and Yas Island. Before joining MEED, Colin reported on the construction sector in the Middle East and Hong Kong. He has a bachelor’s degree from Newcastle University and a master’s degree from the University of Reading.

Yasir Iqbal is MEED’s Construction Editor. He has been with MEED for more than 3 years, working as a researcher, writer and construction expert. Before joining MEED, Yasir worked as an analyst at a regional project tracking platform where he led a team of researchers analysing the projects market and providing expert assessments for key project stakeholders across the region.

His specific area of expertise is the Saudi Arabia construction market, with a particular focus on the giga projects program on which he is widely-known for his insights and commentary. He holds an MBA degree from the University of Kashmir.

Richard Kupisz is an Executive Advisor at the National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP), where his responsibilities encompass development of the policy framework for Private Sector Participation, capacity building across the public sector, economic analysis and research. He has more than 30 years’ experience as an advisor to governments and private sector clients on infrastructure strategy, planning and transactions in a wide range of sectors, including energy, water, transport, tourism and telecoms. Richard has been based in the MENA region since 2004.

David is a Builder, Civil Engineer, Project Management and Development professional who has worked in real estate for more than 30 years. In his career, he has been fortunate to work in a variety of organisations across a range of global locations.

He has been working in KSA since 2019 where he has worked on a number of Giga projects including Red Sea Global’s Amaala project and as well as Diriyah as the Chief Project Delivery Officer leading large teams of construction professionals to execute theses complex projects in line with Vision 2030. David is currently the Chief Projects Development Officer at Osool Real Estate Company a semi government organization managing the real estate development pipeline for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pension fund, the General Office of Social Insurance (GOSI).

Prior to joining Amaala in 2019, David was the Chief Development officer at VinaCapital, managing the development of their portfolio of hotels and resorts, residential communities and commercial developments throughout Vietnam.

David is also a McKinsey & Company Alumni, where he was the Infrastructure Vice President for Asia Pacific which included working in client teams on a number of projects across the GCC.

He joined Mckinsey from Mace Group where he spent more than 10 years in a variety of roles including Project Director on a number of large casino projects in Macau SAR, China as well as the Regional Director of Mace’s Asia Pacific business.

From 1997 to 2005, David worked for Multiplex Constructions completing several iconic projects in Australia, South East Asia and the UK, including as the Construction Director on the iconic Wembley Stadium.

Lucien Zeigler is a venture capitalist, strategic advisor, podcast host, and public speaker with over 15 years of experience working with and living in Saudi Arabia. Lucien is Managing Director at RedSalt Advisory Company, a boutique business development and strategic advisory firm with clients in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, principal and director for the MENA region at Pilatus Capital, a deeptech venture capital fund based in Silicon Valley, California, and Vice President of the non-profit Saudi-US Trade Group based in Washington, D.C.

Lucien is founder and co-host of The TWENTY30 Podcast, the number one bi-weekly podcast show and Youtube channel in English covering Saudi Arabia featuring interviews with changemakers leading Saudi Arabia’s transformation, topical deep dives into the news driving the day, and more.

Previously, Lucien was co-founder and CEO of the media startup Outlit, the venture-backed social publishing network and micropayments platform.

He is a frequent public speaker and event moderator. Among Lucien’s recent Saudi Arabia public speaking engagements include the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) Private Sector Forum in 2023 and 2024, the Human Capability Initiative launched by the Saudi Ministry of Education, events at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, and others.

Lucien splits his time between Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Washington, D.C., USA.

Ben Edwards is the Group Head of Cost, Commercial and Procurement of Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind The Red Sea and Amaala, two ambitious tourism projects set along the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. These destinations will play key roles in the realization of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s blueprint for economic diversification and sustainable development.

Ben was appointed in August 2022, with over 25 years of experience gained with major contractors in the UK, Europe, Caribbean, Middle East and Far East. He has a proven record of delivering complex building and civil engineering projects across the globe prior to joining RSG.

Previously he was a Main Board Director of Tilbury Douglas in London, UK. He was responsible for the development and implementation of the business’ commercial strategy to undertake a greater proportion of lower risk projects blending the strengths of a strong regional business with public sector building and infrastructure frameworks, fit out and a selective presence in the commercial development market.

Ben has a bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, UK.

He is the assistant deputy mayor for Iconic Projects at Riyadh Region Municipality. Before that, he had appointed in several executive leadership positions as Vice President for Operations at the Ministry of Health and managerial positions at Spending Efficiency and Government Projects Authority (EXPRO). Furthermore, Mohammed worked as project manager at King Abdullah Financial Distract (KAFD).In addition; he worked at Wood Group Mustang in both offices; Houston, USA and Alkhbar, Saudi Arabia. Mohammed has MBA degree from Prince Mohammed bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship. He, also, has a Master's degree in Engineering Management from the University of Akron, Ohio, USA after getting his Bachelors’ degree in civil engineering from King Saud University. Mohammed has completed several executive programs from University of Oxford and Harvard. He obtained Engineering license from State of Texas, USA as well as E-PMO license (Expert Level)

Robbie McBratney is Executive Director of Engineering at ROSHN Real Estate, the leading real estate developer in Saudi Arabia. Robbie leads the delivery of vertical, infrastructure and mobility strategies for ROSHN's visionary communities across Saudi Arabia. Robbie's primary focus is on developing legacy initiatives and strategic infrastructure to serve not just today's communities but also for the next generation beyond 2030.

