Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has launched its wholly owned Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (ERC) to build and operate the facilities for the nation’s first World Expo.

In addition, PIF has appointed Talal Al-Marri as the Chief Executive Officer of ERC, as officially announced. He previously worked at Aramco for over two decades, most recently serving as Senior Vice President before stepping down in January this year. He brings over 25 years of expertise in leadership, public relations, operations, and government affairs to his new role.

PIF shared that, “Expo 2030 Riyadh is projected to attract more than 40 million visits. After the Expo event, ERC plans to lead the transformation of the Expo's gated area into a global village—serving as a multicultural hub for retail, food, and beverage—surrounded by an international residential community with world-class amenities and setting new standards in sustainable tourism.”

Saad Alkroud, who was recently appointed as the Head of the Local Real Estate Investment Division at PIF, said: “ERC benefits from PIF's diverse local and global ecosystem, and the establishment of the company aligns with PIF's local real estate strategy, which drives economic transformation and diversification, advances urban innovation, and enhances quality of life, all driven by the ambitious goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”

Leading ERC as CEO, Al-Marri will support PIF’s strategic priorities by achieving economic impact for Saudi Arabia while ensuring sustainable returns. “PIF is one of the world's most impactful investors, driving Saudi Arabia's economic diversification while also enabling the creation of key sectors and opportunities that help shape the global economy. PIF leads the development of transformative giga-projects and landmark real estate initiatives across Saudi Arabia.”

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Sharing the master plan details, it was stated that the Expo will cover an area of 6 million square meters and will be located near the future King Salman International Airport, with direct connections to the Saudi capital’s landmarks.

“ERC is swiftly launching operations to fulfill its mandate and will partner with both local and global private sectors to achieve its goals for construction, cultural programming, and event management.”

Check out further details on Expo 2030 Riyadh, which will run from October 1, 2030, to March 31, 2031.