ROSHN Appoints Former Nakheel CEO Naaman Atallah as Group CEO

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: PIF-owned real estate developer ROSHN Group has appointed Naaman Atallah as Group Chief Executive Officer, bringing in an executive with more than three decades of international real estate experience to lead one of Saudi Arabia’s largest residential development programmes. The appointment ends a period of more than two years without a permanent CEO at the group.

Atallah is currently President of Al-Futtaim Real Estate in the UAE and previously served as Group CEO of Nakheel. His career has also included chief executive roles at Dubai Properties and Piramal Realty, as well as senior positions at Qatari Diar.

His appointment places him at the helm of a development portfolio that is expected to deliver more than 400,000 homes across Saudi Arabia as ROSHN supports the Kingdom’s wider housing and urban development objectives.

ROSHN Supports Saudi Arabia’s Homeownership Target

ROSHN was established by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2020 to develop large-scale integrated communities across the Kingdom.

The company forms part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme and plays a key role in supporting the national target of increasing homeownership among Saudi citizens to 70%.

According to PIF, ROSHN’s programme encompasses more than 400,000 homes and over 200 million square metres of master-planned neighbourhoods, incorporating schools, mosques, retail, parks and other supporting infrastructure.

Its development portfolio includes major communities such as SEDRA and WAREFA in Riyadh, ALAROUS and MARAFY in Jeddah, and ALFULWA in the Eastern Province, alongside an expanding mix of residential, commercial, retail and hospitality assets.

Atallah Brings More Than 30 Years of Real Estate Experience

Atallah brings more than 30 years of experience in real estate development and mixed-use projects across the Middle East, North Africa and international markets.

Before his appointment at ROSHN, he led Al-Futtaim Real Estate, with responsibility for strategic growth, portfolio development and transformation across the group’s property operations.

His previous roles include serving as Group CEO of Nakheel, CEO of Dubai Properties and CEO of Piramal Realty. He also held leadership positions at Qatari Diar, Emaar and Solidere.

At Nakheel, Atallah led one of Dubai’s largest real estate developers, while his earlier role at Dubai Properties included oversight of a portfolio of major developments in the emirate.

Focus Shifts to Delivery Across ROSHN Portfolio

ROSHN has been operating without a permanent chief executive since early 2024, with PIF-linked executives serving in acting leadership roles during the intervening period. Atallah is expected to join the company following confirmation of his appointment.

His arrival comes as ROSHN continues to move forward with its extensive residential and mixed-use pipeline across Saudi Arabia.

The scale of the programme makes delivery a central priority, with the group’s developments designed to combine housing with public spaces, retail, education, infrastructure and community amenities.

ROSHN’s programme also forms an important part of Saudi Arabia’s broader push to expand housing supply, improve quality of life and develop more integrated urban communities under Vision 2030.