RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s efforts to emerge as a leading sports hub in the Middle East and North Africa region are prospering, with Barcelona-based N3XT Sports announcing the opening of its new office in Riyadh.
In an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the World Football Summit in Jeddah, Mounir Zok, CEO of N3XT Sports, said that the new Riyadh office would enhance the company’s efficiency in serving clients and partners, facilitating the expansion of its network in the wider MENA region.
“Our network in the region continues to grow, and we now work on several ongoing projects in the MENA region. We decided to set up the office in Riyadh in order to better serve our clients and partners and to continue to grow our network and the number of projects we’re supporting in the region,” said Zok.
He added: “We believe in the tremendous value that is being generated and will be generated in the coming years in the region and Saudi Arabia, more specifically. We are here to translate the passion, vision and strategy of the country’s sports leaders into concrete projects and ventures that meet the overarching goals of Vision 2030.”
According to its website, N3XT Sports is an "end-to-end transformation agency" in the sports industry.
In a separate press statement, N3XT Sports mentioned that the new office in Riyadh would provide market insights, strategy, and operational support to clients and regional partners.
The company’s expansion in Saudi Arabia will be led by Hisham Shehabi, co-founder, and COO of N3XT Sports, a former Olympic swimmer who represented Bahrain.
“He will be scaling the team’s efforts in the region, serving our regional clients and the MENA sports ecosystem while staying true to the company’s roots in innovation and its passion for sports. As an Olympian from Bahrain, Hisham knows the region very well and can ensure the right strategy for partners & clients from Europe looking to expand to MENA and vice versa,” Zok told Arab News.
In the press statement, Shehabi said that N3XT Sports is committed to the long-term transformation of the sector in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region through proactive ecosystem development.
The Olympian added that N3XT Sports will also actively contribute to policy, the regulatory environment, events and conferences, and the sports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.
According to Zok, the new office in Riyadh could empower sports entities in Saudi Arabia, as N3XT Sports will help connect regional leaders with global experts in the sector.
“There are a number of ways to maximize exposure through events and conferences while establishing partnerships with universities and academic institutions, increasing media coverage of sports business in the region, and leveraging existing programs will help connect the industry and develop future leaders,” added Zok.
He said that the company’s services include three key areas: strategy development, operational support, and end-to-end digital and data transformation.
“Our team will offer these services in Saudi Arabia and throughout the MENA region, in topics related to sports commercialization, digitalization, development, investments, sports formats, performance and beyond,” Zok told Arab News.
He added: “In Saudi Arabia, we will align our services offering on the areas in greatest need, as identified by the Ministry of Investment’s Sports Strategy, the Ministry of Sports’ National Sports Strategy, and the overall Vision 2030 and Quality of Life Program KPIs.”
The primary objective of Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy is to establish itself as the Middle East’s sports hub and become a major player on the global sporting stage.
Zok added that N3XT Sports will work both with the public and private entities to transform the sporting sector in Saudi Arabia.
“We understand the financial, legal, and operational models underpinning sports sectors across the world. This knowledge and expertise allow us to accelerate the pace of transformation within Saudi Arabia and the MENA region and create 'win-win' solutions for the public and the private sector,” he concluded.
