OPEX First Series, 3rd Edition | Saudi Arabia, 2nd Edition

OPEX FIRSTSAUDI 2026

Vision to Value — Merging AI and Process Excellence.

25 November 2026Hyatt Regency Riyadh OlayaRiyadhFull-Day Summit
An Initiative ByEvents First Group
15Days
--Hrs
--Min
--Sec
Registrations Open
Event Overview

Saudi Arabia has entered its execution decade.

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.

Speakers & Advisors

Voices shaping the execution agenda.

Advisors

Eng. Abdulrazzag Al Aujan

H.E. MoF Advisor

Ministry of Finance

Yasmin Bin Mobki

General Manager of Privatization and PMO

Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

Faisal Al-Zahrani

EHSS General Manager

S-Chem

Mohammed Al Amri

GM Operational Excellence

Roads General Authority

Salem J. Sahary

Senior Operational Excellence Expert

SIPCHEM

Speakers

E. Nabil Heddied Aloufi

Vice Governor for Risk Management and Business Continuity

Digital Government Authority

Dr. Ibrahim bin Abdullah Alotaibi

Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer

Confidential Saudi Government Entity

Anwar Zumah

VP Direct Investment

Confidential

Wajih Yahyaoui

Managing Partner

Blackstone eIT

Mohaned Alsheqaiq

Line Vice President

Bahri Line

Mohammed Al Ghamdi

VP Manufacturing

NAMA Chemicals

Meshaal Almanie

Executive Director of Operations

Confidential

Naif N. Al Suliman

Crisis and Disaster Center (CDC) Executive Director

National Water Company (NWC)

Ahmed Al Idrissi

Executive Advisor

Confidential

Maan Al Maddah

Advisor

Confidential

Youness Zahir

CTO & Executive Director

Blackstone eIT

Ghassan Gamal

Executive Advisor

Confidential

Mohammed Al Amri

GM Operational Excellence

Roads General Authority

Eng. Ahmed M. Khayyat

GM, Corporate Operational Excellence

Saudia Group

Reem Alharbi

Deputy GM of Operational Command Center

Confidential

Talal Alahmari

Organizational Excellence Director

Confidential

Ali Al Hakami

Senior Director - Organisational Excellence

Hail Region Development Authority

Odeh Mahmoud

CEO

Cyborg Automation

Dr. Yousof Ghazzawi

Senior Portfolio Leader - Business Transformation

Confidential

Ahmed Alawami

Head of Data and AI

Saudi Energy

Eng. Maher Mousa

Regional Director of Product Management & Compliance

Johnson Controls Arabia

Mohammed N. Aljuhani

Organizational Excellence Director

Fund for Martyrs, Wounded, POWs and Missing in Action

Dr. Mohammed Fouad Hussein Mesafer

Strategy & Business Excellence Director

Riyadh Cement Company

Nadeer Alshyookh

Head of Business Transformation

SAP Saudi Arabia

Abdulmajeed S. Alqumayshi

Director of Quality Assurance

ESNAD

Raghavendra Ramesh

Global Head of Forward Deployed Engineering

MOXO

Abdullah M. Alzkeri

Business Excellence Leader

A PIF Owned Giga Project Company

Jiya Chadha

Senior Manager - Supply Chain Advisory

Blue Yonder

Anton Melnik

CEO

Alphyn.ai

Neil Evans

Head of Energy

Q5 Arabia

Mohammad Shoaib Osmani

Business Architect

Aris

Voices — What Leaders Said
OPEX First KSA 2025

Operational Excellence is not a passing administrative practice. It is a structured philosophy and a deep-rooted organizational culture founded on discipline, mastery, and excellence in execution. It seeks to maximize efficiency, enhance effectiveness, and create value at every level. It is a continuous journey of improvement and innovation that places customer experience and service quality at the heart of decision-making. It inspires teams to embrace creativity, ownership, and agility in adapting to challenges and opportunities alike. OPEX First KSA 2025 is a dedicated platform for discussing all the current trends and challenges and uniting the leaders and visionaries of continuous improvement.

Eng. AbdulRazzag Al Aujan

H.E. Ministry of Finance Advisor

Eng. AbdulRazzag Al Aujan

The OPEX First KSA 2025 Summit was an excellent platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences on operational excellence. I was pleased to contribute to the panel discussion on how organizations can embed innovation and empower their people to sustain transformation. Summits like this are vital for driving collective learning and accelerating progress toward Vision 2030.

Yasmin Bin Mobki

General Manager of Privatization & PMO, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

Yasmin Bin Mobki

Operational Excellence is evolving into Operational Autonomy. The next stage is not simply automating more processes, but designing operating models where AI and automation can understand context, support decisions, execute actions, and continuously improve. For organizations in Saudi Arabia, the opportunity is to translate this autonomy into measurable productivity, resilience, and service outcomes—while keeping governance and human accountability at the core.

Odeh Mahmoud

CEO, Cyborg Automation Hub

Odeh Mahmoud

Thank you to everyone for making the event nothing short of magnificent.

