Cruise Saudi - a 100% Public Investment Fund-owned business - is pleased to announce the appointment of Lars Clasen as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. He is a global industry expert with 30+ years of experience in the shipping and cruise industries across Asia, Europe and North America.

Fawaz Farooqui, Managing Director of Cruise Saudi commented: “We are excited to announce that Lars Clasen has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of Cruise Saudi. Clasen brings three decades of experience in the global cruising industry, and we look forward to having him as a key member of the team.” 

Clasen on joining Cruise Saudi said: “As a cruise professional and enthusiast, I’ve been following the tremendous progress Cruise Saudi has made in such a short span of time; from setting up an entirely new industry and welcoming guests on cruise ships for the first time in Saudi Arabia, to garnering a great deal of attention globally as the newest player in the cruise industry. I am honored to be joining a diligent team of professionals and look forward to achieving more milestones together as Cruise Saudi embarks upon a new phase of development in opening not just one gateway, but several new gateways connecting the world to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Prior to joining Cruise Saudi, Clasen held several key roles across leading cruise companies; Managing Director at The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Co-founder and Managing Director of Dolce Cruise Management, CEO of A-ROSA River Cruises, President of AIDA Cruises, and is also the founder and owner of Lars Clasen Cruise Consulting.  His profound experience in the world of cruising is ideally suited for Cruise Saudi as it pursues its development of the cruise sector in the Red Sea and elsewhere.

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