NEOM Driving Global Investment into Saudi Arabia, Says Deputy CEO

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – NEOM is playing a central role in attracting international capital into Saudi Arabia by providing the infrastructure required to support large-scale private sector investment, according to Rayan Fayez, Deputy CEO of NEOM.

Speaking during FII Priority Europe 2026, Fayez highlighted how the giga-project is creating an enabling environment for investors through the provision of energy, water, digital connectivity and other foundational infrastructure.

"We have many opportunities where NEOM provides the enabling infrastructure - energy, water, digital connectivity and incentives - for third-party capital to come in and make the investments," he said.

Fayez pointed to the $9 billion NEOM Green Hydrogen Project as one of the strongest examples of this investment model in action. The project is being developed through a partnership between NEOM, Air Products and ACWA Power and is among the world's largest green hydrogen initiatives currently under development.

According to Fayez, the project has secured $6.2 billion in debt financing, with the remaining capital provided through equity contributions from the project's shareholders.

"Collectively, as shareholders, they identified NEOM as a very attractive place to build such a large-scale industrial complex," he stated.

The comments underscore NEOM's broader strategy of serving as a platform for private investment across sectors including energy, advanced manufacturing, logistics, technology and sustainable infrastructure, while supporting Saudi Arabia's wider economic diversification objectives.

Beyond industrial development, NEOM continues to expand its role as a regional logistics and connectivity hub.

In April, the company announced the advancement of a European multimodal land bridge that enables truck-carried freight to move directly from Europe through Egypt and onward into Gulf markets via the Port of NEOM.

Strategically positioned on the Red Sea and connected to key inland trade corridors, the Port of NEOM is strengthening its role as a gateway linking Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The growing logistics platform is expected to support more efficient cargo flows while reinforcing Saudi Arabia's ambitions to become a leading global trade and transportation hub.

As NEOM continues to develop critical infrastructure across multiple sectors, the project is increasingly being positioned as a catalyst for attracting international investment and accelerating the Kingdom's long-term economic transformation agenda.