Mohammed Al Ghazal

CEO, Noor Energies

Mohammed Al Ghazal

It was a pleasure to be part of such an amazing event and looking forward to the next edition.

Abdulmajeed Alshaalan

Executive Director of Organizational Excellence, National Infrastructure Fund (Infra)

Abdulmajeed Alshaalan

This partnership with TeamAssurance brings together global best practices and local expertise to empower Saudi factories with tools that drive efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainable excellence.

Eng. Majed Almeleak

CEO & Board Member, KAFAA Efficiency Excellence

Eng. Majed Almeleak
From the Stage — Past Editions
UAE 2026 · KSA 2025
OPEX First — Abu Dhabi, UAE 2026
Abu Dhabi, UAE2026

Operational excellence leaders convene at the regional flagship.

OPEX First — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2025
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia2025

The inaugural Saudi edition — national execution at the table.

Execution Signals — 2025/26
The mandates moving the needle right now.
Aramco APS — Energy
Energy

Aramco APS

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

SDAIA — AI Governance
AI Governance

SDAIA

Institutionalising national AI governance and data infrastructure across entities.

Digital Government Authority — Public Sector
Public Sector

Digital Government Authority

Harmonising digital maturity across federal entities and ministries.

GovExPro — Benchmarking
Benchmarking

GovExPro

Accelerating benchmarking and public-sector excellence frameworks.

Enterprise RPA — Automation
Automation

Enterprise RPA

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

The Room — Saudi 2026
The scale of the day, in numbers.
220+
Delegates
30+
Industry Speakers
15+
Conference Sessions
10+
Technology Providers
15+
Media Partners
5
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 — OPEX First past edition
OPEX First — Past edition
01
Drivers

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

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

  • National 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.
Accredited Event

We are a CPD Certified Event.

OPEX First Saudi 2026 is certified by the CPD Certification Service. Attendees receive a CPD certificate after attending the event.

Earn up to 7 hours of CPD points.

Register Now
OPEX First Saudi 2026, CPD certifiedApproved Provider
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.

01

Strategy-to-Execution Governance

From national transformation roadmaps to measurable institutional performance.

02

AI & Intelligent Automation in Operations

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

03

Process Mining & Enterprise Orchestration

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

04

Digital Governance & KPI Accountability

Performance transparency, dashboards, executive-grade reporting cadence.

05

Enterprise Architecture as an Execution Backbone

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

06

Compliance Automation & Regulatory Digitisation

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

07

Real-Time Performance Control Towers

Continuous optimisation through real-time analytics across operations.

08

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.

Gold Sponsors
Blackstone eIT logo
Cyborg Automation logo
SAP Signavio logo
Associate Sponsors
ARIS logo
Moxo logo
Panel Sponsor
Blue Yonder logo
Strategic Sponsor
FanRuan logo
Networking Sponsor
Alphyn.ai logo
Media Partners
International Business Magazine logo
Robotics & Automation News logo
AI Events logo
Eye of Riyadh logo
Eye of Dubai logo
Lean Competency System logo
Agenda · 25 November 2026

One day. Eleven sessions. Built for action.

Vision to Value - Merging AI and Process ExcellenceRegulation, Standards, Governance
08:00→09:00
Break

Registration, Networking, and Refreshments

09:10→09:15
Ceremony

Welcome Remarks

09:15→09:30
Ceremony

National Anthem and Opening Ceremony

09:30→09:50
Keynote 1

The Execution Decade: The Kingdom's Shift from Transformation to Execution

E. Nabil Heddied Aloufi, Vice Governor for Risk Management and Business Continuity, Digital Government Authority

09:50→10:30
Leadership Panel

The Governance Gap - Turning Vision 2030 Mandates into Measurable Institutional Performance

ModeratorAli Al Hakami, Senior Director – Organisational Excellence, Hail Region Development Authority

Panelists
  • Anwar Zumah, VP Direct Investments, Confidential
  • Ahmed Al Idrissi, Executive Advisor, Confidential
  • Talal Alahmari, Organizational Excellence Director, Confidential
  • Maan Al Maddah, Advisor, Confidential
  • Mohammed N. Aljuhani, Organizational Excellence Director, Fund for Martyrs, Wounded, POWs and Missing in Action
  • Eng. Ahmed M. Khayyat, GM - Corporate Operational Excellence, Saudia Group
10:30→10:45
Keynote Presentation

Topic to be announced

Youness Zahir, CTO & Executive Director, Blackstone eIT

10:45→11:00
Keynote Presentation

AI Ready Processes, Why Your AI Strategy Starts with Process Context

Mohammad Shoaib Osmani, Business Architect, Aris

11:00→11:45
Break

Networking Break and Refreshments

11:45→12:20
Panel Discussion

Beyond the Pilot Wall - Scaling Agentic AI & Governed Automation Across Operations

ModeratorAbdullah M. Alzkeri, Business Excellence Leader, a PIF-owned giga-project company

