SISCO Holding appoints Kearney veteran Mauricio Zuazua as CEO

SISCO Holding, a listed Saudi group with assets in the infrastructure sector, has appointed Mauricio Zuazua as its new Chief Executive Officer.

When Sustainable Infrastructure Holding Company (SISCO Holding) listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in 2002 as the market’s first infrastructure company, it marked a milestone moment for the company and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. More than two decades on, the group manages over $5 billion in assets and ranks among the Middle East’s largest infrastructure-focused conglomerates.

SISCO Holding owns or has a stake in a range of commercial assets in the ports, logistics, and water solutions sectors, including Red Sea Ports Development Company (the developer of the Red Sea Gateway Terminal in Jeddah), Red Sea International Ports Development Company (which invests in ports around the world), and Green Dome Investments (which invests in logistics).

Mauricio Zuazua

Installed as the group’s new CEO effective today, Mauricio Zuazua will oversee its direction, growth strategy and operations. “Mauricio joins us at a pivotal juncture, as we continue to build and accelerate the growth of our investment portfolio. We look forward to his leadership as we continue to expand and strengthen our position in the sector,” the group said in a statement.

Zuazua joins from strategy and management consulting firm Kearney, where he worked for around 22 years. During this time, he has held numerous senior leadership positions, most recently as Regional President for the Middle East and Africa, leading strategy, operations, and investments across multiple sectors and geographies.

In his client work at Kearney, he focused on management, strategy and operations – and the space in between. He has extensive experience in developing and expanding transportation and logistics platforms, including ports, multimodal logistics, and industrial zones, as well as leading initiatives and participating in national transformation programs.

Zuazua also advised executives on the development, planning and implementation of future-proof strategies, organization transformation programs, merger integrations, and operations in asset-intensive industries including advanced industrials and logistics infrastructure.

In a personal reflection of his move from Kearney to SISCO Holding, Zuazua said: “For the last 22 years Kearney has been an extraordinary chapter for me. A platform to fulfil my professional purpose; to shape me up as a professional and leader; to work in all continents, in multiple sectors, in many different roles; and most meaningfully to me, to lead amazing teams shaping ideas, businesses, and communities at large.”

“I’m proud of the work we’ve done and the results we’ve achieved. It is now time for me to close this special chapter of my life, and start my next career chapter. I’m honored and thrilled to begin this new chapter as CEO of SISCO Holding.”

“Driven by strong values and traded in the Saudi Exchange, SISCO has been a leading force in private investment in ports, logistics, and water infrastructure in the GCC and South Asia for a quarter of a century. Today, we are at a pivotal moment of opportunity across our sectors, and I am eager to work with our team and portfolio companies to build the next phase of growth, value creation, and real impact in the countries where we operate.”

Meanwhile, over at Kearney, Zuazua has been succeeded by Claudio Campanini.