Jeddah Airports and SJ Group Extend Partnership to Support KAIA’s Transformation

Jeddah Airports and SJ Group (SJ) on 23 September 2026 signed an extension of an existing contract agreement to deepen their collaboration and support the next phase of development at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA), with knowledge transfer and the upskilling of Jeddah Airports’ aviation professionals at the heart of the partnership. The agreement was signed at the inaugural Passenger Terminal Expo Asia in Singapore, which brought together airport owners, operators and industry leaders from across the region to discuss the future of aviation infrastructure and passenger experience.

Leveraging Jeddah Airports’ local expertise and SJ’s global experience in aviation planning, advisory and integrated programme delivery, the parties will continue supporting KAIA’s expansion programme, balancing capacity growth, operational resilience, sustainability and passenger experience, while building the capabilities to sustain that progress. The collaboration will focus on enhancing project delivery excellence at KAIA through end-to-end programme management, integrated planning and controls, governance frameworks aligned with industry’s requirements and digital innovation. The integrated Jeddah Airports-SJ team will coordinate terminal, airfield and airport-wide programmes, strengthening accountability and the management of cost, schedule, risk and interfaces.

Central to the partnership is developing Jeddah Airports’ aviation professionals through mentorship, knowledge transfer and structured training in programme controls, engineering, commercial management, digital delivery and sustainability. The partners will also explore international project exchanges, giving employees exposure to global best practices.

Eng. Mazen Johar, CEO of Jeddah Airports, said: “Extending our partnership with SJ Group represents an important step in the ongoing development journey of King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA). It underlines our commitment to leveraging global expertise alongside national talents to elevate airport efficiency, enhance operational capabilities, and improve the passenger experience.”

Eng. Mazen emphasised that Jeddah Airports attaches great importance to knowledge transfer and building national capabilities, contributing to enabling national talents to lead and manage future airport projects with high efficiency and competence, while supporting the objectives of the Kingdom’s aviation sector.

Chaly Mah, Chairman, SJ Group said: “Over the past three years, we have worked closely with Jeddah Airports to support KAIA’s transformation while safeguarding operations at one of the region’s most important airports. This extension reflects the trust and momentum we have built together and our shared commitment to creating long-term value beyond infrastructure delivery. Through knowledge sharing, mentoring and insights from major aviation projects around the world, we aim to strengthen the capabilities needed to deliver and manage increasingly complex programmes. We look forward to continuing our partnership and supporting the next chapter of KAIA’s development.”