Panelists
  • Ahmed Alawami, Head of Data and AI, Saudi Energy
  • Dr. Ibrahim bin Abdullah Alotaibi, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, Confidential Saudi Government Entity
  • Dr. Yousof Ghazzawi, Senior Portfolio Leader - Business Transformation, Confidential
  • Dr. Mohammed Fouad, Strategy and Business Excellence Director, Riyadh Cement Company
  • Odeh Mahmoud, CEO, Cyborg
  • Wajih Yahyaoui, Managing Partner, Blackstone eIT
12:20→12:35
Technology Presentation

Sovereign AI Isn't Sovereign Unless It's Secure, and Ops Is the Front Line

Odeh Mahmoud, CEO, Cyborg

12:35→12:50
Technology Presentation

Topic to be announced

Nadeer Alshyookh, Business Transformation Manager Lead - MEA North, SAP

12:50→13:15
Break

Prayer Break and Networking

13:15→13:50
Panel Discussion

From Hindsight to Foresight - Process Mining, Control Towers & the Self-Optimising Enterprise

ModeratorJiya Chadha, Supply Chain Advisor, Blue Yonder

Panelists
  • Mohammed Al Ghamdi, VP Manufacturing, Nama Chemicals
  • Mohaned Alsheqaiq, Vice President, Bahri Line
  • Eng. Ghassan Gamal, Executive Advisor, Confidential
  • Reem Alharbi, Deputy GM of Operational Command Center, Confidential
  • Mohamed Alamri, GM of Organisational Excellence, Roads General Authority
13:50→14:05
Technology Presentation

One Open Stack for Sovereign AI

The on-prem petabyte-scale data platform for AI in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Anton Melnik, CEO, Alphyn.ai

14:05→14:40
Panel Discussion

Compliance by Discipline - Regulatory Digitisation, Enterprise Architecture & Operations

ModeratorAbdulmajeed S. Alqumayshi, Director of Quality Assurance, ESNAD

Panelists
  • Dr. Nasser Alamri, Strategic Engagement and Partnership Executive Advisor, Government Entity
  • Meshaal Almanie, Executive Director of Operations, Confidential
  • Naif N. Al Suliman, Crisis & Disasters Centre (CDC) Executive Director, NWC
  • Maher Mousa, Regional Director of Product Management & Compliance, Johnson Controls Arabia
  • Nadeer Alshyookh, Business Transformation Manager Lead - MEA North, SAP
14:40→15:00
Ceremony

OPEX First Award Ceremony & Raffle Draw

15:00
Break

Networking Lunch and End of Conference

Kindly note: this is a draft agenda and is subject to minor changes until 4 days prior to the conference.

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
Post-Event Intelligence

Reports from the room.

Official post-event reports from each OPEX First edition — takeaways, on-stage themes, and sponsor coverage. Available as PDF.

Past Partners & 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.

Past Supporting Partners

Past OPEX First supporting partner
IQS, past OPEX First supporting partner
Past OPEX First supporting partner
Past OPEX First supporting partner
RICS, past OPEX First supporting partner

Past Series Sponsors

Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor
Past OPEX First series sponsor

Participating Companies

OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
OPEX First Saudi 2026 participating company
Voices from the Room

What past OPEX First attendees say.

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

OPEX First testimonial
OPEX First
OPEX First testimonial
OPEX First
OPEX First testimonial
OPEX First
OPEX First testimonial
OPEX First
OPEX First testimonial
OPEX First
OPEX First testimonial
OPEX First
OPEX First testimonial
OPEX First
OPEX First testimonial
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.

01

Operational Excellence Award

02

AI & Digital Transformation Excellence

03

Regulatory Excellence Award

04

Excellence Enablement Award

05

Leadership in Operational & Change Excellence

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

Submit Your Nomination

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

Free to nominate · Reviewed by an independent panel

Venue

Where it all comes together.

Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya
Host Venue

Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya

Olaya, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
25 November 2026 · Full-Day Summit
View on map
FAQ

Everything you need to know.

When is OPEX First Saudi 2026 (OPEX KSA)?

OPEX First Saudi Arabia 2026 — also known as OPEX KSA — takes place on 25 November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Where is OPEX First Saudi 2026 held?

OPEX First Saudi 2026 is held at the Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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, Regulatory Excellence, Excellence Enablement, and Leadership in Operational & Change Excellence.

Register · Speak · Sponsor

Tell us how you want to show up.

CPD certifiedCPD Certified Event · earn up to 7 CPD points.

Become a Summit Sponsor

Put your brand in the room with top decision-makers worldwide. Sponsorship packages are designed for maximum visibility and qualified lead generation.

Boardroom hosting & keynote slots
Qualified lead generation
Premium brand visibility worldwide

Trusted by 80+ sponsors across 6+ global markets

Your information is kept confidential. We'll only use it to respond to your inquiry.

Get in touch

Talk to the people building the room.

Three people. Direct lines, no gatekeepers.