Saudi leader Riyadh Al Najjar named chair of PwC’s supervisory board

PwC has appointed a new chairman of its Supervisory Board in the Middle East: Saudi-based Riyadh Al Najjar, who brings 25-years of consulting and leadership experience to the role.

Over the past six-plus years, PwC’s Supervisory Board was chaired by Ismail Maraqa, a senior partner and leader of the Iraq country organisation. He is now passing the baton to another country leader, Riyadh Al Najjar, who leads the firm’s largest national team in the Middle East by headcount – Saudi Arabia.

Effective the start of this month, Al Najjar will hold the role alongside serving as country leader for Saudi Arabia, a position he has been in since the summer of 2016.

“I am honoured to be elected as the new Chairman for the Supervisory Board. I look forward to this new role, and continuing our 40-year legacy in the Kingdom and across the region of building trust and delivering sustained outcomes.”

Established in the Middle East some 40 years ago, PwC today has around 7,000 people working from 22 offices across 12 countries. The award-winning firm provides the full spectrum of professional services to clients in every conceivable sector, from strategy, consulting and transactions to accounting, audit, tax and legal services.

PwC’s Supervisory Board has two key tasks: monitor the dealings of the 12-strong executive board (which is led by senior partner Hani Ashkar), and advise the executive board on long term planning and strategy, governance, and key company affairs. The Supervisory Board consist of nine members, including Al Najjar himself.

“Riyadh brings decades of leadership, experience and insight from the Kingdom to our regional Board. We are delighted to welcome him,” said Ashkar on the appointment.

Who is Riyadh Al Najjar?

A management consultant by practice, Al Najjar has been with PwC since 2009, holding several senior roles within its consulting business. Prior to PwC, he worked in consulting roles at EY, CGI, PrimePoint and Accenture in Saudi Arabia, having gained early career experience in the United States, where he completed his master studies.

His track record includes working on some of the largest and most complex business transformations in Saudi’s public and health care sectors, in the process gaining the respect of key officials within the Kingdom.

A few years ago, then Minister of Labor and Social Development Mufrej Al-Haqabani described Al Najjar as “a long-standing trusted consultant to the ministry” and credited him for his “strong record of leading positive change.”

Meanwhile, another Saudi Minister – then Minister of Housing Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail (who currently still is a Minister) – lauded Al-Najjar’s “professionalism, management skills and expertise in delivering and managing transformational initiatives.” Just as important, for some, “it’s a pleasure to work with him.”

Al Najjar has experience in both strategic engagements (vision and strategy development, corporate planning) and implementation projects (including cost reduction, performance improvement, culture change, digital transformation). Alongside his public sector focus, he has also gained experience in financial services, and oil & gas, among others.