Saudi-based Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has appointed Kareem Shamma as the new chief development officer for its entertainment, sports and cultural destination coming up in capital Riyadh.

An industry veteran, Shamma has spent much of his 35-year career in the GCC, with periods in Bahrain, the UAE, and the United Kingdom.

He started his professional life in Saudi Arabia and spent several years in the kingdom as an engineer working on Riyadh’s ring road network, including the construction of a number of its bridges and underpasses, said a statement from QIC.

Now with over three decades of technical and commercial engineering, and development experience behind him, Shamma has an extensive record of achievements in leading major projects across numerous sectors from hospitality, leisure and mixed-use real estate developments, it stated.

He joins Qiddiya following his role as CEO of one of the region’s largest entertainment, hospitality and retail projects, where he was responsible for the overall delivery of a SR6 billion ($1.6 billion) mixed-use development, including a mall of 250,000 leasable sq m besides four theme parks, a 5-star hotel and conference centre.

"I spent my early career in the kingdom developing key infrastructure, as the capital city grew and the kingdom developed," remarked Shamma.

"To come back a second time and work on this extraordinary project is a chance of a lifetime and I’m fortunate to be part of building Qiddiya - a project which will change the way that the population will spend their leisure time. I look forward to working with the talented team already in place to create this unique destination," he added.

Welcoming Shamma into the fold, Chief Administration Officer Abdulaziz Al Remaihi said: "He has a wealth of experience that will help us to create the capital of entertainment, sports and the arts here in the kingdom, and we all look forward to working with him."

Fluent in both Arabic and English, Shamma’s successful track record in directing major projects from inception through to completion ideally positions him to lead the planning, construction and handover of Qiddiya, in accordance with the project’s approved vision.

Qiddiya is an integrated destination for entertainment, sports and the arts which is due to open by the end of 2022.

A transformational project, Qiddiya will be built over a sprawling 334 sq km area at a location 40km from downtown Riyadh.

Visitors will enjoy access to a range of diverse activities and services across five innovatively designed cornerstones: Sports & Wellness; Nature & Environment; Parks & Attractions; Motion & Mobility; and Arts & Culture.-TradeArabia News Service

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