Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has appointed an international advisory board of business, tourism and environmental figures for its Red Sea tourism development.
The announcement follows the selection of a former director of London’s Canary Wharf business zone, John Pagano, as chief executive of the project, which will see resorts developed on 50 islands off the Red Sea coast, according to Gulf Business.
Richard Branson welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit Virgin Galactic this spring.
British billionaire Richard Branson, DC-based Venture Capital Firm Revolution’s chairman and CEO Steve Case and others are set to advise the new company on developing opportunities on the untapped coast of Saudi Arabia.
According to Gulf Business, the full list also includes TV host and EarthEcho International co-founder and president Philippe Cousteau Jr, Red Sea Reacher Centre professor Carlos Duarte and Vector Centre CEO J. Carl Ganter, World Ocean Council founder, president and CEO Paul Holthus, Aptamind CEO and founder Aradhana Khowala, Lindblad expeditions CEO Sven-Olof Lindblad, William McDonough and Partners founder William McDonough, TPG Capital senior advisor Frits Dirk van Paasschen, QI Group director of international and public affairs Vijay Poonoosamy and Soneva CEO and joint creative director Sonus Shivdasani.
The move comes weeks after the PIF announced a high-profile advisory board for its upcoming annual FII conference, a gathering of business leaders in the Kingdom in October.
