Arash Dara

Senior Executive Director - Operational Readiness

18.5 yrs experienceManagement Consulting

Jan 2026Added yesterday

The move

MoveMcKinsey & Company → Qiddiya | القدية

TitleAssociate Partner → Senior Executive Director

LocationDubai → Riyadh

Career arcRecent arrival

Cross-border moveYes · United Arab Emirates → Saudi Arabia

Years in UAE6.3

Total experience18.5 years

Qiddiya | القدية headcount1,001-5,000 employees

Qiddiya | القدية industryEntertainment Providers

Qiddiya | القدية HQAl Nakheel, Riyadh, Riyadh

Qiddiya | القدية typePrivately Held

Career arc

Senior Executive DirectorJan 2026 — Present
Qiddiya | القدية· Riyadh, Saudi Arabia· Full-time
Executive DirectorMay 2024 — Jan 2026
Qiddiya | القدية· Riyadh, Saudi Arabia· Full-time
Associate PartnerFeb 2022 — May 2024
McKinsey & Company· Dubai, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
Group Chief Executive Officer, Lootah HoldingOct 2019 — Feb 2022
Lootah Holding· Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Head of OrgSolutions Middle East, McKinsey & CompanyJan 2018 — Oct 2019
McKinsey & Company· Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Head of ATIOS (Trading, Investments, Optimization Strategy), Strategy DirectorDec 2014 — Jan 2018
Accenture· Middle East (GCC)
Strategy ManagerJul 2012 — Dec 2014
Accenture· London, United Kingdom
Strategy ConsultantJun 2010 — Jun 2012
Accenture· London, United Kingdom
Strategy AnalystOct 2007 — May 2010
Accenture· London, United Kingdom

Education

Imperial College London
MBA2009
University of California, Berkeley
The Foundations of Happiness at Work · edX course of study offered by BerkeleyX, an online learning initiative of University of California2020 — 2020
Columbia University in the City of New York
Introduction to Corporate Finance · edX course of study offered by ColumbiaX, an online learning initiative of Columbia University2020 — 2020
Harvard Business School Executive Education
Executive Education · Disruptive Strategy2020 — 2020
Harvard Business School
Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies · edX course of study offered by HarvardX, an online learning initiative of Harvard University2020 — 2020
MIT Sloan Executive Education
Executive Education · Digital Business Strategy program2020 — 2020
Columbia University in the City of New York
Free Cash Flow Analysis - Corporate Finance2020 — 2020

Top skills

Business TransformationStrategic PlanningProject PlanningMarket EntryMiddle EastValuation

About

Head of Operational Readiness at Qiddiya, a KSA megaproject with plans to become a world class hub for entertainment, sports and culture. Qiddiya is an exciting new destination city right on Riyadh's doorstep. Previously held or acted in the roles of CEO, COO, CHRO, and Chief Transformation Officer. Extensive strategy and transformation experience, bringing over 15 years of consulting across the energy, financial services, travel, telecoms, public and healthcare sectors in Middle East, Europe and Africa. Listed and profiled in ‘Arabian Business - GCC Young Achievers 2021’, as the Group CEO of Lootah Holding, overseeing real estate development, construction, logistics, interior design, Islamic financial advisory, IT implementation and digital transformation, healthcare education, healthc

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