As the Prince of Wales heads to Saudi Arabia to strengthen UK–Saudi relationships, I’ve been thinking about what that actually looks like when you’re there, rather than reading about it from a safe distance.
I was back in Riyadh in January with the MYA team, moving between meetings, presentations, and site work. What stayed with me wasn’t the schedule, it was the sense of a place mid-stride: building at speed, but not sleepwalking into a generic “global city” future. We spent time at the King Abdullah Financial District, and it’s hard not to be struck by how deliberately Saudi it still feels, in the motifs, the social intent, the confidence. Whatever your assumptions, it doesn’t present as timid.
People often ask how I find working in the Kingdom as a woman. The honest answer is: positively. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in its young people, men and women, and you can feel the results everywhere. There’s a generation coming through that is highly educated, outward-looking, and increasingly in the driving seat. The UK media tends to default to a single-note story, usually the darkest one. On the ground, what you encounter is more complex: a society in significant transition, full of capable people who want to build something better and are getting on with it.
MYA has been working in the Kingdom for the last four years. We keep client work discreet because trust matters, but we’ve seen first-hand the ambition, the pace, and the seriousness of intent across hospitality, tourism, and cultural projects. It’s challenging, it’s fascinating, and it’s a privilege to contribute to work that aims to create places where people will genuinely want to spend time.
