After a decade of Vision 2030: Strengthening the link between systems and people

A decade after its launch, Vision 2030 has become one of the world’s most transformative national roadmaps, reshaping Saudi Arabia’s present and future. Faisal Rabie AlRowaili, Managing Director of Palladium in KSA, reflects on the progress made and the one critical factor needed for the Kingdom’s next phase of transformation.

Over the past couple of months, while reflecting on the 10-year journey of Vision 2030, I found myself thinking not only about the scale of transformation itself, but also about what ultimately sustains transformation over time.

Ten years into Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated something that many large-scale transformation programs struggle to achieve: sustained execution at scale. From institutional reform and national programs to major infrastructure and performance-management systems, the Kingdom has translated strategy into measurable outcomes while maintaining momentum through Covid-19 and recent regional volatility.

A decade ago, discussions around delivery management, KPIs, tourism development, quality of life, and institutional accountability were still evolving across many sectors. Today, many of these concepts have become deeply embedded into the operational rhythm of ministries, authorities, giga-projects, and national programs.

Similarly, tourism was once viewed through a far narrower lens. Today, Saudi Arabia has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic tourism and destination-development markets, while simultaneously reconnecting with its cultural identity, heritage, and regional diversity.

This level of resilience and transformation is not incidental. It reflects a deliberate approach to performance: clear objectives, measurable KPIs, strong governance, and accountability mechanisms embedded across institutions.

“If you can measure it, you can manage it” evolved from a management principle into part of the broader performance culture shaping institutional transformation across the Kingdom.

Many of the performance-management and strategy-execution frameworks that supported this evolution were influenced by methodologies developed by Robert Kaplan and David Norton, co-creators of the Balanced Scorecard and strategy execution framework. Their work has influenced governments, institutions, and organizations around the world, including performance ecosystems such as Adaa (the National Center for Performance Measurement) and the wider adoption of measurement-driven governance across Saudi public institutions.

Performance was not only managed. It was institutionalized.

The Next Challenge: Sustaining What Has Been Built

As transformation systems mature, a new challenge emerges. It is no longer only about whether systems can deliver. It is about whether they can sustain performance over time.

This matters because the long-term effectiveness of systems, infrastructure, and governance frameworks ultimately depends on the people who operate them.

The Insight: Systems Drive Performance, People Sustain It

Having worked on institutional performance-management and transformation initiatives within the Kingdom, one insight stands out: Systems drive performance, but people sustain performance.

In today’s environment, shaped by artificial intelligence, rapid technological change, and evolving workforce expectations, human capabilities are becoming a central performance driver. That means that adaptability, decision-making, collaboration, and emotional intelligence are no longer peripheral. They are critical to execution.

A Whole-of-Government Opportunity

Developing these capabilities cannot be addressed by education systems alone. Education builds foundational skills, but the benefits extend into health, social behavior, workforce readiness, and long-term societal stability.

This makes human capability development a whole-of-government priority. It requires coordination across education, curriculum, health, social systems, and security institutions – not as separate efforts, but as a connected agenda.

The Role of Social and Emotional Learning

Within this broader framework, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) provides a practical mechanism for developing core capabilities early. This focuses on self-awareness, emotional regulation, responsible decision-making, relationship management, and social awareness.

Global evidence links these capabilities to improved academic outcomes, stronger mental health, reduced risky behaviors, and lower long-term social costs, including crime and healthcare burdens.

For example, benefit-cost analyses conducted by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) on Positive Action – a school-wide social and character development program – reported a high estimated benefit-cost ratio and a strong probability that long-term benefits exceed costs under WSIPP assumptions.

These global findings should not be copied blindly; they should be localized, piloted, and measured within the Saudi context.

Building on Existing Foundations

Saudi Arabia is well positioned to advance this agenda. Through the Human Capability Development Program, the Kingdom already has a national platform focused on developing future-ready citizens.

The next step is not to redefine direction. It is to deepen impact by integrating high-impact capability-building approaches such as SEL within existing systems and delivery models.

A Pilot-Led Pathway

The right approach is not to move immediately to scale. It is to begin with evidence: selected schools, localized content, teacher-enabled delivery, and simple baseline/endline measurement around focus, behavior, engagement, attendance, and classroom participation.

This pilot-led pathway protects quality, builds local credibility, and creates the evidence needed for institutional adoption.

Looking Ahead

The first decade of Vision 2030 proved that transformation is achievable. The next decade will likely define its sustainability, resilience, and long-term institutional maturity. The transition is not from systems to people. It is toward strengthening the link between them.

Saudi Arabia has built systems that deliver. The next phase is ensuring they continue to deliver through people.