New Murabba Partners Forum Sets Stage for Ambitious Downtown of the Future

New Murabba, a PIF company, hosted its Partners Forum at the Crowne Plaza RDC in Digital City, Riyadh. The forum inaugural together over 40 senior leaders from various companies and strategic partners to engage in open dialogue and exchange ideas on Saudi Vision 2030 and the future of Riyadh’s new, transformative downtown.

Eissa Almunif, Executive Director of EPMO and Stakeholder Management, New Murabba, opened the day, by welcoming our partners and highlighting the vision 2030 and what this means for Riyadh City residential today. Michael Dyke, CEO of New Murabba, delivered a keynote address highlighting the development's progress and plans, stating, "Together, we are building an extraordinary destination that will serve as a model of future urban planning – for the Kingdom and other nations worldwide."  Dyke emphasized the importance of collaboration and commitment to a common goal, acknowledging the expertise, innovation, and dedication of the partners involved.

Dyke also provided an update on the progress of New Murabba, noting, “With 86% of the excavation now complete – which is over 10 million cubic meters of earth moved – we are making excellent progress on The Mukaab.”   He also highlighted the recent announcement of plans for a 45,000-seat stadium, a state-of-the-art venue that will be able to host FIFA World Cup games in 2034. The stadium will position New Murabba as a global hub for sports, entertainment, and culture, further enhancing its appeal as a vibrant, dynamic destination.

Michael Lyons, Chief Delivery Officer, along with Mamdouh Alquraishi, Chief Corporate Services Officer; Tareq Almusharaf, Chief Financial Officer; Carl Schibrowski, Chief Development Officer; Raymond Rice, Head of Master Plan Delivery Division; Salman Alhubeis, Executive Director of Delivery; and Thomas Nilsson, Executive Director of Delivery for the Mukaab, provided an exclusive look into the development's evolution, showcasing its ambitious vision and remarkable progress. This culminated in a site visit to what will become New Murabba’s iconic landmark, The Mukaab, where attendees witnessed the scale of construction firsthand and gained a deeper understanding of the significant impact this iconic structure will have on Riyadh.  The Mukaab will house the world's largest immersive experience, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge digital and holographic technologies.

Troy Rudd, the CEO of AECOM worldwide, highlighted a pioneering  the “Nature of Risk” and Abdullah Al-Juffali the president of Honeywell provided an introduction of Smart Cities Vision. 

New Murabba offers a wide array of partnership opportunities across various sectors, all vital for the realization of the development's full potential. These include: Rights and Sponsorships, providing avenues for global brands and organizations to create unique experiences; Financial Partnerships and Fund Structures, welcoming collaborations with financial institutions and investors; Development Partnerships, seeking to join forces with leading real estate developers, architects, and contractors; Public Private Partnerships, recognizing the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors; Technology and Smart Cities Partnerships, aiming to create a truly smart and connected city; and Green and Sustainable Development Partnerships, emphasizing environmental sustainability and green building practices.

Phase 2 is expected to see the eastern & western sides of the destination and the complete development of the communities around the stadium to create vibrant community life. Phase 3 will see the completion of the master plan development and all communities.  

The success of New Murabba rests on the strength of its partnerships. The destination represents an undertaking of incredible scale and complexity, requiring the collective talents of many organizations. Their expertise, insights, and commitment are what makes our progress possible. 

In Relevance to New Murraba, Punggol, Singapore is Packaged by zones and required 17 years to construct. Tengah, Singapore, is relevant to New Murraba because of its mid-scale size and new area, which required 15 years for construction. The Saadiyat Island, in Abu-Dhabi, compared to New Murraba, has mixed use options, while the Msheirb Downtown, in Qatar, is on a community-level scale and took 10 years to construct. Besides, the Dubai Downtown, in UAE, is a mid-scale project that took 17 years to construct.

New Murabba is committed to transparency, open communication, and collaborative decision-making to ensure long-term partner engagement. It believes in building strong relationships with its partners based on trust and mutual respect.