The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) has announced the appointment of Dr. Maryam Ali Ficociello as the new chief executive officer.
The announcement comes as the SRSA enters its next phase of growing the Kingdom’s coastal tourism sector while ensuring the protection of the marine environment.
The appointment, effective March 22nd, 2026, finds outgoing chief executive Mohammad Ali Nasser, who has assumed the role for the past four years, stepping down.
Over her two decades, Dr. Ficociello has held leadership roles in both the private and public sectors, responsible for governance, risk management, resilience, and compliance. Ficociello served as Saudi Arabia’s delegate for environmental events such as the United Nations’ Climate Change and Ocean conferences.
“It is an honour to join the Saudi Red Sea Authority at this pivotal stage in its journey. SRSA has a critical role in enabling a world-class coastal tourism sector that is safe, well-governed, and investment-ready, while protecting the Red Sea’s unique marine ecosystems,” said Dr. Ficociello.
RELATED: Saudi Red Sea Authority Launches Yacht Entry Platform “Ebhar”
“I look forward to working with our stakeholders across government and industry to strengthen regulatory excellence, embed sustainability and resilience across the sector, and advance the Kingdom’s ambitions for responsible coastal tourism and the Blue Economy,” she added.
Since its formation in 2021, the SRSA has been responsible for establishing Saudi Arabia’s superyacht and luxury marine tourism endeavours through implementing regulatory and operational measures.
RELATED: Saudi Red Sea Authority Issues First-Ever Yacht Tourism Licenses
In December 2024, the regulator issued Saudi Arabia’s first yacht chartering licenses. Developments would continue into 2025, as SRSA granted marina permits to three operators and issued the first-ever yacht tourism licenses.
More recently, the Authority launched “Ebhar,” Saudi Arabia’s yacht entry platform
