John Pagano, the CEO of The Red Sea Development Company, will also take the helm of the Amaala ultra-luxury mega project in Saudi Arabia.
Following the departure of CEO Nicholas Naples, the Amaala board said in a statement that Pagano will take up the dual role as the project located along Saudi Arabia’s north western coast goes into its next phase of construction.
It added that Naples had been instrumental in driving the early phase of the project, establishing a team of 420 professionals and experts, all dedicated to bringing the destination’s blueprint to life.
“We are very grateful to Nicholas for his strong leadership in bringing Amaala to life and driving its development over the past three years. His departure is part of the evolution of Amaala and he will continue to be part of the destination’s development in the capacity of senior advisor to AMAALA.” said Pagano, pictured below, who takes on the mantle of CEO this month.
Since its launch in 2018, Amaala has laid the groundwork for its three core communities, revealed the design of its dedicated airport, and kicked off the first phase of construction.
It has also built an advisory board that is composed of prominent experts from the fields of hospitality, wellness and sports, travel and tourism, arts and culture, construction, sustainability as well as luxury lifestyle and wellbeing.
“It has been an honour and privilege to have been part of this ground-breaking project and I look forward to its evolution over the coming years. Although I will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations, I will remain one of Amaala’s biggest champions and look forward to supporting in an advisory capacity as the destination goes from strength to strength,” said Naples, pictured below.
Amaala and The Red Sea Projects are key components to delivering on Saudi Arabia’s luxury tourism ambition, as well as protecting and actively enhancing the country’s natural environment.
Amaala is set in the Prince Mohammad bin Salman Natural Reserve across three communities. The 4,155 sq km year-round destination will include 2,800 hotel keys and more than 900 private residential villas, apartments, and estate homes, alongside 200 high-end retail establishments, fine dining, wellness, and recreational facilities.
Triple Bay will offer a fully holistic wellness retreat and will also be home to a fully integrated sports and entertainment community.
The Coastal Development is set to become the defining hub of contemporary art in the Middle East, playing host to a dynamic programme of exciting events from the global arts and cultural calendar while the Island will be the home of an exclusive art community, set amid an Arabian botanical garden complemented by a collection of sculptural pieces.
The Red Sea Project is being developed over 28,000 sq km of pristine lands and waters along Saudi Arabia’s west coast and includes a vast archipelago of more than 90 pristine islands. The destination also features mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes, and ancient cultural and heritage sites.
It will include hotels, residential properties, leisure, commercial and entertainment amenities, as well as supporting infrastructure that utilises renewable energy and emphasizes water conservation and re-use.
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