When is OPEX First Saudi 2026?

OPEX First Saudi Arabia 2026 takes place on 15 September 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Where is OPEX First Saudi 2026 held?

OPEX First Saudi 2026 is held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The exact venue is confirmed to registered delegates closer to the event date.

Who attends OPEX First Saudi 2026?

Senior leaders driving operational excellence and digital transformation across Saudi Arabia — public-sector executives, enterprise C-suite, transformation directors, and process intelligence leaders. Attendance is invitation-only with 220+ delegates and 30+ speakers.

Is there a fee to attend OPEX First Saudi 2026?

Attendance is free for qualified delegates. Apply via the registration form on the event page; the advisory team will confirm eligibility.

How do I nominate someone for the OPEX First Awards 2026?

Submit a nomination via the form in the Awards section of the event page. Five categories cover Operational Excellence, AI & Digital Transformation, Sustainability & ESG, Supply Chain & Procurement, and Leadership in Operational & Change Excellence.

OPEX First — Series Overview

OPEX First is the operational excellence and process intelligence summit series by Events First Group, convening transformation leaders, COOs, government excellence officers, and enterprise C-suite across Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC. Each edition is invitation-only and free for qualified end-users.

Series: OPEX First
Audience profile: COOs, Transformation directors, Process intelligence leaders, Government excellence officers, Enterprise C-suite, Operations heads, Continuous improvement leaders
Active editions: 2
URL: https://www.eventsfirstgroup.com/events/opex-first

Editions

Process Intelligence MENA, Executive Webinar — GCC Region, Online (21 May 2026) — https://www.eventsfirstgroup.com/events/opex-first/process-intelligence
OPEX First Saudi 2026 (2nd Edition) — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (15 September 2026) — https://www.eventsfirstgroup.com/events/opex-first/saudi-2026

OPEX First Saudi 2026, 2nd Edition — Key Facts

OPEX First Saudi 2026, 2nd Edition is part of the OPEX First series by Events First Group, taking place on 15 September 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Event: OPEX First Saudi 2026, 2nd Edition
Series: OPEX First
Date: 15 September 2026
Venue: Venue confirmed to registered delegates
City: Riyadh
Country: Saudi Arabia
Format: In-person summit
Expected audience: 220+ delegates and 30+ speakers
Audience profile: COOs, Transformation directors, Process intelligence leaders, Government excellence officers, Enterprise C-suite, AI governance leaders, Vision 2030 execution heads
URL: https://www.eventsfirstgroup.com/events/opex-first/saudi-2026

Featured speakers

H.E. Dr. Abdullah Bin Sharaf Alghamdi, President, Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA)
H.E. Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, Governor & Board Member, Digital Government Authority
Rayan Alnafisah, Senior Director, Royal Commission for Riyadh City
Neil Matthew Menezes, VP — Maaden ERP Transformation Program, Maaden
Sultan Moraished, Group Head of Technology & Corporate Excellence, Red Sea Global

Sponsors and partners

Celonis (Confirmed)
RICS (Confirmed)
IQS (Confirmed)

Award categories

Operational Excellence
AI & Digital Transformation
Sustainability & ESG
Supply Chain & Procurement
Leadership in Operational & Change Excellence

2nd Edition · Saudi Arabia

OPEX FIRSTSAUDI 2026

Operational Excellence — Where Leadership Vision Meets Technology Execution.

15 September 2026Riyadh, KSAFull-Day Summit

An Initiative By

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Registrations Open

Event Overview

Saudi Arabia has entered the execution decade of Vision 2030.

Across ministries, giga-projects, aviation, banking, telecom, and energy — the national focus has shifted from transformation strategy to measurable operational performance. AI-enabled workflows, real-time KPIs, and enterprise orchestration are now leadership mandates, not aspirations.

OPEX First Saudi 2026 is the only platform dedicated to propelling operational excellence to new heights — convening visionary leaders to co-create the next era of performance mastery.

From the Stage — Past Editions

UAE 2026 · KSA 2025

Dubai, UAE2026

Operational excellence leaders convene at the regional flagship.

Riyadh, KSA2025

The inaugural Saudi edition — Vision 2030 execution at the table.

Execution Signals — 2025/26

The mandates moving the needle right now.

Energy

Aramco APS

Predictive analytics, digital twins, and real-time optimisation across the energy stack.

AI Governance

SDAIA

Institutionalising national AI governance and data infrastructure across entities.

Public Sector

Digital Government Authority

Harmonising digital maturity across federal entities and ministries.

Benchmarking

GovExPro

Accelerating benchmarking and public-sector excellence frameworks.

Automation

Enterprise RPA

Scaling automation from silo bots toward end-to-end orchestration.

The Room — Saudi 2026

The scale of the day, in numbers.

Delegates

Industry Speakers

Conference Sessions

Technology Providers

Media Partners

Awards

Market Pulse

The forces shaping execution-decade performance.

Drawn from public mandates, private execution, and partner opportunity — three vantage points on the same accelerating market.

Drivers

What's pushing performance to the top of the agenda.

Vision 2030 has shifted from blueprint to delivery — and every leadership conversation now starts with measurable outcomes.

Vision 2030 delivery pressure across ministries and giga-projects.
National AI institutionalisation under SDAIA mandates.
Industrial and energy optimisation at Aramco scale.
Board-level ROI accountability on every transformation programme.

