Mott MacDonald, a leading global multi-disciplinary consultancy firm, has appointed Rick Hopper as the Managing Director for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In his new role, Hopper will work with key public and private sector clients and partners to drive sustainable development in the kingdom, building on the consultancy’s successful track record in the infrastructure, energy, transportation and building markets.
He has a deep understanding of KSA’s vision for growth and development, having spent the past six years based in Riyadh working in operational leadership and strategic business development roles for consultancies Aecom and Atkins.
As a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, Hopper has more than 25 years’ experience in the leadership of design and construction supervision teams, with 15 of these years spent in the Middle East and the rest spent in the USA and UK.
In his new role, Hopper will lead Mott MacDonald’s Saudi business as it enters an important new phase in its development as a newly formed standalone entity, headquartered in Riyadh.
Drawing on Mott MacDonald’s leadership of prestigious infrastructure and development projects worldwide and deep sector expertise, he will be positioning the business to provide key Saudi clients with strategic advice and early-stage engineering consultancy.
One of Hopper's priorities will be to expand the group's diverse and inclusive team in Saudi Arabia, adding value and sustainability to major projects and the nation by creating career development opportunities for Saudi nationals at all levels.
On the appointment, Hopper said: "I am excited to join Mott MacDonald, a company that shares my values and ambition to help support sustainable and inclusive growth in Saudi Arabia. I look forward to creating opportunities for Saudi nationals and international advisory and sector specialists to work side by side sharing knowledge and expertise and driving sustainable development in this fast-changing market."
Paul Hilton, Managing Director of Mott MacDonald Middle East business, said: "We are delighted that Hopper is joining us at a critical time, as we relaunch our Saudi business as a standalone entity."
"His local market knowledge, strategic vision and strong leadership will be a major asset as we seek opportunities to provide strategic support to key clients and help to accelerate economic, social and environmental development in KSA," he added.
