Dr. Maher Shirah

Director General, Smart City Department at Royal Commission for Riyadh City

Speaker

Dr. Maher Shirah exemplifies visionary leadership at the intersection of technology and management, making a significant impact across various sectors. His career, spanning over two decades, reflects a steadfast commitment to innovation, especially in telecommunications, banking, transportation, and smart city development.

Dr. Shirah holds a Doctorate in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Information Technology Management. His extensive expertise encompasses strategic planning, governance, and enterprise architecture, which have been pivotal in executing complex projects. Notably, he led the development of the Enterprise Command & Control Center for Smart Urban Mobility in Dubai, an initiative launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This groundbreaking project integrated 34 systems and processed 70 million data records daily, enhancing city operations and monitoring over 100 key performance indicators.

Currently, as an advisor for digital and smart city projects at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Dr. Shirah reports directly to H.E. the CEO. He is instrumental in crafting the Riyadh smart city strategy, ensuring alignment with the national digital transformation goals and broader smart city initiatives. Under his leadership, the Royal Commission has introduced a trial version of the Smart Riyadh Operations Center (ROC), significantly centralizing city management. This center has already successfully overseen major events, including LEAP, the world’s largest tech event with 172,000 attendees, and BIBAN, Saudi Arabia’s largest conference for startups and SMEs, attracting 145,000 visitors.

In addition to the ROC, Dr. Shirah has contributed to various projects aimed at enhancing Riyadh's smart city initiatives. These projects include Smart Mobility solutions, a Smart Government Integrated Services app, and the establishment of guidelines for Smart City Districts. His expertise is crucial in driving innovation and transformative projects within the urban landscape, positioning Riyadh as a leader among municipalities in the Kingdom