The challenge
NEOM required the establishment of a dedicated joint venture platform to accelerate the development and commercialization of digital infrastructure and services. The objective was to create a robust corporate, operational, and regulatory foundation that would enable NEOM to partner with international operators, attract investment, and support scalable digital services across fixed, mobile, cloud, and emerging technology domains.
This required not only identifying suitable JV partners, but also defining the end-to-end operating model, governance structures, regulatory positioning, and commercial frameworks needed to support long-term growth and alignment with Saudi Arabia’s regulatory environment.
Project outline
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Established and authored the overall NEOM Infra HoldCo JV corporate development business plan, defining strategic objectives, scope, and positioning.
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Designed and executed a structured JV partner identification and selection process, including market sizing, valuation, risk assessment, and ownership structuring.
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Identified, assessed, and engaged potential partners across terrestrial and subsea fibre, mobile network operations, cloud infrastructure, wholesale digital services, and data centre platforms.
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Developed valuation models for JV assets, including investment structures, funding options, and risk mitigation mechanisms.
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Produced detailed assessments of market opportunities across fixed broadband, mobile, cloud, wholesale services, and emerging digital infrastructure.
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Reviewed the existing Saudi regulatory framework and advised on regulatory pathways, including engagement with relevant ministries and authorities.
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Defined the JV operating model, including people, technology, processes, and governance structures.
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Designed commercial models, revenue frameworks, and initial go-to-market strategies for JV-led services.
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Supported NEOM in negotiating, selecting, and closing JV partner engagements.
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Developed financial models and business cases to support internal approvals and external partner negotiations.
Our impact
The engagement enabled NEOM to establish a structured and investment-ready JV platform with clearly defined governance, operating models, and commercial frameworks. Salience’s work provided NEOM with the strategic clarity, analytical rigor, and execution support required to engage international partners, navigate regulatory complexity, and accelerate the development of scalable digital infrastructure services.
The outcome positioned NEOM Infra HoldCo to progress confidently into JV execution, partner onboarding, and initial market offerings aligned with NEOM’s long-term digital ambitions.
Duration of engagement: June 2021 – November 2021