With development activity projected to increase by 450% and ahead of the 5th anniversary of Vision 2030, Riyadh-based Diriyah Gate Development Co. (DGDA) is incorporating Diriyah Development Co. (DevCo) to drive forward progress for the project’s core purpose to develop three masterplans and will be led by the DGDA’s current Chief Design and Development Officer Jonathan Timms.
The move to name Timms president of the DevCo is further compounded by the task set forth by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to incorporate planning for an additional five million square meters of gross floor area, which is more than three times the size of the current Diriyah Gate development area.
Development work is fully underway on Diriyah Gate’s US$20 billion phase one masterplan, marking the beginning of construction and transformation for historic Diriyah, located just 15 minutes northwest of Riyadh city center. Nestled around the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif, Diriyah is the birthplace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and home of the first Saudi State. Upon completion, Diriyah will be transformed into a lifestyle destination for culture and heritage, entertainment, retail, hospitality, education, and residences.
Timms’s existing role has been split between three new C-Suite roles: chief development officer; chief design officer; and chief delivery officer. He will retain his reporting line into DGDA’s Chief Executive Officer Jerry Inzerillo. Mohamed Saad has been appointed as chief development officer and will lead the development for two masterplans – Diriyah Gate and Wadi Safar. Saad is currently a senior development director at DGDA.
“Our development activity is progressing quickly as we move from a planning phase to the more intense detailed design and delivery phase,” Timms said. “Developing our Saudi team is just as important as the progression of our masterplans, and DGDA has been blessed with a large group of incredibly passionate and dedicated Saudi talent. Impressively, over 50% of our Saudi team were promoted at the end of 2020, including our new Senior Director of Health & Safety Izac Assiri and Dalia Muhndis, who was promoted to Interior Design Director. We are confident that our Saudi leadership will continue to grow throughout 2021 and beyond as we enthusiastically work towards Vision 2030.”
Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of DGDA, added: “Through operating this new company structure, we are preparing the company for expedited and imminent growth. Our dedicated leadership team continues to grow from strength to strength, and we are thrilled to be promoting this exceptional internal talent. We are also excited to be additionally searching the global market for further talent acquisition to fulfill our current C-suite vacancies.”