Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has announced the appointment of Nicholas Naples, a luxury hospitality and development expert, as CEO of the Amaala project, where he will be responsible for developing its strategy and overseeing progress.

Amaala, a newly announced luxury tourist destination on the Kingdom’s Red Sea coast, aims to create a new concept in luxury tourism focusing on recovery, health and treatment.

Naples brings three decades of experience in luxury hospitality to The Red Sea Collection’s Duo Project. He has worked with some of the most successful names in the industry, including hotel chains Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons, and has led a number of multi-billion-dollar integrated resort development projects. 

He also has senior-level experience in the development and operation of a number of five-star hotels and mixed-use integrated resorts, retail malls, sports facilities and residential properties.

Notable positions he has held include chief operating officer and executive vice president of operations and development for leading integrated-resort companies in the US, China and Vietnam. 

He completed 17 new projects and operated a portfolio of more than 30 resort properties for Caesar’s Entertainment, and in 2006 was one of the first senior executives from the US to take a development leadership role in Macau, China. There, his responsibilities included the development of a 6-million-square-foot movie-themed casino resort and a 13.5-million-square-foot integrated resort project, as well as the operation of a 5-million-square-foot luxury integrated resort property, all on the famed Cotai Strip in Macau.

Naples holds a master’s degree in management from Cornell University – Johnson Graduate School, School of Hotel Administration.