The KSA Executive Market in 2025: What You Need to Know

Having spent the better part of 2025 working with companies across Saudi Arabia, I wanted to share some insights on what's really happening in the executive recruitment space right now. If you're hiring senior leadership or considering opportunities in the Kingdom, this is worth a read.

2025: The Year Everything Changed

Let me be blunt—I've been doing this since 2007 with Progress Personnel, and I've never seen a market quite like this.

Saudi Arabia just experienced its strongest hiring momentum in over a decade. We're talking 79% of employers actively recruiting for permanent positions. That's not "exploring options" or "building pipelines"—that's actual, committed hiring at scale.

The mega-projects everyone's been talking about? NEOM, The Red Sea Project, The Line? They're not PowerPoint decks anymore. They're mobilizing, which means they need CEOs, CFOs, Project Directors, and transformation leaders. And they need them yesterday.

What really stands out is the talent crunch at the executive level. While Saudi has successfully increased workforce participation—female participation alone hit 36.2%, exceeding Vision 2030 targets—the pool of transformation-ready Saudi executives with C-suite experience remains limited. The consequence? Every executive hire has become a competitive battle. Companies are moving faster, paying premiums for qualified Saudi leadership, and getting creative with packages just to secure the right people.

The Money Talk (Because Let's Be Honest, It Matters)

One of the most common questions I get is: "What should we be paying?"

Here's what the market's showing us right now:

C-Suite compensation has hit world-class levels. We're seeing CEOs in the SAR 850K - 1.4M range, but here's the kicker—some CFOs in PIF-backed entities are now earning more than their counterparts anywhere in the world. That's not hyperbole; that's what's actually closing deals.

Executive Directors typically land in the SAR 300K - 550K+ bracket, but honestly, these numbers are fluid. I've seen 20-30% premiums for NEOM-based roles, and candidates with the right digital transformation or sustainability credentials are writing their own tickets.

The interesting bit is how packages are structured now:

Here's what's actually closing deals with Saudi and Arabic national executives (who make up the vast majority of our placements):

• Long-term incentives are becoming standard—deferred bonuses tied to project milestones, retention bonuses for 2-3 year commitments, sometimes even equity-style arrangements

• Performance bonuses running 12-25% of base, often structured around Vision 2030 KPIs

• Core benefits: premium health coverage for family, education support, car/transport, end-of-service gratuity

• The Saudi national premium: qualified Saudi executives are commanding 15-25% above market rates due to Nitaqat requirements and genuine scarcity of transformation-ready leadership talent

  
  

But here's what we're seeing that's different: the best Saudi candidates aren't just chasing the biggest number anymore. They want to be part of building the new Saudi Arabia. They want clarity on the project's strategic importance, career trajectory, and whether the organization is genuinely committed to Vision 2030—not just paying lip service. Compensation opens the door, but nation-building purpose and real impact close the deal.

What Package Elements Really Matter

In our executive searches over the past year, the packages that actually secured top Saudi and Arabic national talent included these critical elements:

The Non-Negotiables:

• Competitive base salary that reflects the premium for qualified Saudi leadership

• Comprehensive health coverage for family

• Clear performance metrics with meaningful bonuses tied to strategic outcomes

• End-of-service benefits that recognize long-term commitment

The Differentiators:

• Professional development and executive education (Saudi execs want to keep learning—think INSEAD, Harvard programs)

• Equity in the nation-building narrative—being able to say "I'm building NEOM" or "I'm transforming Saudi healthcare" matters enormously

• Clear succession and career pathing—where does this role lead in 3-5 years?

• Flexibility and quality of life—modern Saudi leaders expect progressive work environments

• Recognition and visibility—involvement in high-profile projects, board opportunities, industry leadership roles

Here's what we've learned: the best Saudi executives aren't short of options. They're often fielding multiple offers, and many are already in senior positions. What makes them move isn't just money—it's the opportunity to shape their country's future at a pivotal moment in history.

The smartest clients we work with understand that package design isn't just about cost—it's about demonstrating that you recognize the value of homegrown leadership and you're serious about building something that matters.

Looking Ahead: The Next 6 Months

Right, so what's coming?

The momentum isn't slowing. 48% of companies across the Gulf are planning to hire in 2026, and Saudi maintains a +35% hiring outlook. The IMF's projecting 4% GDP growth, which in recruitment terms means sustained demand.

