To measure the change in the role of women in the new Saudi Arabia we brought together four members of the senior management team of the $62.3 billion Diriyah giga project, now more than a third of the way to transforming the birthplace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the original home of House Al Saud into a global lifestyle and culture hub.

They are Rana Alghrairi, who has a degree in computer science from King Saud University and a Master’s in Global Communication from the University of Paris; Ghada Mandhour, a graduate of King Abdulaziz University; Alaa AlOqiel with a degree in Business Administration & Management from King Faisal University; and AlJoharh AlSmari, who recently added a Master’s degree in Change management at HEC Paris to her degree in Languages and Translation from Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, the largest women’s university in the world.

Inside Saudi’s Sir Martyn Lewis began by asking each of them to describe their role in the Diriyah Project.

AlJoharh – I am the Human Capital business partner director. My work is basically aligning human capital strategies with the business overall.

Rana – I am an Executive Director with the Strategic Development Team, mainly crafting high level strategies aiming to add value to the overall Diriyah masterplan.

Alaa – I am the People Development Director with the Human Capital division. We nurture talent and create a culture of continuous growth.

Ghada – I overlook the PR department at Diriyah Company. So my main job is to communicate Diriyah to the world.

Sir Martyn Lewis (ML) – Can you describe the career paths that brought you all to Diriyah?

AlJoharh – I have had a very dynamic career path, beginning with various roles in Human Resources across multiple industries. I gained my foundational skills in organisational development, talent management, talent acquisition, which then naturally transformed into more strategic roles in human capital. I think after I saw that interview with His Royal Highness (the Crown Prince) announcing Vision 2030, I knew I wanted to be a part of that, to contribute to one of the projects, and my passion led me to Diriyah because I am from Najd originally. I really enjoy the cultural essence of our country and want to celebrate that and introduce it to the world.

Rana – After university I joined the General Secretariat of the Gulf Corporation Council, where I had the opportunity to engage with the global community in different sectors. I have always been drawn to culture and heritage in general, so when the Diriyah opportunity came up I felt it was a natural choice to combine both.

Alaa – I started my career as a Human Resources Generalist, then focused on talent acquisition in the financial sector. I was lucky enough to join Diriyah back in 2018 to help recruit the best talents here.

Ghada – I had the privilege of being one of the few ladies working in the Saudi hospitality industry back in 2010, and that was way before the woman empowerment programs that we have nowadays. I worked for the top five-star luxury hotels in Riyadh before joining an all woman IT and BPO centre working with Saudi Aramco and TCS and General Electric. After that I was marketing manager in one of the best Quick Service Restaurant chains before moving into investment – and then I came and joined Diriyah.

ML – How does it feel to you all to be making history as women and at the same time to be helping create the future for your country?

AlJoharh – Well this is maybe one of the greatest things that I live for. It is very fulfilling to be part of Diriyah, and I feel very honoured to play a role in a such a project.

Alaa – It is truly amazing. Being part of Diriyah is contributing to a legacy that honours our rich heritage, and at the same time is shaping a sustainable future.

Rana – It is an honour, it is humbling. Our country’s history is rich and beautiful and so is the future; here at Diriyah we focus on both, which is really exhilarating.

Ghada – What makes it so special is that we are now seeing the result of what we planned five years ago come to life, to build a city within a city. Whatever you read about Diriyah cannot do it justice, people have to see it with their own eyes.

ML – What would you say have been the most exciting and challenging experiences you have had during your work here?

Alaa – The most exciting thing is witnessing the rapid growth of talents within Diriyah. And the challenge is staying agile to meet the business needs and employees’ needs for this huge project.

AlJoharh – The most exciting thing is to see this collaborative effort and the excitement of everyone when we see one of these projects opening up. For example, Bujairi Terrace when it opened two years ago. We get excited by these moments. And the challenge is the work force integration into the complex and dynamic changes of the project, but again each challenge presents its opportunities for innovation and for further enhancement.

Rana – Well, at the end of the day we are sort of building a city, and that comes with its own set of challenges, and excitement as well. So I would say, it is the ability to bring this legacy to life, to be mindful of how we are integrating the heritage and expressing that within the project.

Ghada – Every day is exciting, for me the challenges are opportunities for us to learn, for us to change, for us to do things in a better way.

ML – What advice would you give to young women who want to follow in your footsteps and play a part in the development of Saudi Arabia?

Ghada – Be confident, be persistent. Never give up no matter what. Just move on and love what you do, because whenever you love what you do, you will have this passion to wake up everyday and come and do it.

Rana – My advice to the youth in general is to really pursue your passion. We now live in a Saudi where everything is possible. All possibilities are available, whether that means you want to be an opera singer or you want to be a scientist. Both will have an impact, both will contribute to the bigger vision.

Alaa – My advice for our women is, believe in yourself, take advantage of the available support for women in Saudi. Be confident. You will get the support to have a meaningful impact on the Kingdom’s growth.

AlJoharh – I would say never underestimate your potential, and remember that networking and being collaborative is really key.

ML – Is collaboration at the heart of everything that is happening here?

AlJoharh – In Diriyah? Yes – one hundred per cent. We have a supportive leadership that made us believe that we cannot contribute unless we work together for overall success.

ML – And what does success look like to you?

AlJoharh – For me, success is having a lasting impact. Professionally, it is me seeing our workforce happy and well equipped, enjoying the work they are doing on a daily basis. And personally, it is about leaving a legacy that influences others in the future.

Alaa – Success for me professionally is seeing our talents thrive through Diriyah. Personally it is maintaining a balance of work fulfilment and contributing to my community.

Ghada – Basically success is seeing what you have worked on grow; as a PR professional, seeing my articles and interviews about Diriyah going viral.

Rana – Success is not only about the destination. It is the journey we take to get there, and the growth and the challenges we overcome. That is how I would define success.

ML – There are many changes taking place here. Do you think everything is possible now for young women in Saudi Arabia?

Ghada – There are amazing empowerment programmes for both women and men in Saudi Arabia nowadays. In a lot of sectors and a lot of industries we are very blessed with the opportunities we have at the moment.

ML – What kind of programmes?

Ghada – Well, most of these programmes have educational aspects that will help the students get into the work force. For example in Diriyah we have launched an Engineering Program and the Diriyah Summer Youth Program.

AlJoharh – I would say that even before Vision 2030 we had equal pay. We have never had this segregation between men and women when it comes to pay. I think what Vision 2030 brought to the table is more work opportunities, a different nature of opportunities that women were not usually exposed to - things that are more technical. Our development programmes make sure that we are fully equipped to do the best we can in our industries, where we have great women representation in all aspects.

ML – And when you go into meetings, do you feel that you are an equal with the men in discussions?

AlJoharh – One hundred per cent. Coming from a short person, yeah – one hundred per cent!

ML – Are you even beating them?

AlJoharh – Yeah, and I don’t even need to wear heels to prove anything!

All article images used with permission from Diriyah Company.