Riyadh Expo appointments are the launchpad for construction
17 July 2025
Commentary
Colin Foreman
Editor
It has been nearly two years since Saudi Arabia was selected as the host country for the World Expo 2030.
The vote was effectively the starting gun for the region’s largest and most challenging construction projects. The event will be hosted at a purpose-built venue on the outskirts of Riyadh, which is expected to require billions of dollars in construction spending and, perhaps more importantly, must be completed in time for the Expo’s opening in 2030.
Apart from a few high-level meetings with various stakeholders, there had been little update on the project since November 2023.
One of the key issues was the entity responsible for delivering it. That question was answered in June when the Public Investment Fund (PIF) launched Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (ERC) as a wholly owned subsidiary to build and operate facilities for Expo 2030.
A few days later, Talal Al-Marri was appointed as the CEO of the new entity.
Now, in July, US-based Bechtel has announced its appointment as the project management consultant (PMC) for the Expo.
These important updates serve as the launchpad for construction to begin. With the project leadership now established, attention can shift to actual construction. MEED recently reported that contractors have submitted bids for a contract to build the site offices required for initial construction works at the Expo site.
The pace of tendering and contract awards will ramp up sharply over the next two years. Experience from Dubai, which hosted Expo 2020, shows that after being initially selected for the event, a period of about two years follows as bureaucratic structures are established. It is worth noting that Dubai appointed its PMC team, comprising UK-based Mace and US-based CH2M (now part of Jacobs), in December 2014.
Construction activity then quickly ramps up, and in the case of Dubai, over $5bn of Expo-related contracts were awarded during the 2016-18 period.
For Riyadh, which is hosting the event exactly 10 years later, there will need to be a similar value and volume of work awarded during 2026-28 if the project is to be finished in time for 2030.
READ THE JULY 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF
UAE and Turkiye expand business links; Renewed hope lies on the horizon for trouble-beset Levant region; Gulf real estate momentum continues even as concerns emerge
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the July 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
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> AGENDA: UAE-Turkiye trade gains momentum
> INTERVIEW 1: Building on UAE-Turkiye trade
> INTERVIEW 2: Turkiye's Kalyon goes global
> INTERVIEW 3: Strengthening UAE-Turkiye financial links
> INTERVIEW 4: Turkish Airlines plans further growth
> CURRENT AFFAIRS: Middle East tensions could reduce gas investments
> GCC REAL ESTATE: Gulf real estate faces a more nuanced reality
> PROJECTS MARKET: GCC projects market collapses
> INTERVIEW 5: Hassan Allam eyes role in Saudi Arabia’s transformation
> INTERVIEW 6: Aseer region seeks new investments for Saudi Arabia
> LEADERSHIP: Nuclear power makes a global comeback
> LEVANT MARKET FOCUS: Levant states wrestle regional pressures
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects index continues climb
> CONTRACT AWARDS: Mena contract award activity remains subdued
> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects
> OPINION: A farcical tragedy that no one can end
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> AGENDA: UAE-Turkiye trade gains momentum> INTERVIEW 1: Building on UAE-Turkiye trade> INTERVIEW 2: Turkiye's Kalyon goes global> INTERVIEW 3: Strengthening UAE-Turkiye financial links> INTERVIEW 4: Turkish Airlines plans further growth> CURRENT AFFAIRS: Middle East tensions could reduce gas investments> GCC REAL ESTATE: Gulf real estate faces a more nuanced reality> PROJECTS MARKET: GCC projects market collapses> INTERVIEW 5: Hassan Allam eyes role in Saudi Arabia’s transformation> INTERVIEW 6: Aseer region seeks new investments for Saudi Arabia> LEADERSHIP: Nuclear power makes a global comeback> LEVANT MARKET FOCUS: Levant states wrestle regional pressures> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects index continues climb> CONTRACT AWARDS: Mena contract award activity remains subdued> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects> OPINION: A farcical tragedy that no one can endTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14281751/main.jpeg -
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READ THE JULY 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDFUAE and Turkiye expand business links; Renewed hope lies on the horizon for trouble-beset Levant region; Gulf real estate momentum continues even as concerns emerge
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