The 42nd session of the Global Real Estate Leaders Summit commenced in Riyadh under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing and Chairman of the Real Estate General Authority (REGA) Board of Directors, Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail. The summit is attended by prominent figures in the real estate sector, chief executive officers of major companies, members of the International Real Estate Federation, and international speakers representing more than (110) countries.
The summit brings together real estate leaders to discuss the challenges facing the industry and explore available investment opportunities. It also highlights the role of leadership in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship through the review and application of global best practices in the region, particularly in the context of the digital future and artificial intelligence.
The summit features the launch of several real estate initiatives and agreements, along with high-level dialogues among global investors and a showcase of investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia. These efforts aim to open new horizons for a dynamic and resilient real estate future that promotes prosperity and enhances quality of life.
His Excellency Mr. Majid Al-Hogail emphasized the significance of hosting the summit amid the strong momentum currently witnessed across the international, regional, and local real estate markets. This comes in parallel with Riyadh's selection as host city for Expo 2030—the same year Saudi Vision 2030 is set to reach its milestones—as the Kingdom embarks on a new chapter of growth and development. He noted that Saudi Arabia is advancing at an accelerated pace, focusing on building both people and civilization, and leading major development initiatives supported by large-scale government investments.
Al-Hogail reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to adopting global best practices in the real estate sector and forming strategic partnerships that enable participation from international developers and industry leaders. These partnerships are designed to generate innovative ideas that turn sector challenges into value-added opportunities.
REGA's CEO, Engineer Abdullah Al-Hammad, stated that this edition of the summit, hosted in Riyadh under the theme "Resilience for Growth," reflects the transformative power of recent global real estate challenges. These challenges have revealed areas of strength, uncovered gaps needing investment, and reinforced the importance of resilience and collaboration between public and private sectors. He highlighted that Saudi Arabia possesses the resilience, readiness, and potential needed to lead, supported by a comprehensive legislative framework that aligns with market needs and partner expectations—ensuring the development of a sustainable, innovative, and investor-friendly real estate sector. He also noted that the Kingdom is currently the largest construction site in the world, with trillion-dollar projects underway since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030.
Mr. Budiyarsasastrawinata, President of the International Real Estate Federation office, stated that the summit represents a beacon of hope for the global real estate sector, aiming to find sustainable solutions to the industry’s challenges. It provides a platform to form new partnerships, explore investment opportunities, and advance future visions, all while promoting best practices and building real estate communities rooted in sustainability and social responsibility.
Mr. Abdullah Al-Harbi, President of the International Real Estate Federation office in Saudi Arabia, noted that hosting the summit for the first time in the Middle East and Africa region marks a milestone that supports government efforts to develop a mature real estate sector and increase its contribution to GDP. Several initiatives have been launched to support this objective.
The summit includes a series of specialized dialogue sessions and meetings covering key areas such as marketing, innovation, leadership, and real estate management. These sessions bring together leaders, experts, and investors to address the sector’s most pressing issues, review international experiences, and present innovative solutions focused on sustainability, long-term strategic planning, investment diversification, risk management, financing strategies, and leveraging emerging technologies.