AlUla Development Company (UDC), part of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has appointed John Pagano as its new Managing Director. The move signals a decisive next step in the development of AlUla, one of Saudi Arabia’s most culturally significant and strategically important tourism destinations. Pagano will now lead UDC into a new phase of growth, building on the foundations laid in its formative years while advancing the company’s mandate to preserve and activate AlUla’s extraordinary natural and cultural assets.
UDC acknowledged the contributions of outgoing Managing Director Fabien Toscano, who guided the company through its establishment period and secured key partnerships across hospitality, real estate, and cultural development. With a robust pipeline now in place, the leadership transition to Pagano reflects the company’s ambition to accelerate delivery, quality, and international visibility.
Strengthening UDC’s next chapter
UDC was established in 2023 to support the Royal Commission for AlUla with real estate development, hospitality projects, and destination infrastructure. While RCU sets the overarching cultural and environmental vision for AlUla, UDC is responsible for executing the physical development that brings this vision to life. Under Toscano, the company secured major partnerships with global hotel operators and initiated several large-scale residential and cultural projects.
Pagano is expected to bring a new level of delivery confidence. His track record at RSG—turning previously untouched islands and deserts into functioning cities powered by renewable energy—demonstrates his ability to move from planning to execution at speed while maintaining international standards.
UDC’s forthcoming priorities include:
- expanding AlUla’s luxury hospitality offerings
- developing residential communities that respect local landscapes
- delivering cultural venues and recreational infrastructure
- ensuring that all development adheres to high environmental and heritage standards
Pagano’s experience in managing multidisciplinary teams, forging global partnerships, and maintaining a sustainability-first approach positions him to guide UDC through this next phase.Pagano brings more than three decades of international development experience. Before coming to Saudi Arabia, he played senior roles in major urban and hospitality projects, including the regeneration of London’s Canary Wharf district and the development of large-scale luxury resorts in the Caribbean. His expertise spans destination building, financial strategy, design management, and sustainable development.
Since 2018, Pagano has served as Group CEO of Red Sea Global (RSG), one of Saudi Arabia’s most high-profile developers. Under his leadership, RSG launched two of the world’s most ambitious tourism destinations: The Red Sea and AMAALA. These projects are widely regarded as global benchmarks for sustainability-driven luxury tourism, combining large-scale hospitality, new infrastructure, marine conservation efforts, and renewable energy systems.
At the Red Sea, Pagano oversaw the delivery of the first set of luxury resorts, a new international airport, extensive environmental restoration projects, and the implementation of 100% renewable energy systems. He also spearheaded the consolidation of The Red Sea and AMAALA portfolios to streamline development and accelerate delivery.
Pagano is also Managing Director and a board member of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, one of the region’s most ambitious mixed-use business districts. His ability to guide complex urban and tourism projects simultaneously has made him one of the most influential development executives in Saudi Arabia.
Increasing involvement across the Kingdom’s giga-projects
In addition to his ongoing leadership at Red Sea Global, Pagano has recently taken on a greater role within NEOM, including guiding the repositioning and management of Sindalah, NEOM’s ultra-luxury island destination. Sindalah is scheduled to become the first tourism asset opening within NEOM. Pagano’s experience delivering island destinations at the Red Sea has made him a natural choice to accelerate Sindalah’s activation and refine its guest experience strategy.
His involvement across RSG, AlUla, NEOM, and KAFD signals an increasingly integrated approach in the Kingdom’s development landscape, in which expertise and operational excellence are shared between major projects under the PIF portfolio. It also reflects the high degree of confidence Saudi leadership has placed in Pagano’s ability to turn bold concepts into operational realities.
Deep existing ties to AlUla
Pagano’s appointment at UDC is not a new beginning but rather the deepening of a relationship that has already taken shape. He has held advisory and board roles connected to AlUla for several years and worked alongside the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) on initiatives aimed at sustainability, hospitality standards, and destination development.
This familiarity gives him a head start. He understands AlUla’s long-term master plans, the archaeological sensitivities of the region, and the importance of balancing luxury development with heritage protection. Pagano has spoken frequently about the need for tourism development in Saudi Arabia to be environmentally conscious and people-centred—an approach that aligns closely with AlUla’s Vision 2030 objectives.
A holistic vision for Saudi tourism
Pagano’s appointment reinforces a consistent theme across Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation: the Kingdom is moving from planning to operation, from blueprint to guest experience. The Red Sea now receives guests. AMAALA is progressing. NEOM’s early assets are nearing activation. AlUla is growing in visitor numbers and global recognition.
In all these developments, Pagano has played or will play a guiding role. His leadership has helped Saudi Arabia redefine what modern tourism development looks like—where luxury and sustainability operate hand in hand, and where local communities and cultural preservation are central pillars rather than afterthoughts.
Pagano’s arrival at UDC marks a shift from groundwork to acceleration. As AlUla attracts more global attention—through new hotels, cultural festivals, archaeological discoveries, and enhanced air connectivity—UDC will play a crucial role in shaping its evolution.
His combination of international experience, Saudi-specific expertise, sustainability credentials, and proven delivery record places him at the centre of the Kingdom’s tourism renaissance.
Pagano’s leadership at UDC is expected not only to strengthen AlUla’s role as a destination but also to enhance the overall integration between Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects, all of which are advancing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goal of a vibrant, diversified, globally competitive economy.
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Photo top of page: John Pagano (photo: R BARNES – SA-FE.org)
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