Before joining ROSHN Real Estate, Robbie played a pivotal role in the delivery of the world-renowned Maraya Concert Hall at Al Ula, showcasing his expertise in delivering complex and time-sensitive projects throughout the GCC. His journey is rooted in a practical background, holding a BSc in Process Engineering, and working his way up through the Potable Water and Wastewater industry, which has seamlessly evolved into supporting real estate development projects across the region.

With an unwavering commitment to quality and excellence, Robbie McBratney stands at the forefront of realising Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Abdul-Rahman Al Ghabban is a dynamic, highly engaging Senior Strategy and Business Development Professional with proven executive-level experience in developing and driving strategic planning, project development, team development, and business growth within the energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing markets, nationally and internationally.

Abdul-Rahman has worked for several government agencies, including the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, among other private-sector companies.

In 2013, he joined Bechtel as the business development manager for Bechtel’s Power Global Business Unit. After two years, he was appointed deputy country manager for Saudi Arabia in 2015. In recognition of Abdul-Rahman’s strong in-country experience and effective leadership, Abdul-Rahman was promoted to Country Manager Saudi Arabian Bechtel Company in 2017 where he spearheaded the company’s growth and expansion in the region.

He moved to Houston, USA in January 2019 to support Bechtel’s Oil, Gas and Chemicals’ downstream and chemical business development. In early 2020, he moved on to be the Deputy Manager of Corporate Business Development. Abdul-Rahman became the Marketing and Business Development Manager for Bechtel’s Manufacturing & Technology in 2022.

Abdul-Rahman returned to the Kingdom in mid-2013 as Vice President of Bechtel’s KSA Infrastructure. In this role, he led the company’s regional business strategy, stakeholder and customer engagement, talent management, and project operations for the company’s Public Infrastructure business line.

Most recently, Abdul-Rahman was appointed president of Saudi Arabian Bechtel Company and regional manager for the Middle East Region. In this role, he will support the Bechtel’s business development and project execution in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Abdul-Rahman is a registered professional engineer, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Executive Education Emerging Leaders from London Business School, and an Executive Masters in Energy Management from BI Norwegian School of Business Management.

Dr. Osman assumed the role of President of SETS in early 2024, where he now leads the company’s strategic transformation. He is spearheading the implementation of a new operating model that emphasizes geographical integration and the standardization of business processes across regions. Hesham’s expertise spans civil infrastructure asset management and the program management of complex infrastructure projects, with a focus on urban infrastructure systems.

Since 2015, Hesham has headed SETS' Program and Construction Management Department and led the establishment of SETS operations in Egypt, expanding its footprint and market presence. He has built a career advising public and private sector entities, including water utilities, transportation authorities, and municipalities, on infrastructure investment, asset management, and performance improvement. His experience extends across Canada and the Middle East, where he has collaborated with international development agencies, private developers, and government authorities.

In addition to his professional work, Hesham has made significant contributions to academic research. He has supervised 35 Ph.D. and MSc theses and authored more than 60 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers in the fields of construction engineering, infrastructure management, and project management.

Dr. Osman holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario, Canada.

Mohammed S. Al Surf, holder of PhD. in Sustainable and Green Construction. Founder & President of the Sustainability Professionals in Saudi Arabia Network (SPSA) reaching 5000 members. First Saudi to become a USGBC® Faculty, an ISSP® Sustainability Associate and a TRUE® Advisor. LEED® Accredited Professional in BD+C, ENV SP credential and a Green Classroom Professional. Author of the books titled “Sustainable Housing in Saudi Arabia: Opportunities & Challenges” and “10 Steps to Become a Sustainability Professional”. Member of several local and international professional entities such as the U.S. Green Building Council, the Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE), the Pacific Rim Real-Estate Society (PRRES), Asian Real-Estate Society (AsRES) and Project Management Institute (PMI). Dedicated to applying a systematic approach to Green Construction and Sustainable methods applied on projects in Saudi Arabia to induce quality of life while preserving the depleting supply of natural resources.

Languages
Fluently speak, read and write two languages: English and Arabic

Education
• MBA Oil & Gas Management•Higher National Certificate in IndustrialMeasurement & Process Control
• Ordinary National Certificate in Electrical& Electronic EngineeringPROFESSIONAL

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• Incorporated Member of the Institute ofEngineering & Technology
• Member of the Project ManagementInstitute

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
• Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Training for PMP Certification
• EBS Primavera Pertmaster PRM3 (Risk Analysis) Training
• National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Electrical Apparatus in Potentially Hazardous Atmospheres

KEY SKILLS
• Strategic Planning & Leadership: Focuses on developing strategies that invest in futuren sustainable business success. Presents sound business cases supported with strong evidence. Communicates clearly to others, displaying purpose in achieving overall business objectives.

• Operational Management & Control: Organises business resources and processes so that all are working towards common goals. Uses management information to highlight priority areas and ensure planned expenditure delivers anticipated benefits.

• People Management: Firm believer in participative style of engagement to encourage ideas and good decision making at all levels. Helps identify development needs and addresses through planned training supported with mentoring and coaching.

• Communication: Consistent, clear, inclusive and fact based communication style. Influences internal and external stakeholders by considering other viewpoints and drivers when deciding most appropriate
communication method and content.

• Training and Development: Helps identify development needs and addresses through planned training supported with mentoring and coaching.