Advisory firm nuwa launches to help businesses unlock Expo 2030 Riyadh opportunities
As Saudi Arabia prepares to host Expo 2030 Riyadh, a new consulting firm has launched to help Saudi and international businesses, brands, and investors prepare to capture their share of the commercial opportunities the massive global event is expected to unlock.
World Expos are major international exhibitions held in different countries, bringing together nations, businesses and organisations to showcase innovations, ideas and solutions around a shared global theme. The mega-events are typically held every 3-5 years and can attract millions of visitors from around the world.
The next edition in Saudi Arabia, following Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan, Expo 2020 Dubai in the UAE and next year’s Expo 2027 Belgrade in Serbia, is expected to attract 42 million visits over its six-month run. Its contribution to the Kingdom’s economy is estimated at between $70 billion under a conservative scenario and $95 billion under a more optimistic estimate.
As of today, 135 of the nearly 200 nations invited to participate have confirmed their presence. Participating countries will host pavilions across the six-million-square-metre Expo site at Wadi Al Sulai, and support the Expo’s programming.
New specialist advisory firm: nuwa
For businesses, brands and investors, Expo 2030 represents a major opportunity to showcase their brands, engage with customers and pursue new commercial opportunities. Capturing that opportunity, however, is complex. Expo participation requires extensive planning, logistics, partnerships and preparation years ahead of the opening.
This is where new consultancy nuwa comes in, says co-founder Kailash Nagdev. “World Expos run to an immovable opening date, with a critical path to delivery that begins years in advance and decisions made progressively by governments, organising committees, international participants, brands and delivery partners throughout the cycle.”
“Having worked on a World Expo from the initial feasibility study through the bid, organising committee and ultimately live delivery, you see very clearly how the critical path develops long before opening day. The expectation is world-class performance from day one – that means the market needs to build capability in parallel,” he adds.
Based in Riyadh, nuwa advises stakeholders on how World Expos work, where opportunities emerge, when key decisions are made and what capabilities need to be developed in advance.
“Our team brings together professionals who have worked across the complete lifecycle of World Expos, from feasibility, bidding and organising committee planning through international participation, commercial programmes, operations and live delivery. Collectively, our team and expert network carry more than 70 years of experience across nine Expo cycles.”
Nagdev was previously a partner at The Sports Consultancy, while fellow co-founder Anthony Banerjee was previously Managing Director at sports agency 54 and earlier held commercial roles at Manchester United. The pair are supported by a founding team and an advisory panel comprising individuals with decades of senior experience in the field.
Manal AlBayat, who held senior leadership roles for Expo 2020 Dubai across delivery, engagement, programming, marketing and communications, has been appointed as Board Member and Senior Advisor at nuwa.
Local and international services
For Saudi businesses, nuwa will help shape Expo 2030 strategies and planning, while supporting them in building the capabilities required to deliver successfully.
For international participants and organisations entering the Kingdom, nuwa provides on-the-ground advisory support to navigate the Saudi market, identify and assess local suppliers and contractors, and support local delivery.
“World Expos create an unusually complex marketplace,” says Banerjee. “International participants need credible local partners and suppliers, while Saudi companies need to understand opportunities that often develop years before delivery. nuwa sits between those two sides, combining practical Expo experience with on-the-ground understanding of the Saudi market.”
AlBayat adds: “International participants experience an Expo very differently from the organising committee. Each country is effectively developing its own programme, from the pavilion and visitor experience to events, operations, partners and suppliers, while navigating a host market that may be new to them.”
“Having worked across the Expo lifecycle, I have seen how much stronger participation becomes when countries engage with the local ecosystem early. It gives them time to understand the market, identify the right partners and suppliers, and build the relationships needed to deliver their participation with confidence and success.”
