Mauricio Zuazua has taken the helm of SISCO Holding as Chief Executive Officer effective April 19, tasked with driving growth and transformation at Saudi Arabia's oldest publicly listed infrastructure investment company as it pursues expansion across ports, logistics, and water infrastructure in the Gulf Cooperation Council and South Asia. The appointment, approved by the board on April 16 following nomination committee recommendation, marks a significant leadership transition at the Jeddah-headquartered group, which manages over $5 billion in assets and ranks among the Middle East's largest infrastructure-focused conglomerates.
The board of directors said in announcing the appointment that Zuazua brings "over 25 years of global leadership experience across infrastructure, transport, and logistics, with a strong track record in driving growth and transformation across international markets." The timing signals strategic intent, as the company noted that Zuazua "joins us at a pivotal moment as we build on our strong foundations and accelerate growth across our portfolio." Zuazua succeeds Khalid Suleimani, whose resignation was accepted by the board on July 4, 2025. No executive search firm involvement was disclosed in public statements regarding the appointment.
Zuazua spent approximately 22 years at Kearney, the global management consultancy, most recently serving as regional chair for the Middle East and Africa, where he led strategic direction and operations across offices spanning Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Riyadh, and Johannesburg. His background encompasses infrastructure, transportation, logistics, and industrial sectors across the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Tec de Monterrey in Mexico, combining technical expertise with advanced business training. At Kearney, he advised executives on future-proof strategy development, organizational transformation, merger integration, and operations in asset-intensive industries. In a personal reflection on his departure from the consultancy, Zuazua said: "For the last 22 years Kearney has been an extraordinary chapter for me, a platform to fulfil my professional purpose; to shape me up as a professional and leader; to work in all continents, in multiple sectors, in many different roles."
SISCO Holding was founded in 1988 by prominent Saudi businessmen and became the first infrastructure company listed on what is now the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) in 2002. The company operates through eight portfolio companies across two core verticals: ports and logistics, including Red Sea Ports Development Company and Red Sea International Ports Development Company; and water solutions. The company pioneered Saudi Arabia's first private desalination plant, first bonded and re-export zone, and first privately operated container terminal. It is a publicly traded investment holding company focused on delivering long-term sustainable value through strategic concessions and partnerships.
The appointment reflects SISCO Holding's strategic repositioning as it seeks to scale operations and expand geographically. Zuazua's decade-plus tenure managing Kearney's Middle East and Africa region, combined with his engineering background and track record in transformation programs, positions him to navigate infrastructure sector complexities in mature markets where SISCO operates. The transition from consulting to direct operational responsibility at a large conglomerate managing billions in assets suggests the board believes external strategic perspective and transformation expertise are needed to accelerate growth and potentially unlock value across the portfolio. His experience advising on national-level sector reforms and governance matters also aligns with navigating regulatory and concession-based business models that characterize much of SISCO's operations.
