Cityscape Global Opens Doors Tomorrow In Riyadh, With Over 500 World Class Experts And 400 Renowned Exhibitors In Attendance

Cityscape Global, the world’s largest real estate event, will open its doors tomorrow at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre, Malham, with an expanded focus on driving business-to-business (B2B) transactions. Running from 11-14 November, this year’s Cityscape Global grows to add on two new halls over 45,000 sqm, features various new segments, more than 150 hours of content, 500 experts sharing ‘Future of Living’ insights, and 400 exhibitors.

The event is Sponsored by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH) in partnership with Real Estate General Authority (REGA), Vision 2030, Housing Program, Organized by Tahaluf.  Cityscape Global 2024 supporting Foundation Partners include National Housing Company (NHC), NEOM, ROSH New Murabba, King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Diriyah Company and Destination Partner, MASAR. Under the theme ‘The Future of Living,’ Cityscape Global has redefined its offerings this year by expanding into cutting-edge segments, including Stadiums & Mega Events, Sustainable Smart Cities, Hotel Development, and Next-Generation Construction Technologies. These new verticals align with the event’s enhanced B2B goals, attracting an additional 130 regional and international exhibitors to forge partnerships and seize unprecedented opportunities within Saudi Arabia’s flourishing real estate market.

“The enhanced B2B focus is aimed at driving international developers to establish their presence in Saudi Arabia and attract institutional investors with a fund value of US $1.5 trillion by increasing engagement between developers, regulators, government entities, and investors,” said Rachel Sturgess, Senior Vice President at Tahaluf, which organizes Cityscape Global.

This year’s Cityscape Global Institutional Investor Program, which has attracted renowned investor companies including BlackRock, Brookfield, Apollo Global Management, CVC Capital Partners, Northern Trust, BNP Paribas, Intesa Sanpaolo and more, promises to unlock regional and global opportunities, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where 1.2 billion square-meters of built-up area will be developed by 2030.

“Following last year’s record-breaking achievements – US$30bn in transactions and project launches – we expect an increased number of international participation this year. With Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal of 70 per cent home ownership, the Kingdom is opening unprecedented opportunities for developers and architects worldwide, which is contributing to the global attention of the event, including US$8bn for the Saudi economy. This week’s event offers unmatched opportunities for asset optimisation, portfolio diversification, and high-return investments in Saudi Arabia’s smart cities and infrastructure projects,” added Sturgess.

The four-day mega-event also highlights Riyadh’s emergence as a global hub for real estate professionals, with Cityscape Global 2024 will be hosting more than 50 participating countries, including those from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, China, Singapore, India, Germany, and Hong Kong, among others. The event will focus on Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning giga-projects, NHC, New Murabba, ROSHN, MASAR, Misk City, Ajdan, Almajdiah, Al Darah, Retal and Erth while also presenting global perspectives on urban development, sustainable cities, and real estate technology.

This year’s edition also highlights Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in shaping the future of urban living, aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goal of delivering a million new homes and achieving 70 per cent homeownership by the end of the decade.

With more than 150 hours of expert-led content across seven specialised conferences and 20 content tracks, including the new Stadiums & Mega Events Stage as well as a dedicated stage and conference for PropTech, this year’s Cityscape Global will offer unparalleled insights into the future of urban living, sustainable construction, and smart city innovations.

Sports enthusiasts will also be able to meet and greet Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer and former captain, Didier Drogba, and world-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua OBE, while Saudi nationals can apply to join a live auction featuring SAR 1bn worth of exclusive assets.

Across Cityscape Global’s several conference streams, the list of experts taking center stage includes The Hon. Caroline D. Pham, Commissioner of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Dr. Tonio Fenech, Former Minister of Finance, Economy and Investment of the Republic of Malta; and Dr. Alison Gilliland, Former Lord Mayor of Dublin & European Climate Pact Ambassador.  The formidable lineup also includes the CEOs of Saudi Arabia’s GIGA projects, including Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM; Michael Dyke, CEO of New Murabba; David Henry, CEO of Misk City; George Tanasijevich, CEO of King Salman Park Foundation; and Jayne McGivern, CEO of Sports Boulevard Foundation, to name a few.

“As the world’s largest real estate event, Cityscape has been a launchpad for iconic developments and welcomed countless thought leaders. This year is going to be the biggest edition yet,” said Kevin O’Leary, one of the show’s headline speakers and a renowned businessman, investor, and judge on TV shows Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank. “The world of real estate investments is evolving very quickly, with Saudi Arabia targeting US$103bn in foreign direct investment annually by 2030. I am excited to head to the Kingdom to share my insights.”

During the event, visitors can participate in competitions to win plots of land, while prospective homebuyers will have the chance to access special mortgage rates and valuable advice from market experts.

The first-ever Cityscape Future Leaders Competition will also take place,  aimed at empowering students and fresh graduates by challenging them to solve real-world architectural problems, while the Cityscape Innovation Challenge will gather over 60 PropTech, Smart Cities and ConTech startups to compete for the chance to make it to the Shark Tank-style Finale. The ROSHN Hackathon is also back  – supported by Google Cloud and PwC – where 100 selected participants and 40 teams will compete for prizes worth SAR 1.5 million.

“Cityscape Global is a testament to the Kingdom’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement,” said ROSHN Group’s Chief Information and Digital Officer Jayesh Maganlal. “By fostering creativity and collaboration, the ROSHN Hackathon will drive the development of groundbreaking solutions that will shape the future of our cities. The initiative will not only attract top talent but provide them opportunities to gain prominence within the real estate environment and move them closer to a position from which they can have a transformative impact.”

To learn more and register for the event, please visit  – www.cityscapeglobal.com