Firm\u2019s integrated smart city framework enables Saudi Arabia\u2019s northern gateway to enter global rankings on its first appearance, reinforcing Mindsets\u2019 position as a leading strategic partner for urban transformation in the Kingdom<\/p>\n
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Ain Alalam – Rashad Iskandrni<\/p>\n
31 March 2026 \u2014 Mindsets, a leading investment and advisory firm, today announced that its client, the city of Hail, has secured 33rd place among 148 cities worldwide in the IMD Smart City Index 2026. The milestone marks Hail\u2019s first-ever entry into one of the world\u2019s most authoritative urban development benchmarks and positions the city alongside established global capitals as a model for citizen-centered smart city development.<\/p>\n
Working as a strategic advisor to the Municipality of Hail, Mindsets developed an integrated smart city framework aligned with the evaluation dimensions of the IMD Smart City Index: health and safety, mobility, activities, opportunities, and governance. The framework unified the city\u2019s diverse modernization initiatives within a single strategic architecture, enabling clearer prioritization, stronger institutional coordination, and performance measurement tied directly to citizens\u2019 lived experience.<\/p>\n
The achievement is particularly notable given Hail\u2019s profile. A mid-sized city of approximately 500,000 residents in northern Saudi Arabia, Hail is historically celebrated as the cradle of Arab generosity and home to the UNESCO World Heritage Rock Art site spanning nearly 10,000 years. Its emergence among the world\u2019s top-ranked smart cities demonstrates that innovation-led urban transformation is not exclusive to mega-cities\u2014a narrative with powerful implications for sustainable development across the GCC and emerging markets.<\/p>\n
Under the Mindsets framework, Hail\u2019s transformation has consistently placed residents at its center. The city has advanced digital municipal services, strengthened healthcare and public safety systems, expanded economic opportunity, and invested in environmental sustainability. The strategic architecture translates these efforts into an interconnected operating model with defined performance indicators, ensuring that progress is visible, accountable, and aligned with international evaluation standards.<\/p>\n
The ranking reinforces Saudi Arabia\u2019s accelerating presence on the global smart city stage and aligns directly with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly the Quality of Life Program\u2019s mandate to develop livable, vibrant cities across every region of the Kingdom.<\/p>\n
\u201cHail\u2019s achievement represents precisely the kind of impact we set out to enable\u2014a city where strategic clarity meets disciplined execution, and where every initiative is measured against the standard that matters most: whether residents\u2019 lives are genuinely improving. Ranking 33rd globally is not merely a number; it is proof that mid-sized cities with the right vision and the right framework can compete on the world stage. The credit belongs to the Municipality\u2019s leadership and the people of Hail.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 Dr. Rayan Khraibani, CEO, Mindsets<\/p>\n
Hail now joins Riyadh, Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah, Al-Khobar, and AlUla among Saudi cities featured in the IMD Smart City Index, underscoring the Kingdom\u2019s deepening footprint on the global smart city landscape. Mindsets continues to expand its urban transformation advisory practice across the GCC, bringing the same integrated methodology to cities seeking measurable, citizen-centered outcomes on the international stage.<\/p>\n[\/mhc_text][\/mhc_column][\/mhc_row][\/mhc_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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