Saudi Arabia has granted citizenship to Travis Kalanick, the prominent entrepreneur and co-founder of Uber, along with John Pagano, the CEO of Red Sea Global. The two join a select group of distinguished global experts and business leaders who have been awarded the honor.
A Strategic Move for Vision 2030
The granting of citizenship by royal approval is a significant move under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 framework, which aims to attract top-tier global talent to the country. This initiative seeks to foster an environment that empowers innovation, supports human capital, and strengthens key sectors driving economic diversification. Kalanick and Pagano, both of whom recently converted to Islam, are recognized for their extensive contributions to technology, entrepreneurship, and tourism development.
Kalanick’s Deepening Ties to the Kingdom
While best known for co-founding Uber, Kalanick’s connection to the Saudi market has grown through his current venture, CloudKitchens. As CEO of the company, he oversees a global network of delivery-only “ghost kitchens,” which operate in the Middle East under the brand name Kitchen Park. The company has an established presence in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE, signaling Kalanick’s ongoing business interests in the region. He also founded the 10100 Fund, an investment vehicle focused on real estate, e-commerce, and emerging technologies.
About Travis Kalanick
Travis Kalanick is a globally recognized entrepreneur with over 26 years of experience in the technology and startup sectors. He co-founded and served as the CEO of Uber Technologies, leading the ride-sharing platform to a market value of approximately $150 billion by 2017. He is currently the CEO of CloudKitchens, a leading provider of infrastructure for the food delivery industry, operating in more than 400 locations worldwide.
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
