Emaar Economic City, the master developer of King Abdullah Economic City, announced the acceptance of Mr. Mansour bin Abdulrahman Al-Salem’s resignation from its Board of Directors. According to the official statement published on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), Mr. Al-Salem, a non-executive member, submitted his resignation due to personal reasons, effective February 2, 2026. The Board expressed its deep gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Al-Salem for his valuable and effective contributions during his tenure.
General context and historical background
Emaar Economic City is one of the largest real estate development companies in Saudi Arabia and is listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul). Its core project is the development of King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), one of the largest economic projects launched by the Kingdom in 2005. The city is designed to be an integrated industrial, logistics, residential, and tourism hub on the Red Sea coast, with the aim of attracting foreign investment, diversifying national income sources, and creating new job opportunities—objectives that are fully aligned with the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030.
The importance of the event and its expected impact
This resignation is particularly significant not only because it involves a member of the board of directors of a leading company, but also because of its unconventional timing. Setting a future date for the resignation, more than a year and a half in advance, reflects a high level of planning and stability in the company's governance. This action is interpreted as a proactive step to ensure a smooth and orderly transfer of responsibilities, minimizing any sudden impact on the company's strategies or investor confidence. This approach sends a reassuring message to the market that the decision was made in full coordination and that there is ample time to select and appoint a suitable replacement without any management vacuum.
Domestically, the stability of the boards of directors of major companies, especially those involved in strategic national projects like King Abdullah Economic City, is seen as an indicator of the strength and resilience of the Kingdom’s business environment. Regionally and internationally, the transparency and good governance demonstrated by Emaar Economic City in handling such changes enhances the attractiveness of the Saudi market to foreign investors, who place great importance on leadership continuity and long-term planning. Therefore, the impact of this resignation on the company’s stock performance is expected to be limited, given the transparency and the considerable timeframe before its implementation.
