
What can ancient wisdom teach us about sustainability?
In AlUla, Saudi Arabia, technology and innovation is being used to update ancient techniques that can address sustainability issues in an integrated way.
Amr AlMadani is the Chief Executive Officer of The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) in Saudi Arabia.
AlMadani is an accomplished and dynamic executive with a proven track record of ambidextrous management; creating, building and operating start-up organisations, managing teams in dynamic business environments and growing high performing and successful organisations to scale.
His experience spans a range of sectors and markets, including the development of museums and science centres, as well as entertainment and tourism. Prior to his role with the Royal Commission for AlUla, AlMadani cofounded TalentS, a KSA based creative learning start-up in the fields of science, technology, engineering and innovation. He was also the founding CEO of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia.
Originally trained as an engineer, AlMadani is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Program for Leadership Development and recently completed the Advanced Management Development Program through the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He is an Eisenhower Fellow and serves as the President of the Saudi Arabian Hot Air Ballooning Federation (SAHAB Federation).
Located in north-west Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage covering 22,561km², including a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years – including Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
RCU was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla as a global destination for cultural, heritage, and eco-tourism. RCU’s long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development, that preserves the area’s natural and historic heritage, while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme.
In AlUla, Saudi Arabia, technology and innovation is being used to update ancient techniques that can address sustainability issues in an integrated way.
Three hundred kilometres north of Medina, the region is developing its tourist economy, while aiming to preserve its local culture and heritage, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 pro...