Latest news with #PhilipGullett
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Satellite Images Show Desert Ski Resort Emerge at World's Biggest Construction Site
New satellite imagery reveals advancing work at a mountain ski resort in Saudi Arabia as part of the ambitious Neom project, the world's biggest construction site. Newsweek has reached out to Neom's team for comment on the latest development shown by photos from Planet Labs and provided exclusively to Newsweek. The outdoor ski resort in a desert country known for being one of the hottest in the world symbolises the ambition of the megaproject of Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman at Neom. Most of the snow will be artificial. The images show the advances on the site in the absence of official updates and with some critics questioning how far work is progressing and questioning whether it has been affected by setbacks. Trojena, on the mountain of Jebel al Lawz in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, rises to more than 8,500 feet above sea level, according to the project's description on Neom's website. The project—envisioned as the world's first "vertical ski village"—extends over an area of nearly 870 square miles and is set to include about 18 miles of ski slopes, in addition to a dozen hotels and tens of thousands of shops and restaurants. It also includes a giant man-made lake that would take up to 15 billion gallons of water, according to Trojena's Instagram account. Philip Gullett, Trojena's Executive Director at Neom, called the project's progress "a military operation," citing the challenge of building infrastructure in remote mountains, speaking this week at the Saudi Giga Projects Summit, according to Zawya platform. Neom, the flagship element of Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman's strategy to diversify its economy away from oil dependence, has been accused of having an unrealistic scope and ambitious timeline, with other concerns pertaining to the project's effects on climate change and the kingdom's human rights abuse allegations. "You're changing a natural ecosystem which can have compounding impacts," said climate consultant Ahmed el-Droubi, currently the global campaigns manager at Climate Action Network International, according to Euro News in 2022. Saudi Arabia's advances were hailed by U.S. President Donald Trump during a visit to the country this week which culminated in a $600 billion investment deal. Philip Gullett, Executive Director and Region Head of Trojena, quoted on Neom's website: "From up there you can look over to the Gulf of Aqaba too. And over to Egypt as well as the whole NEOM region." Richard Scott, Senior Development Manager at Trojena: "Most of the snow in Trojena will be machine-made snow." The ski resort is due to be completed for the Asian Winter Games in 2029 to be hosted in Saudi Arabia. Related Articles NASA Images Reveal Texan Conditions Not Seen Since 1936Satellite Images Show Progress on Egypt's Vast New CapitalSatellite Image Shows Iran Reinforcing Nuclear ComplexSatellite Images May Show North Korea's Biggest Warship Ever 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
15-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
New satellite photos show desert ski resort emerging at world's biggest construction site
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New satellite imagery reveals advancing work at a mountain ski resort in Saudi Arabia as part of the ambitious Neom project, the world's biggest construction site. Newsweek has reached out to Neom's team for comment on the latest development shown by photos from Planet Labs and provided exclusively to Newsweek. Why It Matters The outdoor ski resort in a desert country known for being one of the hottest in the world symbolises the ambition of the megaproject of Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman at Neom. Most of the snow will be artificial. The images show the advances on the site in the absence of official updates and with some critics questioning how far work is progressing and questioning whether it has been affected by setbacks. Drag slider compare photos What To Know Trojena, on the mountain of Jebel al Lawz in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, rises to more than 8,500 feet above sea level, according to the project's description on Neom's website. The project—envisioned as the world's first "vertical ski village"—extends over an area of nearly 870 square miles and is set to include about 18 miles of ski slopes, in addition to a dozen hotels and tens of thousands of shops and restaurants. It also includes a giant man-made lake that would take up to 15 billion gallons of water, according to Trojena's Instagram account. Philip Gullett, Trojena's Executive Director at Neom, called the project's progress "a military operation," citing the challenge of building infrastructure in remote mountains, speaking this week at the Saudi Giga Projects Summit, according to Zawya platform. Discover life at new heights—at the Ski Village. Experience the joy of waking up above the clouds, surrounded by endless experiences at every level. This is mountain living, elevated in every sense. Welcome to a lifestyle where the sky is truly the limit. — TROJENA (@NEOMTROJENA) March 5, 2025 Neom, the flagship element of Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman's strategy to diversify its economy away from oil dependence, has been accused of having an unrealistic scope and ambitious timeline, with other concerns pertaining to the project's effects on climate change and the kingdom's human rights abuse allegations. "You're changing a natural ecosystem which can have compounding impacts," said climate consultant Ahmed el-Droubi, currently the global campaigns manager at Climate Action Network International, according to Euro News in 2022. Saudi Arabia's advances were hailed by U.S. President Donald Trump during a visit to the country this week which culminated in a $600 billion investment deal. What People Are Saying Philip Gullett, Executive Director and Region Head of Trojena, quoted on Neom's website: "From up there you can look over to the Gulf of Aqaba too. And over to Egypt as well as the whole NEOM region." Richard Scott, Senior Development Manager at Trojena: "Most of the snow in Trojena will be machine-made snow." What Happens Next The ski resort is due to be completed for the Asian Winter Games in 2029 to be hosted in Saudi Arabia.
