Saudi Arabia has appointed Engineer Aiman al-Mudaifer as the new CEO and Managing Director of NEOM, the NEOM Board confirmed on May 15, 2025.

Announcing this news, the board stated: “The NEOM Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Eng. Aiman Al-Mudaifer as board member, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NEOM, the sustainable giga-project under development in the northwest of Saudi Arabia.”

Aiman was appointed Acting CEO of the NEOM project in November 2024, following the departure of Nadhmi al-Nasr after reports of workplace misconduct under his leadership.

The board further added: “Eng. Al-Mudaifer brings a wealth of experience to the role and has served as NEOM's Acting CEO since November 2024. Over the past months, Al-Mudaifer has remained focused on maintaining operational continuity, improving efficiencies and accelerating progress across NEOM’s strategic projects and regions.”

Over the years, Aiman held key leadership positions including, Capital Market Authority (CMA) as the Director of the Inspection Department, Shumul Holding Company as the CEO, and Andalus Company as the CEO. 

The company also shared a brief about his leadership experience: “With strong leadership credentials earned across a rewarding career in both the public and private sectors, Eng. Al-Mudaifer has led the Local Real Estate Investment Division of PIF since 2018, overseeing significant growth and transformation. He is also a board member of several PIF portfolio companies. The Board of Directors remains confident that the NEOM team will continue to drive the company forward and looks ahead to continued success.”

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On the academic front, he holds a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and completed a cooperation program between Chase Manhattan Bank and SIDF, building a strong foundation in finance and investment.