The Imagination team at the agency's new headquarters in Riyadh. Imagination has opened a new, expanded studio in Riyadh, appointing Abdullah Alrasheed as General Manager for Saudi Arabia. The moves aim to mark the agency’s long-term investment in Saudi Arabia, following a year of sustained growth and high-profile project delivery across the Kingdom.
The global experience design agency has focused its growth, keeping deeper in-market capability at the core of its expansion strategy. By expanding its Riyadh operations, Imagination aims to build on its work in tourism and giga-projects. The agency most recently contributed its services to the TOURISE Global Summit, alongside immersive destination and cultural work for Diriyah, large-scale live experiences in Riyadh, and brand activations for global partners such as Google, Adidas, and Biennale.
“Saudi Arabia represents one of the most ambitious and exciting markets in the world today, setting a new global standard for creativity and scale,” said Patrick Reid, Chairman and CEO, Imagination.
“Vision 2030, alongside upcoming global moments such as EXPO 2030 and the FIFA World Cup, is accelerating demand for experiences that are culturally rooted, creatively ambitious and globally competitive.”
The appointment of Alrasheed as General Manager for Saudi Arabia also signals the agency’s commitment to Saudi leadership and long-term growth in the market. Leading Imagination’s operations and growth and based in Riyadh, Alrasheed will lead operations and growth across the Kingdom. His roles include driving strategic partnerships, overseeing experience-led projects across culture, tourism, entertainment and major global events and building a strong Saudi-led team aligned with Imagination’s global expertise and local insight.
Imagination is also investing in Saudi creative talent by bringing its global Imagination Academy to the Kingdom to support early-career development across experience design, strategy, production and technology disciplines.
“This expansion is about building something sustainable in Saudi Arabia. We are not just designing and delivering experiences but investing in people, developing local talent, and creating opportunities for the next generation of Saudi creatives to learn, grow and lead,” said Alrasheed.
The expanded Riyadh headquarters also aims to support ongoing and future projects across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. As such, its Experience Advisory team has enhanced its presence in the market, supporting on projects such as Qiddiya, Diriyah and PIF DevCo’s with Visitor Experience Design and Placemaking Strategy.
The agency has also prioritised participating in Saudi Arabia’s creative ecosystem, including speaking and judging at industry platforms such as the Athar Festival of Creativity, alongside broader support for the Kingdom’s developing creative industry.
“By combining global expertise with local insight, we can create experiences that are authentic, meaningful and globally competitive,” said Alrasheed.
Summing up the news, Reid said: “Establishing a permanent regional headquarters in Riyadh allows us to invest in talent on the ground, deepen our partnerships, and support clients through long-term collaboration.”
