Cruise Saudi announces new chief...

Barbara Buczek will oversee port and terminal teams at Jeddah, Yanbu and Dammam

Cruise Saudi has announced the promotion of Barbara Buczek to chief asset management and operations officer.

When announcing the post, Buczek said: “It’s been incredibly rewarding to be a part of Cruise Saudi’s journey and the expansion and development of the port and terminal operations. We have plans for 10 Saudi ports to receive cruise ships within the next decade.

"These are locations that have never been a part of cruising itineraries so are real milestones in our growth. I am honoured to be part of such an ambitious team that has a vision of positioning Saudi as one of the world’s leading global cruise destinations.”

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Buczek joined the company in 2021 as executive director of asset and facility management, bringing with her almost two decades of professional experience and in-depth knowledge of the cruise and port industry worldwide.

Buczek spent more than 10 years working at the Port of Dover in the UK where she led the development of the group’s business portfolio, including ferry, cruise, cargo, marina and property as group chief commercial officer.

With Saudi aiming to become an increasingly attractive tourist destination, a crucial element of Buczek’s current role at Cruise Saudi will be to oversee the port and terminal operations teams at Jeddah, Yanbu and Dammam. She is also responsible for the guest experience and curating shore excursions.

Cruise Saudi CEO Lars Clasen said: “Cruise Saudi’s vision is ambitious and exciting and I look forward to working with Barbara and the team on bringing our plans to fruition.”

For more information, visit www.cruisesaudi.com