RIYADH: Danielle Atkins has been appointed chief marketing and communications officer of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA).
Now in the execution phase of its 7.1 million square meter masterplan, Diriyah Gate represents one of the most important Saudi giga-projects currently in development.
It is a key element in the Vision 2030 reform plan’s aim to modernize the Kingdom, engage Saudi citizens and welcome guests from all over the world.
Atkins will build and lead the marketing, communications and entertainment division of the DGDA, with a view to placing the Kingdom’s historic hub firmly on the map as a leading destination for culture and leisure both in Saudi Arabia and on the global stage.
Her team will be responsible for showcasing more than three centuries of Saudi Arabia’s rich history, and creating new narratives to illustrate the transformation across multiple disciplines spanning arts and culture, entertainment, tourism and hospitality.
“Diriyah is the birthplace of the Kingdom and a symbol of the beauty, generosity and resilience of the Saudi nation and its people. I’m hugely excited and honored to be part of a team at the forefront of realizing Vision 2030,” she said.
“The vast scale of the DGDA project, and the potential to build and empower communities across the region, are hugely exciting for me. This is a dream role because it encapsulates my passion to inspire a new generation of women in leadership roles in Saudi Arabia, and to preserve and promote the amazing heritage and culture of Diriyah by showing it to the world.”
Her appointment further reinforces the new wave of progressive female leadership in the Kingdom, in line with its rapid transformation and vision to equip women with vocational skills.
Key to the success of this ambition is to encourage the appointment of talented women into senior leadership roles, who can act as mentors and nurture female talent in in the workplace across the Kingdom.
“I’m delighted to welcome yet another world-class female talent to the (DGDA) team. With the support of top-tier visionary team members who embody the mission of the organization, we can continue our success creating one of the world’s greatest tourism destinations, cultural icons and gathering places,” said CEO Jerry Inzerillo.
“Dany did a brilliant job at Kodak and Beats by Dre, and I look forward to her contribution to the DGDA family. Dany also is a shining role-model for women empowerment and mentorship, which is one of the cornerstones of Vision 2030.”
Previously, Atkins served as Kodak’s chief brand and marketing officer during the brand’s turnaround, spearheading global marketing initiatives, pivoting Kodak into new categories, and delivering increased revenue across the company’s commercial and consumer businesses.
Prior to Kodak, she played an integral role at Beats by Dre, where she was at the forefront of scaling the brand in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
She held senior marketing positions at Nokia, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Innovision, where she was responsible for dressing London for the 2012 Olympic Games, including the installation of the Olympic Rings on Tower Bridge. Atkins is from the UK and holds a BA from University College London.