2026 Strategic Focus Areas

Eight conversations driving the next 12 months.

The agenda spans the full operational stack — from boardroom mandates to live control-tower execution.

Strategy-to-Execution Governance

From Vision 2030 roadmaps to measurable institutional performance.

AI & Intelligent Automation in Operations

Agentic AI, automation beyond RPA, compliance-integrated AI governance.

Process Mining & Enterprise Orchestration

Cross-functional control towers, KPI-linked process redesign, value-realisation tracking.

Digital Governance & KPI Accountability

Performance transparency, dashboards, executive-grade reporting cadence.

Enterprise Architecture as an Execution Backbone

Architecture aligned to KPIs, API ecosystems, integration discipline at enterprise scale.

Compliance Automation & Regulatory Digitisation

E-invoicing, data governance, cyber-resilient operational models, digital maturity scoring.

Real-Time Performance Control Towers

Continuous optimisation through real-time analytics across operations.

Autonomous Enterprise Models

Cloud-native execution frameworks, security-by-design, self-optimising operating models.

Confirmed for Saudi 2026

Powered by industry leaders

The first confirmed partners for Saudi 2026. More sponsors will be announced in waves.

Associate Sponsor

Agenda · 15 September 2026

One day. Nine sessions. Built for action.

09:00→09:20

Keynote

Opening Keynote — Operational Excellence in the Execution Decade

Vision 2030 roadmaps meet measurable performance — the new leadership mandate.

09:20→10:10

Panel

Operational Excellence Leadership

Aligning enterprise KPIs with Vision 2030 objectives
Managing execution risk in giga-projects
Embedding governance into transformation portfolios
Performance transparency & executive dashboards

10:10→10:30

Fireside

Fireside Chat — From Strategy to Measurable Results

Governance redesign, automation at scale, and ROI you can read on a dashboard.

10:50→11:35

Panel

AI & Intelligent Automation in Operations

Agentic AI in workflow orchestration
Automation beyond RPA
Compliance-integrated AI governance
Measuring AI productivity & ROI
Case signals: Aramco APS, SDAIA AI frameworks, STC automation programs

11:35→12:00

Customer Story

Customer Success Story

An enterprise case study — cycle-time, cost, automation, compliance, in numbers.

12:45→13:30

Panel

Process Mining & Enterprise Orchestration

Enterprise control towers
Cross-functional workflow orchestration
KPI-linked process redesign
Value realisation tracking
GovExPro benchmarking integration

13:30→13:55

Fireside

Fireside Chat — Governance & Compliance Automation

E-invoicing, data governance, and cyber resilience as operating discipline.

13:55→14:40

Panel

The Autonomous Enterprise

Cloud-native execution frameworks
Enterprise architecture aligned to KPIs
API ecosystems and integration discipline
Security-by-design operational models
Continuous optimisation through real-time analytics

14:40→15:00

Keynote

Closing Keynote — Building Performance-Driven Institutions

Institutionalising excellence — frameworks, AI governance, sustainable execution.

Who Should Attend

The room is built for operators who own outcomes.

Target Roles9 senior titles

Chief Operating OfficersChief Strategy OfficersChief Information Officers (CIOs)Chief Transformation OfficersHeads of Operational ExcellenceHeads of Enterprise ArchitectureHeads of Digital GovernanceProgram & Portfolio Governance DirectorsAI & Automation Leaders

Target Industries8 sectors

Government & Public SectorEnergy & UtilitiesBanking & Financial ServicesAviationTelecomManufacturingRetailGiga Projects

Past Series Sponsors

The brands that helped build the OPEX First stage.

A snapshot of partners that have backed the OPEX First series across previous editions. Saudi 2026 sponsorship slate confirms in waves — get in early.

In Frames

Moments from past editions — the room, the stage, the floor.

Voices from the Room

What past OPEX First attendees say.

Hear directly from leaders who attended OPEX First summits across the GCC.

OPEX First

2026 Awards

Honouring those who turn methodology into measurable performance.

Five categories shining a spotlight on the visionaries and organisations leading the way in operational excellence and technological advancement.

Operational Excellence Award

Recognises organisations or teams demonstrating outstanding implementation of OPEX methodologies — efficiency, cost reduction, and process optimisation gains.

AI & Digital Transformation Excellence

Honours pioneering use of AI, IoT, data analytics, automation, or emerging technologies driving operational efficiency, predictive insights, and scalable improvements.

Sustainability & ESG Operational Excellence

Awards integration of sustainable practices, environmental responsibility, social impact, and strong governance into core operations — verifiable carbon, resource, or ESG performance.

Supply Chain & Procurement Optimisation

Celebrates innovative strategies in supply chain resilience, procurement efficiency, vendor management, and logistics — cost savings, risk mitigation, and agility in volatile environments.

Leadership in Operational & Change Excellence

Recognises visionary leaders or change-management initiatives aligning people, culture, and strategy to foster high-performing teams, agile operations, and lasting transformation.

Awards moment from a past OPEX First edition — recognising excellence in operational leadership

Honouring Excellence

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Submit Your Nomination

Tell us who deserves recognition and why. Takes less than two minutes.

Free to nominate · Reviewed by an independent panel

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