Establishing a Center of Excellence for Saudi Economic Cities and Special Zones to Drive Best Practice Adoption
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE
The Saudi Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA) sought to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) to serve as a knowledge hub for SpecialEconomic Zones (SEZs). The initiative aimed to support Vision 2030 objectives by promoting best practice policies, knowledge transfer, and talentdevelopment in industrial and economic zone management. Through a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model, the project was designed to enhance SEZgovernance, streamline policy adoption, and build institutional capabilities.
PROJECT APPROACH
The project was executed in four key phases:
- Design & Planning – Developed a CoE blueprint, positioning ECZA as the SEZ knowledge leader and aligning it with international best practices.
- Expert Team Selection – Recruited market-leading specialists to form the core team responsible for policy and regulation development.
- Operation & Management – Established and operated the CoE with subject-matter experts, providing knowledge-sharing platforms, training programs,and best practice implementation strategies.
- Transfer & Institutionalization – Successfully transitioned a fully functional CoE back to ECZA, ensuring long-term sustainability.
OUR METHODOLOGY
A comprehensive framework was applied, integrating:
- SEZ Development Framework – Designed a governance model for special economic zone management and regulatory oversight.
- BOT Framework – Structured a step-by-step transition process from external operation to full ECZA control.
- Learning & Knowledge Transfer – Created training programs, workshops, and policy dissemination strategies to empower SEZ stakeholders.
- Stakeholder Engagement – Facilitated collaboration among government agencies, private investors, and SEZ operators.
- Benchmarking & Best Practice Identification – Conducted global benchmarking to establish a world-class SEZ governance model.
THE RESULTS
The project successfully delivered a fully operational Center of Excellence, enabling ECZA to:
- Disseminate best practice policies across SEZs, improving governance and regulatory frameworks.
- Enhance knowledge transfer across the SEZ ecosystem, ensuring continued talent development and capacity building.
- Position Saudi Arabia’s SEZs as globally competitive economic hubs, aligned with Vision 2030.
- Develop key national talent and industry experts, strengthening long-term economic sustainability.
