We’re pleased to announce the opening of a new, expanded studio in Riyadh, marking a long-term investment in Saudi Arabia following a year of sustained growth and high-profile project delivery across the Kingdom.
The new studio will serve as Imagination’s permanent regional headquarters, reflecting the agency’s commitment to being based in Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom advances its ambitions under Vision 2030 and prepares to host major global moments, including new Qiddiya Districts, EXPO 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034.
Operating globally, Imagination is now embedding deeper local capability in Saudi Arabia, expanding its Riyadh-based team, investing in local creative talent, and building long-term infrastructure to better support clients across tourism, developments, culture, sport, entertainment and brand experience.
Imagination’s expansion in Saudi Arabia includes:
- Delivery of major experience-led projects across the Kingdom, most recently the inaugural TOURISE Global Summit, alongside immersive destination and cultural work for Diriyah, large-scale live experiences in Riyadh, and brand activations for global partners such as Google, Adidas, and Biennale.
- Establishment of a permanent Riyadh headquarters, creating a regional creative hub that brings together Saudi and international expertise to collaborate closely with local clients and partners.
- Appointment of Abdullah Alrasheed as General Manager, Saudi Arabia, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to Saudi leadership and long-term growth in the market. Leading Imagination’s operations and growth. Based in Riyadh, he will lead operations and growth across the Kingdom, drive strategic partnerships, oversee experience-led projects across culture, tourism, entertainment and major global events, and build a strong Saudi-led team aligned with Imagination’s global expertise and local insight.
- Investment in Saudi creative talent, including Imagination Academy, the expansion of the agency’s global Imagination Academy into Saudi Arabia, supporting early-career development across experience design, strategy, production and technology disciplines.
- Enhanced local strategic presence for the Experience Advisory team, which has been supporting projects such as Qiddiya, Diriyah and PIF DevCo’s with Visitor Experience Design and Placemaking Strategy.
- Continued growth of the local delivery team, with key hires across project management and production to meet increasing demand.
- Active participation in Saudi Arabia’s creative ecosystem, including speaking and judging at industry platforms such as the Athar Festival of Creativity, alongside broader support for the Kingdom’s developing creative industry.
Over the past year, our work in Saudi Arabia has spanned global summits, visitor experience design, destination concepts, immersive cultural experiences and live brand activations, combining local insight with international expertise.
Abdullah Alrasheed, General Manager, Saudi Arabia, Imagination, said: “This expansion is about building something sustainable in Saudi Arabia. We are not just designing and delivering experiences but investing in people, developing local talent, and creating opportunities for the next generation of Saudi creatives to learn, grow and lead. By combining global expertise with local insight, we can create experiences that are authentic, meaningful and globally competitive.”
Patrick Reid, Chairman and CEO, Imagination, said: “Saudi Arabia represents one of the most ambitious and exciting markets in the world today, setting a new global standard for creativity and scale. Vision 2030, alongside upcoming global moments such as EXPO 2030 and the FIFA World Cup, is accelerating demand for experiences that are culturally rooted, creatively ambitious and globally competitive. Establishing a permanent regional headquarters in Riyadh allows us to invest in talent on the ground, deepen our partnerships, and support clients through long-term collaboration. This is a clear statement of our commitment to the Kingdom and to building experiences that leave a lasting impact.”
The expanded Riyadh headquarters will support ongoing and future projects across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, as Imagination continues to grow its local team and deepen long-term partnerships across the region.
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