In Mind Your Business, we speak with business leaders and thinkers who inspire their respective companies and industries. Here, we feature Jerry Inzerillo, group chief executive officer of Diriyah Company
Rome wasn’t built in a day. And when your masterplan is to build a US$63.2 billion, 14 sq km luxury lifestyle destination in Saudi Arabia, it might even take more than two. Entrusted to developer Diriyah Company, the ambitious urban project is set to transform the historic town of ad-Diriyah into a sprawling hub of culture and finer living, filled with 40 luxury hotels, over 300 branded residential units, and close to 600,000 sq m of premier retail spaces.
The giga project might sound intimidating (the group expects to welcome 50 million visits a year by 2030) but when your helmsman is Jerry Inzerillo, now the Group CEO of Diriyah Company, you have a chance. With over five decades in the hospitality and tourism industry, Inzerillo has an impressive track record. He began his career at 13 as a busboy in New York City and rose through the ranks to hold significant positions, including CEO of Forbes Travel Guide and president of Kerzner Entertainment Group, where he conceptualised and positioned the start-up of its One&Only and Atlantis brands.
As the opening phases of the project come to fruition, including the debut of several high-profile luxury hotels, all eyes are on Diriyah. And under Inzerillo’s guidance, we’re sure the result will be a sight to see.
What motivated you to take on the role of Group CEO at Diriyah Company?
I think it is no exaggeration that my world changed when I met His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. When you spend time with His Royal Highness you are overwhelmed by his personality, his vision, his passion, his ideas, and his determination to transform Saudi Arabia. After he explained to me the size and scale of Diriyah and of his plans to turn it into one of the world’s great gathering places, there was just no way I could refuse his offer.
What specific elements of the project are you most excited about?
It may sound like a bit of a cliché – but it’s the same when you have children. You love them all and don’t have favourites. From explaining to investors the opportunities partnering with Diriyah can offer, to opening a new asset, like the 134-room Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, that we officially opened at the end of 2024, I get excited about all aspects of this project.
In what ways does Diriyah reflect the broader cultural shifts in Saudi Arabia today?
A project the size of Diriyah reflects the vision, ambition and commitment of a country that is undergoing an extraordinary transformation. We are contributing to a seismic change in the economic diversity of a nation as it moves away from a traditional dependence on oil and gas. And we, like many other giga projects, are committed to engaging with the local community, with 14 per cent of our team hailing from Diriyah itself.
How do you see Diriyah competing with established global cultural tourism destinations?
We will have over 40 hotels here, among them a “who’s who” of the world’s best known luxury hotel brands. We are, in fact, one of the world’s fastest growing and new international visitor destinations. We’re also enormously proud to be the custodian of 300 years of proud Saudi culture and heritage and the ancestral home of the Al Saud family.
Based on your experience, what emerging trends do you foresee in hospitality and cultural preservation?
The biggest thing today is that travellers are increasingly curious, and they are looking for destinations that offer both authenticity—and sustainability. It’s important that we use sustainable construction techniques to minimise emissions as well as ensuring sustainability of the local community. through employment, training and rewarding career opportunities.
Lastly, what are your non-negotiables?
You need to always remember your roots, remain humble, and be open to change, innovation, and sustainable strategies. Being enthusiastic about what you do fuels excellence in delivery and outcome.
