Strategic reflections on consulting in Saudi Arabia: Insights from GGC’s CEO

In its Saudi Arabia 2025 edition, The Business Year – a global publication known for exclusive interviews and economic insights – featured an interview with Albatoul Alhodaibi, Founder and CEO of GGC. The profile recognizes her leadership in the Saudi consulting profession and highlights GGC’s contributions to transformational projects across sectors.

Albatoul Alhodaibi previously served as President of the Consulting Firms Committee at the Riyadh Chamber (18th term) and currently serves as Vice President of the National Committee for Consulting Professions at the Federation of Saudi Chambers, alongside other advisory and leadership roles.

In the interview, the CEO discusses key shifts in the consulting landscape, GGC’s initiatives for growth and talent development, and the profession’s broader role as a national development enabler.

A Shifting Landscape: From Expansion to Value-Driven Industry

GGC’s CEO describes Saudi Arabia’s consulting market as undergoing a fundamental evolution, shifting from a period of rapid volume-driven growth to a more balanced value-based phase. This transformation is not limited to spending cycles but extends to policy reforms, contracting patterns, client expectations, and the institutional maturity of the ecosystem.

Public sector clients in particular are placing increased focus on ROI-based procurement, governance, and delivery accountability, signaling a shift from advisory quantity to strategic quality.

She emphasizes that this new stage represents a healthier, impact-oriented market where forward-thinking firms must embrace flexibility, measurable outcomes, and deeper national alignment. In this context, initiatives like the Saudization of consulting professions and the new Companies Law are not merely regulatory mandates but vital instruments for sustainable capability building and market discipline.

The Saudization policy, which requires 35% localization by April 2023 and 40% by March 2024, has been supported by enablement packages from government entities to ensure a smooth transition.

Having embedded adaptability and future foresight into its operating model from the outset, GGC views these shifts as strategic opportunities to redefine value, invest in national talent, and strengthen institutional partnerships across the industry.

Advancing the Consulting Sector

GGC’s CEO outlines several initiatives through which the firm contributes to the long-term development of the Saudi consulting landscape:

• Launching national consulting export dialogues to explore international advisory markets in the presence of representatives from the Saudi Exports Development Authority and the Saudi Fund for Development.
• Leading regional bootcamps to surface local-level challenges and integrate them into improvement plans.
• Partnering with global platforms to promote best practices.
• Collaborating with universities to support talent development among undergraduates.

According to the CEO, these actions demonstrate GGC’s commitment to strengthening the professional infrastructure while promoting local capabilities for integration into global advisory markets. The consulting firm also plays an active role in national knowledge transfer by participating in regulatory and ecosystem-focused committees.

GGC is a management consulting firm based in Riyadh

Local Relevance and Global Standards

A cornerstone of GGC’s model is its focus on locally informed consulting, grounded in Saudi realities and tailored to the Kingdom’s unique cultural and sectoral context.

“Over-reliance on imported frameworks often results in repetitive solution patterns leading to repeated gaps. At GGC, we craft tailored methodologies rooted in practical insight and local understanding,” she explains.

This philosophy has enabled GGC to work across numerous sectors, from real estate and tourism to energy, media, finance, and social development, with a focus on contextual execution and global excellence.

Delivering Depth Through Innovation and Technology

GGC’s advisory offering is anchored in three interdependent pillars:

• Sectoral depth, ensuring that solutions are rooted in the specific realities of each industry.
• Innovation as a core discipline, helping clients treat innovation as a structured capability, not a one-time initiative.
• Technology as a human enabler, applying tools like AI in ways that align with leadership, people, and culture.

The CEO explains how this framework reflects a shift away from volume-based consulting toward execution-oriented advisory with measurable outcomes.

Strengthening Internal Culture and Community Engagement

Internally, GGC fosters a values-driven environment with a strong emphasis on human connection. This culture has been recognized as Great Place To Work certified in Saudi Arabia. For example, the EverGreen initiative extends the firm’s social engagement beyond employees to their families and local communities.

“This people-centered approach reinforces GGC’s broader mission of creating impact that goes beyond consulting to touch lives and societies,” says GGC’s CEO.

Investing in Upskilling and National Workforce Readiness

In response to the Kingdom’s emphasis on national capacity building, GGC established a certified upskilling center that delivers specialized professional programs. The center plays a dual role: strengthening GGC’s own delivery model while also contributing to broader workforce readiness within the consulting field.

Looking Ahead: A Decade of Growth and Purpose

With GGC approaching its 10th anniversary in 2026, the firm remains focused on maximizing value, scaling innovation, cultivating culture, deepening social impact, and institutionalizing intelligence.

The CEO says: “At GGC, ‘Meaningful Impact’ is not just a tagline; it’s a practiced philosophy. For us, impact goes beyond outputs or KPIs; it flows through every level of the organization, from individuals to teams, departments, client ecosystems, and ultimately, to society at large.”

As Saudi Arabia’s consulting sector continues to evolve, GGC – with a locally anchored, globally informed model – remains an active contributor, committed to delivering value via execution-focused advisory, sectoral insight, and alignment with national priorities.