Client

Riyadh Airports Company (RAC) is a Saudi Arabia-based airport management company established in 2016 as part of the Kingdom’s aviation sector privatization initiative. It operates and develops King Khalid International Airport—serving 37 million passengers in 2024 and targeting 100 million by 2030.

RAC manages five terminals, connects to more than 113 local and international destinations across 58 airlines, and employs over 1,500 staff. Its vision is centered on delivering a world-class passenger and employee experience, aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Goal

RAC’s engagement with the GPA Unit formed part of a broader, deliberate performance management transformation program. The assessment was designed to establish a structured baseline—providing leadership with an independent, evidence-based view of the organization’s maturity across all five capabilities.

The objective was to use this baseline to inform a comprehensive improvement roadmap, supporting RAC’s long-term journey toward performance excellence.

Story

The GPA Unit conducted a full Performance Management System Maturity Assessment of RAC across all five capabilities: Strategic Planning, Performance Measurement, Performance Improvement, Performance Culture, and Employee Performance Management. The methodology combined document reviews, employee surveys, and stakeholder interviews to ensure a comprehensive and balanced evaluation.

The findings confirmed an organization with strong foundations across all five areas. Strategic Planning emerged as the most mature capability, supported by a clearly defined mission, vision, and values, a structured strategy formulation process, and robust governance anchored by a dedicated Strategy Management Office. RAC is progressing toward Level V maturity in Strategic Planning, with a targeted roadmap designed to close the remaining gap.

Performance Culture also stood out as a well-embedded organizational strength—integrated across all levels and treated not as a static framework, but as a dynamic system that evolves through structured feedback and annual refresh cycles.

The GPA Unit delivered a prioritized improvement roadmap across all capabilities, equipping RAC’s leadership with both a clear diagnostic and a practical path forward. Following the assessment, RAC presented its performance management journey at the GPA Unit’s Performance Excellence Forum & Awards Gala 2025—positioning itself as a case study in how structured assessment and deliberate execution drive measurable institutional progress.

Key Numbers

5 

capabilities assessed 

25% 

improvement in employee satisfaction on Performance Management following the first phase of the improvement plan

367 

employees trained on KPI best practices as part of the transformation program

Client & Expert Feedback

“Reaching Level IV – Integrated is a strong achievement and reflects the organization’s commitment to building a robust performance management system. The integrated maturity assessment has helped highlight both strengths and priorities for improvement, supporting a journey toward performance excellence. By being the first organization in the aviation sector to undertake this assessment, RAC has shown strong intent and paved the way for others in their industry and beyond.”
— Doina Popovici, Head of Assessment and Accreditation Services, GPA Unit

Key Lessons

1. Ambition at scale requires internal alignment
   An organization targeting 100 million passengers cannot rely on a performance system that lags behind its operational ambition. RAC’s investment in maturity reflects a clear understanding that excellence must be built internally to be delivered externally.
2. Assessment creates value when it triggers action
   The true impact of an assessment lies not in the score, but in what follows. RAC’s approach—treating the roadmap as a transformation engine—demonstrates how diagnostic insights can be translated into structured, organization-wide improvement.