Mid East Info
13-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Saudi Giga Projects 2025 Opens with Visionary Leadership and Global Momentum - Middle East Business News and Information
MEED's annual conference kicked off today in Riyadh focusing on national transformation through the Kingdom's most notable projects Saudi Giga Projects Summit is set to host 70+ speakers over the 3-day event Riyadh, Saudi Arabia –May 2025: Saudi Giga Projects Summitt 2025 (12-14 May) kicked off today in Riyadh, bringing together senior leaders from construction to drive forward an agenda focused on the Kingdom's development. With $288,592 billion worth of projects awarded in the last 12 months, the event falls at a particularly crucial time to focus on construction and development throughout the Kingdom. Day One welcomed over 500 leaders from 150 companies, setting the tone for a three-day programme featuring more than 70 speakers, including CEOs, policymakers, and global technology pioneers. The day one agenda focused on progress updates from Saudi Arabia's most renowned projects. Executives from ROSHN Group, NEOM, Diriyah, and Red Sea Global offered rare insight into the challenges of delivering large-scale developments. Projects such as Roshn's Sedra community and Red Sea Global's zero-emission resorts are already welcoming residents and visitors, signalling a shift from planning to reality. The panel discussion highlighted a common thread: the need for integrated collaboration, scalable delivery frameworks, and innovation in everything from workforce development to infrastructure logistics. Philip Gullett, Executive Director and Region Head of Trojena at NEOM, described progress as 'a military operation,' referencing the complexity of managing roads, dams, hotels, and homes within a remote mountain terrain. Key insights also came from Kingdom Holding Company, which confirmed that construction on the Jeddah Tower, poised to become the tallest building in the world at 1,005 metres, is well underway. In a fireside chat with Colin Foreman, Editor at MEED, Talal Almaiman, CEO of Kingdom Holding, described the project as a powerful statement of national pride, remarking: 'Height is pride… and we are very proud of this country. I think Saudi Arabia deserves to have the tallest building in the world.' A panel of C-suite executives, including Charles Trad, CEO at UNIMAC; Ashraf Alameria, CEO at El-Seif Engineering Contracting; Husam Gawish, Partner and Head of Operations at HKA; Edward Surgeon, Regional Director MENA at Procore and Saurabh Shekar, Principal at Kearney Middle East, met to discuss explored the perception of a slowdown in giga projects, with experts asserting it is a recalibration, not a retreat. With $1.3 trillion in construction forecast by 2030, Saudi Arabia remains the world's most dynamic market. Edward Surgeon remarked that 'the ambition here rivals Apollo 11.' The challenge now lies in building an ecosystem that invites greater international participation. A key thread across all sessions today was the emergence of AI as an important factor in development. This was particularly crucial in a session with Howard Wu, Executive Director for International Investments and Manufacturing at Oxagon and Abdulaziz AlMubarak, Head of Business Development KSA at DataVolt, chaired by MEED's Energy and Technologies Editor, Jennifer Aguinaldo. The session included key insights from Oxagon and DataVolt, looking at the importance of AI in today's project, and how this can be used responsibly as part of sustainable development. The first day concluded with a session on Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) outlining their Plan of Work, benchmarking this across entities across the globe. Speaker Dale Sinclair, Head of Digital Innovation at WSP, outlined RIBA's process through 7 key stages of work. As the summit continues, Day Two will include key updates and insights from Nemetschek Group, project showcase and updates from ROSHN Group, AlUla and Sports Boulevard and a series of panel discussions including 'Securing the Future Beyond 2030' and 'The Role of Private Sector Investment and PPPs in Delivering Giga Projects'. About MEED: MEED is the Middle East's leading business intelligence and events platform. Since 1957, it has delivered essential news, analysis, and data on the region's biggest projects, economies, and business trends. MEED Events convene decision-makers, project leaders, and innovators to shape the future of the region through curated summits, awards, and insight-led
