Prince Faisal bin Ayyaf

Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf holds a PhD in Planning and Management of Cities and Regions from the University of California, Berkeley (2020), with a research focus on urban development of Riyadh covering urban design, technical analysis, urban governance, and housing. He earned a Master's degree from Harvard University in 2016 and a Master's degree in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University in 2014. He earned a Bachelor's degree with honors in Architecture and Building Sciences from King Saud University in 2011, with a graduation project titled "Cultural and Recreational Urban Development for Central Historic Riyadh."

Prince Faisal was appointed Chairman of ARDCO in his capacity as Mayor of Riyadh Region. He worked as an urban consultant at the Royal Commission for Riyadh and as a design and urban consultant at Skidmore & Owings and Merrill Co. (SOM) in Chicago. He also worked as an on-site architectural supervisor at the Supreme Authority for Riyadh Development in 2012. In 2011, he worked as an architect at Moriyama and Tachima Urban Planning Bureau in Canada. He served as a lecturer and teaching assistant at Harvard University and King Saud University.

As Mayor of Riyadh Region and ARDCO Chairman, Prince Faisal has emphasized the importance of stimulating investments, maximizing returns, and achieving financial sustainability amid Riyadh's unprecedented growth. He has positioned ARDCO to become a key player in human and urban development, transforming the company from a property investor into an active real estate developer. Prince Faisal also chairs Riyadh Holding Company and serves on the Board of Directors of the Sports Boulevard Foundation.

Career history

• Design and Urban Consultant, Skidmore & Owings and Merrill (SOM), Chicago (2016+)
• On-site Architectural Supervisor, Supreme Authority for Riyadh Development (2012)
• Architect, Moriyama and Tachima Urban Planning Bureau, Canada (2011)
• Lecturer and Teaching Assistant, Harvard University and King Saud University (2012-2016)
• Urban Consultant, Royal Commission for Riyadh (2019+)
• Mayor of Riyadh Region (2019–present)
• Chairman, Riyadh Development Co. (ARDCO) (2020–present)

What Prince Faisal could bring to ARDCO: With his PhD and dual Master's degrees in urban planning and architecture, combined with senior-level experience at global firms like SOM and deep institutional knowledge of Riyadh's development priorities, Prince Faisal brings both intellectual rigor and strategic execution capability to ARDCO's transformation into a major real estate developer. His simultaneous roles as Mayor and ARDCO Chairman position him uniquely to align the company's growth strategy with Riyadh's municipal infrastructure, Vision 2030 objectives, and the city's unprecedented investment boom.