RCRC and IE University partner to launch the IE Center for Leadership and Innovation in the Middle East, in Riyadh's Creative District

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) has signed a partnership agreement with IE University to launch the IE Center for Leadership and Innovation in the Middle East, based in Riyadh’s Creative District, one of the flagship initiatives to transform Riyadh under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

The new IE University Center will be a collaborative space for executives, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals to learn, expand their networks, and share ideas. It will promote knowledge exchange between Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and the global community. Located within the Creative District, the Center will support the growth of the creative economy in Media (gaming, TV production and distribution, and music recording and distribution), Culture (such as performing and visual arts), and Media Technology (social media platforms, media-tech software, advertising, and public relations).

The IE University Center will focus on three main areas:

• IE Entrepreneurship Hub, a platform to support and scale startups and entrepreneurs through training and mentorship. 
• IE Leadership Center, aimed at shaping the region’s executives through forward-thinking executive education programs.
• IE Design and Media Lab, a creative space for ideation, experimentation and exploration of emerging trends, supported by IE University’s Metaverse & Gaming Experience Lab.

The signing ceremony, which took place last May, was presided over by Eng. Mazen Ahmed Tammar, Head of the City Marketing and Investment Promotion Sector at RCRC, and José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of the city of Madrid. William Dávila Valeri, CEO of the IE Center for Leadership and Innovation in the Middle East, represented IE University. 

"We are proud to welcome IE University’s Center for Leadership and Innovation in the Middle East in Riyadh’s Creative District. Its international reputation and pioneering curriculum in creativity and technology, will greatly contribute to strengthening the Kingdom’s creative economy. This partnership fosters collaboration between local and global talent and helps localize content industries", said Eng. Mazen Tammar. "The Creative District will become a powerful engine of economic and social transformation—developing the next generation of Saudi executives and entrepreneurs in the creative and technology sectors, creating between 7,000 to 9,000 jobs, and contributing approximately SAR 7 billion to the national GDP by 2030".

William Dávila added that this initiative with RCRC "aligns closely with our mission to shape leaders to drive positive change. The IE Center for Leadership and Innovation in the Middle East in Riyadh will serve as a regional hub for innovation in education — offering cutting-edge teaching methodologies, immersive and interdisciplinary learning environments, access to world-class faculty, and strong ties to a global network of academic and industry partners." Dávila also noted: "This partnership underscores our belief in the power of education to drive societal progress. We are eager to develop impactful projects and to run new programs to actively contribute to the region’s creative ecosystem".