Middle East - Riyadh

2813 King Abdullah –Al Woroud Dist., Riyadh 12253 - 8043, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Our Middle East team is home to a dedicated team of more than 100  consultants, with a diversity of experiences and backgrounds, including first hand exposure to sports bodies and previous tenure at top tier management consultancies. We provide comprehensive management consulting services, and work with a diverse range of clients, including government entities, sports federations and leagues, real estate developers and private and institutional investors.

From our first project in the region in 2015, we have been working closely with the senior stakeholders on shaping the future of sports and physical activity, and are proud to have played a significant role in the rapid transformation the sector is witnessing. Our ambition is to continue shaping the sports agenda for the region, to unlock social and economic benefits.

Regional Leadership Team

Donal McElwee

Managing Partner

Donal is the Managing Partner at CAA Portas, accountable for 160 staff across 5 regional offices. He previously led the Middle East and Africa region where he continues to maintain a key account focus. Donal works closely with senior leaders in the sports sector, including Ministries of Sport, Olympic Committees, federations, investors, and the private sector.

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Wissam Khalaf

Partner

Wissam is a Partner and Head of MEA at CAA Portas, with over 16 years of experience. He focuses on strategy, planning, governance, and implementation. Wissam previously worked at Strategy&. He holds an MBA from INSEAD.

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Felicien Dillard

Partner

Felicien is a Partner at CAA Portas, with over 20 years of experience. He focuses on the development of commercially viable sports facilities and supporting major sporting event teams from bidding to delivery. Felicien previously worked as a Director at PwC. He holds an MEng in Aerospace Engineering from Bristol University and an MSc in Air Transport Management from Cranfield University.

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Patrick Raupach

Partner

Patrick Raupach is a Partner and Head of KSA at CAA Portas, with over 15 years of experience. He has worked across Europe, the Middle East, the UK, and North America. Before joining the company, Patrick spent three years at KPMG’s Global Strategy Group and five years at GIZ. He holds a Masters in Law & Economics and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Leipzig, Germany. Patrick has represented Saudi Arabia in rugby at the Asia level.

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Saidja Drentje

Partner

Saidja is a Partner at CAA Portas, with over 18 years of experience. He focuses on event and sport asset investment feasibility and strategy projects. Saidja previously worked at McKinsey & Company, Mercer, the UN and World Bank, and launched several infrastructure facilities and sports clubs. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

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Mohamed Berrada

Partner

Mohamed Berrada is a Partner at CAA Portas, leading the Commercial and Investment Practice globally and the Technology & Digital Practice regionally. With over 16 years of experience, he has worked across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Before joining the company, Mohamed spent 9 years at Bain & Company as an Associate Partner. He holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School and actively participates in tennis.

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Petra Santini

Partner

Petra is a Partner at CAA Portas, with over 11 years of experience. She focuses on strategy and policy development and operating model design. Petra previously worked as a Visiting Associate at Boston Consulting Group. She holds a First Class Honors degree from Boston University and a Master in Management from the University of Cambridge.

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Sameer Ahmed

Partner

Sameer Ahmed is a Partner at CAA Portas, with over 15 years of experience. He advises public and private sector clients across the sports sector with particular focus in esports, commercial and digital. Sameer previously worked at McKinsey & Co, Linklaters LLP and served as Head of Strategy and Client Operations for a Google-funded AI startup. He holds a law degree from the London School of Economics and an MBA from INSEAD.

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Ali Abbas

Partner

Ali is a Partner at CAA Portas, with over 14 years of experience. He focuses on national sports strategies, sub-sector strategy, Major Events, Sports tourism and Sports sustainability. Ali previously worked as a generalist in management consulting and corporate performance management. He holds an MS in Engineering from École supérieure d'ingénieurs de Beyrouth and an MBA from INSEAD.

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