Red Sea Global CEO: We Look Forward to Implementing Int’l Projects

Part of the giant Red Sea tourism project in western Saudi Arabia, and in the framework, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Part of the giant Red Sea tourism project in western Saudi Arabia, and in the framework, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Red Sea Global CEO: We Look Forward to Implementing Int’l Projects

Part of the giant Red Sea tourism project in western Saudi Arabia, and in the framework, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Part of the giant Red Sea tourism project in western Saudi Arabia, and in the framework, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Red Sea Development Co. CEO John Pagano has affirmed that his company has the capabilities and ambition needed to implement its vision on a global scale. He revealed that the new company’s strategy focuses on developments in Saudi Arabia and plans for projects in Europe and North America.

Over the past five years, the company’s strategy has concentrated on leading the narrative transition toward regenerative development to make the planet and people’s lives better, Pagano explained.

“Currently, we focus on tourism, hospitality, and housing. Still, nothing prevents us from taking on commercial development because we already have all the required skill sets and have built a large team of more than 2000 employees,” Pagano told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We cover all the skills required to deliver real estate projects, whatever the asset class,” he affirmed, adding that his company intends to become a national pride and champion for Saudi Arabia.

Regarding projects outside Saudi Arabia, Pagano said: “We will look abroad. Our focus will always remain on Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea and Amaala projects, which receive 100% of our interest, but we are also looking to the future.”

“We want to make a difference and help revive the world,” Pagano asserted about the company’s approach on pushing the boundaries of development and doing things differently.

Taking pride in the support received from the Saudi leadership, government and people, Pagano said that this support had given the company a solid platform to implement its unique ideas.

When asked about the Red Sea and Amaala projects, Pagano said: “Both projects are under construction, and we will open the first three resorts next year in late spring.”

The resorts set to open are St. Regis and the Ritz Carlton Reserve and Six Senses.

“We will also open 21 resorts and 13 more resorts in the Red Sea and Amaala by the end of 2024,” revealed Pagano.

“There is a massive boost in the volume of hospitality. We focus on providing entertainment and will put Saudi Arabia on the global tourism map, a crucial aspect of Vision 2030,” he noted.

“We will create thousands of new jobs, many of which will go to Saudi youth eager to be part of this vision,” added Pagano.

Pagano stressed that the company is working to optimally implement the concept of sustainability through innovative development.

The Red Sea Development Co. has recently rebranded itself to “Red Sea Global.”



Eurasian Development Bank Reveals Partnerships with the Gulf to Develop Energy Projects

Chairman of the Management Board at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Nikolai Podguzov. Asharq Al-Awsat
Chairman of the Management Board at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Nikolai Podguzov. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Eurasian Development Bank Reveals Partnerships with the Gulf to Develop Energy Projects

Chairman of the Management Board at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Nikolai Podguzov. Asharq Al-Awsat
Chairman of the Management Board at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Nikolai Podguzov. Asharq Al-Awsat

Chairman of the Management Board at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Nikolai Podguzov revealed plans to cooperate with GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia, to develop energy infrastructure.

Podguzov told Asharq Al-Awsat that the bank, which is the international financial organization that operates in Central Asia and in Eurasia, works on implementing a working plan based on three strategies.

“Every year we execute around 30-40 new projects and set up agreements,” he said.

“The investments of the bank are growing at least 20% each year,” Podguzov revealed. “We are quite a fast developing bank. Uzbekistan has just joined the bank this year.”

Regarding the size of loans and investments handled by EDB, Podguzov explained that the bank's average investment ranges between $100 million and $400 million. He added however, that the bank is capable of syndicating larger loans that can reach up to $1 billion or more, while the average annual investment volume is around $2.53 billion.

Regarding the bank's work plans for the coming year, Podguzov explained that the Eurasian Development Bank is simultaneously working to strengthen its relations with the GCC countries and the Islamic Development Bank.

“We improve connectivity, transport infrastructure and logistics. We improve access to water for regions in Central Asia. We develop energy infrastructure in our member states,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We take care of food safety and food safety infrastructure, which provides access to food and provides food security for our member states. And I think in this field we can set up very good economic ties and cooperation between GCC countries and Central Asia.”

“I know that such countries like Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Oman are quite interested in the topics of our strategy,” he said.

“We mainly do non-sovereign finance ... which is very convenient for our potential partners,” he added.

Podguzov said there is a partnership with Masdar which “is a world leader in bringing renewable energy technologies into the world. They are quite active in Central Asia, in Kazakhstan in particular.”

“That is why, for example, we are very much interested in cooperation with Masdar company. This is one of examples. I think logistics and logistics project also could be of interest for Saudi Arabia. A lot of infrastructure could be developed together with the help of Eurasian Development Bank.”

“I believe that it's also very important to build economic bridge between GCC countries and Central Asia. And I think the bank can do a lot in this field and finally we can bring together economic interests of Central Asian and GCC countries.”