But here are the trends I'm watching closely:

1. Saudi leadership talent is the competitive advantage The Saudization acceleration (41 tourism roles from April 2026, with logistics, retail, and digital following) isn't just about compliance—it's revealing where the real talent depth is. The organizations thriving right now are those who've invested in Saudi leadership development and are reaping the rewards. Qualified Saudi executives understand both the local context and global best practices, which is exactly what Vision 2030 transformation requires. The competition for this talent is fierce, and the premiums reflect that.

2. Speed matters more than ever With talent this scarce, the window between identifying someone and losing them to a competitor has shrunk to days, not weeks. The clients who are winning? They're the ones making decisions fast and selling the vision compellingly.

3. Skills trump tenure Digital transformation, AI fluency, sustainability expertise, bilingual capability—these skills are commanding premiums. I'm seeing Saudi candidates with the right capabilities and global exposure leapfrog people with twice the years but outdated skill sets. The sweet spot? Saudi leaders who've had international experience (whether education or work) and are bringing that perspective back home to drive transformation.

4. Retention is the new recruitment Everyone's finally realizing that hiring the person is only half the battle. Keeping them requires intentional culture work, clear development paths, and packages that evolve with performance. We're seeing much more sophisticated retention strategies from the clients who are getting this right.

5. Total rewards thinking Base salary still matters, but we're having more conversations about executive education opportunities, board positions, industry leadership visibility, family legacy considerations, and involvement in defining the Kingdom's future. For many Saudi executives, this is about more than a job—it's about their role in one of history's most ambitious national transformations.

How We're Helping Clients Navigate This

At Progress Personnel, we've been working in this market since 2007, which means we've seen cycles, but this one's unique.

Our approach is pretty straightforward: we treat executive search as a strategic partnership, not a transaction. For critical C-level appointments, we work on a retained basis because, frankly, that's what delivers results at this level.

Here's what that actually means in practice:

We start with proper discovery. Not a 30-minute intake call, but a real consultation where we understand your strategy, culture, and what success looks like 18 months from now. From there, we build a precise role profile and craft a compelling narrative—because attracting exceptional leaders requires more than a job spec.

We research the entire market. Our in-house team, backed by AI-driven talent mapping and behavioral analysis, identifies the full talent pool across Saudi leadership circles—including people who aren't actively looking but would move for the right opportunity. That's where the best hires usually come from. Many of the top Saudi executives we place are already in senior roles and will only consider opportunities that represent genuine career elevation and strategic impact.

We assess for fit, not just credentials. Technical capability gets someone in the door, but cultural alignment and leadership style determine whether they'll thrive and stay. We evaluate against jointly defined criteria that balance expertise, approach, and values.

We provide market intelligence. Our clients benefit from real-time insights on what competitors are doing, what packages are actually closing deals, and what candidates are really thinking when they consider Saudi Arabia opportunities.

The reason we focus on a select number of clients in each sector is simple: quality requires focus. We can't be everything to everyone, but for the organizations we partner with, we provide depth, discretion, and results that stick.

Final Thoughts

If you're hiring executives in Saudi Arabia right now, the market is simultaneously exciting and challenging. The opportunities are genuinely transformational—these are career-defining roles in projects that will shape the region for decades.

But you're also competing for a limited pool of qualified Saudi leadership talent against well-funded entities who understand the market and are moving fast.

Success comes down to three things:

1. Understanding what you actually need and recognizing the value Saudi executives bring

2. Moving decisively when you find the right person (these leaders have options)

3. Selling the Vision 2030 connection, not just the package—Saudi leaders want to build their nation's future

The organizations winning right now are those treating executive recruitment as a strategic imperative, not an HR task. They're investing time in getting the brief right, working with partners who have deep networks across Saudi leadership circles, and making offers that reflect the genuine scarcity of transformation-ready Saudi talent.

Many of the best Saudi executives we place are already in senior roles—they're not on job boards, they're not actively looking, but they will move for the right opportunity. That's where relationships, discretion, and deep market knowledge make all the difference.

If you're navigating this market and want to talk through what we're seeing or how we might help, reach out. Always happy to share what's working, what's changed, and what we think is coming next.

About Progress Personnel

Since 2007, we've specialized in senior-level executive search across the Middle East and Far East, helping organizations secure the leadership talent they need to grow, transform, and succeed.

We're not a volume recruiter. We're strategic partners for critical C-level and senior appointments, working on a retained basis to deliver high-impact hires that drive business performance.