Under the theme "Decade of Vision, A New Era of Ownership" — Invest Saudi's framing for the Kingdom's presence at MIPIM Cannes 2026 — Saudi Arabia arrived not to announce ambition, but to demonstrate delivery. At the centre of that presence was Diriyah Company, participating for the fourth consecutive year with one of the most substantial development portfolios on the floor.

Backed by the Public Investment Fund, the $63.2 billion development continues to draw global interest across residential, hospitality, retail, and cultural assets. Inside Saudi sat down with Kiran Haslam, Chief Marketing Officer at Diriyah Company, to discuss the Diriyah project's participation at MIPIM 2026, its investment positioning, and how it continues to turn long-term vision into real development on the ground.

Delivering at Scale

The past six months have been one of the busiest periods in Diriyah Company's history. At MIPIM 2026, the company unveiled the Grand Avenue, a fully integrated mixed-use hub at the heart of the development, where retail and dining sit alongside offices, hotels, residential communities, and cultural venues.

"It already commands a built-in audience," says Haslam, "supported by 651,000 sqm of office space serving up to 40,000 daily users, 1,700 residential units including branded residences, and six luxury hotels with 1,300 rooms, driving consistent weekday and year-round visitation and long-term commercial value."

The wider project numbers are hard to ignore. Since MIPIM 2025, where Diriyah launched its Media and Innovation District, the company has awarded approximately $8.8 billion in construction contracts across infrastructure, culture, hospitality, residential, and entertainment. Total contracts awarded now stand at around $30 billion.

The list of signed deals spans some of the most watched projects in the region: a $1.4 billion joint venture contract for the development of the Diriyah Opera House, designed by Snøhetta, with New York's Metropolitan Opera confirmed as its resident winter company; a $1.53 billion contract for a 20,000-seat arena; an $827 million agreement for the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Diriyah; and a $600 million contract for the 400-outlet Diriyah Square retail district. On the residential side, Manazel Al Hadawi launched with 239 premium homes as the first phase of more than 470 planned for the district.

Things are moving on the ground too. Diriyah opened Zallal, its first mixed-use complex bringing together offices, retail, and dining under one roof. At-Turaif and Bujairi Terrace have already welcomed over four million visitors.

"Diriyah is delivering at pace and at scale," says Haslam.

What Diriyah Is Offering Investors

This is Diriyah's fourth consecutive year at MIPIM, and the decision to keep showing up is deliberate. The project has one of the broadest investment portfolios of any development in the world right now: residential, retail and dining, hospitality, offices, museums, entertainment, sport, and education — and the audience at MIPIM is exactly the one it needs to reach.

"This is a fantastic annual gathering for the real estate sector," says Haslam, "and as a $63.2 billion urban development, we have one of the widest-ranging series of investment and partnership opportunities anywhere in the world today."

"Our track record of delivery is proven," Haslam says. "Assets already open and operating."

The entry point for international investors has also changed. Saudi Arabia's updated foreign investment regulations now allow overseas buyers to directly own and trade residential, commercial, and retail real estate in the Kingdom, something that was not possible before.

"It removes a historic barrier and sends a powerful signal of openness and confidence to global markets," says Haslam. "For an investor looking at Diriyah, this means the ability to hold a direct stake in one of the world's most significant urban development projects."

Why Saudi Arabia, Why Now?

"Saudi Arabia is a market that reaches one-third of the world's population within four hours of flight time," says Haslam. "It has a young, dynamic and highly educated population, a skilled native workforce of almost 14 million people, and a business environment ranked 12th globally for ease of doing business."

Foreign direct investment stock has grown to around $280 billion, increasing at roughly 10% a year. Diriyah sits 15 minutes from central Riyadh, a capital backed by more than $320 billion in planned domestic investment.

"Diriyah offers a long-term platform for growth in a market where the investment environment continues to strengthen," he says.

A City Unlike Any Other

"There are no skyscrapers in Diriyah," says Haslam. "Instead, every building incorporates elements of the Najdi architectural heritage you see in our UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif, design principles rooted in centuries of sustainable building: natural cooling techniques, wind towers, shading, that we are now applying at metropolitan scale."

"No developer in the world has ever attempted to incorporate such extensive traditional designs into a modern urban project of this scale," he adds. "For investors and partners, it means being part of something that is not only commercially compelling but culturally extraordinary."

Below the streets, a 5.7-kilometre underground tunnel network carries roads and utilities out of sight. Cars bypass the city underground; deliveries reach retailers and hotels through subterranean routes. 60,000 parking spaces, including one of the world's largest underground car parks, serve the development, while four new metro stations will connect Diriyah directly to downtown Riyadh. More than half of pedestrian areas will be shaded. Some 6.5 million native trees, plants, and shrubs are being planted. A 3-kilometre Escarpment Walk and 17 kilometres of cycleways run through the development — a city built to be walked, not driven through.

Inside Saudi Club: Taking the Story Global

Diriyah Company is a founding member of the Inside Saudi Club. "The Club provides a trusted and credible platform that brings together some of Saudi Arabia's most prominent organisations and projects to engage with international audiences," says Haslam. "For Diriyah, this is particularly important because our story goes beyond bricks and mortar. It is about inviting the world to understand the transformation that is taking place across the Kingdom."

Stability When It Matters

"In a world where uncertainty is the norm, investors are looking for projects that offer stability, credibility and a clear long-term trajectory," says Haslam. "Diriyah delivers on all three."

"We are building investor confidence through consistent delivery, transparent governance, and a compelling vision," Haslam says. "That is why we continue to see growing levels of interest and investment from around the world."

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