Karim Bassil

Karim Bassil has more than 15 years of strategy consulting experience specializing in government and economic development with a particular focus on tourism, culture, nature and sports. Mr. Bassil is a seasoned advisor to some of the largest ministries, authorities and corporations playing a central role in shaping major socioeconomic agendas in the region and supporting its transformation efforts.

Mr. Bassil has been supporting tourism, culture and sports ministries and authorities, regional development authorities and nature reserves in their most strategic matters, including national and sectoral strategies development, entity-level strategy development and transformations, feasibility studies and concepts, as well as socioeconomic impact assessments.

Mr. Bassil is currently leading the efforts to grow and extend the firm’s service offerings within the tourism, culture, nature and sports space, with a particular focus on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (“KSA”) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (“GCC”).

Mr. Bassil previously worked in Kearney as part of the firm’s government and economic development practice and at Booz & Company within the public sector practice.

Relevant Experience:

• Developed KSA's national go-to-market tourism strategy to attract tourists by source markets

• Developed national libraries sector strategy and operating model for the libraries commission

• Developed the governance and operating model for a GCC ministry of culture

• Developed the strategy, concept and masterplan for a newly established reserve and supported activation through a one-year Social Media Optimization (“SMO”)

• Developed the management plan for two reserves, including developing sectoral plans

• Developed the feasibility study for a new mega-park covering an area of around 2700 square kilometers

• Assessed the financial feasibility of a large-scale real estate development and identified public-private partnerships (“PPP”) packages along residential and commercial assets

• Led the development of community and hobby club strategy to enhance the quality of entertainment in KSA

• Conducted socioeconomic impact assessment for a multibillion-dollar investment in the arts and culture sector

• Developed the sector development strategy for an entertainment development authority

• Conducted build, operation and transfer of a tourism authority’s executive office

• Developed the tourism human capital strategy for a GCC country, the concept and strategy for a national-themed hub, the concept for a heritage creative hub and the strategy for a national film academy and theatre academy